In early 2024, Pew Research discovered that 95% of the United States are active internet users! This fact, along with the insight that approximately 70 to 80 percent of Americans engage in online shopping, highlights a significant opportunity for service-based businesses, particularly in the construction and contracting sectors, to showcase their expertise online.
If you're considering enhancing your online presence with a construction website design or a general contractor website, you'll find this list invaluable. We're diving into the essentials of what your contractor website should feature, the elements to avoid, and some pitfalls that could detract from your site's effectiveness. Whether you're looking for contractor website design tips or the best practices for websites for contractors, this guide will steer you in the right direction, ensuring your online presence is both impactful and effective.
Innovative Construction Designs, based in Riverside, CA, excels at blending residential and commercial construction expertise, a trait prominently displayed on their landing page. The design strikes a perfect balance between sleek aesthetics and informative content. It embodies two key recommendations for contractor websites:
1. Streamline client contact processes, making it effortless for clients to reach out.
2. Showcase your expertise with vivid imagery and precise language on your site.
Innovative Construction's website showcases these principles effectively through the "get a quote" button, seamlessly connecting visitors to the contact page. A standout feature of this construction website design is its integration with the business owner's project management software. This functionality not only facilitates lead generation, particularly through SEO, but also ensures smooth lead fulfillment, exemplifying a best contractor website in action.
The business's services page clearly demonstrates the company's wide-ranging expertise in both residential and commercial projects. This broad spectrum of work positions them advantageously in the construction website design field. Furthermore, the uniformity in website design and branding throughout the site might seem trivial but is crucial. Such consistency is a direct indicator of your commitment to detail, establishing trust and reliability in the eyes of potential clients. This meticulous attention to detail sets apart the most effective*contractor websites, signaling a level of professionalism and care that resonates with prospective customers.
Skilled Home Builders has carved out a strong presence in the home remodeling market, as their engaging tagline immediately suggests. Their homepage is enhanced by a professionally shot and stabilized video, underscoring their commitment to quality in contractor web design.
Like what we’ve seen with Innovative Construction’s site, Skilled Home Builders efficiently showcases their services right from the homepage. They employ a user-friendly “our services” button at the center and a “request a service” button to ease communication. Unique to their contractor website, a top-page banner prominently displays their contact number. This smart marketing tactic emphasizes three critical aspects: financing availability to ease price concerns, the appeal of a free quote to increase engagement, and the practicality of a clickable phone number. Such strategies are pivotal for websites for contractors, ensuring essential information is not just visible but also accessible.
However, the site's use of gradients on buttons, banners, and dropdown menus warrants a second look. Although standing out is vital, these design choices can compromise accessibility. This is particularly true when white text on gradients becomes hard to read, posing a challenge that might not align well with Google’s accessibility guidelines. Addressing this could not only enhance user experience but also align with best practices for contractor website design, ensuring the site ranks favorably in search results.
VC Development Inc stands alongside high-quality providers like Innovative Construction and Skilled Home Builders, showcasing exceptional attention to detail in their online presence. Their homepage cleverly includes a clickable phone number and outlines their services, simplifying how visitors connect and learn about what they offer. The website's clean design and consistent branding echo the sophistication expected from leading players in the construction and contracting field. The careful selection of imagery and the uniformity in page structure and colors underscore a commitment to professionalism and user experience, qualities that distinguish standout service providers in today's digital landscape.
Upon visiting their general contracting page, you'll notice the content on their is top notch. It very clearly defines what their services are, and their process for each of the services they offer.
But nothing is perfect right?
My biggest quip with this site would be the way they've attempted to incorporate SEO on their site. It's very obvious, and the best of the best SEO agencies can tell right away. Did you notice how their general contracting and commercial contracting services are labeled?
The use of "General Contractors" and "Commercial Contractors" as labels on the navbar is a strategic SEO move designed to boost search engine rankings for these keywords. However, this tactic, while effective for Google's algorithms, may not be as clear to site visitors. These labels are meant to highlight the contractor services offered, but they could be mistakenly appealing to individuals who are general or commercial contractors themselves, rather than those seeking general contractor services or commercial contracting services. This nuance is crucial, as it highlights the importance of clarity and user-focused content in contractor website design, ensuring that potential clients understand the services being offered, rather than attracting peers within the industry.
Another aspect that stands out is their approach on the services area page, where they've listed every city they service. This tactic is often used in SEO to capture higher rankings for localized keywords. While not inherently negative, it's not the most streamlined method. Presenting just a lengthy list of cities can be overwhelming for potential clients who must scan through, hoping to spot their location. If they don't find their city, it could lead to confusion or lost interest.
A more elegant solution might involve stating service coverage more broadly, such as mentioning the entire county or the Inland Empire. This approach simplifies the information while still leveraging SEO for contractor websites effectively. It ensures users quickly understand the service reach without the need to sift through an exhaustive list, making the website design for contractors more user-friendly and potentially increasing engagement for those looking for construction website design services in a broader area.
Harding Construction's website presents a few notable areas for improvement to enhance its overall effectiveness and user experience. Firstly, the branding colors seem to lack a cohesive theme, with a mix of gray, pastel yellow, and pastel orange. This variety can lead to a lack of brand identity clarity, which is crucial for establishing a memorable online presence.
Moreover, the absence of a clickable phone number is a significant oversight, especially considering that close to 80% of internet browsing now occurs on mobile devices. Making contact information easily actionable is fundamental in today’s mobile-first world, facilitating immediate engagement from potential clients.
Lastly, the most prominent button on the site is the "find us on Yelp" button. While showcasing positive reviews can build trust and credibility, directing visitors away from your website might not be the best strategy for maintaining engagement. Keeping users on your site is key to increasing dwell time, a factor that can influence higher rankings on Google. A better approach might be to incorporate Yelp reviews directly onto the site, allowing visitors to view positive feedback without navigating away, thus enhancing the potential for engagement and conversion right where you want them: on your contractor website.
Total1 AC & Heating's website makes a striking first impression with its professionally shot video content. However, the impact is somewhat diminished when visitors realize the video promotes products from another company, not Total1 AC & Heating itself. While showcasing the high-quality products they use is understandable, dedicating prime website real estate to advertise other brands may not be the most effective marketing strategy. It’s crucial for businesses to focus on marketing themselves on their contractor website, ensuring all content directly supports their brand and services.
Additionally, the website faces usability challenges, notably with the text size on the navigation bar. Its small, hard-to-read font and the difficulty in clicking links can frustrate users looking for quick information. In today's fast-paced digital environment, ease of navigation is key to keeping potential customers engaged. A cumbersome user experience can lead to a higher bounce rate, negatively impacting the site’s SEO and Google rankings.
Another significant oversight is the non-clickable big red phone number. In an era where immediate action is valued, forcing users to manually copy and paste the number into their phone app rather than enabling direct calls from the website overlooks the convenience modern technology offers. Making contact information easily actionable by incorporating clickable phone numbers can drastically improve the user experience, encouraging potential clients to reach out and, in turn, positively influence the site’s performance and construction website design standards.
Slone Construction & Remodeling Inc's website makes an initial strong visual impression with its homepage design, featuring a captivating image as the background. While aesthetically pleasing at first glance, this design choice presents a significant SEO challenge. Google's crawling bots are unable to "see" or index text that is embedded within an image, meaning any crucial information presented in this manner does not contribute to the site's search engine ranking. This oversight can hinder the website's visibility and effectiveness in attracting new clients through search.
Furthermore, the phone number on the website is not clickable, a missed opportunity for enhancing user experience. In today’s digital age, where convenience is paramount, enabling potential clients to initiate a call with a single tap can significantly increase engagement and conversion rates.
Another area for improvement is the website's lack of a clear call to action (CTA). A well-defined CTA is essential for guiding visitors towards the next steps, whether it's contacting the company, requesting a quote, or viewing a portfolio of past projects. Without this guidance, potential customers may feel uncertain about how to proceed, potentially leading to a higher bounce rate and a missed opportunity to convert visitors into leads.
Addressing these issues—by incorporating SEO-friendly text, making contact numbers clickable, and defining a clear call to action—can greatly improve the website's performance. These changes will not only enhance SEO for contractor websites but also streamline the user journey, making it easier for potential clients to connect with Slone Construction & Remodeling Inc.
The website for contractors, in this case, shows its age not just in design but also in its foundational coding, appearing as though it hasn't been updated since 1999. In an era where digital presence is synonymous with brand quality, this site's outdated aesthetic and functionality fall short of the modern expectations for construction website design. Users today anticipate a seamless blend of branding, marketing, and user experience, areas where this site unfortunately does not deliver.
Additionally, a malfunctioning gallery page is a significant missed opportunity for the company. This flaw prevents them from showcasing their extensive portfolio, a key element that could highlight their years of experience and expertise in the field. Such a feature is crucial for contractor websites aiming to establish credibility and attract new clients.
Another critical oversight is the website's lack of HTTPS security. This not only poses a risk to user safety but also impacts the site's SEO standings, as Google's ranking algorithms favor secure websites. Ensuring HTTPS encryption is a standard practice for the best contractor websites, enhancing both security and search engine visibility.
Lastly, the recurring issue of a non-clickable phone number further detracts from the site's effectiveness. In today's mobile-driven world, the ability for potential clients to easily initiate contact directly from the site is not just an advantage—it's expected. Addressing these issues—modernizing the design, fixing the gallery, securing the website, and making contact information actionable—can significantly improve the site's performance and alignment with SEO best practices for contractor website design.
Waddell Painting presents a website that exudes a homely charm but unfortunately doesn't meet today's web design standards. The cozy feel, while appealing, isn't enough to compete in the modern digital landscape, particularly for those seeking cutting-edge construction website design. A significant shortcoming is the lack of a clear call to action (CTA), a critical element for contractor websites aiming to convert visitors into clients. Without a direct prompt guiding users on how to engage with their services, opportunities for conversion are likely missed.
Further, the accessibility of contact information falls short, with a non-clickable phone number relegated to the footer and absent from the homepage. This oversight complicates the communication process, a vital component for effective contractor web design where ease of contact is essential.
The use of outdated icons and an image of wood as the background does not align with the sleek, modern aesthetics of the best contractor websites. Such design choices can detract from the user experience, making the site feel dated rather than dynamic and engaging.
Despite these critiques, "Waddell Painting" stands out on "the bad" list for its structured layout and quality content. This foundation suggests that with a thoughtful redesign focused on modern website design for contractors, including a clear CTA, clickable contact options, updated icons, and a more contemporary background, "Waddell Painting" has the potential to transform into the premier painting website in the area. This update could drastically enhance its SEO performance and user engagement, positioning it as a leading example in the industry.
The "ugly" here, isn't meant to showcase actual ugly websites. We've seen some of those in "The bad" section, what we're showcasing here is even worse!
Having a broken website, might be worse than having no website. Just imagine, you're a client searching for general contractors in your area, you found one that you may be interested in, and you head over to their website... but it takes you to this?
As a consumer, what does this communicate to you?
To me at the very least it communicates the business owner isn't fully aware of their business operations, probably doesn't pay attention to detail, and maybe has a tendency to work with people who don't deliver quality?
The worst of all is that all of these things might not even be the case! Don't put yourself in a situation where you're communicating all the wrong things to the client before they even give you a call!
If you don't currently have a website, that's probably the worse place you can find yourself. As the world becomes more technologically advanced with the advent of AI - there is a quote that says:
"In the future, there will be two kinds of businesses. Those using AI, and those out of business."
Now, I know this is an article about the benefits of having a website, but put another way. AI is a far more advanced piece of technology than a website... what does that mean? It means that having an online presence is *table stakes* to play the game of business. It's the bare bones some might say....
That's where we come in: Website Warrior, we build websites for contractors.
I've been a part of the industry since I was about 12 going to work with my Father who is a construction worker - and after graduating from the University of California Berkeley, and working as a Software Engineer at companies like Autodesk and Pinterest - I started Website Warrior to provide the industry with the expertise I've been blessed to receive in the tech space.
If you'd like to book a free consultation, head over to the contact page - or, shoot me a text here: (951) 494-6417
