How To Sell Flooring Online: What Works In 2024

The flooring industry is undergoing a transformative shift as manufacturers, distributors and retail stores embrace the digital marketplace. With consumers and intermediaries increasingly turning to online platforms to purchase their home improvement and construction material, flooring companies must adapt to these changes to stay competitive and learn how to sell their flooring online.

In this article, we will explore the unique challenges and opportunities in the online flooring market, along with practical digital marketing strategies flooring companies can employ to increase their sales and become experts at selling flooring online.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial element for flooring companies looking to enhance their online visibility and sell more floors online.

Search engine optimization is the set of digital marketing strategies that help your business rank highly in search engine results. Some SEO best practices include:

• High-volume and location-specific keyword targeting

• Search engine optimized website

• Customer reviews

• Optimized Google Business Profile (or equivalent search engine listing)

• Content marketing

• Backlinks

By implementing targeted SEO strategies, flooring businesses can ensure that their products stand out in the crowded digital landscape. Let’s explore a few of the most important and foundational SEO best practices that help your flooring company be found and chosen and make sales online.

Optimizing content for specific flooring materials, such as hardwood, laminate or vinyl–or any other kind of flooring your business specializes in–can significantly improve search engine rankings.

Conducting keyword research will help inform what specifically to write about in your content pieces and how to best position your flooring company to meet your customers’ needs. Content should also contain data-rich elements like images, videos, podcast snippets or infographics. These elements help to engage readers and are preferred by search engine algorithms.

Flooring companies of every size should focus on creating informative and engaging content tailored to each material, showcasing their unique features and benefits.

For local flooring businesses, incorporating location-based keywords is essential. This includes optimizing content for city or region-specific searches, helping attract customers in the immediate vicinity.

Making sure your flooring company ranks for “near me” or “local” search queries can help drive both foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar store and online traffic to your business’s ecommerce site.

With an increasing focus on sustainability, flooring companies can capitalize on the growing demand for eco-friendly options. Creating content that emphasizes the environmental benefits of certain flooring materials can attract environmentally-conscious consumers.

Consider creating content and other advertising campaigns fully dedicated to highlighting eco-friendly and other notable, proprietary features.

To maximize the impact of SEO, flooring companies should consider employing the following tactics in their content marketing:

• Utilizing Long-Tail Keywords: Incorporate long-tail keywords related to specific flooring types and installation methods to capture niche markets.

• Geotargeted Keywords: Tailor keywords to specific locations to attract local customers actively searching for flooring solutions.

• Content Creation: Develop comprehensive content around industry trends, maintenance tips and installation guides for different flooring materials to establish authority and engage users
  

Paid advertising is a powerful tool for flooring companies to sell their products online and reach a targeted audience.

Paid advertising campaigns give your flooring company the opportunity to both create demand and meet demand for your products. Developing unique campaigns that serve these distinct purposes can build a healthy customer base and keep your sales funnel full.

Effectively leveraging visual ads and strategic targeting can significantly impact sales. When drafting ad campaigns, remember to clearly identify your ideal buyer persona so that your ads have a clear goal and message to deliver.

Visual ads provide an opportunity to highlight the unique features of flooring materials. Whether it's the texture, color or durability, compelling visuals can capture the attention of potential customers.

For example: If your ideal buyer persona is a homeowner looking to remodel a space, showcasing your floors alongside a variety of home aesthetics can create compelling and inspiring visuals.

Paid advertising allows flooring companies to target specific demographics interested in home renovation, flooring and new builds. By tailoring ads to the preferences of the target audience, your company can increase the likelihood of conversion.

For example: create separate paid advertising campaigns for each different target audience. A DIY home remodeler and a new-build commercial construction company may have different priorities when it comes to look, durability and cost.

Optimizing paid advertising campaigns for peak sales periods, such as seasonal promotions, can boost overall annual sales. Flooring companies should strategically plan to align promotions with times when consumers are most inclined to make home improvement purchases.

To make the most of any paid advertising campaign, flooring companies should consider the following:

• Craft Visually Appealing Ads: Design ads that highlight the texture, color and durability of flooring materials. High-quality visuals can significantly impact customer perception.

• A/B Test: Experiment with different ad copies and visuals to identify the most effective messaging. A/B testing helps refine advertising strategies based on real-time data.

• Incorporate Customer Testimonials: Including testimonials and before-and-after photos in ads can build trust and credibility, encouraging potential customers to choose a particular flooring product.

Social media platforms provide a dynamic space for flooring companies to connect with their audience, showcase products and build a community. Choosing the right platforms and creating engaging content is key to increasing flooring sales online.

Different social media platforms serve distinct purposes. Flooring companies should strategically choose platforms based on their strengths:

• Instagram: Ideal for visual inspiration and showcasing completed flooring projects.

• Pinterest: Perfect for sharing design ideas, DIY projects and building a curated collection of flooring-related content.

• Facebook: Valuable for community engagement, customer feedback and sharing informative content.

Each platform also attracts certain user demographics varying in age, interests and frequency of platform use. Keep this in mind when creating posts, livestreams and videos for your flooring company.

You can learn more in our Complete Guide to Social Media for Manufacturing Companies.

To effectively engage your audience on social media and thus increase online sales, flooring companies should consider:

• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Offer glimpses into the flooring manufacturing processes to build transparency and authenticity.

• User-Generated Content: Encourage customers to share photos of their completed flooring installations, creating a sense of community and positive experiences surrounding your business.

• Contests and Giveaways: Boost your flooring business’s social media presence by organizing contests and giveaways, encouraging user participation and interaction.

For flooring companies, getting products into major retailers is a significant avenue for increased exposure and online sales. Understanding online markets and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships are crucial steps.

Before attempting to pitch and sell your flooring to major online retailers, make sure the following are in place:

• Meet Product Standards: Ensure that flooring products meet the standards and compliance requirements of major retailers. Adhering to these guidelines is essential for acceptance into their inventory and making sales online.

• Establishing Partnerships: Form partnerships with online marketplaces like Home Depot and Lowes to expand reach. Collaborating with established retailers can provide valuable industry credibility and trustworthiness.

Major retailers offer a vast customer base, and flooring companies should leverage this reach:

• Strategic Product Placement: Position products strategically within online marketplaces to maximize visibility.

• Promotions and Discounts: Collaborate with retailers to run promotions and discounts, attracting a larger and in-market audience during peak sales periods.

A well-designed ecommerce website is the cornerstone of making successful online sales for flooring companies. Customizing platforms to meet the specific needs of customers can greatly enhance the overall shopping experience.

Optimized ecommerce platforms include:

• Detailed Product Specifications: Provide comprehensive information about each flooring product, including specifications, materials and installation requirements.

• Virtual Room Visualization: Implement tools that allow customers to visualize how different flooring options would look in their own spaces, quickening the decision-making process.

• Sample Requests: Offer the option for customers to request samples, allowing them to experience the texture and quality of flooring materials firsthand before making a purchase.

Exceptional customer support is vital for ensuring customer satisfaction in the flooring industry. Flooring-specific support services can set companies apart from the competition.

Excellent customer support includes:

• Expert Advice: Provide expert guidance on flooring selection and installation, helping customers make informed decisions.

• Addressing Common Concerns: Proactively address common flooring concerns and maintenance queries, demonstrating commitment to customer satisfaction.

• Warranties and Guarantees: Offer warranties and guarantees specific to flooring materials, instilling confidence in the quality and durability of products.

Utilizing analytics is essential for flooring companies to track performance, identify trends and make data-driven decisions for continuous improvement.

• Tracking Popular Choices: Monitor the popularity of different flooring choices to understand customer preferences and market trends.

• Seasonal Trend Analysis: Analyze seasonal trends in flooring sales to optimize marketing and inventory strategies.

• User Feedback Implementation: Act on user feedback to enhance the online shopping experience continually, addressing pain points and improving customer satisfaction.

The flooring industry's shift towards online sales presents both challenges and opportunities for manufacturers, distributors and retail stores.

By implementing effective SEO strategies, paid advertising, social media engagement, partnerships with major retailers, optimizing ecommerce websites, providing exceptional customer support and utilizing analytics for continuous improvement, flooring companies can thrive in the digital marketplace.

Staying up-to-date on industry trends and adopting a customer-centric approach will be key to long-term success in the evolving world of online flooring sales.