Are you struggling to attract customers to your plumbing or HVAC company? If you’ve tried paid advertising only to end up with disappointing results, your contracting website could be missing a few of the essential elements of good website design.
Website design and development services from Polianna can transform your site and boost its position in the search results. Below, learn more about website design elements that every contracting site needs.
1. Intuitive Navigation
If users visit your website and don’t know where to go, they’re likely to hit the “back” button and head to your competitor instead. That’s why easy-to-understand navigation is one of the most critical website design elements.
Your website should include a site map so users don’t get lost as they navigate between pages. It’s also smart to list pages under a hamburger menu. This menu, which looks like three little lines, should appear at the top of each page. Users can click or tap the menu to see a list of pages they can go to. Using a hamburger menu keeps your pages clean and frees up space, which is especially important on small mobile screens.
2. High-Quality Content
Does your website feature helpful and informative content? Users who can’t easily find and understand your content will probably leave your site and look elsewhere.
Add content that’s concise, satisfying, and easy to read throughout your website. Such content can attract Google’s attention and boost your position in the search results.
3. Strong SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical when it comes to better search result rankings. Without good SEO practices, your website could languish on the second or third page of search engines, where potential customers will never even see it.
SEO doesn’t just include packing your content with relevant keywords. While that’s important, you’ll also need to optimize your meta description, alt text, and heading tags. Doing this ensures that your site works properly in different browsers.
Want to know more about how SEO can help your contracting business? Download our free PDF, “Five Secrets None of Your Competitors Know That Will Win You New Customers.”
4. Mobile-Friendly Design
Mobile devices generated nearly 60% of traffic in the second quarter of 2022. Modern web design elements prioritize a mobile-first strategy to ensure that websites load properly on smaller devices.
When building your website, you’ll need to use responsive design so the site adapts to different screen sizes. Websites that display poorly on mobile screens cause a negative user experience, so you can’t afford to ignore this element of web design.
Speed matters, too. Don’t clutter your pages with lengthy and unnecessary content just for the sake of taking up space. Likewise, limit images and other elements that could cause your site to load slowly.
5. Consistent Typography and Branding
Typography and branding elements give your website a consistent look across every page. It’s best to stick with the same typography on each page so users don’t get confused.
If your website isn’t attracting customers, it’s possible you’re using the wrong typography. Whimsical fonts may look interesting, but they don’t give off the “professional contractor” vibe you’re probably going for.
It’s best to stick with a well-known font, such as Roboto, Arial, or Helvetica. Unusual fonts may not display properly in certain browsers.
Place your business’s logo at the top of every page, too, and stick with the same logo throughout the entire website. If you decide to test a different logo, update your whole website to reflect the change.
6. Semi-Flat Design
Semi-flat design uses shadows to give content a feeling of depth. Use this strategy to draw the user’s eye to important elements, such as your call-to-action button. But use it sparingly, because too many shadows can be distracting and make your content hard to read.
7. White Space
It’s tempting to fill every inch of blank space with content, but doing this goes against modern website design practices. Too much clutter makes it hard for users to read your content, especially on mobile devices, and confused users aren’t likely to stick around on such a site for long. Break up your content with ample white space between paragraphs, sections, titles, and images.
8. Engaging Images and Videos
To boost engagement, try placing a large image or video at the top of your home page. This content immediately lets users know what you do by highlighting your services or experience.
It’s smart to use videos and images on other pages of your site, too. For example, you could place video testimonials from happy customers on your “Reviews” page. If you have a blog, you can include photos and videos of HVAC maintenance tips and other content of interest to your customers.
Auto-playing videos quickly capture a user’s attention, but use them carefully to avoid annoying people. Make sure the video plays at a reasonable volume and give users the option to pause or stop the video if they wish.
9. Conversion Factors
When customers visit your website, you don’t want them to ask, “What next?” Always make it clear what you want the user to do, whether that’s filling out a contact form or scheduling an appointment.
Make your contact forms and call-to-action buttons stand out from the rest of each page. You can do this by using bold colors, borders, and other attention-grabbing elements.
Place your phone number at the top of every page so users don’t need to hunt for it. Consider adding a call-to-action message next to your number, such as, “Book your appointment now.”
Get Help With Your Website Today
If you’re struggling to get your contracting website to rank, it may have nothing to do with your customer service or prices. Using these website design elements could have your site ranking highly and your phone ringing with customer calls in no time.
Polianna understands modern website design trends and knows what it takes to build a website that will have you outranking your competitors. To find out more about our web design and SEO services, book a discovery call with Polianna at (703) 475-6907.
