Today, most businesses are increasingly prioritizing digital technologies in their day-to-day operations as well as customer interactions. So, it becomes imperative for builders in the construction industry to maintain a strong online presence. This is possible only by employing the right digital marketing strategies. Given the high competition in the building and construction industry, home builders need more than just high-quality projects and traditional marketing plans to stand out from the crowd.
Importance of digital marketing for builders
Digital marketing can significantly impact the overall performance of a builder’s business. Even if their business tactics are effective or deliver top-quality results, they may still struggle to reach the right consumers if their digital marketing game is weak. Not investing in the correct online marketing tools means a builder will lose out on a substantial market share. Over time, this will lead to a slow decline in profits. So, a builder must make the best use of paid and unpaid digital marketing avenues to achieve their business goals.
Digital marketing gives home builders the opportunity to expand their footprint, reach new clients, improve their relationships with existing customers, and drive sales.
Digital marketing tips for builders
1. Build a strong digital presence on online platforms
The key step to implementing the right digital marketing strategy is to identify where the target audience is. Here, a builder must maintain a good online presence by seeking valuable content, engaging in discussions with others in the same industry, and leveraging the right channels. The objective behind these tasks is to give the business as much visibility as possible. Individuals in the building and construction industry use various online platforms to promote their business.
- LinkedIn: This is an ideal platform for networking and information-sharing. Home builders can join industry-specific groups on such platforms to engage in discussions and gain insights about building projects, construction technologies, as well as the latest trends and practices. Home builders can attract potential clients by positioning themselves as thought leaders and showcasing their expertise and business in such discussions.
- Google My Business: For a home builder, a strong local presence is important. Online platforms like Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) can help boost local search engine optimization. This means the builder’s business will appear in local search results and in Google Maps whenever someone searches for keywords like “builders nearby.” To get the maximum benefit, ensure the Google Business Profile is updated and complete with the latest and correct contact information, projects, and reviews. Businesses with multiple locations can create separate profile listings for each service area.
- Facebook and Instagram: These social media platforms generally have high visibility in search engines. So, a business with a profile on these platforms becomes more discoverable to those looking for builder services in an area. Through these platforms, a builder can demonstrate their expertise, showcase bigger projects, and connect with potential customers.
2. Use SEO for effective digital marketing
Along with creating a significant online presence, a builder should take advantage of the best SEO practices to make the most out of their digital marketing strategy. For this, it is important to have a well-designed website. Each page of the website must be optimized to ensure it appears at the top of search engine results, driving organic traffic from people searching for builder services.
To build a compelling SEO plan, home builders can seek the help of a professional with the necessary knowledge and expertise in implementing digital marketing through search engine optimization. They can take care of various aspects of SEO, such as incorporating backlinks in the web pages, improving page speed, ensuring mobile responsiveness, and creating blog posts tailored to industry-specific topics. Along with these, the professional can focus on implementing local SEO tactics, such as location-specific keywords in the blogs.
3. Implement paid advertising tactics
Maintaining a strong digital presence and using SEO practices are how a builder implements organic online marketing. While these are free avenues to attract potential customers to the business, organic tactics alone will take time to yield the intended results. Paid advertising is also important to ensure maximum visibility for the business. For this, a home builder must pay search engines and social media platforms to display ads related to the business and its services. These ads will then appear at the top of search results when someone searches for keywords related to the services offered by the builder. Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are one of the most effective marketing strategies for builders looking to improve their business’s online visibility.
4. Make use of email marketing to connect with old leads
While repeat customers are rare in the building and construction industry, staying in touch with previous customers helps to lower the possibility of missed business opportunities. Furthermore, it also increases the chance that a former client will recommend the builder’s business to new customers. Email marketing is one of the budget-friendly ways to reengage with older customers. There are different strategies that can be implemented. For instance, a builder can send out a newsletter every three months to their existing customer base. The newsletter’s content can center around the latest technologies the builder is utilizing or reiterate their key offerings. Additionally, the newsletter can contain links to blogs on the website, announcements of new projects, or reviews and testimonials from other clients.