 |
05-21-2009, 09:09 AM
|
#1
|
|
Raleigh Contractor
Trade:
Full Service Raleigh Contractor - all trades
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Posts: 2
|
Does your contracting company blog?
Our Raleigh, NC contracting company has been blogging for a few weeks now.
We mostly write about water damage restoration and siding repairs in the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill Triangle.
There are a number of reasons to blog, SEO, Value, Transparency, Trust, etc.
I think the best reason is to create value for your community by providing quality information on localized topics.
So do you blog regularly? We started the Raleigh Contractors Blog It is a work in progress of course.
Please reply with a link to your blog or any thoughts you have on the subject.
Last edited by framerman; 04-17-2010 at 06:43 AM.
|
|
|
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury
or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!
Join the #1 Contractor Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
ContractorTalk.com - Are you a Professional Contractor? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's the leading place for contractors to meet online. No homeowners asking DIY questions. Just fellow tradesmen who enjoy talking about their business, their trade, and anything else that comes up. No matter what your trade is you'll find that ContractorTalk.com is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally free!
Join ContractorTalk.com - Click Here
|
|
05-22-2009, 12:00 PM
|
#2
|
|
Registered User
Trade:
Fence Contractor
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6
|
We blog on all our sites, I agree with everything you said about the reasons you should blog. I would only elaborate and add to the "trust" - could not agree more with this. When you blog with your business you have to become the expert and give away the industry "secrets", show them exactly how your going to install that fence, remodel their home, the process of adding landscaping or building their house from the ground up. As a small business owner its been hard to continually blog but I can't tell you enough the amount of #1 traffic you are going to get and #2 the amount of converted visitors that will increase your ROI with internet marketing. It will build trust and keep them coming back for more.
|
|
|
|
|
05-23-2009, 03:17 AM
|
#3
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Construction News Service
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 268
|
Blogging certainly is effective and worthwhile if you are patient, consistent, and write stuff of genuine interest to your readers.
Earlier this week, for example, Bob Kruhm (of our organization) who publishes http://www.northcarolinaconstructionnews.blogspot.com, received the Google 'splog' notification. This happens when the blog attracts enough back-links that Google 'senses' there may be an artificial attempt to boost rankings, so you need to confirm a request for a 'human' inspection. Once my own blog passed this test, its ranking skyrocketed and now has first spot on relevant keywords.
So does this help business? Sure. We've traced cash orders and sales and you will likely get some business going forward. But I'm concerned about whether your blog is structured right to achieve these results.
1. I sense there is a lack of transparency. I can't tell who you are from your blog. You need to be 'there' and not hidden behind a secret identity (unless of course you are for example a political insider or might lose your job because of blogging, but in that situation, you aren't writing the blog to market your business!
2. Generosity of spirit and information are really important. At the beginning, I decided to grant relevant backlinks to "construction marketing" blogs. Yours qualifies, so you'll be on the list. (No reciprocation expected.) Regardless of whether I expect anything in return, it happens.
3. Be prepared to consistently maintain your blog for eight months to one year before it really pays off. This is not a quick fix or marketing solution,.
|
|
|
|
|
05-23-2009, 03:49 AM
|
#4
|
|
EIEIO
Trade:
Painting/Framing/Drywall
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: tWiliGht zOne
Posts: 1,850
|
after seeing Silvertree's blog I am going to set one up this weekend. Is wordpress a free service? I am not "webSITE" savvy. Hope to have a website up in a couple of weeks if all goes well. Great topic! 
|
|
|
|
|
05-23-2009, 12:23 PM
|
#5
|
|
Remodeling Contractor
Trade:
Remodeling Contractor
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Maryland / Northern Virginia
Posts: 151
|
Yes, WordPress is free and a lot of website masters like it.
Good Luck!
|
|
|
|
|
05-23-2009, 01:19 PM
|
#6
|
|
Certified Remodeler
Trade:
Kitchen bath remodeler
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: North Oaks,MN
Posts: 3,205
|
Let me add, its a lot of work. I shoot for one article a week and have my own style which is less professional but informative none the less.
I have found that I will be writing shorter but more remodel relevant articles with a touch of humor. This is a slippery slope as some people will think your not professional enough, that's OK with me.
I want to become the "FUN" blog guy.
|
|
|
|
|
05-24-2009, 01:35 PM
|
#7
|
|
tile designer
Trade:
tile design & installation
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 1,756
|
I thought as contractors we had to be good at informing the customer, scheduling work, and doing a good job.
Now we have to be journalists too?
|
|
|
|
|
05-25-2009, 02:38 PM
|
#8
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Repair/Remodel
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,224
|
Can someone give a link to an example of a blog on a company website? I have a hard time seeing how that would fit for some reason.
|
|
|
|
|
05-25-2009, 02:48 PM
|
#9
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Contractor hosting
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 263
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by KennMacMoragh
Can someone give a link to an example of a blog on a company website? I have a hard time seeing how that would fit for some reason.
|
http://www.coolflatroof.com/flat-roofing-blog/
http://www.rooflife-oregon.com/roof-life-blog/
Reasons:
Blogs tend to in spidered more frequently
There are directories where you can list your blog (ie http://technorati.com/)
Other blogger can link to you postings
You can link to relevant web pages on your site
Become a news source and keep oher informed.
I know a RE agent that compiles housing data only available to agents, create a daily statistics table and published it on his blog. That is the only place to get it for the general public.
Last edited by karunnt; 05-25-2009 at 03:08 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
05-25-2009, 03:03 PM
|
#10
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Builder and Remodeler
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Wakefield, Ma.
Posts: 180
|
|
|
|
|
|
05-25-2009, 04:27 PM
|
#11
|
|
Certified Remodeler
Trade:
Kitchen bath remodeler
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: North Oaks,MN
Posts: 3,205
|
On my website click on articles, and that's my website blog.
Among other things I use it for SEO
|
|
|
|
|
05-26-2009, 02:17 PM
|
#12
|
|
Member
Trade:
Residential/Commerical Pressure Cleaning
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Posts: 53
|
|
|
|
|
|
05-26-2009, 10:42 PM
|
#13
|
|
Pro
Trade:
Repair/Remodel
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,224
|
Thanks, I see how it works now.
|
|
|
|
|
05-27-2009, 10:33 AM
|
#14
|
|
Remodel and Repair
Trade:
Remodel and Handyman Services
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 311
|
|
|
|
|
|
04-16-2010, 11:59 PM
|
#15
|
|
Holly From Taylor'd Home
Trade:
Remodeling
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Champaign Urbana Illinois
Posts: 23
|
|
|
|
|
|
04-18-2010, 10:33 AM
|
#16
|
|
Pro
Trade:
windows and siding
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 135
|
I would recommend setting up blog as a sub domain of your main web site. Wordpress or Blogger can take you down at any time they wish . For SEO sub domain best way to go. We use a wordpress theme platform for our main web site on our own domain not word press, it is very easy to up date on your own, saves a lot of money. There are many plug ins for wordpress that help for SEO.
___________________________________________
Replacement Windows Boston
|
|
|
|
|
04-18-2010, 12:44 PM
|
#17
|
|
www.magicpoolservices.com
Trade:
Pool Service
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Orlando. FL
Posts: 393
|
I run the blog for our company - www.magicpoolservices.com/blog.
It is a lot of work, and I am trying to get caught up.
|
|
|
|
|
04-18-2010, 01:51 PM
|
#18
|
|
Chief Toilet Mover
Trade:
Bathroom Remodeling
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 12,920
|
NIce snake in the pool vid! 
|
|
|
|
04-18-2010, 02:35 PM
|
#19
|
|
Historic Housewright
Trade:
Preservation & Reproduction Millwork
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Vermont
Posts: 3,146
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by KennMacMoragh
Can someone give a link to an example of a blog on a company website? I have a hard time seeing how that would fit for some reason.
|
It's just a page on your site that is filled with your articles and information you want to share with you prospective customers.
Curious why you feel that wouldn't fit. 
ADD: Sorry, I didn't see your next post. I got all froze up when I saw the first one. 
Last edited by Jason W; 04-18-2010 at 02:38 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
 Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
