Imagine this: A homeowner stands in their kitchen, looking at their cramped space, and reaches for their phone. What do they type into Google? "House extension costs"? "Kitchen renovation ideas"? "Add space to home"?
Understanding exactly how potential clients search for construction services can make the difference between your website being discovered or staying hidden in the depths of search results. This is where keyword research becomes essential
Thorough keyword research. will help you uncover the exact phrases and questions your potential clients are typing into search engines. You could substantially increase your website traffic simply by adjusting your content to match how real people search for construction services, rather than using industry jargon.
In this article, I'll share practical keyword research strategies specifically for construction businesses. You'll learn how to uncover the search terms your potential clients actually use, how to prioritise the most valuable keywords, and how to use this knowledge to attract more qualified leads to your website.
Why Keyword Research Matters
Keyword research forms the foundation of any successful SEO and Local SEO strategy. It provides invaluable insights into your customers' needs, interests, and search patterns. With this knowledge, you can:
Attract high-quality, purchase-intent traffic to your site
Identify new service opportunities aligned with demand
Adapt your strategy proactively as trends fluctuate
Establish your brand's presence in untapped niches
Maximise ROI through precision targeting
Without thorough keyword research, you risk creating content that attracts irrelevant traffic or misses lucrative search opportunities.
Prioritising Your Keywords
When evaluating which keywords to target first, consider these key factors:
Search Volume and Competition: "Kitchen extension" has 4,400 monthly searches, but high competition makes ranking difficult.
Meanwhile, "open plan kitchen extensions" (1,000 monthly searches) has lower competition and clearer purchase intent. This makes it a more valuable keyword to target, as you're more likely to rank well and attract qualified leads who are actively planning their extension project.
Commercial Intent: Prioritise terms that indicate readiness to buy. For example, "side return extension" (1,600 monthly searches) shows more urgent intent than "types of house extensions" (170 monthly searches). It indicates a specific extension type has been chosen, and suggests the searcher has moved beyond initial research and has identified the type of extension they desire.
Geographic Relevance: Local terms often convert better. "Loft conversion Bristol" (880 monthly searches) is more valuable for a Bristol based constructor than generic "loft conversion" (22,200 monthly searches) because searchers using location-specific terms are typically closer to making a purchase decision and are looking for services in their area.
Building Your Keyword Strategy
To avoid chaos, you need a cohesive plan for organising and prioritising your keywords. Here's a step-by-step approach:
1. Define Your Niche
Gain clarity on your specific industry, target customer demographics, unique selling points, and the core needs you aim to satisfy. This allows you to start with relevant keywords from the outset.
2. Recognise Customer Search Language
It is important to use everyday language that your customers will use when carrying out online searches, rather relying on industry jargon and terminologies.
Construction professionals might say "residential property extension," (zero monthly searches) but homeowners might search for "how much is an extension on a house" (720 monthly searches) or "extension on house ideas" (2,900 monthly searches.) Use your customers' language when creating website content and blog posts to ensure your pages match their search queries.
3. Brainstorm Topics
Create 5-10 topics covering your core services and frequently asked questions. These will guide more specific keyword research. For a construction business, your topics might include:
Core Services:
House Extensions (single-storey, double-storey, side return)
Loft Conversions (dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard)
Kitchen Renovations (open plan, small kitchen, galley kitchen)
Bathroom Renovations (ensuite, wet room, family bathroom)
Common Customer Questions:
Costs and Budgeting
Planning Permission Requirements
Project Timelines
Design Ideas and Inspiration
Building Regulations
For each topic, think about the questions customers typically ask during consultations or site visits. These real-world conversations often reveal valuable keyword opportunities that your competitors might miss.
4. Use Keyword Research Tools
Before diving into specific tools, let's understand the two main types of keywords:
Head terms are are short, broad keywords typically 1-2 words long. Examples include "plumbing", "builder", or "roofing". While they have high search volume, they're very competitive and difficult to rank for.
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases, usually 3+ words. Examples include "24 hour emergency plumber in Reading" or "residential flat roof replacement contractors near me". They have lower search volume but are less competitive and often have higher conversion rates due to their specific intent.
Essential Keyword Research Tools
WordStream's Free Keyword Tool: Identifies more long-tail suggestions and keyword niches than most other tools.
Google Trends: Helps find current long-tail keyword opportunities through trending topics and search terms.
Social Media Tools: Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube offer keyword research tools for finding platform-specific long-tail keywords.
Answer the Public: Visualises questions and phrases people search for related to your head terms, providing valuable long-tail keyword ideas.
The key is finding a balance between head terms and long-tail keywords. Using multiple research tools increases your chances of discovering high-value, low-competition keywords that can drive qualified traffic to your website.
Remember to consider question-based keywords and variations of your main head terms to create a comprehensive keyword strategy.
Putting It All Together
Once you've gathered your keywords using these tools, the next step is implementation. Remember to:
Focus on a mix of both head terms and long-tail keywords
Prioritise keywords based on search volume, competition, and intent
Update your content regularly to reflect seasonal trends and changing search patterns
Monitor your rankings and adjust your strategy accordingly
For construction businesses, this might mean targeting "house extensions" (head term) alongside more specific phrases like "single storey kitchen extension costs Bristol" (long-tail). The key is to maintain a balanced approach that captures both broad visibility and specific, high-intent searches.
Conclusion
Conducting thorough keyword research is a critical first step in driving organic growth for your construction business. By defining your niche, understanding your customers' search language, and building a balanced keyword strategy, you can create content that directly satisfies user intent and demand.
The key to success lies in finding the right balance between:
High-volume head terms and specific long-tail keywords.
Competitive industry terms and local search opportunities
Technical construction terminology and the everyday language your customers use.
Remember, keyword research is not a one-and-done exercise. Commit to an ongoing process of:
Monitoring search volumes and competition levels
Tracking local search trends in your service areas
Adjusting your content to match seasonal patterns
Refining your target keywords based on performance
With this strategic approach and the right tools, you'll be well-positioned to attract qualified traffic, engage prospects, and grow your construction business through effective SEO.
Take Action: Start Your Keyword Research
Set aside one hour this week to begin your keyword research journey. Here's a simple process to follow:
List your top 3 construction services
For each service, write down 5 ways a customer might search for it
Use Google's Keyword Planner to check search volumes
Create a spreadsheet ranking keywords by:
Monthly search volume
Competition level
Commercial intent
Geographic relevance
Remember, start small and focus on quality over quantity. Even identifying just 3-5 high-value keywords can significantly impact your website's performance.
Up Next: Mastering Header Tags for SEO
With your target keywords identified, the next step is integrating them effectively in your on-page SEO.
In our next post, we'll dive into best practices for using header tags to structure your content for both users and search engines.
From H1s to H6s, you'll learn how to use headers to boost relevance, readability, and rankings - so stay tuned!
Found This Useful?
I hope you've found this guide to keyword research helpful. If you want to discuss Pay-per-click advertising, please email me. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. If you want to talk about your construction company's digital marketing strategy, feel free to reach out as well.
About the Author
John Wright started his career in the construction industry at Kennedy Builders Merchants in the 1980s. This marked the beginning of a 35-year journey in sales, marketing, and business development in construction.
In 2016, John transitioned into digital marketing as an it'seeze web design franchisee, before founding RBC Marketing in 2022. Today, he uses his strong knowledge of the construction industry along with marketing skills. He helps construction companies create a strong online presence. He also drives business growth through both digital and traditional marketing strategies.
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