Construction business owners know how to build all kinds of structures — but building a business with digital marketing may require a little extra scaffolding! Consider this guide the support you need to succeed in creating the foundation that will help you tower over your competition.
The construction industry has been around since the beginning of civilization, so you may think digital marketing isn’t necessary. But this is the modern age, and today’s customers look online to find, research, and decide which company they want to trust for their big project.
Marketing has transformed the industry, with business owners finding new clients beyond their traditional regional boundaries. Companies now grow with the help of marketing strategies like search engine optimization, email marketing, social media campaigns, and so much more.
To begin the process of mastering construction marketing, you’ll want to gather your communications team and set aside time to write out a digital strategy. This in itself can be a big challenge, especially in the deadline-oriented, fast-paced construction industry! But it’s worth the time to craft the plan so you can execute it in a way that works for your business.
Understanding your construction business brand
The first thing you’ll want to determine is your unique market position or what sets your company apart from the competition. This includes understanding the values that serve as your business foundation, the methods of your work, and the products and services you offer.
Next, brainstorm your ideal client profile. Do you prefer to work with commercial or residential clients? Are there certain price points or industries you specialize in? Narrow your focus as much as possible, as this helps you craft messaging that speaks directly to the people you want to reach.
With your ideal target audience in mind, consider the identity of your business in terms of a brand. You’ll want to create a consistent brand voice based on your expertise and values. Branding includes messaging as well as a logo, colors, types of visuals, font, and even a slogan. All this will set you apart from the competition.
You want to be memorable, and people remember consistency! With this creative work, simplicity matters. Be clear and honest. Think twice before using humor. If you’re not sure if everyone will get the joke, vet it with people who will give you constructive feedback.
Digital marketing foundations for construction companies
Developing a brand identity involves a lot of hard decisions, but this process makes the rest of your marketing work easier. You’ll already have an idea of the look and feel of your digital presence, which should include the following:
Website essentials
Before any other online outreach effort, you need to publish a website that you can use to draw in prospects. Consider your website your digital HQ, and it should feature:
- A well-organized portfolio of your completed projects
- Obvious call-to-action elements, such as “Click Here To Connect!”
- A case study presentation about the work you’ve done
- Testimonials
- Landing pages for the services you offer
- A written history of your company (including your personal story, if relevant)
- Contact information
- Links to your social media accounts, Google Business Profile, and other listing sites
Importantly, you’ll also want to make sure the website works on smartphones and tablets as well as desktop computers. This is known as mobile-responsive design, and it’s crucial to your success. You know how annoying it is when a website doesn’t work. You don’t want to annoy your prospects!
Search engine optimization (SEO) for construction
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a marketing strategy that draws people to your website. It goes hand in hand with content marketing, in which you publish helpful blogs for free and integrate specific keywords that people search for on Google.
Some content marketing strategies can include:
- Blogs that demonstrate your expertise
- Project guides and construction resources
- Before-and-after project stories
- Video content such as walk-throughs
Have you ever searched for a local business using the phrase “near me”? This is how local SEO techniques work. You can fill your website with blogs featuring interesting information about your industry or business and weave them with localized phrases like “home builders in San Jose” or “ home construction near me.”
You’ll also want to manage any online directory and listings you may have. Optimizing your Google Business Profile with strategic keywords can push you to the top of the stack and get you noticed. Ask your customers to review you, too. Building a strong online reputation is as good as gold these days.
Email marketing
Email marketing has one of the best returns on investment, or ROI, of any digital marketing strategy, so start collecting the email addresses of your current and potential customers. Add an email list sign-up form on your website to boost your lead generation. You can automate a welcome email and even create separate lists for different kinds of clients.
This strategy can include sending promotional emails about new offers or services, as well as the more traditional newsletter. When your customers are used to staying in touch with your company and know your brand, it’s easier and smoother to enhance customer loyalty and track transactional communications.
Digital advertising approaches
In digital marketing, there are paid strategies and organic strategies. Your website, SEO content marketing, and email marketing are all considered “organic” strategies in that you aren’t paying per click. One blog, for example, could generate hundreds of clicks for years.
Paid construction marketing and advertising, conversely, has a shorter timeframe but can bring in the same number of prospects — or more. These outreach opportunities include:
- Google Ads for construction services
- An enhanced Google Business Profile listing
- Social media advertising on a variety of platforms
With all these options, you can target specific segments of the construction market by refining your target audience with a wide range of demographics. When you are clear on whom you want to reach, you may discover that digital advertising can be quite budget-friendly.
Whatever approach you choose, measure the impact by calculating your ROI. That way, you can improve your results with each subsequent campaign.
Social media marketing for construction
While you can grow your following on social media using paid advertising, it’s also possible to do so organically. But in both cases, you’ll want to sit down and write out your strategy before beginning. Social media, as you likely know, can take a lot of time that you likely don’t have to waste!
Choose the right platforms
Start by understanding where your target audience spends most of its time online. For example, first-time homebuyers may be on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, getting ideas about construction projects. On the other hand, corporate executives may be spending more time on LinkedIn. Go where your audience is and invest your time wisely.
Here are some ideas for each platform:
- LinkedIn: Use professional networking to connect and engage with C-suite decision-makers.
- Instagram: Offer project showcases and behind-the-scene looks at your most impressive work.
- Facebook: Build a community by sharing valuable tips about construction that position you as the expert you are.
- YouTube: Create a series of project demonstration videos to show clients the steps they’ll be taking when they work with you.
Create engaging, shareable construction content
Whichever platform you choose and however frequently you decide to post, always remember to keep the interests and concerns of your target audience as a priority. Often, small business owners share what they find interesting — but it’s better to consider all social media posts as a kind of community service. The more you offer to help your followers, the more they will come to trust and respect you. If you provide the kind of content that gets them talking with their friends, all the better!
Client testimonial and reputation management
Perhaps the most powerful digital work you can do is collecting, publishing, and sharing client testimonials. Known as word-of-mouth marketing, it’s the modern-day version of gathering around the water cooler. Think about it: Would you go to a restaurant if all the reviews mentioned food poisoning and long waits? Would it matter if you never met anyone who wrote the review? Of course not!
You can dramatically improve your reputation within the industry by showcasing client success stories and managing your online reviews. Digital transparency — video interviews of happy clients, for example — naturally builds trust and encourages prospects to connect.
Make a policy of asking for customer feedback and then spread the word. Post the reviews on your website, social media pages, and in your advertisements.
But what about those hard-to-please clients who write critical reviews? Respond immediately and professionally. Turn their complaint into an opportunity to demonstrate your strong customer service skills. Don’t forget to add a few keywords to your answer!
Technology and tools for construction marketing
As you progress in digital marketing, you’ll become more comfortable with crafting an effective message that highlights your brand and connects with your target audience. You’ll find that new technology makes it easier, too.
Consider investing in a customer relationship management system (CRM) that tracks the customer journey. These CRM systems can also often be integrated with automation software to send timely emails, facilitate workflow, and keep documents organized and handy.
New project management and productivity tools have taken over the marketplace and can make your work easier. Artificial intelligence can facilitate digital proposals and estimating, making some mundane tasks fast and accurate. You can even use AI to come up with blog post ideas!
As you try out new tech tools, look for systems that offer integration options. For example, Constant Contact integrates with Canva, a graphic design software that you can use to create beautiful ads, social media posts, and even website pages.
Measuring marketing performance
An often overlooked but vital component of any digital marketing initiative is measuring performance. You won’t know if your efforts are worth your valuable time if you don’t track your success.
Using your understanding of your target audience, create marketing campaigns that last for one or two months. Before you begin to craft the message, think about your goal. Do you want to focus on lead generation or awareness of your company? Do you want to focus on repeat customers or branch out into a new kind of construction? Create a measurable goal to see if you’ve made progress toward it at the end.
Then, you can pick key performance indicators, or KPIs, that relate to your goal. You don’t need to track everything, but you should get comfortable with your website’s backend analytics. You may want to track your conversion rates and what it takes to bring a prospect through the complete customer journey.
When you track your KPIs, including the return on investment calculations, you can see what marketing strategies work best for your business. So often, marketing takes some experimentation — but data-driven work can help you continuously make improvements with each campaign. This helps you gain confidence in your marketing skills while gaining more customers, too.
The future of digital construction marketing
Just like any construction project, it can take time and strategy to build and execute a digital marketing plan for your company. First, you draw out your blueprint, which includes understanding your brand identity, target audience, and brand voice. Then, you begin the work to launch your website, leverage social media, create email marketing campaigns, gather testimonials, and track your results.
As you refine your marketing initiatives, incorporate technology for an integrated approach to outreach. This can save you time, which is the most valuable resource of all.
To begin your construction marketing project, carve out a couple of hours in your schedule and gather your most creative team members. Ask them to bring a few slogans and start developing your brand. Once you have your brand identity and target audience figured out, Constant Contact is here to support your digital marketing efforts with expert knowledge and automation tools. Sign up for a free trial to see how we can elevate your construction marketing strategy.
