In the old days, only the biggest, most well-funded homebuilders could afford to advertise on TV, radio and various prestigious print outlets. This meant that small homebuilders, or those who were just starting out, had an incredibly difficult time garnering any kind of brand recognition. Essentially, they were being choked out of the market by the big companies.
Today, however, the marketing atmosphere has completely changed. Thanks to the internet and SEO for homebuilders, small homebuilders can now level the playing field, and in many cases, out-market the big companies. Here are some successful online marketing ideas small homebuilders can use to compete with the big companies.
Online Marketing for Home Builders
Build and optimize a world class website
If you do not have a website for your business in this day and age, you are at a significant disadvantage. Over 90%% of your potential clients are going online to look for builders they can hire to construct their luxury custom homes. The very first thing you can do as a small homebuilder is to have a professional, responsive website designed for your brand. This website should:
- Be well designed and responsive
- Be full of high quality and relevant content
- Showcase your skills and expertise
- Be a gateway for you to fluidly communicate with your clients
- Easy to navigate and find
Become a resource for your clients
Most companies are so focused on promoting their agenda that they forget to listen to their clients. As a small homebuilder, one of the best ways to ensure that people know who you are is to become an invaluable resource to them.
This can be done through:
- Being active on home builder forums where clients go to ask construction related questions
- Be friendly with most building material suppliers so you know who you can recommend should any of your potential clients ask
- Hold community outreach programs to try and show people good homebuilding practices to build trust and rapport
- Have a blog that gives practical advice on homebuilding related topics
Once people start associating your brand with practical and useful information as well as homebuilding based solutions, you’re only one step away from their hiring you to build their next home.
Be active on social media
When it comes to digital marketing for home builders, you simply cannot ignore social media. From Facebook to Twitter, LinkedIn and even Instagram, you simply must find ways to connect with your audience. You can start thought-provoking discussions on Facebook to increase user engagement; you can post beautiful pictures of finished houses on Instagram, and you can give professional advice on LinkedIn. You can also use social media as an avenue to resolve any client complaints or answer any pertinent questions.
Showcase customer case studies
One of the best ways to rank in Google for homebuilders and get your brand associated with professionalism and expertise is to showcase various case studies. These have to be successful projects that your company has undertaken. Give people a clear picture from start to finish. This way, they become familiar with your process and start seeing you as a development partner instead of just another company. The best thing about this is that it will give your potential clients an opportunity to visualize themselves as the home buyer in question. They will start thinking about building their own homes, and they will start seeing you as their home builder of choice.
Today, various online marketing methods have made it exceptionally easy for small homebuilders to compete with the big companies. Now the playing field is leveled! For further reading, download our free homebuilder marketing guide below:
