Are you looking for successful marketing tips for your construction company?
As a construction marketer, I’m often approached by companies who want to get more leads and sales to help grow their business with construction marketing, but just don’t have the tools or resources to know where to start.
I want to do my best to help, and I know that there’s simply so much great information out there – as long as you know where to look.
If only they had a constrcution marketing guide.
That’s why I thought I’d put together the best possible resource on marketing for construction companies, so you can have the best starting point and learn about the various marketing tips and advice out there – from all across the web.
So, sit back and relax, as below you’ll find everything you need to know about construction marketing.
Key construction marketing statistics
Before we plunge into some of the best resources and construction marketing strategies, let’s take a look at some of the most significant recent statistics:
- Around 93% of construction companies said that they would be increasing marketing activities in 2016 (via the Construction Marketing Association)
- From the same survey, 88% said they planned to increase their use of social media marketing
- And 71.4% said they planned to increase email marketing
- Direct mail was the marketing tactic companies planned to decrease the most, at 71%
To give you a better idea of how some of these these statistics can come together – and relate to your business – take a look at our marketing for construction companies web page.
5 excellent construction marketing guides/ebooks
Construction marketers these days really know that ebooks are where it’s at, which is why so many of them provide free downloadable pdfs and guides packed full of useful information to help you get started.
Below we’ve listed five informative ebooks on various aspects of construction marketing, from general guides, to specifics on techniques such as content and social media marketing:
1. The Really Useful Guide to Construction Marketing (via Contractors’ Marketing)
2. Modern Marketing for Construction Brands (via the Construction Marketing Association)
3. The Construction Marketer’s Guide to Content Marketing (via PauleyCreative)
4. Construction 2025 Strategy (a UK government resource)
5. The Construction Marketer’s Guide to Social Media (via PauleyCreative)
5 must-read blogs
Ebooks are not the only resource you should be checking out; there are also plenty of regularly updated blogs with new, fresh and exciting content to help inspire you with your own marketing campaigns.
Below, we’ve listed five of the best that you should bookmark for future reading:
1. ForConstructionPros
A quick browse of the ForConstructionPros blog not only comes up with features on some of the best apps and software you could be using for your construction business, but also tips such as how to attract millennials to work for your company. If you think of yourself as a construction pro, this could be the blog for you.
2. BigMouthMarketing
We’re so impressed with the Bigmouth Marketing blog here at Stargazer – especially their blog about how home builders can use online marketing to dominate the national giants! They cover more topics than simply construction, but if you’re interested in blogging for your business, you should check it out.
3. CMFusion blog
From telling you what NOT to do, to addressing the really important questions construction companies should ask themselves when looking for the best results, CMFusion blog is one of the best resources out there, and is well worth your time.
4. The Construction Marketing Association Blog
Bursting at the seams with recent surveys, statistics and marketing hot topics that construction firms care about the most (like how to market your construction business overseas), the Construction Marketing Association blog is one to follow.
5. Contractors’ Marketing blog
This relatively new blog from Contractors’ Marketing knows its target audience inside-out, and is blowing the discussion on construction marketing wide open. Definitely one to watch in future…
5 wonderful webinars and podcasts
If reading isn’t exactly your thing, webinars and podcasts can also be a great way to learn more about the world of marketing for your construction business, and get a fresh perspective on techniques you’re already using.
Below, we’ve listed some really informative and educational videos and podcasts that you might find interesting.
1. Construction Marketing Podcast
Learn some fascinating insights into marketing for construction with the Construction Marketing podcast, which covers so many areas – from bounce rates to a full construction marketing toolkit.
2. Online Marketing and Social Media Strategies for the Residential Construction Industry
This online webinar from GuildQuality covers web marketing and social media strategies you can use to generate more leads and grow your business, as well as how to stand out and make the biggest impact.
3. What does good SEO look like on a website?
If you’re not completed clued up on SEO, this recorded webinar from construction marketing pros PauleyCreative will help to give you a much better understanding of how it can work for your construction business.
4. Five Considerations Before you Start your Email Marketing Campaign
If you’re considering giving email marketing (more on that subject below) a try, I’d highly recommend checking out this recorded email marketing webinar from MDi TV before you get started.
5. Remontech’s Construction Industry Podcast
And last but not least, this award-winning podcast from Remontech has some fantastic topics on its list, from staying relevant in the construction industry, to disaster recovery scenarios. Definitely check it out.
6 successful strategies
Now, I know I’ve mentioned a few construction marketing ideas and strategies above, but if you’re unsure of exactly what I mean by ‘SEO’, ‘paid ads’ and ‘content marketing’, I’m going to explain a bit more about each below, and what makes them so successful.
1. Content marketing
Content marketing is first on the list, as it’s one of the most effective ways to market your construction business. It essentially means filling your blog with lots of helpful, quality content on a regular basis, which results in:
- Generating more search engine traffic to your website
- Acquiring more leads (as long as you use the right call-to-actions or touch points)
- Building authority and establishing trust with your audience
- Helping your potential customers make decisions faster by answering their questions
Your new and potential customers have questions, and to find answers they’re going to be searching online – so where’s the best place for them to be finding those answers? Your blog, of course.
To get it right, think about the questions your customers ask you on a daily basis, and write helpful, unbiased and non-salesy blog posts that address those important questions and concerns. Address topics such as cost, materials, length of time a project can take, and how to find the best solution for them.
Then, place bright, clear offers in the form of buttons for your visitors to click on (such as ‘subscribe to the blog’, or ‘download a whitepaper’), so they can fill out their details and become leads. This is known as a call-to-action or CTA.
2. Paid ads
Paid ads, or PPC (Pay Per Click) is an online form of advertising where you pay a platform (such as Google, Facebook or LinkedIn) for an ad in a prime location. It’s simple enough to get started; all you have to do is specify your ad, your budget, and the length of campaign – every time someone clicks, your budget gradually decreases.
PPC can be quite an effective way to get more traffic and leads – that is, as long as you’re only sending your visitors to web pages that you know successfully convert visitors into leads. For instance, sending them directly to your homepage may well be a waste of money.
Your ad should effectively match the page that you send people to once they click, otherwise it can be confusing – especially if you’ve not delivered on the promise in the ad. The smart way is to be precise with the people you attract by using very specific target keywords that match exactly what your ideal customer is searching for.
If you would like more help with Google paid ads why not read my guide on getting the best out of Google ads.
3. SEO
Search engine optimisation (or SEO) can be an effective way to ensure your website is found by more people, as well as bringing in more traffic – just be sure that your website is setup to convert visitors into leads first, otherwise investing in SEO might not have quite the desired effect.
One of the best tips I can give you for SEO is to simply focus on creating quality content on your blog which uses the same keywords and phrases your customers regularly search for in Google – and use them naturally within your text, without overstuffing!
For best SEO practices:
- Set up your Google My Business Listing
- Ensure Google can index your pages
- Use relevant keywords naturally throughout your website
- Make your blog content relevant to the needs of your readers
For more helpful tips, read my blog ‘How to Improve Your Construction Business’s SEO’.
4. Social media
Social media is one of the best ways to share posts, raise brand awareness and engage with potential new customers. Some of the best social media platforms include:
- Google+
Post regularly, ask engaging questions, and don’t forget to reply to comments and interact with other business pages! But remember, social media can soak up your time – which is counterproductive – so try to set aside a specific time every day to do this.
5. Email marketing
Email marketing is not only a great way of capturing new leads, you can also use it to help nurture them into becoming customers. For example, if you decide to start your own email newsletter and introduce a form on your website asking people to sign up, you can then send them regular email updates and helpful tips.
Just remember not to ‘spam’ people by sending too many emails!
6. Inbound marketing
Finally, inbound marketing isn’t just a strategy that you can pick up when you want fast results and then drop again – it’s actually an entire methodology that encompasses a lot of the above – and much more besides!
Did you know that 54% more leads are generated by inbound tactics than via traditional paid marketing?
That’s because it’s a tried and tested method that works across so many different industries and business models – including construction. It’s a smart way of taking your offline sales process (which works), and adapting it so that you can get the same results online.
It could be ideal if your customers usually ask a lot of questions before buying from you, as this usually means they do quite a bit of research and have a buying cycle that lasts at least two weeks.
For more information about inbound marketing, I’ve put together the Inbound Marketing 101 page, which contains all the base knowledge you need to get off to the best start.
5 websites that are doing it right
It’s all very well talking about content marketing and the type of things you should be writing about, but I thought the best way to drive this home is by showing you some real-world examples of construction companies who are doing marketing successfully right now.
1. Litchfield Construction
For those looking to remodel their homes Litchfield Construction’s blog contains some really helpful blogs such as ‘Top 3 Dangers of Buying a Fixer Upper Home’ and ‘5 Apps to Help You Envision Your Home Remodel’.
2. Conservatory Craftsmen
This company is getting it right with their conservatory blog focusing on key customer concerns such as how to save on heating costs, as well as product comparisons (conservatories vs. orangeries).
3. Superwarm
Edinburgh-based company Superwarm have proved they’re the experts when it comes to installing and servicing boilers – no-one else even comes close.
4. River Pools and Spas
Claiming to be “the most educational swimming pool blog in the country”, River Pools and Spas (based across the pond) has definitely got the right idea, and their blog contains everything you need to know about buying the right pool for you.
5. Raken
Finally, check out Raken’s blog – they’re actually a construction software company and their ideal customer is YOU – it’s packed full of great tips, advice and industry news.
Conclusion
Could we have packed any more information into one single blog post? I don’t think so! I really hope you’ve enjoyed reading our ultimate guide to marketing for construction companies, and please feel free to share this resource with your friends or bookmark it for future reference.
If you need any further help getting your new construction marketing campaign, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, and if you have any specific questions, feel free to leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
Well, until next time!