When searching for a service provider in Google, has a business’ Facebook page shown up in search results instead of their website?
Or have you decided on goods or services because a friend referred them or posted pictures of their experience and tagged the business?
There’s no going around it; people are affected by what their friends share and the ads they see across all platforms.
So, how can you generate leads through Facebook? It all starts with an up-to-date business page.
The Basics of a Good Facebook Business Page
What do people see when they first land on your Facebook page? First impressions count, so let’s make sure your page is nice and tidy.
1 – Upload your logo (keep it as simple as possible) and stay within the dimensions (170 x 170 pixels).
Instead of uploading your full logo, we recommend using just the icon as it’s easier to see. (see the pics below).
2 – Upload a cover photo or a video (820 x 31 pixels) that highlights your services or your company’s values. If you don’t have a graphic artist on site, we recommend using Canva. They have many templates that you can modify to suit your branding needs (many are free). This is a great app for non-technical users.
Some ideas of what to post can be a beautiful photo or drone shot of your latest project, a team photo taken onsite, a professional picture of a product, etc. Take a look at other Facebook pages in your industry to get some inspiration.
3 – Make sure you have keywords in your company name, such as ‘Landscape Company,’ ‘Construction Company,’ ‘Concrete Finisher’ so that people can easily find you on Facebook and know exactly what you do.
4 – Update your contact button. Give potential customers a way of reaching out to you.
5 – Your business page on Facebook must always have the most recent contact information available for your company.
Include the following contact info in your profile:
- Address
- Short description of what you do
- Website URL
- Phone Number
- Email
- Please look into getting a professional email with Google Business Suite. It’s only $7/month, easy to set up and to use, and you’ll look like you’re a reputable company!
- Office hours
- Categories
6 – If you allow incoming messages, make sure that someone can respond to them within 24 hours. During business hours, responses should be as immediate as possible as your response time is visible publicly. Download Facebook Messenger on your phone to receive instant notifications and to respond to inquiries right away.
7 – Your business page can also accept reviews from clients. Always encourage anyone you work with to leave a review of your services AND ‘like’ your page.
Getting reviews is one of the social media tactics that you cannot do without. The more reviews you have, the higher Facebook will place your page in search results when people search for your services within the platform.
8 – Finally, post pictures of your work and your office. Show people your professional side on Facebook. Show off your fancy new tools or brag about the cutting-edge solar panels you just installed.
Give people the sensation that something exciting is always happening at your construction company.
There is a fine line between posting frequently and being annoying. If you post too much on any platform, it devalues each post. However, if you don’t post enough, your presence is unlikely to grow. How do you strike that balance?
The key is always to be helpful. Like or reshare someone else’s great answer to a question you’ve encountered. Show people how to build something, even if it means they might not hire you. Invest in your community, and they will invest in you.
Facebook Post Ideas for Construction Companies
Here are some ideas of what you can post on both Facebook and Instagram:
- Company or employee anniversaries/milestones
- In-progress projects
- Before & After
- Client testimonials (videos, pictures)
- Company outings
- Promotions
- Sweepstakes
- Industry insight
- Community involvement
- Do-it-yourself tips for homeowners
- Behind-the-scenes or a day in the field
- Company mascot (such as your pet with a branded hat or bowtie)
- Videos of your subcontractors in action
- Interview your workers on video (show the faces behind your company)
- Ask them about their experience, what they love about their job, etc.
- Show safety measures in place
- Show off your new tools, truck or equipment
- Cool pictures of your environment (such as skylines, high rises, your favourite parts of the city)
- Run a survey to engage with your community.
- For examples, you can have a survey along with a picture of three natural stones, asking users which one they’d prefer for a fire pit)
Show the beauty of construction, and don’t be afraid of getting creative with your shots!
TIP: Avoid posting pictures of your family (unless they work with you), food, and substances as these are unflattering and will shine a negative light on your business.
Okay, you have an up-to-date Facebook page, now what?
Facebook Best Practices for Construction/Home Improvement Companies
Facebook marketing is complicated and time-consuming. Since most of you manage your social media, we’re outlining the most important tips and tactics that you can keep in mind to build a following and target your audience slowly (and how to avoid being spammy!).
- Post 1-2 times per week
- Include engaging captions that ask the audience a question or tell a story
- Define your client’s problem and outline how you’ve solved it
- Include your location in every post
- Tag your clients, subcontractors, employees, rental equipment providers and suppliers in your posts (if applicable)
- Has a client shared a picture of your work? Reshare the post!
- Don’t use hashtags in captions; these are not effective on Facebook
- Send an email or SMS to your happy clients, asking them to review you on Facebook and to like your page
- Respond to these reviews
- For every project, record onsite client testimonials on your phone
- Respond to every comment as soon as possible
- Upload videos directly to Facebook (do not share a link to your video on YouTube as these platforms are in competition and Facebook will show your post to fewer people)
Final Thoughts
It’s hard for many businesses to accept the fact that traditional forms of marketing, such as cold calling, billboards and flyers, are no longer effective in swaying consumer behaviour. And you can’t keep relying on word-of-mouth. Aren’t you tired of scrapping the bottom of the barrel for clients? Marketing gives you the power to choose the ideal customers that you’d want to work with.
Users are now trusting social media platforms to find recommendations, share advice & tips, leave reviews, purchase products from others in Marketplace, and more. This new way of consumerism is here to stay, so don’t get left behind. Invest in social media marketing, whether it’s with your time or by running campaigns.
Need Help from a Professional?
We recommend outsourcing your social media ads and management if you want to do more. We don’t expect business owners to be professional social marketers. Focus on what you do best, and we can help with the rest. Get in touch with us if you wish to learn more.
