Your initial thought on blogging may cause you to envision a teeny-bopper typing away on her keyboard about how much she likes certain coffee chains and her feelings.

Well, blogs can most certainly be exactly that, and that's not a problem.

However, as a business owner in the construction industry, if you're not seriously considering implementing an on-going blog into your marketing strategy... you might just be making a big mistake.

We've already discussed the importance of effective copywriting for your website, social media, ads- etc... but now I'm going to focus specifically on a very important digital marketing tactic that can greatly boost your business website's online presence.

Yes, even though you are in the construction industry... in fact, especially because you are in the construction industry.

So, without further adieu, let's talk about...

Why Your Construction Business Needs A Blog

What Is A Blog... Really?

From a business stand-point, a blog is a form of currency. A blog is a means of building trust and engagement with your current and future customers. It is also an incredible way of increasing the efficacy of your online presence.

A blog is a place where you can provide your customers with relevant information, insights, and tips that will benefit them... all without them having to do something to get it. In other words: "Here is something totally free to help you- just because I like you and want you to be happy"

It seems odd, but it is something that your customers will genuinely appreciate and respond to. When they see that you, as a brand, are putting their needs above your profits by providing them with useful information, it will stick in their mind.

They'll remember. Just like Peperage Farms... or FaceBook.

Similarly, a blog helps customers see the people behind the business. It humanizes you. It makes you more relatable and endearing. Showing that you have enough personality to add a blog to your business site will, again, build trust with potential customers.

What Is A Good Blog For A Business Website?

Well, it all depends on your business. Just as with any other copy on your website, your blog should match your brand voice, as well as provide relevant content to your audience. It should also have a conversational tone. A blog shouldn't be strictly business, even if you, as a brand, are very formal.
There has to be a balance.

Remember, a blog is about building trust and humanizing your company to potential customers. Always carry yourself professionally, but don't be afraid to let a little personality into your writing.

How To Write A Blog For A Construction Business

I'll quickly go over a few tips to help you get started on building a super cool blog on your business website.

Best Word Count For Blog

Keep word count in mind for SEO(Search Engine Optimization) reasons. Ideally, your blog should be between 1500 and 2000 words.
If you want to be really ambitious, long-form blogs are very effective but range from 2000 words and up.

Relevant Blog Content

This is the most important aspect of writing a blog aside from making sure that you're spelling everything correctly. You need to take the time to research exactly what your customers are interested in.

Your construction blog shouldn't be hosting your favorite recipes(though that can be a fun occasional post for a holiday or something) it should be solving problems your specific customer would have.

A construction blog should think about the information that their customers would be looking for on Google. Below are a few post ideas that you are welcome to steal to get you started.

• Best Paint Colors of 2020(I actually wrote a blog on this that you can read here)
• Why You Should Repair or Replace Your Roof
• How Home Inspection Saves You TONS Of Money
  How To Fix A Leaky Pipe
  

You get the idea. You need to identify the problems that your customers face that your company can solve, and write about that.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization(SEO) is a tactic used to improve your website's appearance in relevant search results on the internet.

For example, if you were a "Roofing company" who wanted to rank well on Google, you would want to sprinkle words and phrases like: "roof repair" "roof replacement" "[insert local town/city] roof repair" "roof restoration" "local roof restoration".

This is very basic, but this is just to give you an idea. Now, SEO is not an exact science, and it doesn't guarantee that you will get the number one spot on a result just for adding keywords to your content. However, it will greatly improve your chances of being seen by the people who need your services.

When writing blogs, think about your topic, and then think about how someone interest in that topic would try to find the answer on Google.

They would most likely ask it in the form of a question, right-? Or use "keywords" that relate to their needs.
As in: "how to repair a roof", "how to fix a water-damaged basement"

You should consider this when coming up with the title of your blog, as well as some of the sub-headings.

What If I Can't Write Well?

Listen, don't stress out about it. Learning how to write, especially from a marketing standpoint, is a skill that takes years to learn and get better at.

There are techniques and tactics that aren't just easy to come up with (goodness knows I've been writing professionally for over 6 years, and still find that I learn new stuff every day).

If you really don't feel confident in your writing ability- or just don't have the time, then consider hiring someone to do it for you. Yes, it may be an added expense... but the long-term benefits and potential increase in customer traffic can more than makeup for it.

There are a ton of writers who are excited and ready to help businesses like yours grow and prosper with the power of strategically written words.

If you'd like to chat with me about my own Blog services, I'd be more than happy to get to know you and all about your business. Just drop me a message and I'll get back to you asap.

I hope that this quick post has helped you see just how important adding a blog to your business website can really be. If you have any questions, drop them in a comment below. Also, feel free to share this with your friends who you think might benefit from this info!

Until next time, please stay safe and healthy. Social distancing, as much as it sucks, can be a good time to sit down and focus on some of these (seemingly) smaller aspects of your business.
Take it easy!
-Kenz