by John Wright
The construction site foreman reviewing site photos on his smartphone. The builder sharing project updates on Instagram. The contractor managing leads through a digital CRM. This is construction in 2024. A far cry from my first days at Kennedy Builders Merchants in the 1980s, thumbing through dog-eared price lists and writing out orders by hand on carbon-copy forms.
Back then, marketing meant cold calls, printed mailers, and if you were lucky, a prime spot in the Yellow Pages. Today's construction landscape has evolved dramatically. While a firm handshake still matters, your digital presence often makes the first impression long before any personal meeting.
Even when a trusted colleague recommends your services, potential clients will inevitably turn to Google, scrutinise your website, and examine your online portfolio before picking up the phone. In fact, most customers now begin their search for construction services on the internet, making a strong online presence not just beneficial, but essential for survival in our competitive market
However, the world of digital marketing can be confusing, with its unique terminology and endless options. It's not always clear what strategies to prioritise or where to begin. That's where this blog series comes in.
In this first post, we'll introduce six key strategies that every construction business can implement to build a strong online presence and attract new clients. Future posts will dive deeper into each of these tactics, and explain any technical terminology.
At the end of each article, we will include an actionable step you can take to start improving your online visibility.
So, whether you're just getting started with online marketing or looking to refine your existing efforts, read on. It's time to take your construction business to the next level in the digital age.
1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO is the process of optimising your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. By improving your site's visibility, you can attract more qualified leads to your business.
Some key SEO tactics include:
Conducting keyword research to identify high-traffic, industry-specific search terms.
Optimising your website's content, headings, and meta tags with targeted keywords.
Building high-quality backlinks from reputable sites to boost your domain authority.
Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly and loads quickly for a positive user experience.
2. Local SEO
Local SEO focuses on optimising your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. This is particularly important for trade and construction businesses that serve specific geographic areas.
Effective local SEO strategies include:
Claiming and optimising your Google Business Profile listing with accurate contact information, business hours, and photos.
Building local citations by listing your business on relevant online directories.
Encouraging satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on your Google Business Profile and other review sites.
Creating localised service pages on your website that target specific towns, cities or regions you serve.
Using local keywords in your website's content, meta tags, and URLs.
3. Content Marketing
Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable, relevant content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. By providing helpful resources tailored to your trade, you can establish your business as a go-to expert in your field.
Some effective content marketing ideas include:
Writing blog posts that address common questions or challenges faced by your target clients.
Developing detailed case studies that showcase your successful projects and highlight your expertise.
Creating engaging videos that give a behind-the-scenes look at your company culture or construction process.
Offering downloadable guides that provide value to your audience.
4. Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn provide powerful opportunities for businesses to showcase their best work, share behind-the-scenes content, and to connect with potential customers on a more personal level.
By regularly sharing engaging content and interacting with your followers, you can foster relationships and drive traffic back to your website.
Some social media marketing tips include:
Identifying the platforms where your target audience is most active and focusing your efforts there.
Sharing a mix of promotional and educational content, such as project photos, industry news, and helpful tips.
Engaging with your followers by responding to comments, messages, and reviews in a timely manner.
Running targeted social media ads to reach new audiences and promote specific services or offers.
5. Email Marketing
Email marketing allows you to stay in touch with your existing clients and nurture leads over time.
By sending targeted, personalised messages to your email list, you can keep your company top-of-mind and encourage repeat business.
Email marketing strategies include:
Sending monthly newsletters that share company updates, project spotlights, and industry insights.
Creating drip campaigns that automatically send a series of emails to new leads to educate them about your services.
Sharing your case studies that showcase your successful projects.
6. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising allows you to place targeted ads on search engines and other websites, and only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
This can be a highly effective way to drive qualified traffic to your company's website and generate leads quickly.
PPC advertising tips include:
Conducting keyword research to identify high-intent, industry-specific search terms to target.
Creating compelling ad copy that highlights your unique value proposition and includes a clear call-to-action.
Using geo-targeting to show your ads to potential clients in specific locations.
Continuously monitoring and optimising your campaigns based on performance data to maximise your ROI.
Getting Started with Digital Marketing for Your Construction Businesses
In a perfect world, you'd implement all these strategies at once. But for busy construction businesses, especially smaller ones, that is unlikely to be realistic. The good news is that you can still build a strong online presence by focusing on one strategy at a time.
Take Action: Find Your Digital Marketing Sweet Spot
Start by examining where your competitors are most visible online and where they're missing opportunities.
For instance, if local contractors dominate Google searches but have minimal social media presence, that gap could be your opportunity. Or if they're posting regularly on social media but their content lacks depth, you might focus on creating detailed project case studies and how-to guides.
Choose one digital channel where you can make the biggest impact, master it, and then expand your efforts from there.
Up next
Stay tuned for our next post, where we'll dive deeper into Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and provide another actionable tip to help your trade business thrive online.
Found This Useful?
I hope you've found this introduction to digital marketing helpful. If you'd like to discuss your construction company's digital marketing strategy, feel free to email me or connect with me on LinkedIn.
About the Author
John Wright began his construction industry career at Kennedy Builders Merchants in the 1980s, marking the start of a 35-year journey in sales, marketing, and business development within the construction sector.
In 2016, John transitioned into digital marketing as an it'seeze web design franchisee, before founding RBC Marketing in 2022. Today, he combines his deep understanding of the construction industry with digital and traditional marketing expertise to help construction companies build an effective online presence and drive business growth through both digital and offline marketing strategies.
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