The Glazerite UK Group’s Digital Marketing Specialist, Lauren Edwards, shares her thoughts on how installers can make the most of their marketing.

Nearly half of all Google searches are looking for local information, while 97% of people use the internet to learn more about local companies. With that in mind, having a strong digital presence to reach customers is a must-have.

Having the fundamentals in place with an easy-to-navigate and mobile-friendly website – backed up with basic search engine optimisation so your page is more likely to be found – is important. However, keeping your customer on the site is equally as crucial, and to do that providing a dynamic yet user-friendly journey with good content, an eye-catching design and clear contact information all play a role in giving your customers an exceptional online experience, which will make them much more likely to convert.

Consumers love imagery and video so using strong visuals of your products and installs is a simple way to illustrate who you are and what you can do. Get creative too by making short video how-to guides that address any ‘pain points’ a customer might have; how to clean uPVC windows, the latest door furniture products, security features – basically anything that can create value for the customer.

Written content in the form of blogs can also help position you as an expert in your field and give customers an insight into who you are as a company or brand. Again, think about a customer’s challenges and offer solutions. Winter nights drawing in? Take a look at the energy efficient benefits of our uPVC windows. Summer round the corner? Bring the outside in with our superb range of patio doors. Content takes time to craft, but it really can bring your company to life and leave you strongly placed in the customer’s mind.

Creating and maintaining a presence on popular social channels is also key, with social media playing an increasingly important role in how consumers research products and services. Facebook is still the most important social media channel to leverage, with recent statistics suggesting around 65% of the UK population are Facebook users. The site itself has a number of features to support businesses, including free analytics.

It’s important to keep these channels fresh and up to date so your customers are reminded you’re still there. Responding to any reviews and comments also helps with customer relationships and can help you maintain your reputation.

The marketing support package Glazerite offers is essential for those installer partners that don’t have the resources and budget to deliver something meaningful and relevant. We work with our installers on a one-to-one basis to create both digital and print marketing plans to help them reach new customers. Our support package varies from business to business but can include everything from establishing an initial brand identity through to a full website build and SEO marketing.

In response to the continual evolution of digital marketing, we are about to launch a brand-new installer website that can be tailored with an installer’s own company information and is geared to the homeowner. At the same time, we will also be rolling out a brand-new social media kit that gives our installers all they need to post relevant and consistent messages across their social channels. Active social marketing can cost very little yet reaps fantastic results and really helps to strongly position installers in their local markets. We are there to help even our most cautious installers navigate this key channel.

Our digital marketing expertise and overall marketing support package forms part of a series of value-added solutions that we think gives us the edge as a fabricator, and, most importantly, gives our installers the tools to stand out from their competitors.