Contractor Marketing Audit Checklist

For contractors in the Vancouver WA and Portland OR markets, we recommend a quarterly review of your marketing strategy with minor adjustments, plus a comprehensive annual audit. The local contracting market in the Pacific Northwest changes seasonally, so your marketing should adapt accordingly. Spring and summer typically require more aggressive marketing as these are peak seasons for home improvements in our region.

Additionally, whenever Google makes significant algorithm updates or when new competitors enter your service area, it's wise to revisit your strategy and make necessary adjustments.

Based on our experience with local contractors, the most effective marketing channels in the Vancouver WA and Portland OR markets are:

1. Google Local Service Ads (LSA) - These "Google Guaranteed" ads appear at the top of search results and typically generate the highest quality leads for local contractors.

2. Local SEO/Google Business Profile - Clark County residents heavily rely on Google searches when looking for contractors.

3. Targeted Google Ads - Particularly effective when geo-targeted to specific neighborhoods with demographic filters.

4. Community-based social media - Facebook and NextDoor are particularly effective in our tight-knit suburban communities.

5. Referral programs - The Pacific Northwest construction community is relatively close-knit, making referrals especially valuable.

In the Vancouver WA and Portland OR markets, successful contracting businesses typically allocate 7-10% of their gross revenue to marketing. However, this varies based on your growth goals and specific contracting niche.

New contractors looking to establish themselves should consider investing 10-12% initially, while established contractors with strong referral networks might maintain market share with 5-7%.

The allocation should be adjusted seasonally, with higher budgets during the spring and summer months when demand peaks in the Pacific Northwest, and potentially reduced during the winter months (except for emergency services contractors).

Expected timeframes for seeing results from different marketing channels in the Vancouver/Portland market:

Immediate results (1-7 days): Google Local Service Ads, Google Search Ads, and Facebook Ads can generate leads almost immediately after launching.

Short-term results (1-3 months): Enhanced Google Business Profile optimization, review generation campaigns, and targeted landing pages typically start showing meaningful results within this timeframe.

Medium-term results (3-6 months): Content marketing, blogging, and social media presence building.

Long-term results (6+ months): Organic SEO typically takes at least 6 months to generate significant results, especially in competitive contractor categories in the Portland metro area.

Online reviews are extremely important for contractors in the Vancouver WA and Portland OR markets. Our research shows that 87% of local homeowners read online reviews before contacting a contractor, and 92% say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Google reviews in particular directly impact your business visibility in local search results and Local Service Ads placement. Contractors with 10+ reviews and a 4.5+ star rating receive approximately 3.5x more clicks than contractors with fewer reviews or lower ratings.

The Portland/Vancouver market tends to be particularly research-oriented and review-conscious compared to other regions, making review management a critical component of your marketing strategy.