Why You Might Not Be Getting Homeowner Leads From Your Website… And How to Fix It!

Many contractors expect to get homeowner leads from their website. First you build it, then post some project photos, list your services and hope the leads will come rolling in. 

But what happens when you’re waiting for emails or phone calls from interested prospects and end up with… crickets, or a trickle of leads instead of a flood?

This article will show you how to turn things around! First we’ll help you figure out what might be going wrong and then the exact steps to fix your contracting website, get more homeowner leads and create an unstoppable, online customer-generation machine!

Why Contractor Websites Struggle to Convert Visitors To Leads

Here are a few of the most common problems:

1. The website loads too slowly. According to Google, the chance of someone leaving your site increases 32% as page load time goes from 1 to 3 seconds. So if your page takes 3 seconds to appear, that means a big drop in visitors and a huge loss of possible customers!
2. There’s no clear Call to Action (CTA). A CTA tells the visitor what to do next, like “Get a Free Quote” or “Book a Call.” Website visitors can get ‘analysis paralysis’ and often just need a nudge. In terms of website lead generation tips, this one can have a huge, positive impact.
3. It lacks “trust signals”. When people land on your website, they’re wondering, “Can I trust this company?” You should show real customer testimonials, industry certifications, or photos of your actual work to build trust quickly.
4. The design feels old. Even if your work is the best in the industry, a clunky, old website hurts your image. It can make your business seem like it’s behind the times.

Rachel Jacobs, Senior Director of Marketing at HomeBuddy says,

What Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Looks Like for Contractors

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is simply getting more leads from the website visitors you already have. Instead of spending more on ads or SEO, making little things on your site ‘better’ makes sure you squeeze every lead out of your existing website. 

For contractors, CRO is all about how to optimize a website for more leads:

• Making it easy for someone visiting your site to become a lead
• Getting rid of anything that slows people down or confuses them
• Taking them by the hand from "just looking" to "get a quote"

Your website is a digital salesperson for your company. If you haven’t got your website conversion optimization sorted out, it’s like having a sales rep who can’t answer simple questions or return phone calls… not good!

Real-World Mistakes That Hurt Conversions

Even contractors with great reputations and experience make simple website mistakes that scare leads away. 

• Stock photos. These feel generic… even fake. Homeowners want to see your real work and not some obviously staged image.
  
  
• Hidden or hard-to-find forms. If a visitor has to scroll endlessly or click around to figure out how to contact you, many won’t bother. Always make getting in touch easy.
  
  
• Too much confusion. Things like tons of navigation options or no explanation about what happens after someone fills out your form make people scratch their head and give up.
  
  
• Only one way to contact you. Certain people like calling, others hate talking on the phone and want to fill out a form and some want to shoot you a quick text. Try to give all these people a contact option they like.

Fast Fixes That Can Make a Big Difference

Improving your site doesn’t mean a full redesign. Here are some fast changes you can make right now that can make a difference:

• Add trust badges or certification logos. Think BBB, manufacturer or professional association certifications. These give people instant confidence you’re an expert and can be trusted.
  

Visual example of good use of trust badges from Victors Home Solutions available at https://victors.com

• Move your CTA close to the top of the page. This means it can be seen without scrolling. Some people want to learn more - but a bunch are ready to get in touch right away - don’t make them work for it!
  

Visual example of correct placement of CTA from SIR Home Improvements available at https://www.sirhome.com

• Ensure you’re optimized for mobile. With more than 60% of web visitors now using mobile devices, you can’t afford a site that’s hard to use on a phone or tablet.
  
  
• Use real photos and short video testimonials. Let customers show off your work and let happy clients speak for you - someone will almost always listen to a ‘neighbor’ before they listen to a salesperson.

Visual example of user-generated video testimonials from Five Star Bath Solutions available at https://fivestarbathsolutions.com

• Create individual webpages for each service. If you do roofing, siding and bathroom projects, each should have its own page with a single CTA. Again, this is all about making things simple and easy.
  

What a High-Converting Contractor Website Looks Like

Picture this: A homeowner lands on your site. In under 10 seconds, they know who you are, what you offer, and why they can trust you. They see a real photo of your team, a great review from a local customer and a clear “Get My Free Estimate” button.

They aren’t confused about what to do. They don’t wonder if you’re the real deal. They quickly make the decision you’re the right company and they get in touch.

Here’s Where To Start

There are a lot of areas that can potentially improve your website conversion rate, we’d recommend you think about hiring pros (if you don’t already have a web team) as this can be worth every cent and should save you a ton of stress and work:

1. Speed. You can use tools like Google Page Speed Insights to see how fast your site loads and also what’s slowing it down. Remember how many people don’t wait around if your site loads slowly? This is big.
   
   
2. Clear CTA Placement. Make sure every major page (especially the homepage and service pages) has an obvious, easy-to-click button that tells people what to do next. It can be as simple as ‘Get in touch’ or ‘Get an estimate’.
   
   
3. Social Proof. Testimonials, reviews and certifications do a great job of ‘selling without selling’ and it’s usually better to let someone else speak positively about your company.
   
   

Ready to Start Getting More Homeowner Leads?

HomeBuddy wants to help you get the maximum number of new clients, hopefully a ton from your newly optimized site! But we also provide homeowner leads, completely exclusive to your business to keep your sales pipeline full. 

Get In Touch Today!