4 Types of Videos to Include on Your Construction Website + Tips from Professional Videographers
The old saying goes that a picture is worth a thousand words ... but the truth is, video’s taking center stage in design and marketing. While it used to be reserved for entertainment, or more explicitly visual industries, like art, video is a cornerstone in modern lead generation.
But what kind of videos should you include? How do you make them look great? And do you really need video on a construction industry website? (Hint: YES.)
Let’s talk it out. In this article, I’ll share with you why you really do need video on your construction industry website, talk you through the four types of video to focus on, and then share some tips for making the most of your videos from some professional videographers I often partner with.
Why do you need video on your general contracting website?
Nobody wants to watch you hammering a nail into a 2x4, right? Well ... you’d be surprised. People are inherently curious about anything they don’t normally see or do in their day to day life, and there’s something really satisfying about seeing someone put things together. (Or even tear them down –– everyone loves a good demolition video!)
Video is a great way to connect with current and potential customers and it makes you feel more “real” to people. Our brains struggle to see people as people long-distance and video helps you overcome the virtual gap. Plus, it gives you a chance to show off your expertise and the personality of your team. People can get to know you before they ever fill out your contact form or hop on a sales call, and that’s an effective way to build rapport before you ever engage with them.
Finally, your website is meant to be a source of lead generation, and video can help out with that. You can use the videos you shoot for your site in your social media, in email welcome sequences, and in your email newsletter to help people get to know you and get a sense of how you work. (Bonus points for aligning your videos with any photos you have on your site –– that’s the kind of brand consistency that really makes you look amazing.)
So now that you know why it’s so important to have videos on your custom home builder website, let’s talk about what kinds of videos you need.
The Four Types of Videos Every Home Builder Needs to be Creating
Type #1: Portfolio Work
If you do nothing else, make sure you put up some videos in your construction portfolio. Pictures are certainly better than nothing, but video really brings it home. If you can show someone what a site looked like before, then what the process of the build was like, and then have that beautiful “Welcome to your new home!” segment at the end where you show off all your hard work, that will go so far in helping you land new clients.
These can be fairly simple, walking people through the process of a build, but it’s even better if you can frame the videos as case studies, telling people the story of the build. For instance, if you can get your clients to agree to come on and talk about how they felt when they initially approached you and why they chose your company over others, then talk about what they were hoping to happen in working with you, and finally how happy they are with the results, that’s powerful storytelling. Break that up with some shots of you talking about how you approach projects and why you were excited about this one, along with some scenes of you actually working on the build, and you’ve got a strong case study you can re-use in all kinds of different settings.
Type #2: Introducing the Team
I’ve talked before in our post on photos about how important it is to have pictures of you and your team on your site. This is true, and just like with your portfolio, video will take your site to the next level. Share videos of yourself and your team introducing yourself. Talk a little bit about why you do what you do, and what you love about this business, and share some personal things too, so people can really feel like they get to know you. You can also bring your team in on this, having them do individual intro videos, or making a video that introduces people to your business more broadly. (Think of this as the equivalent of the team photo: you can do a video talking about the business in general, and then have individual staff members add in cameos and soundbites.)
Type #3: Behind the Scenes
People love seeing behind the scenes into any industry, but especially construction. They get invested in builds, and seeing the process of a build helps them feel like they’re vicariously living through it themselves. This can help them get a sense of what you can do, and spark inspiration for new projects they want to work on. Plus, they’re yet another way to help people get to know you and your team. It’s worth doing both planned videos and some candid videos in this category. The planned ones act like a movie trailer for your business, getting people excited about the possibilities involved in working with you. They should be your top priority, and always work with professional videographers to make those happen.
The candids can usually be done on someone’s phone though –– and they can be just as effective, especially if you use them on your social media and then link that back to your site. Either way, these types of videos are especially good for setting client expectations, since they give people an inside view into what one of your job sites is actually like, and they get to see you in action working and solving problems.
Type #4: Guides and FAQs
If you have the bandwidth, doing video guides or answers to common questions people ask you can be an easy way to elevate your brand and provide people with value before they even start working with you. This helps you build your mailing list and fill your pipeline, and also shows off your expertise. As with all the other types of videos we’ve talked about here, they also help you build rapport with people, creating a relationship in which they feel like you’re their friend who just so happens to also run an amazing construction company. When it comes time to actually work on a project, you’ll naturally be at the top of their list.
You can make these videos on virtually any topic, but budgeting and eco-friendly construction are two that never get old. People always need help figuring out how to price their project, so if you can walk them through how to do that, they’ll feel a strong sense of relief at having solved that problem, and they’ll feel like they can trust you, since you’re so up front about pricing. Similarly, if you can walk people through some simple eco-friendly changes they can make in their homes or building plans, you’ll position yourself as an expert and stay top of mind.
This also works with FAQs. If you have people asking you the same questions over and over again, consider making a video answer instead. That way when someone emails you with that question, you can just send them a link. And of course, these are perfect for reusing on your social media too.
Now let’s hear from the experts. How do you make the most of the videos created for your construction industry website and marketing?
Video is incredibly effective, and it can also be a costly pain in the butt to produce. So how can you make the most of your videos? I got Josh and Michael, professional industry videographers from Breath & Bone to weigh in.
Prefer to watch? Here’s the 3-minute version summed up nicely by our pros!
Tip #1: Shorter is better.
People have a very short attention span these days, so it’s important that you get your message across in as short a time as possible.
“Focus on delivering your key message succinctly, and make every second count. Consider using attention grabbing visuals, captivating storytelling and fast-paced editing techniques to make your videos more engaging and memorable.”
Tip #2: Have a clear call to action.
You’re putting these videos up for a reason, not just because you like looking at yourself on the internet. That means that you need to have a clear next step for your viewers to take. Even if it’s something super simple like “Click here” or “Call this number”, adding in explicit instructions will dramatically increase the chances that people do anything. Josh and Michael add…
“Whether it's filling out a form, requesting a consultation or exploring your portfolio further, a clear and compelling call to action is vital to driving business. Make it easy for them to follow through by providing clickable links or contact information directly in the video or the video description.”
Tip #3: Focus on brand storytelling.
Brand storytelling is a fancy way of saying that you need to tell people why they care about what you do, and your business specifically. Josh and Michael point out that your brand story is different from your brand history –– for instance, telling people about how your grandfather founded the business and pulled himself up by his bootstraps.
“That story is important, especially within your organization and your most committed clients, but it won't resonate as strongly with first time website visitors who are looking for a solution to their specific needs.
Instead, focus on positioning your business as the guide, understanding your clients goals and showing how you can help them achieve those goals. Use frameworks like Donald Miller’s StoryBrand to structure your video narrative effectively, addressing your clients pain points and highlighting the benefits and solutions your business provides.”
...and one bonus tip from me!
Make sure your video loads correctly! There’s no faster way to lose someone off your website than having a slow-loading video, people just won’t stick around and wait for it. Make sure you have your video sized and uploaded properly, and test it yourself on a couple of different devices to make sure it’s working.
Video can be a game-changer for custom home builder websites when it’s done right, but you’ve got a head start on making compelling construction industry videos. Above all, remember that it takes time to get great at this –– and the pros are always here to help.
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