When a building company has great workmanship, but customers are unable to find, assess or reach the company, they will miss out on new projects. Homeowners, property developers and commercial clients often do their research on the builders’ website, previous works, reviews from customers, service areas, and any experience they have with these builders. SEO for builders not only conveys the essence of good workmanship, it also lets potential customers know what they can expect from a company, which projects they can work on, where they are located and what they are able to provide them.

The next eight blunders can hurt a builder's online image and, more significantly, impede the relationship between the builder and the prospective customer.

1.   Local Search Visibility: Ignoring It

Most construction projects are associated with a particular site. A homeowner considering an extension, renovation or new home will not likely choose a company that is not willing to show them the places they work.

Local visibility is an important aspect in reaching relevant enquiries.

Having been working in the business for years is a valuable asset to a builder, but if that experience cannot be translated to someone who is looking for building services in the local area, it may be of little benefit to them.

What do builders need to look at?

The first step is to ensure that your Google Business Profile has the correct details. Review the:

•            Business name

•            Phone number

•            Website

•            Opening hours

•            Business category

•            Services

•            Service areas

•            Genuine project photographs

It is also important that your website conveys the regions you actually cover.

Don't build dozens of pages that are nearly the same by swapping one suburb or town for another. A helpful location page should offer details that are pertinent to customers there.

Local search ought to enable people to locate the right builder, not simply increase the number of pages being spanned by search engines.

2.   Creating a website that feels like a real brochure.

A website should not just show a logo, phone number and a series of photos.

The website is often a first date for many prospective customers, as a place to see if the builder is a fit for their project.

Useful website should be able to answer simple questions in a quick time:

·       What type of buildings does this builder build?

·       In what kinds of areas does the company operate?

·       What types of projects has it completed?

·       What is the process for building the structure?

·       How to talk about project?

Visitors who fail to locate these answers can move along and look at another company.

Design around the customer's requirements

Depending on the services that the company offers, the vital pages can be:

•            New home construction

•            Custom home building

•            Home renovations

•            Extensions

•            Commercial construction

•            Design-and-build services

•            Project management

The information on each page should be pertinent to that service.

For instance, a renovation page might address the planning process, site conditions, communicating with the home owner, possible disruptions to the building process, and any variables.

Clear calls to action, like Request a Consultation, Discuss Your Project, or Request an Estimate, should be available as well.

The goal is not to give visitors the feeling of being pressured. It is to make the next step easy for those who are interested.

3.   Publishing Generic Content Just to Target Keywords

The easiest way to fill your construction website with content which will be unhelpful is to create articles which do little.

However, topics like "Home Building Tips" are helpful only if the article gives them information that they can use.

Better is to develop content based on questions which builders really get on the phone from customers.

For example:

·       What should you ask a builder before you start a project?

·       What factors can impact on a construction schedule?

·       What do you expect to find in a building quote?

·       What are some of the things that can alter a project's budget?

·       Before extending a property, homeowners need to take into account several factors.

·       How to compare different builders?

The benefit of using real customer questions is that the content that is created has a clear purpose.

Add Practical Experience

The description of the construction process is sometimes found in generic articles where it is assumed that all construction projects proceed in the same way. As real builders know, there are variables in the real world, including site conditions, approvals, design changes, availability of materials, coordination of the contractors, and discoveries not planned for.

With good content, these truths can be explained without suggesting that every project will have to go through the same problems.

If possible, use real-life examples from actual work. Describe what was done, what they thought, and what they did the problem.

That makes for a valuable experience-based asset rather than another article primarily written to capitalize on a search.

Google's guidance is focused on creating content that is helpful, reliable and people-first, and showing expertise first-hand when applicable.

4.   Not Showcase Real Building Projects

A builder may say that he has good workmanship, but it's only human nature that potential buyers want proof.

A truly effective portfolio can fill that void.

Don't just have a gallery of the dozen photos, give context to selected projects.

Create Case Studies from Projects.

A good project case study should be able to describe:

Project scale: Was it a new house, extension, refurbishment or commercial development?

Customer goal: What was the client looking to accomplish?

Project factors to consider: What was difficult or special about the project?

Approach: What was the builder's process in completing the project?

Outcome: What was completed?

For instance, if you are writing an extension case study, you could discuss how the new space was integrated into the existing one and what kind of practical considerations were taken into account when designing the extension.

5.   Failing to capitalize on Reviews and Reputation

When it comes to selecting a builder, there's a lot more to it than just price.

Consumers will likely inquire if a business can effectively communicate, keeps deadlines, handles projects in a professional manner and treats the property with care.

Authentic customer reviews can help offer that context.

Request sincere reviews from customers following the completion of projects. Don't write fake reviews or make testimonials for customers.

Reviews can show something that photos can't, such as:

•            Communication

•            Reliability

•            Professionalism

•            Project management

•            Workmanship

•            Responsiveness

•            Cleanliness

Receiving and responding to criticism

Any positive feedback should be received with sincere gratitude.

When a negative review occurs, it should be dealt with and processed in a calm and constructive manner. When a customer has a valid complaint, a professional response will show that the company values its customer's opinion.

The objective should not be to develop an unrealistic standing. It should be to develop a trustworthy and authentic one.

Reputation is also beneficial for a builder who may receive referrals from happy customers who will recommend the builder to their friends, relatives, colleagues, and other property owners.

6.   Attempting to target everyone.

There are a lot of construction services that a company can provide, but that does not imply that every customer is the right fit.

Ideal customers vary by custom-home builder, a renovation specialist, a commercial contractor and a small residential builder.

Possible audience(s) may be:

•            Homeowners

•            Custom-home clients

•            Property investors

•            Developers

•            Commercial property owners

•            Property managers

•            Renovation customers

Attempting to use the same basic message for all of them can make positioning the business tricky.

Encourage what you really want to do.

Take a look at the projects that the company has finished.

What are some of the best jobs you've had that show that you are strong at them?

What projects do you have in mind that will be manageable with your team, resources and business model?

What services do you wish to develop?

Your website and marketing materials should represent those priorities.

For a builder looking for more comprehensive renovation projects, such as relevant renovation case studies, generic statements of "everything" are probably less useful.

Specificity lets potential customers know if your company is the right fit for their project.

7.   Purchasing a domain name

Paid ads can be useful when it comes to getting exposure, especially when a business is looking to target ads that are in search of a commercial intent.

Advertising is not a cure-all marketing solution, however.

The ad can convert a visitor to your site, but what happens once you get them to click?

If the website is not up to date, there are not many reviews, there is not much evidence of the projects, it is not clear what is being offered and it is not possible to make contact with them, then the advertising campaign will bring traffic but it will not produce many qualified enquiries.

Construct several points of visibility.

Depending on the business, a wider approach can involve:

•            Local search

•            Organic website traffic

•            Customer reviews

•            Project case studies

•            Helpful content

•            Social media

•            Referral partnerships

•            Paid advertising

•            Repeat business

Not all builders are required to spend the same amount through all the channels.

A local residential renovation business can greatly benefit from local visibility, project photos, reviews, and referrals. A Commercial Contractor might focus more on case studies, professional relationships, industrial networking and content that's focused on business.

Measure What Matters!

Don't measure a campaign just by clicks.

Track:

•            Qualified enquiries

•            Phone calls

•            Consultation requests

•            Estimates

•            Projects won

•            Cost per lead

•            Customer acquisition cost

The key is does marketing help to support a proper project, not whether it generates whopping traffic figures.

8.    Not following up with prospects

Creating an enquiry is just the first step to getting a project.

A potential customer can approach multiple builders, receive quotes, consult with family, finance arrangements, and so on, or delay plans and approvals.

By the time that your business responds, the opportunity may have gone already and you may not have enough time to start a conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

·       How to Get Projects Online for Builders?

Strategies that can enhance the chances for builders include improving local visibility, building a helpful website, featuring real projects, obtaining real reviews, posting practical information, establishing referral ties, and implementing a follow-up process.

·       Do all builders require paid advertising?

Not so; even paid advertising can be good but it's just one of the possible ways to acquire. This will vary by location, competing vegetation, project type, business objectives and cost.

·       The importance of a builder's portfolio.

A portfolio may be one of the most powerful tools a construction site can have to establish a trust relationship with potential customers as it is a proof of the company's work.

·       What can the builders do to make it more reliable?

Apply real-world project experience to effectively respond to customer questions, share realistic constraints and limitations, refrain from unsupported claims, and get technically relevant information checked by and appropriately qualified professional when necessary.

Conclusion

Many builders have the biggest marketing challenge not so much because they aren't trying to market as because they are doing a good job. It could be that there is a mismatch between the actual business and what customers would be able to comprehend online.

The best workmanship can be done by a company and then be lost due to the lack of accessibility to the customer. It can have visitors to its website and not get enquiries if there is confusion about its services. It can get noticed but not generate confidence when it's lacking in any real evidence of a project, or their customer's feedback.

The answer is to beef up the entire customer experience.

Ensure it's easier to find the business. Explain services clearly. Show real work. Provide useful answers. Construct a genuine brand. Have simple contact methods with the company. Respond professionally. Next, gauge if those changes are leading to higher quality enquiries.

First and foremost, marketing should reflect business as it is.

Building experience, quality workmanship, honest communication, valuable information and customer trust are the best building blocks for a long-term building business. Those strengths should be apparent to the right customers in digital marketing, not created out of thin air or tried to be built when they just aren't there.