HubRunner Picks: Blogging Resources for Contractors

Even though the world of blogging can appear to be vast, intimidating and sometimes overwhelming, the benefits of participating in the social network is valuable to your companies success and relevancy in this day and age.

By enhancing your blogging skills, you can target a specific audience, attract new clients and present your brand to thousands of readers each week. You’re the expert in your field, and that’s what makes marketing for contractors so valuable. Chances are that other blogs have expressed your ideas, but they haven’t expressed those ideas like only you can.

You have the ability to share your unique experiences and wisdom with a huge audience. We’ve selected three articles that model excellent blog qualities, and examples specifically designed for contractors, whether you need help getting started and navigating the blogging realm or just need a bit inspiration to keep your content fresh and up to date.

Five Great Blog Examples For Contractors: Inbound Systems

In a recent article regarding contractor marketing, Inbound Systems deconstructed three successful business blogs and pointed out the reasons behind their success through unique marketing and customer attraction tactics. Being able to takeaway and tailor them to your blog will not only help you attract readers and increase business awareness but will also represent your brand in a way specific to your company’s intent.

EAT24:

Eat24 is an app that aggregates food delivery options in your area and allows you to order from your mobile device. Eat24’s app has broad appeal, but their blog targets a certain audience. Eat24 has a unique voice their audience loves, and they maintain that voice across every platform. Anyone can write about corporate partnerships and analyze data, but Eat24’s voice is what makes their online presence popular.

Takeaways:

• Find your natural voice and use it consistently across your marketing platforms.
• Your voice and personality separate your blog from thousands of other contractors.
• Delight your users by being responsive, engaging and appreciative.

Construction Informer:

Construction Informer publishes writing from various, different contractors and people in the AEC industry. The blog includes how-to’s, gear reviews, news, management tips, and more. It’s an efficient, utilitarian blog that gets the job done.

You can probably relate. Contractors don’t always have time to sit at a desk in between jobs, so Construction Informer’s content is mostly short-form and gets straight to the point. It also showcases many varied viewpoints and stories to better connect with different AEC professionals.

Takeaways:

• Know your audience and understand how they spend their time online
• Offer something useful, such as news and how-to’s. This should come naturally for contractors
• Do your research. Citing relevant research improves your credibility and shows your audience that you’re an expert

Hubspot:

HubSpot is a successful internet marketing company, formed in 2006. They are the thought leaders in the world of inbound marketing, and their software empowers companies all over the world to provide great marketing services. Their blog is a premiere educational destination for marketers. Every single post is educational and well-written. HubSpot’s blog is successful because they give away great, educational content for free and let their audience know there’s even more content available when they sign up.

Takeaways:

• Provide educational content for free. It will show your audience that you’re an expert, and they’ll come to you when there’s a job they can’t accomplish themselves.
• Thought leaders establish themselves with industry-defining content.
• Usability is important. If your audience can’t find your content, they’re going to head elsewhere.

Remodeling: What Every Contractor Should Know Before They Start Blogging

Darren Slaughter, of Remodeling Magazine, offers direct, to the point explanations and instructions on how to not only create an inexpensive yet just as successful marketing tool but also what to avoid when doing so, on account of time and money. In order to have your blog reap the modern day benefits of virtual advertising and customer awareness, you must be able to commit the time it takes to generate such followers and the brand you want to instill in them. He recommends writing out at least 30 blog posts before beginning and set up a time frame when each blog will be posted and who will be able to see it.

Here are a few sources to get you up and going insofar on blog post ideas regarding your content for each week:

• Take the 20 most common questions people ask you. Write down or shoot a video with answers to those questions. explaining the answers. That’s 20 blog entries right there!
• Use marketing materials from suppliers and vendors. Your supply house is packed with features and benefits-type marketing materials that you can use as inspiration to create your own content for your site.
• Provide info for how-to’s or DIY. Tell people what they need to do, then charge them to do it.
• Create product reviews. This will generate traffic from people out there who are doing DIY improvements. Then, when they get in over their heads and they need a pro to rescue them, guess who they will turn to? You, or course!
• Shoot video. You can shoot video to showcase your work or help with DIYers’ projects.
• Give the answers to what’s covered on your FAQ page. If you have a FAQ page on your website, you have tons of content to create blog posts with. This relates to item No.1 in this list, but you now already have the questions in mind to answer.

Five Great Blogs For Independent Contractors: Intuit, Inc.

The great part about blogging is that it does a lot of the selling for you. You become the expert in your marketplace. Even though your blog will have a wide-reaching audience, your local prospects will also be doing a lot of searching on your vertical, and when it comes to buying, there are a few things that blogging can help with. Below we have pulled from the best blogs around in order to share their advice, support and know how regarding blogging for independent contractors.

1. Freelance Switch– This site is geared primarily towards virtual independent contractors, such as designers, web developers, and freelance writers. The site offers tons of great advice geared toward independent freelancers. The site also features a forum, a job board, and a “find a freelancer” directory.

2. Freelance Folder– With article categories focused around productivity, inspiration, how-to, lifestyle, and marketing, this site provides insights into both working and living as an independent contractor. The site also includes forums and a series of “quick-start” guides for getting involved in different freelance industries.

3. Collabrus Independent Contractor Compliance Blog– More technically-oriented than most of the other sites on our list, this blog offers a wealth of resources on avoiding legal and tax trouble as an independent contractor. The blog features topics including answers to common compliance questions, news updates on tax-related issues that affect independent contractors and the companies that hire them, and tips for avoiding IRS misclassification lawsuits.

4. WAMH– Specifically geared toward work-at-home moms, this site features tips on balancing work with a baby on your lap, marketing and advertising tips, and ideas for great WAHM businesses. The site’s active forums give work-from-home mothers the opportunity to brainstorm and commiserate about their businesses with others in the same boat.

5. 1099 News– Congress frequently passes bills that affect how 1099 workers file taxes and take deductions. To stay on top of the latest news in the field, check out 1099 News, a blog run by Convey Compliance Systems. With guidelines on the 1099 Reporting Repeal, the site will help you keep current in the world of independent contractor laws and tax regulations.