"Contractor Marketing Tips & Tricks" is a podcast by Footbridge Media - a marketing agency with 20+ years of experience exclusively helping contractors and home service providers just like you. We offer practical marketing and business development advice for small businesses in the construction space - to help them to grow and develop their own presence. Our goal is that your business can be successful and attract customers without being overly dependent on only buying leads or any single lead stream. Your Success Is Our Business. Hosted by Chris Lonergan
AI isn’t just some futuristic buzzword anymore – it’s actively changing how people search online. If you’re a contractor trying to win more leads, the way your business shows up in search results is already being shaped by tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude.
And here’s the truth: If your SEO strategy hasn’t adapted, you might be invisible to these AI-driven platforms. Let’s break down what’s going on and how to stay ...
Imagine a homeowner asks ChatGPT, "Who's the best HVAC company near me?" If your business doesn't get mentioned, you've lost that lead-before you even had a shot at it. That's not a futuristic 'what if.' That's how AI-driven search is already working today.
Enter Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO. While SEO focuses on helping your website rank in Google, GEO is about showing up in answers g...
If you log into your Google Business Profile and suddenly see a big red banner saying your business needs to be reverified… you're not alone.
More and more home service businesses are getting caught up in Google's reverification sweeps. And if you're like most contractors, your Google Business Profile is a lifeline to steady leads and trusted reviews. So when it suddenly disappears or becomes unverified, it's not jus...
If you're in the trades, you already know winter can feel like business is frozen. But what if the slow season was actually the best time to leap ahead of your competitors?
While most contractors wait for the phone to ring again, the smart ones treat the off-season like a launchpad.
This is the time when real business growth starts - not when you're buried in jobs, but when you have space to think, plan, and build.
Feeling like you're working non-stop but still falling behind? You're not alone - and you're not doing anything wrong. You're just stuck in the Time Trap.
Let's breaks down why so many contractors find themselves constantly busy but barely making progress.
From doing everything yourself to clinging to outdated manual systems, we explore the habits that keep you buried in work and the mindset shifts that can help...
The contractor marketing world is shifting fast.
Homeowners are searching with AI. Tracking tools are getting gutted by privacy changes. And attention spans? Shorter than ever.
If you're still following the same plan you were in 2020, you're not just behind-you're invisible.
But the contractors who adapt, who stay consistent with their marketing (even when they're busy), and who build systems instead of one-off wins? T...
If you get an email or a GBP dashboard alert that your Google Business Profile has been suspended due to a policy violation, the first step is to stop clicking and take a breath.
Potentially losing your Google Business Profile can be a major problem for home service pros. It can represent a major source of leads and years of online review gathering efforts that we know you do not want to lose.
But reacting out of anger and clicking t...
Marketing isn't always about the hard sell. Sometimes it's the little gestures that build the strongest connections.
For contractors and home service professionals, sending a holiday card might feel old school - but it's one of the easiest ways to make a lasting impression.
A simple card in the mailbox can do more for your brand than another ad in the feed.
Full text associated with this episode: https://www.footbridgemed...
Google is shutting down part of your Google Business Profile. If you've ever used the Q&A section in your GBP (or had customers do it), things are about to change.
As of November 2025, Google has officially discontinued the My Business Q&A API. This means 3rd-party tools and software will no longer be able to read or post new Q&A content. While old content might hang around for a little while longer, this marks the b...
You're already doing the best marketing every single day - just need to document it. Let's talk about how the work you're already doing could land your next three jobs.
The jobs you're already doing are your best marketing tool. When you do it right, you'll have something you can share that could land your next job.
Back in the day, it was "Show & Tell" - it's when you brought in whatever...
What's coming next in local SEO? If 2025 has taught us anything, it's that change is no longer gradual - it's accelerating.
As we head into 2026, contractors need to start thinking ahead, not playing catch-up.
In this episode, we'll cover 3 key predictions for how local SEO will evolve and how you can stay in the game - and maybe even get ahead.
Full text associated with this episode: https://www.footbridgemedia....
You're not behind because you're not good at what you do. You're behind because you're trying to do everything yourself.
Your top competitors aren't better contractors – they just stopped doing it all on their own.
And that's the real separator in today's home service world. The ones who scale, the ones you keep seeing everywhere – they're not working longer hours or cutting more corners. They just lea...
Google is testing AI calls to home service pros.
Google's not-so-secret experiments with AI just took another big step forward. Earlier this year, they introduced an "Ask For Me" feature that allowed AI to call nail salons and auto repair shops on behalf of searchers.
Now, it's quietly expanding into the home services world - and we stumbled into it firsthand.
Full text associated with this episode: https://www....
If you logged into your Google Search Console in mid-September and saw a big drop in impressions with a random jump in average position, you're not alone. And no - it's not your SEO falling apart. This one's on Google.
Around September 10–11, 2025, SEO tools and the web community noticed a strange dip across the board. Some people saw 50% fewer impressions overnight. At the same time, their rankings "improved."...
We've talked before about the necessity of online reviews. Each year their weight carries more importance as part of a digital marketing strategy.
While historically sellers had a majority of the power in a transaction, the ever-expanding role of the internet places more of that power in the hand of a buyer. Essentially, the marketplace has shifted.
Today's buyers are more informed and while perhaps equally opinionated than in the ...
You did all the hard work to get the lead... and still lost the job. It might not be about your pricing or skill - it could come down to trust. That's where social proof changes the game.
Social proof is people looking to others before making a decision. When a homeowner sees other homeowners trusting you, they're more likely to do the same.
Full text associated with this episode: https://www.footbridgemedia.com/marketing-tip...
Many small business owners are doing what they can to get through today's workload and struggles, so we don't doubt that you may not even be thinking about next year yet for your construction or home services business.
But small businesses have to stay agile to survive and grow. That's why we're here to help you to recognize the marketing opportunities to improve your business while saving a little coin in your pocket at the same ti...
Marketing is never just down to a single person or contact. In fact, when it comes to contractor marketing, collaborative efforts amongst marketing professionals and the staff on-site often create the best results.
You don't have to be the business owner/operator or the appointed "marketing" contact to get involved. Getting all of your employees included can boost your marketing efforts.
Many hands make light work – and...
The Google Guaranteed badge is getting deleted along with Google’s Money Back Guarantee to LSA customers.
If you've been using Google Local Services Ads, this change could impact how your customers see and trust your business.
Full text associated with this episode: https://www.footbridgemedia.com/marketing-tips/google-guaranteed-going-away
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Get more leads and improve your business with help from Footbridge Media - https://w...
For many prospective clients, your website is the first chance you get to impress users and convert lookers into leads.
Let's go over a few basic contractor website do's and don'ts to help guide you along your marketing journey.
Full text associated with this episode: https://www.footbridgemedia.com/marketing-tips/contractor-website-dos-and-donts
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Get more leads and improve your business with help from Footbridge Me...
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
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