How Home Builders Can Get More Visible Online | Brad Levitt Podcast Feature

Podcast Feature  ·  Marketing Strategy

From Pinterest marketing to brand voice to the messy beauty of growing a team — here’s a look at the conversation that’s had me thinking ever since.

Recently, I had the joy of sitting down with Brad Leavitt on the AFT Construction Podcast — and honestly? It was one of those conversations that reminded me exactly why I do what I do.

We talked for a while and even got into some real, behind-the-scenes stuff about building a team, the growing pains of this year, and what it means to show up online as a real, imperfect human being. I left feeling energized and grateful, and I’ve had people reach out since who resonated with different parts of it — so I wanted to bring it here and share some of the highlights with you.

▶  Watch on YouTube    ▶  Listen to the Podcast

It all starts with online visibility

When Brad asked me where he thought business owners — especially builders, designers, and architects — should be putting their energy right now, my answer was immediate: visibility. It’s the thing I hear about most. How do I get found? How do I stand out? And now, with AI changing the way people search, it’s a moving target.

What I’ve seen work — really work — is being creative about where you show up. Not just Instagram, not just Google. I’ve helped clients rank on ChatGPT. I’ve seen Pinterest drive real inquiries from real clients in a specific city. The businesses that are winning are the ones willing to try the channels that others are sleeping on.

We have to be creative. We have to come up with new ways that not everybody is doing — to be found, to share our brand, to share who we are and the value we bring.

Yes, blogging still matters. Here’s why.

I know, I know — blogging feels old school. But hear me out. When I talk about blogging, I’m not talking about writing journal entries for the internet. I’m talking about building a library of trust on your website.

Every blog post is a chance to rank on Google for a keyword your potential client is searching. It’s a chance to answer the questions people have before they ever pick up the phone. It’s a chance for someone to read your words, feel like they know you, and think — yes, this is who I want to build my home with.

I’ve seen it work time and time again, and I shared some of that on the podcast, including how we use blogging as the foundation before building out Pinterest and email strategies for our clients.

Pinterest — the platform builders are still sleeping on

This is the one I love geeking out about. Pinterest is the third largest search engine, and it is wildly underutilized in the home building and design world. When I tell male builders I specialize in Pinterest, I often get a blank stare. But then I tell them: Pinterest sends people off the platform — straight to your website. And suddenly they’re interested.

Unlike Instagram, which keeps users scrolling, Pinterest is built to send people somewhere. If someone’s searching for a custom home in Scottsdale, your pin can show up, and one click later they’re on your website, reading your blog, and getting on your email list. That’s a funnel. That’s how visibility becomes a lead.

Authenticity beats perfection — every time

This part of our conversation hit close to home for me. We talked about the pressure to always look polished online — the perfect background, the perfectly lit photo, the perfectly worded caption. And I’ll be honest: I’ve held back from posting because my office was messy or the kids were loud. I think most of us have.

But what we’re seeing, over and over, is that the content that connects is the content that’s real. The imperfect reel. The honest caption. The photo that wasn’t staged. People don’t need you to be flawless — they need to feel like they know you. That’s what builds trust. And trust is what brings the right clients to your door.

Authenticity is so much better than perfection. People are researching you before they ever reach out — and the content you put out there is how they decide whether they trust you.

A year of growing pains — and why I wouldn’t change it

Brad asked me about the growth of Olive & Vine, and I got a little real with him. This year was not what I expected. I had more clients than I could handle, and then I had some hard moments — including letting go of a team member I truly loved working with. I’m a natural optimist (Brad called himself one too, which made me feel better), and learning to hire slowly and thoughtfully has been one of the biggest lessons of my career.

But here’s where I land: I now have a team of specialists — a dedicated blog manager who runs her own blog, a Pinterest manager who lives and breathes the platform — and it just works. I stopped trying to fit people into my puzzle and went out and found the right pieces. And I’m genuinely so excited for what 2026 looks like from here.

What we offer at Olive & Vine Socials

In case you’re new here — we help builders, designers, and architects get visible, searchable, and trusted online. Here’s a look at what we do:

• Blogging — Long-form content that builds your Google authority and nurtures potential clients
• Pinterest Marketing — Strategic pinning that drives real traffic to your website
• Email Marketing — Staying in front of your audience in their inbox, on your terms
• SEO Audits & Location Pages — Making sure you’re actually showing up where it counts
• Instagram Repurposing — Turning blog and Pinterest content into social posts, without starting from scratch

Every package is custom, and I always start with a strategy month so we really understand your brand, your goals, and where the opportunity is. I genuinely want to make this as easy as possible for you — you’re busy building incredible things. Let us handle the rest.

Want to hear the full conversation? Listen to the episode on YouTube or the AFT Construction Podcast. And if you’re ready to get more visible online, find me at oliveandvinesocials.com or on Instagram @oliveandvinesocials.