If you’re looking to upgrade your business website or create an entirely new design to draw in more customers, then it’s important to understand what elements of website design are important for your specific business. In terms of contractor web design, the idea is simple; you want it to be easy to read, you want your contact information readily available and you need to encourage your viewers to contact you.
To help illustrate these points, let’s take an in-depth look at the elements that make up a good contractor web design.
Be clear about what services and products you’re offering to customers
There’s nothing worse than a contractor that can’t make up their mind about what services they offer. Sure, you might have a wide range of services, but actually listing them instead of being vague is a good way to actually let your visitors know what you can do for them. Of course, you shouldn’t list every single thing especially if there’s a term to generalize them. For instance, you don’t need to list every type of flooring option you have; simply mentioning that you have a variety of flooring options and then listing them on a separate page is good enough.
Understand your target market inside out
If you understand your audience then you understand what services they’re looking for. If you’re targeting a high-end renovation market then your website needs to be clear, modern, elegant and showcase some of the work that you’re most proud of. If you’re a construction contractor that wants to appeal to a wider audience and different price points, then don’t make your website too wordy and keep the language simple so that your services seem accessible.
Make the content short, concise and meaningful
One of the biggest pitfalls of any contractor website is writing too much stuff on the front page. Keep it clear and concise and focus on keeping your content short so that it’s meaningful and not full of useless words that don’t contribute to the overall experience. The more straight and to-the-point you are, the less time your customer wastes and the higher the chance that they’ll pick up the phone and give you a call if you appeal to them.
Big and bold statements are attractive
Simple, big and bold statements like “You dream it, we build it” and “Beautiful Yet Affordable Landscaping” are ideal for contractor websites because they catch the attention of your viewers and it’s immediately clear what your business offers. This goes back to the idea of keeping your content short, meaningful and concise.
Let your audience know the benefits of working with you
Don’t list all of the services you provide and the accolades you’ve achieved. Instead, describe your services by letting your audience know the benefits of working with you to make it more attractive. For instance, “Realize your dream garden designs with our professional landscaping service” is a much more attractive title than “We are experts in professional landscaping”.
Keep the design simple
Navigation of your website should be simple. You should have a menu somewhere to switch between main pages and nothing on your website should ever take more than two single clicks to reach. Burying information in a labyrinth of links is a no-go and you should always simplify your website navigation to make it more accessible.
Always have a “services” page
While your front page should offer some basic information about the services you offer, it’s always a good idea to include a more detailed services page which goes into more detail about what you can offer. This will help your audience understand your services better before getting in touch with you.
Pictures tell a thousand words
If your contractor web design is full of text and zero pictures then something needs to change. Make sure you add pictures where necessary such as for your front page and in your “about us” page in order to break up text and make your content flow better.
Have a “team” or “About Us” page
A great way to introduce more customer trust is to have a team page or an about us page so that your viewers can get a better understanding of your philosophy, your services and also your experience. Having pictures of your staff members can also be a great way to introduce more trust in your brand especially if they are the contractors that you’ll be sending out.
Make sure your website is viewable on desktop and mobile devices
Smartphone users account for roughly half of the internet users in the country so it’s vital that you create a responsive web design that fits the orientation and size of the viewer’s browser. This is something that can be automatically done with the right web services, but the idea of optimizing your website for mobile users should be a consideration from the very beginning. This means less text, more images, bigger links and having information reachable within 2 clicks at most.
Ensure your contact information can be clearly seen
Every page should have some kind of contact information. Whether it’s contact details at the foot of your website or having your phone number at the top near your logo and banner, it’s vital that your contact information can easily be seen so that your viewers don’t get frustrated trying to find it or forcing them to click on your contact details page just to find it.
Adding a portfolio page is a great way to create trust
Every contractor website design should have some kind of portfolio page that shows real work that you’ve done. This helps to create trust in your brand and also shows your customers what you’re capable of. It’s a good idea to take pictures (with consent from the client) of the projects you work on so that they can be used on your website as background images and as part of your online portfolio. A brief description of each photo can also help your audience understand what they’re looking at.