# Is web advertising worth it for carpentry?



## jessrj (Mar 30, 2012)

I am a finish carpenter in a fairly rural area and I've always thought web advertising was a little useless in the small time construction industry. I have relied on word of mouth and some cold calling to local contractors. Have any of you guys experienced a big increase in business through web advertising/ SEO/ adwords etc? (In a rural area with 100,000 people or less)


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

I recommend a service like Home Advisor.


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## Roofcheck (Dec 27, 2011)

BamBamm5144 said:


> I recommend a service like Home Advisor.


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## killerdecks (Apr 18, 2008)

posting your stuff online via a web site does 2 things, 
1. allows people to see your work.
2. gives them a way to find you.


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## Bonzai (Dec 23, 2009)

Most of my new prospects have checked out my website prior to emailing or calling even if that is not how they initially found me ... In some regards it acts as a filter for them to find professional contractors versus any guy with tools and a truck. I live in an area with way less than 100,000 population.


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## MEL (Apr 7, 2007)

jessrj said:


> I am a finish carpenter in a fairly rural area and I've always thought web advertising was a little useless in the small time construction industry. I have relied on word of mouth and some cold calling to local contractors. Have any of you guys experienced a big increase in business through web advertising/ SEO/ adwords etc? (In a rural area with 100,000 people or less)


I've had success with Adwords but only for roof repairs, the prospect has a lot of urgency so it works. Without a sense of urgency in the prospect it would most likely be too expensive for most contractors. If you're paying $7 per click you don't want tire kickers clicking on your ad.


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## killerdecks (Apr 18, 2008)

MEL said:


> I've had success with Adwords but only for roof repairs, the prospect has a lot of urgency so it works. Without a sense of urgency in the prospect it would most likely be too expensive for most contractors. If you're paying $7 per click you don't want tire kickers clicking on your ad.


Yup


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

jessrj said:


> I am a finish carpenter in a fairly rural area and I've always thought web advertising was a little useless in the small time construction industry. I have relied on word of mouth and some cold calling to local contractors. Have any of you guys experienced a big increase in business through web advertising/ SEO/ adwords etc? (In a rural area with 100,000 people or less)


I think it depends on how tech savy, your community is. However images of your work on a website might help business. You can refer potential customers to your work.


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

jessrj said:


> I am a finish carpenter in a fairly rural area and I've always thought web advertising was a little useless in the small time construction industry. I have relied on word of mouth and some cold calling to local contractors. Have any of you guys experienced a big increase in business through web advertising/ SEO/ adwords etc? (In a rural area with 100,000 people or less)


What are your business goals?

If you are looking to potentially find some higher end clients in the area, a web advertising.


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

I live in a town of 30,000 and I got a web site. Not much action. Anybody over the age of 35 around here still use the phone book or word of mouth.


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

Gary H said:


> I live in a town of 30,000 and I got a web site. Not much action. Anybody over the age of 35 around here still use the phone book or word of mouth.


I think the only use would be to find new clients in larger cities where you live. If you are not interested in dong that, then web advertising is probably not that useful.


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## Bonzai (Dec 23, 2009)

There is a fundamental difference between having a website and doing web advertising ie. if nobody can find your website when they do a web search for your type of skills then you may as well not exist. However if your business cards, truck, etc have your website advertised on then that is a start. Understanding how search engines work these days is key though. I know a few local contractors around here who spent a fair bit on fancy websites thinking this would get them lots of hits ... But you can't find them in Google 'cos all they paid for was a pretty site ;-). Certainly they can refer people that find them via other means back to the website, but the website alone will never generate leads for them.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Facebook and maybe Craig's List would be a good start. Craig's List I don't recommend so much because you get a lot of low ballers and tire kickers but both are free so you can start there.

Facebook IMO is a must anymore. Friends of friends of friends of friends (you see where this is going) can see your work. You need to make sure you keep up with it though. On a web site you post pictures and people still have to find your site. On FB whoever "likes" your page will see every photo you post because it gets posted on their "wall" when you post it on your FB page. 

There is a pretty big thread about FB here. You should check it out.

BTW I am in a small community (pop about 8,000) and the two I mentioned has worked well for me.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

CrpntrFrk said:


> Facebook and maybe Craig's List would be a good start. Craig's List I don't recommend so much because you get a lot of low ballers and tire kickers but both are free so you can start there.
> 
> Facebook IMO is a must anymore. Friends of friends of friends of friends (you see where this is going) can see your work. You need to make sure you keep up with it though. On a web site you post pictures and people still have to find your site. On FB whoever "likes" your page will see every photo you post because it gets posted on their "wall" when you post it on your FB page.
> 
> ...


I agree. FB is a great free way to advertise and get your name out. I too have used CL. You have to stay on top of it and be prepared because it's dog eat dog. They will report your listings just to get them deleted.


I would also suggest that if you do CL use word to save your listing that when it expires you can quickly cut and paste into a new listing.

In the mean time, I would also recommend building a decent website and gear it towards a good SEO plan.


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## jessrj (Mar 30, 2012)

Great comments! Thanks!

I already have a site up for a different business with a much broader market but I have been a little scared of putting in the time for a site and marketing on my carpentry business since I live in such a small community and that kind of work is very localized. It doesn't seem like many locals use the web at least for contracting but maybe I am dead wrong. I think I 'll try out the FB stuff but I have already tried craigslist and I haven't been thrilled with it. Lots of spammer emails and random phone calls.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

jessrj said:


> Great comments! Thanks!
> 
> I already have a site up for a different business with a much broader market but I have been a little scared of putting in the time for a site and marketing on my carpentry business since I live in such a small community and that kind of work is very localized. It doesn't seem like many locals use the web at least for contracting but maybe I am dead wrong. I think I 'll try out the FB stuff but I have already tried craigslist and I haven't been thrilled with it. Lots of spammer emails and random phone calls.


Yeah that is the problem with CL. It has been working good for me with my side thing. I put my FB link in my listing. Even if someone likes my page but doesn't want to buy at the moment all their friends will see my stuff.


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## killerdecks (Apr 18, 2008)

jessrj said:


> Great comments! Thanks!
> 
> I already have a site up for a different business with a much broader market but I have been a little scared of putting in the time for a site and marketing on my carpentry business since I live in such a small community and that kind of work is very localized. It doesn't seem like many locals use the web at least for contracting but maybe I am dead wrong. I think I 'll try out the FB stuff but I have already tried craigslist and I haven't been thrilled with it. Lots of spammer emails and random phone calls.


1 thing for sure about a website, and which was the reason I had one made in 99. People can look @ your work online b4 you even go to them. Otherwise without it, you have to have a meeting or a series of meetings with the prospect to get the job. By having your stuff online and telling your story anybody that wants to see you can. Without it they won't. Than gear all your regular ads, newpapers, tv, radio, postcards, homeshows, and did I mention *BILLBOARDS*, towards your site.

Getting your site to draw people to you through generic searches, is a different matter. 

Either way you need to start somewhere, and once you have you will wonder why you didn't do so long ago.


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## Crawdad (Jul 20, 2005)

As others have said, web advertising, pointing the ads towards a website or FB page, definitely works. Do a search, with your browser in "private" or "incognito" mode, using the keywords you think folks will use. Advertise on all, or most of, the free sites you find using this search method.


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## iggy (Mar 3, 2013)

It is hard to believe that their are people in business who still have no web presence. Think about it for a second you are on a computer posting on a forum asking if people use the web. Now let it sink in.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

iggy said:


> It is hard to believe that their are people in business who still have no web presence. Think about it for a second you are on a computer posting on a forum asking if people use the web. Now let it sink in.


He said a small community.

While it appears my community is smaller than his web presence doesn't get you too far here. To this day word of mouth is the best advertising in this small community.


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## iggy (Mar 3, 2013)

CrpntrFrk said:


> He said a small community.
> 
> While it appears my community is smaller than his web presence doesn't get you too far here. To this day word of mouth is the best advertising in this small community.


Do they comunicate with smoke signals? Does everyone go to the same church? Word of mouth is the cheaperst but not the best unless you know everyone personally in your community and work within walking distance or a buggy ride. Computers .ipads,iphones,tablets all these are in peoples homes and they get used so unless you are where they are looking you are behind the curve.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

iggy said:


> Do they comunicate with smoke signals? Does everyone go to the same church? Word of mouth is the cheaperst but not the best unless you know everyone personally in your community and work within walking distance or a buggy ride. Computers .ipads,iphones,tablets all these are in peoples homes and they get used so unless you are where they are looking you are behind the curve.


:laughing: YUP! You just described my little city. If you don't know someone, you know someone who knows that someone. And just because you don't know someone personally here, you more than likely have heard of that someone.:laughing:


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## killerdecks (Apr 18, 2008)

CrpntrFrk said:


> :laughing: YUP! You just described my little city. If you don't know someone, you know someone who knows that someone. And just because you don't know someone personally here, you more than likely have heard of that someone.:laughing:


Town I grew up in had 3231 people in it in Wisconsin. Now it's all interconnected with the suburban sprawl from Milwaukee. You can hardly tell the difference unless you know the towns.


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

iggy said:


> It is hard to believe that their are people in business who still have no web presence. Think about it for a second you are on a computer posting on a forum asking if people use the web. Now let it sink in.


If I am busy without why do I need it?:thumbsup:


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

TNTSERVICES said:


> If I am busy without why do I need it?:thumbsup:


That is my belief also. The company I work for full time has no web presence. But we stay within a 20 mile(probably less) radius.

My own little company has most of the state to cater to so I want to make sure that name is out there.


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## jessrj (Mar 30, 2012)

iggy said:


> It is hard to believe that their are people in business who still have no web presence. Think about it for a second you are on a computer posting on a forum asking if people use the web. Now let it sink in.


True. I understand the value of the web as I have a webpage for my other business and I have done SEO and Adwords before. I have just always had questions about how well it works for small towns in a very localized market. But I guess you are probably right.


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## killerdecks (Apr 18, 2008)

jessrj said:


> True. I understand the value of the web as I have a webpage for my other business and I have done SEO and Adwords before. I have just always had questions about how well it works for small towns in a very localized market. But I guess you are probably right.


Just because you are in a small town doesn't mean you are the only tech savy guy in your town either.


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## D & M Windows (Mar 4, 2013)

The best way you can find out is by getting a local SEO to give you a report that details which, if any keywords are targeted locally to you. Those figures are what you need. There is no point going for it if there's no demand.


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

CrpntrFrk said:


> He said a small community.
> 
> While it appears my community is smaller than his web presence doesn't get you too far here. To this day word of mouth is the best advertising in this small community.


Yeah, in small town America, things are different. However it is still a good idea to have a Facebook page since everyone and their brother are using Facebook these days.


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

Web marketing can help you reach the 18-30 y.o. demographic. But the way that you reach them is to put the ideas in their head as to why they need a finish carpenter in the first place. Most of them don't really know...or at least they don't know who to ask other than the design center desk at Home Depot. 

But if your web advertising gives them the idea that they can make their home sylish or elegant when they originally thought that 4 plain white walls were perfectly OK, you will create a niche market for your craft.


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## cwatbay (Mar 16, 2010)

jessrj said:


> I am a finish carpenter in a fairly rural area and I've always thought web advertising was a little useless in the small time construction industry. I have relied on word of mouth and some cold calling to local contractors. Have any of you guys experienced a big increase in business through web advertising/ SEO/ adwords etc? (In a rural area with 100,000 people or less)


Are we talking "good" web advertising, or, "bad" web advertising ? I found that bad advertising never seems to get the results I want. On the other hand, good advertising seems to do quite well :jester:


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

tedanderson said:


> Web marketing can help you reach the 18-30 y.o. demographic. But the way that you reach them is to put the ideas in their head as to why they need a finish carpenter in the first place. Most of them don't really know...or at least they don't know who to ask other than the design center desk at Home Depot.
> 
> But if your web advertising gives them the idea that they can make their home sylish or elegant when they originally thought that 4 plain white walls were perfectly OK, you will create a niche market for your craft.


That is if they aren't living with their parents.


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## killerdecks (Apr 18, 2008)

cabinetsnj said:


> That is if they aren't living with their parents.


Maybe they can get their parents to fix up the basement 4 them.:thumbup:


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## cabinetsnj (Jun 10, 2012)

killerdecks said:


> Maybe they can get their parents to fix up the basement 4 them.:thumbup:


Yes, maybe they will hire a contractor to fix up their parents' basement.


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