by John Wright
I spend a lot of time looking at the websites of construction companies. While some leave a lot of room for improvement, many are great looking sites that showcase the company's impressive projects. But very often they don't get the visibility they deserve in search results. The missing piece? Effective on-page optimisation.
Think of on-page optimisation as the foundation of your digital presence. Much like how a solid foundation is crucial for any construction project. Just as you wouldn't build a house without proper structural elements, you shouldn't launch web pages without the right optimisation elements in place.
In this article, I'll share the essential on-page optimisation strategies that help construction businesses improve their search visibility. Whether you're a general contractor, specialist tradesperson, or large construction firm, these techniques will help ensure your web pages are properly optimised for both search engines and potential clients.
The Importance of On-Page Optimisation
On-page optimisation helps search engines understand your website and connect you with searchers looking for your services. Properly optimised pages can lead to higher search rankings, more organic traffic, and increased lead generation. For construction businesses, this means standing out from local competitors and attracting more clients.
Essential On-Page SEO Tactics
1. Conduct Keyword Research
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy. Identify high-traffic, industry-specific search terms that potential clients use to find your services. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs can help discover relevant keywords with substantial search volume and low competition.
Focus on long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) that attract more qualified leads looking for specific services. For example, "emergency plumbing services in [town/city]" or "residential roofing contractors near me."
2. Optimise Your Meta Tags
Meta tags are HTML elements that provide information about your webpage to users and search engines. The two most crucial meta tags are Title Tags and Meta Descriptions.
Title Tags appear as the clickable headline in search results and browser tabs. Think of them as your page's storefront sign. For a construction company, an effective title might be "Professional House Extensions | ABC Construction London." Keep them under 60 characters and include your main keyword near the beginning.
Meta Descriptions are the brief previews that appear under the title in search results. They're like your elevator pitch; a compelling summary that convinces potential clients to click through. For example: "Expert builders specialising in high-quality house extensions. View our portfolio of 50+ successful projects across London. Free consultation available." Keep these under 155 characters and include relevant keywords naturally.
Both title tags and meta descriptions should be unique for each page and written to attract clicks while accurately representing your content. Think of them as your digital business card. They need to be professional, clear, and compelling.
3. Using Headings for SEO
Headings (also called header tags or H tags) are HTML elements that define the titles and subtitles on your webpage. They appear as different sized text in your content, and range from H1 to H6.
Think of your webpage like a book. Just as a book has a title, chapters, and subsections, your webpage needs a clear structure that both readers and search engines can follow, and that's where headings come in.
H1 - Your Main Title
Every web page should have just one H1 tag. It's like the title of your book. For a construction company, this might be "Professional Home Extension Services in London" or "Commercial Building Renovations."
H2 - Major Sections
These are like your book's chapters. Use H2 tags to break your content into main topics. For example:
Our Construction Services
Project Portfolio
Why Choose Us
Client Testimonials
H3 - Subsections
These break down your H2 sections into smaller, more specific topics. For instance, under "Our Construction Services," you might have H3s for:
New Build Projects
Renovation Work
Property Extensions
H4-H6 - Further Subdivisions
While H4, H5, and H6 tags exist, they're rarely needed for most websites. These lower-level headings are typically used for very detailed, content-heavy pages like technical documentation or in-depth guides. For example, under an H3 "New Build Projects," you might use H4s to detail specific aspects like "Planning Permission Requirements" or "Building Regulations." However, for most construction website content, sticking to H1, H2, and H3 tags will create a clean, easy-to-follow structure that both users and search engines can navigate effectively.
4. Optimise Content with Relevant Keywords
Ensure your content provides value to your audience and naturally includes your target keywords. Avoid keyword stuffing (unnaturally cramming search terms into content to manipulate search engine rankings) as it can harm your rankings. Focus on creating informative and engaging content that addresses the needs of potential clients.
Service Pages: Create detailed pages for each service you offer, including relevant keywords and informative content.
Blogs: Write blog posts that answer common questions or address challenges faced by your audience. Use long-tail keywords to attract more targeted traffic.
Case Studies: Highlight successful projects with detailed case studies that showcase your expertise and include relevant keywords.
5. Optimise Images with Alternative Text (Alt Text)
Images enhance user experience but can also impact SEO if not optimised correctly. Use descriptive file names and alt text (a brief text description of the image) to help search engines understand what the images depict.
File Names: Include relevant keywords in image file names before uploading them to your site. An example would be ''kitchen extension exeter completed project.jpg''
Alt Text: Write descriptive alt text that includes keywords where appropriate, such as "Modern kitchen extension in Exeter featuring bi-fold doors and skylight". This helps improve accessibility and SEO.
6. Ensure Mobile-Friendliness
With the rise of mobile searches, having a mobile-friendly website is essential. Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking.
Responsive Design: Ensure your site adapts to different screen sizes and devices.
Mobile Speed: Optimise images, minify code, and leverage browser caching to improve load times on mobile devices.
7. Improve Site Speed
Site speed is a crucial ranking factor affecting user experience. Slow-loading pages can lead to higher bounce rates and lower rankings.
Image Optimisation: Compress images without compromising quality.
Browser Caching: Enable browser caching to reduce load times for returning visitors.
Minify Code: Minimise HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to speed up page load times.
Measuring Your On-Page SEO Success
Tracking the effectiveness of your on-page SEO efforts is crucial for continuous improvement. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor key metrics such as:
Organic traffic growth
Keyword rankings
Click-through rates
Bounce rates
Conversion rates
By regularly analysing this data, you can identify what's working, what needs improvement, and adjust your on-page SEO strategy accordingly.
Conclusion
On-page optimisation is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and adaptation to the evolving digital landscape.
By implementing these key tactics - keyword research, optimising title tags and meta descriptions, using header tags, optimising content with relevant keywords, optimising images with alt text, ensuring mobile-friendliness, and improving site speed - you can improve your online visibility, attract more potential clients, and ultimately grow your business.
Take action: Conduct an On-Page SEO Audit
Set aside time this week to conduct an on-page SEO audit of your website. Identify areas for improvement based on the tactics discussed in this blog post. Implement changes gradually and monitor their impact on your site's performance using Google Analytics and Search Console.
Up next
In our next blog post, we'll explore how social media marketing can complement your SEO efforts by helping you connect with your target audience, build brand awareness, and drive engagement. From choosing the right platforms to creating compelling content, we'll cover the essential strategies for making social media work for your trade business.
Found This Useful?
I hope you've found this guide to on-page optimisation helpful. If you'd like to discuss on-page SEO and/or 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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