As a contractor, how can i tell what my competitors are doing online
How to Analyze Your Competitors' Online Strategies: A Guide for Home Improvement Contractors
In today’s digital age, home improvement contractors must keep a close eye on their competitors, not just in the real world but in the online space as well. While you may know your competitors in your local neighborhoods, the competitors you’re up against online might look completely different. This blog will guide you through how to identify and analyze your competitors online and why it’s crucial for your business growth.
Why Your Online Competitors Matter More Than You Think
Your local competition may consist of businesses you see every day, but when it comes to the online world, it’s a different story. Homeowners don’t differentiate between established companies or small teams. When they search for services like “roofing contractors near me,” they only see who ranks higher on Google. The company that shows up first is often the one that wins the customer, even if you’ve never heard of them.
The Reality of Online Competition
Just because a company isn’t a big name locally doesn’t mean they aren’t a big player online. Smaller competitors with a strong online presence can easily outrank established businesses that have been around for years. This can happen even if you’ve been in business longer or have better reviews through word-of-mouth.
Case Study: The Power of Being Visible Online
For example, one of our clients had been installing James Hardie siding for over 10 years and had more installations than any other contractor in their metro area. However, their website and online presence were outdated, making them nearly invisible to online searchers. Despite their strong word-of-mouth reputation, potential clients couldn’t find them online. By building a new website and launching an SEO campaign, we helped them become more competitive in the digital space.
Step-by-Step Guide to Analyzing Competitors Online
So, how do you figure out what your competitors are doing online? There are several ways to conduct your own competitor analysis. Let’s walk through the steps you can take.
Step 1: Analyze Competitors’ Websites
The first thing to do is look at your competitors’ websites. Start by searching for common terms like “roofing contractors near me” or “bathroom remodeling near me.” Make a list of the top 10-15 competitors that appear.
Key Things to Look For:
- First Impressions: Does the website look professional, organized, and modern? Or does it seem outdated?
- Offers and Promotions: Are they offering discounts or special financing? This can give you insights into how competitive their pricing and offers are.
- Technology Features: Are they using tools like Hover for virtual estimates? This can streamline the customer experience and give them an edge over competitors.
Step 2: Check Google Business Profiles
Homeowners, especially those using mobile devices, are likely to interact with Google Business Profiles before visiting websites. These profiles often show up before organic search results.
What to Look For:
- Reviews and Ratings: How many reviews do they have? What’s their average rating? Compare these metrics to your own.
- Engagement: Are they actively managing their profile, responding to reviews, and updating photos or business hours? Keeping your Google Business Profile updated is essential for SEO.
Step 3: Evaluate SEO and PPC Rankings
Ranking highly on search engines for relevant keywords is crucial. You can use tools like ISearchFrom.com to see where you and your competitors rank for specific keywords like “deck builders near me” or “home improvement services.”
Things to Consider:
- Paid Ads vs Organic Rankings: The top of a search results page is often filled with paid ads. Being number one on Google may require investing in paid advertising.
- Map Pack: The map section that appears below ads is driven by Google Business Profiles. Appearing in this section is vital for local visibility.
- Organic Results: If you aren’t ranking well in paid or organic searches, your competitors will take the lead, even if your services are superior.
Tools and Tips for Competitor Analysis
Conducting a full competitor analysis doesn’t always require hiring an agency. There are simple tools you can use to get started:
- Website Analysis: Look at design, offers, and tech tools. Sign up for their newsletters to keep track of what they’re promoting.
- Google Business Profile: Use your mobile phone to see how your competitors rank in local searches and compare reviews.
- SEO Tools: Use free or low-cost tools like ISearchFrom.com to see where you and your competitors rank in various locations.
When to Bring in an Agency for Help
While there are a lot of things you can do yourself, conducting a thorough competitor analysis and optimizing your online presence can be time-consuming. If you find this overwhelming, it might be time to bring in a digital marketing agency. At Fat Cat Strategies, we specialize in helping home improvement contractors not only identify their online competitors but also build effective strategies to outrank them.
Free Competitor Analysis
Want to see where you stand against your competitors? Sign up for our free competitor analysis. We’ll take a deep dive into your competitors’ online strategies and show you how you compare.
Conclusion
Understanding your online competitors is key to thriving in today’s digital landscape. By following the steps outlined in this blog and using the tools provided, you can start gaining an edge over competitors who are currently dominating the online space. Whether you do it yourself or hire an agency, the important thing is to stay proactive and adapt to the ever-changing world of digital marketing.
Audio only version of the podcast here.
Podcast Transcript
00:00:55 Don:
All right, Janet. Today, we’re going to talk about a topic that I know is really exciting for both of us: helping our contractors figure out how to tell what their competitors are doing online. We know that working against your competitors and gaining a competitive edge is really important, but it’s not always easy to figure out what that means, especially in digital marketing, as opposed to traditional or local boots-on-the-ground marketing. So, we want to spend some time talking about that today. Right out of the gate, I want to know from you: why is this an important topic? Why should we spend time talking about it?
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00:01:33 Janet:
Often, when I first start talking to contractors, I show them a competitive analysis, and that helps us as an agency look at who their online competitors are. I emphasize the word online because eight times out of 10, when I show a business owner a list of 50 local competitors, they’ll say, “I don’t even know these companies,” or, “I know that guy, but it’s just him and his brother, and we’re a 50-person team. How can they be my competitors?” And I tell them, when it comes to the online world, the homeowner doesn’t know the difference. Homeowners have a need—they want new windows or a new deck—and they do a search. Everything looks relatively equal to them, especially if the local competitor is doing a great job online, maybe even better than an older, more established company. That’s what we’re talking about today.
00:02:50 Don:
For clarity, let’s put this in a scenario. Let’s say I’m ABC Roofing, and I know my big competitor is XYZ Roofing—East Side Roofing, for example. We see them in the same neighborhoods, and I wish we could get a leg up on them. But if I go online and search for “roofing contractors near me,” I see my name, but I also see “Jones Brothers Roofing,” and I’ve never heard of them. But what you’re saying is that Jones Brothers is my online competitor, even if I’m not seeing them in the neighborhoods where I do business. The homeowner doesn’t know the difference—they just see that roofing company ranked above me, and they’ll click on them.
00:03:56 Janet:
Exactly. Let’s tie it to a real story. We have a client that installs James Hardie siding. They’ve installed more Hardie board than any other contractor in the metro area over the past 10 years. But their website is subpar because they’ve focused on building their business through word-of-mouth, yard signs, great service, and competitive pricing. They’ve built a solid business with a fantastic reputation, but they’re almost invisible online. Homeowners have even told them, “I tried to find you online, and I couldn’t.” So today, we’re building them a new website and launching an SEO campaign. There’s the competition in the real world, and then there’s competition online.
00:05:41 Don:
Which, for homeowners, the online competition is the one that really matters.
00:05:46 Janet:
That’s their reality. They don’t know your industry; they just want a deck or a new kitchen, so they search online because they don’t know what else to do. If you’re in a metro area that’s growing—like Raleigh, North Carolina—where people from out of state are moving in, they don’t know about your 30-year reputation if it’s not online.
00:06:41 Don:
Exactly. Those new transplants have no way of knowing your reputation unless they search for it. So, if your competitor outranks you on Google, homeowners are more likely to click on them first. That’s why it’s important to know what’s going on in the competitive landscape online, because it may be different from what you’re seeing locally. Let’s talk about how to figure that out.
00:07:23 Janet:
There are tools and tricks you can use to conduct your own online competitor analysis. We’re an agency, and we do this for clients, but there are things you can do yourself to get a sense of your local online competition.
00:07:34 Don:
Let’s start with websites. When you search “roofing contractors near me” or something similar, you’ll see the top 10 or 15 companies. Click through their websites—what should you look for to understand what your competitors are doing online?
00:08:24 Janet:
Here’s what we look for, and the first thing is a gut check. In the first microsecond of looking at a website, what’s your impression? Does it look professional and organized? Or does it look outdated? We’ve all had that experience where we visit a website and immediately think, “What is this?” So, start by writing down the names of the companies that show up in your search results. Then go through each website and note your first impressions.
00:10:12 Don:
Yeah, and maybe also look for things like offers. Are your competitors offering something? Is it a dollar or percentage discount, or maybe a financing offer? Knowing what your competitors are offering helps you adjust your strategy.
00:12:24 Janet:
Yes, and you can also sign up for their newsletter if they have one. It’s a sneaky way to stay updated on what they’re doing.
00:14:47 Janet:
You should also check what technology your competitors are using. For example, some contractors use tools like Hover, which allow homeowners to take photos of their homes and get a friction-free quote. If your competitors offer that, and you don’t, it might be harder for homeowners to work with you.
00:17:42 Don:
That’s a great point. Another thing I’d add: check out their Google Business Profiles. On mobile searches, those often appear before websites. See what your competitors’ profiles look like, and compare their reviews and ratings to yours. Homeowners are paying attention to that.
00:19:07 Janet:
Yes, and Google Business Profiles also influence the SEO algorithm. So, if you want to show up in local searches, you need a strong Google Business Profile.
00:20:16 Don:
Exactly. The last thing I’ll add: research your SEO and PPC rankings. See where you and your competitors rank for keywords relevant to your business. There’s a tool we use called ISearchFrom.com, which lets you see search results from different locations.
00:23:05 Janet:
When people say they want to be “number one on Google,” they often don’t realize the top of the page is typically taken up by paid ads. So, when you think about rankings, remember that there are different places to rank—ads, the map pack, and organic results.
00:24:55 Don:
Right, and just because you aren’t ranking at the very top doesn’t mean you’re out of the game. Being visible in multiple areas still helps generate leads.
00:29:58 Janet:
Exactly. Even if you’re not at the top for very competitive search terms, you can still compete in your local market. Half of the leads we generate for clients come from organic search results, not paid ads.
00:30:53 Don:
To wrap up: we’ve talked about things you can do yourself, but if all of this sounds overwhelming, we get it. That’s why we’re here. You can visit FatCatStrategies.com to check out our services. We also offer a free competitor analysis—go to FatCatStrategies.com/competitors to sign up. We’ll analyze your competitors and show you where you stand.
We hope you found this episode helpful. We’ll see you next time on Digital Marketing for Contractors.
Digital Marketing for Contractors is created by Fat Cat Strategies. For more information, visit FatCatStrategies.com.
