The construction industry is rapidly changing. With new technologies and digital tools emerging, construction companies that don’t adapt their marketing strategies risk getting left behind. Implementing an effective digital marketing plan is essential for construction businesses to stay competitive and thrive in today’s digital landscape.
This comprehensive guide provides construction companies with strategies, tactics, and best practices for leveraging digital marketing. Follow this advice to attract more customers, generate leads, build your brand, and grow your construction business online.
Why Digital Marketing Matters for Construction Companies
Digital marketing provides numerous benefits that can give construction companies an edge over the competition. Here are some of the top reasons why digital marketing is critical for the construction industry today
Increased Visibility
Digital marketing allows construction firms to showcase their brand, services, and projects to a much wider audience online. Tactics like content marketing and social media marketing enable companies to get discovered by more potential customers searching online.
Targeted Lead Generation
Digital marketing enables construction companies to target their ideal demographic and focus marketing efforts on the people most likely to buy from you. Tactics like pay-per-click (PPC) ads and search engine optimization (SEO) make it easy to drive traffic from your best-fit customers.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Digital marketing costs far less than traditional marketing tactics like print ads, TV commercials, and trade shows exhibitions. Plus, digital marketing provides trackable data so you can optimize campaigns for the best ROI.
Improved Customer Engagement
Social media, email marketing, and other digital tactics allow for two-way engagement with prospects and customers. Construction companies can provide more helpful content, address concerns, and nurture relationships.
Brand Building
Consistent, high-quality digital content builds brand awareness and trust for construction businesses. Strategic use of social media and PR helps improve reputation.
Competitive Advantage
Falling behind on digital marketing gives competitors an advantage in reaching customers first. Digitally savvy construction firms have a leg up on winning business.
Best Digital Marketing Strategies for Construction Companies
Implementing the following core digital marketing strategies will help construction businesses attract more customers and generate leads online:
Build a User-Friendly Website
A modern, mobile-responsive website with helpful content and clear calls to action is the foundation of digital marketing for construction firms. Make sure your site is easy to navigate, highlights your services, and converts visitors into leads.
Produce Relevant Content
Blogging, videos, images, and other content helps construction companies attract and engage website visitors. Share helpful information that your target customers will find useful. Promote content on social media to drive traffic back to your website.
Leverage SEO Best Practices
Use keyword research and on-page SEO tactics to optimize your website content for search engines like Google. This will help people find your business when searching for related construction terms.
Run Pay-Per-Click Ads
PPC ads, like Google Ads, are a fast way to get your service offerings in front of people who are actively searching for those services right now. Drive qualified traffic to your site.
Use Social Media Marketing
Promote your brand, content, and expertise on social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Engage with prospects and nurture leads through the sales funnel.
Send Email Newsletters
Collect emails and send helpful newsletters with company news, construction tips, product updates, and promotions. Nurture relationships and maintain visibility with prospects.
Track Online Reviews
Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp. This builds credibility and trust for potential customers.
Analyze Performance Data
Review analytics to see which marketing efforts deliver results. Double down on what works and refine underperforming initiatives. Continually optimize for better ROI.
Tactics to Attract Website Visitors
Drawing more people to your website is one of the first steps in digital marketing. Here are some of the top tactics construction companies can use:
Blog Regularly
Publish new blog content frequently, at least 1-2 times per month. Helpful articles attract organic search traffic. Promote posts on social media to drive visitors.
Update Your Website Content
Refresh your website copy and add new pages and content regularly to give search engines fresh content to index. This signals your site is authoritative and up-to-date.
Get Listed on Review Sites
Claim your business profiles on top review sites like Google My Business, Yelp, and Angie’s List. Positive reviews help attract prospective customers.
Use SEO to Rank Higher
Optimize pages and content for relevant keywords that prospects search for. Higher rankings equal more traffic. Provide locally-optimized content.
Leverage PPC Ads
Launch Google Ads and Microsoft Ads campaigns with geo-targeting to reach people in your local service area. Drive qualified traffic straight to your site.
Read Also: What is PPC – Pay-Per-Click marketing?
Cultivate Referral Partners
Partner with complementary businesses like real estate agencies who can refer customers to you. Offer co-marketing deals and share resources.
Guest Post on Relevant Sites
Reach new audiences by contributing articles and expertise to industry blogs, trade publications, and local news sites. Include a bio with a link back to your website. If you need guest posting promotion we here please Submit a Guest Post (Write For Us).
Sponsor Community Events
Sponsoring local 5Ks, golf tournaments, galas, and family festivals gets your brand in front of residents. Include your URL on banners and brochures.
Converting Website Visitors into Leads
Driving traffic means nothing if visitors don’t convert into leads. Here are proven ways construction firms can turn website visitors into qualified business opportunities:
Highlight Your Services
Make it crystal clear what services you offer, your service areas, and types of projects you work on. Include a portfolio showing past work.
Create Project Estimate Forms
Include online quote request forms on key pages allowing visitors to easily submit project details to get a custom estimate. Follow up quickly.
Prominently Display Contact Info
List your phone number, email address, location, and hours in the header and footer. Make it easy for prospects to reach out with any questions.
Offer Website Chat
Set up live chat or chatbot features on your site so visitors can get real-time questions answered. This provides a convenient way to connect.
Provide Price Transparency
Share ballpark pricing, fee structures, and billing rates on your website so visitors know what to expect. This builds trust and credibility.
Add Customer Testimonials
Sprinkle in video and written testimonials from satisfied customers. Social proof increases visitors’ confidence in your company.
Insert Calls-to-Action
Include clickable buttons and links leading visitors to next steps, like “Request Quote” or “Learn More”. Reduce friction to convert.
Simplify Navigation
Ensure your website navigation makes it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. Remove clutter and stick to simple main menus.
Optimizing Conversion Rates on Landing Pages
To turn more website visitors into leads, special focus should be placed on optimizing your landing pages for conversions. Here are some key tips:
Offer a Lead Magnet
Provide an irresistible offer like a free guide, sample, or estimate calculator in exchange for a visitor’s email address and contact details so you can follow up.
Limit Distractions
Keep landing page designs simple and remove any unnecessary elements that could distract visitors from the main call-to-action.
Emphasize the Benefits
Explain how working with your construction company will benefit the visitor. Focus on value propositions tailored to your audience.
Make Mobile Friendly
With increasing mobile usage, ensure landing pages are optimized for smartphones and tablets to remove friction. Test speed and functionality.
Use High-Quality Photos
Include professional, relevant photos showing previous projects, your team, equipment, and past customers. Images make pages more engaging.
Feature Social Proof
Display logos of past clients, testimonials, and badges like “5-Star Rated on Yelp” to build trust and credibility with visitors.
Add a Contact Form
Make it easy for prospects to get in touch. Include contact forms tied straight to your CRM to capture and follow up with leads.
Limit Required Fields
The fewer form fields required, the higher your conversion rates will be. Only mandatory info should be needed to submit a lead form.
Implementing Effective Email Marketing
Email marketing is a cost-efficient way for construction companies to stay top-of-mind, nurture leads, and drive repeat business. Use these email best practices:
Send Newsletters
Send a regular e-newsletter (monthly or quarterly) with company updates, construction tips, new service offerings, discounts, and more. Mix promotional and educational content.
Welcome Sequences
Set up an automated email series to onboard new subscribers. Share helpful content that matches their needs based on categories they show interest in.
Lead Nurturing
Send targeted follow-up emails to website prospects if they aren’t ready to convert yet. Maintain your brand presence until they’re ready to buy.
Read: What is Lead Nurturing in Email Marketing? A Complete Guide
Appointment Reminders
Reduce no-shows by sending reminder emails to customers 24-48 hours before scheduled site visits, consultations, or other appointments.
Send Project Updates
Keep clients in the loop during active projects with email status updates on timelines, milestones reached, and any items that require their feedback or approval.
Share Company News
Build relationships by emailing press releases, newsletters, project announcements, awards received, team member spotlights, and other company news customers may find interesting.
Birthday Offers
Delight customers on their special day by sending birthday coupons or promo codes for discounts on services. This enhances goodwill.
Abandoned Cart/Estimate Emails
If someone starts but doesn’t submit a quote request form, send a follow-up email reminding them to complete it to get your competitive bid.
Harnessing the Power of Social Media
Social platforms present a huge opportunity for construction businesses to promote their brand, connect with customers, generate referrals, and drive website traffic. Follow this social media advice:
Claim Your Profiles
Register company profiles on leading platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. This secures your brand name and allows you to control the narrative.
Share Multimedia Content
Post a mix of content types on social media including photos of completed projects and works in progress, engaging videos, livestreams, customer testimonials, infographics, and more.
Implement Paid Advertising
Experiment with paid social campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to get your content and offers in front of targeted demographics and lookalike audiences.
Interact with Followers
Respond to comments, questions, and messages promptly. Ask for feedback and reviews. Engagement builds relationships with prospects while also signaling to algorithms that your content provides value.
Partner with Influencers
Work with popular local bloggers, photographers, or videographers to create co-branded content or sponsor their posts. This taps into their established audience.
Read Also: How To Find Local Influencers For Your Business Or Brand
Promote Content
Share links to new blog posts, videos, downloadable guides, case studies, and other content. Driving social traffic to your website leads to lead generation.
Participate in Groups
Join relevant local community Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups, and industry forums. Provide value by answering member questions to position yourself as an expert.
Run Contests
Boost engagement and followers by running social contests and giveaways. Creative promotions like caption contests, photo challenges, and trivia games work well to increase sharing and tag friends.
Use Hashtags
Research and use popular hashtags so your content appears in those streams. You can also create branded hashtags for your company like #ABCBuilds.
Creating Compelling Website Content
Well-crafted website content helps construction companies inform, educate, attract, and convert website visitors. Here are tips for optimizing your content.
Offer Valuable Insights
Blog posts, videos, and tools that provide solutions, tips, and tactical advice will naturally attract engaged visitors. Avoid “salesy” content.
Showcase Your Expertise
Content focused on your technical skills and construction expertise establishes credibility. It shows prospects why they should trust you to deliver.
Optimize for Local SEO
Target locally-searched terms that prospects use when looking for builders and contractors in your geographic area. Adjust content accordingly.
Answer Common Questions
Look at the inquiries you receive often and create content around those topics. FAQ and comparison pages are very helpful.
Promote Case Studies
Share case studies showing how you successfully completed projects for customers. Include photos, videos, testimonials, and measurable results.
Explain Your Specialties
Many construction companies serve particular markets like healthcare, retail, government, hospitality, and more. Tailor content to each audience.
Highlight Your Competitive Advantages
Communicate the unique benefits, systems, or processes you use that competitors don’t. This gives you an edge.
Share Design Portfolios
Display galleries showcasing the types of projects you complete. This visual content builds confidence in prospective customers.
Driving New Business with Paid Ads
Here are some of the best paid advertising strategies construction firms can leverage online like
Google Ads
Geo-target campaigns with Google Ads (both search and display network) to reach people searching for related construction services in your area.
Facebook Ads
Run commercials and boosted posts targeted locally by location, job title, age, interests, behaviors, and other attributes your ideal prospects have.
LinkedIn Ads
Sponsor branded posts and ads matched to a professional audience by industry, job title, skills, interests, and geography. Leverage detailed targeting options.
Instagram Ads
Share engaging photos, videos, Stories, and carousels targeted to local demographics interested in home renovation and real estate.
Microsoft Advertising
Feature text, display, and video ads on MSN, Outlook, and across Microsoft’s content network. Target based on Bing searches and audience data.
Streaming TV Ads
Use services like Roku to run brief commercials during ad breaks in streaming content. Geo-target household IP addresses.
Direct Mail
Send personalized promotions, event invites, and newsletters to targeted households and businesses in neighborhoods you want to work in.
Retargeting Ads
Remarket to people who previously visited your site or interacted with you on social media. Keep your brand top of mind until they’re ready to buy.
Amazon Ads
Sponsor product targeting for relevant search terms on Amazon. This targets people ready to purchase construction materials and tools.
YouTube Ads
Pre-roll ads play before relevant videos. Skippable options are most cost-effective. Target by keyword, topic, placement, and geography.
Tracking and Measuring Results
To improve ROI, construction companies must track key performance indicators and continually optimize their digital marketing efforts.
Use Web Analytics
Review site traffic sources, top landing pages, conversions paths, and other insights provided by Google Analytics. Identify opportunities.
Measure Leads
Analyze lead quality and volume by source to see which initiatives and campaigns deliver the best results and lowest CPL.
Review Social Metrics
Evaluate social media followers, engagement, clicks, actions, impressions, and conversion rates. Refine underperforming posts and placements.
Check Rankings
Monitor website rankings monthly for your target keywords. Improve pages and content to increase visibility.
Open and Click-Through Tracking
See email open rates, click rates, conversions, and unsubscribe rates. Adjust the timing, content, and targeting of your campaigns.
Monitor Online Reviews
Stay on top of new reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, and elsewhere. Respond promptly to address concerns or thank happy customers.
Set Up Dashboards
Use platforms like Google Data Studio to create visual dashboards that track all your important KPIs in one centralized place for easy reporting.
Check Cost Per Lead
Calculate your true CPL across initiatives. Reduce spending on high-cost efforts with low conversions and shift budget to proven lead drivers.
Common FAQs from Construction Companies on Digital Marketing
What are the first steps to take in developing a digital marketing strategy?
Start by auditing your website content, technical performance, lead gen forms, and calls-to-action. Establish your business profiles on key platforms. Set up tools for tracking like Google Analytics. Identify your target audience and map the buyer’s journey to inform content. Competitor research also provides initial benchmarks.
What digital marketing skills do we need in-house vs. outsourcing?
Most construction companies benefit from having dedicated in-house staff for core initiatives like website management, content creation, social media marketing, email campaigns, PPC ads, and tracking KPIs in dashboards. Specialized needs like SEO audits, link building, and technical website development are easily outsourced to expert digital marketing agencies.
How much should we budget for digital marketing?
Industry benchmarks range from 7-12% of gross revenue. Quite often an initial budget is set at 10% of projected sales, then adapted based on performance data – increasing spending on campaigns with strong ROI and pausing ineffective ones. Every $1 spent should aim to return at least $2-3 in revenue to justify the investment.
How long does it take to see results from digital marketing?
Some initial results are visible right away, like traffic from PPC ads. But achieving full momentum takes time. SEO results build over 6-12 months. Social media followings require steady nurturing. Email lists grow through continual lead generation. Most efforts compound over time for increasing returns.
How do you track ROI for digital marketing campaigns?
Marketing attribution modeling tools like Google Analytics track leads and sales from each source/campaign. Track traffic, leads, and conversions weekly or monthly to connect spending to bottom-line revenue generated. Divide marketing qualified leads (MQLs) by cost to determine cost per lead. Review ROI metrics each quarter to optimize.
