Search Engine Optimization for contractors may sound like a trend or something too complex to learn, but SEO offers an excellent opportunity to win more business and get more leads. As a construction business owner, you probably felt the pressure to keep up with the latest trends than what is going on in the online world. But it is crucial to take some time to explore such opportunities so that you’ll stay ahead of the game.
SEO is one of the biggest opportunities you can explore online. It gives free traffic to your construction website anytime. There is so much about SEO that you did not know about that you need to learn and understand. In fact, these things you are about to discover are the ones that can help you boost your reputation in the digital world, helping you gain more leads and improve your overall business.
Read this blog to discover what you need to know about SEO, especially some actionable tips on getting started.
1. The first thing to do is to understand Google’s mindset deeply
Many website owners today get highly frustrated with Google. Yet, all Google wants is to provide all searchers with the best search results organic way. A typical webmaster usually gets mad since he tried to take the nearest shortcut, fooling Google in the hopes of a high ranking. Almost everybody today has that latest “trick” you can use to get the best ranking. However, such an approach is a bad action where the results are nothing but short-lived.
To win the battle against these search algorithms, make sure to create a construction website. This will be your company’s biggest asset online. It produces significant value to your target audience. Focus on website development and web design to make your website more appealing to your visitors. Offer it the way your website visitors need the information they are looking for.
More than half of the web searches are usually done on mobile devices. Hence have your website ready for mobile users.
2. A construction website with great web design is one that you need
As stated previously, your website will be your company’s greatest asset in the digital world. Before you can master SEO, you need a website for search engines to send your audience. You may create your own construction website or hire a digital marketing agency that can do the work for you. There are a lot of improvements in the DIY website services, and it can be a great way to start.
However, there are more benefits of hiring someone else to do this for you. Saving a lot of time is one. Your construction website needs to represent you well to your target audience and visitors. If you still cannot picture the whole thing, try to think of your website as a digital catalog or a brochure.
Certainly, it will be your goal to let people resonate with your story, letting them know at the same time that you are the best choice. Having a professional online image that showcases your company’s offers, efforts, and the story will always win in the end.
3. What it takes to get excellent Google rankings
The main point is, you have to put a lot of work into your SEO strategies. When it comes to SEO, shortcuts are non-existent. You need to possess that ability to target your specific audience easily and determine what they are searching for. The results can be your reliable source of traffic that has been looking for your construction services.
When it comes to the things that can help you rank in search engines, it boils down to a few things. These are quality content that is regularly updated, excellent link building, relevance, and social interaction. And for a more comprehensive overview of all ranking factors, we share with you an SEO checklist. This checklist is a must-read to get yourself to the next level of SEO mastery.
- Answer your target audience’s most frequently asked questions.
- Share the latest technologies and trends while giving your perspective.
- Depending on your main focus, you may start looking to attract fellow contractors, prospects, business, or real estate professionals. Whatever the case will be, there is one common thing they all share. These people have questions that a true expert in your field can only answer. Offer great information to these people to quickly build credibility.
- If you work with designs, make your construction website visually appealing.
- Provide an online catalog of all possibilities
- Win over your website visitors
Give your website visitors that WOW effect. From an appealing design to functional navigation, every section of your construction website contributes to the overall success of your online marketing campaign.
4. To get results, provide fresh blog content regularly
Regular updates on your construction website signal to search engines to help the search users. This is basically why your company has to embrace the art of content blogging. It allows you to maintain a constant presence while ranking the posts. As a result, this leads to more people being reached instantly and a higher amount of traffic to your website.
Posting many short blogs is an old trick. It will not help your search engine ranking but the following:
Hold every blog post and each page to high standards.
Determine other niches you want to explore while providing good details in every piece of your content.
Prove to search engines that your information is relevance and updated
Rework old pieces of content. Modify, add, remove and repurpose old blogs.
5. Know what your target audience is looking for – and be there for them
Since search engines only respond to a user’s questions, you have to know what your target audience is searching for. This can only be done by simply using keyword research tools. However, you can also use Google Trends and predictive search to accomplish this only to a certain extent.
Focus also on getting what people are looking for that a contractor like you can help. Once everything is figured out, you can start mapping out a strategy to accomplish this. Is it a new service page that you have to add or a new blog post? Or perhaps a series of blogs with different content. By actively being there for your audience, you will become their first option to hire a professional.
Start with SEO with These Five Basic Tips
- Regularly update your GMB profile
Your GMB profile is a free tool that typically pops up to the right side of the Google search. It listed out all of your construction company’s information, known as the NAP, which stands as Business Name, Address and Phone Number. Using up-to-date details is vital in making sure that you stay visible to both returning clients and prospective.
- Become Google verified
When Google verifies your construction website, it will give your website a vote of confidence in the clients’ eyes. It will also make it easier for Google web crawlers to search and index your web pages. Google verification is essential to your website because it allows your platform to ascertain the genuineness and accuracy of your construction business.
After successful Google verification, you will be given various features that are very helpful in marketing your business more efficiently. The most important feature is the opportunity to appear on Google Maps, Google search, and other Google properties. Additionally, you will be able to view the analytics related to organic and paid marketing efforts.
- Respond to reviews
Reviews are significantly crucial to the livelihood of your construction business. That is because possible clients are most likely picking the company with a high-star rating. Moreover, customer reviews are essential to your Google ranking. They allow you to respond to your clients, whether or not the review is positive.
- Develop citations and links
With the basics of your SEO campaign in place, it is time to move forward to developing links and citations. Both boost your Google rankings and increase your customer reach. A citation is basically a listing of your business in the online directory. Your options include general national directories like Yellow Pages and Facebook as well as industry-specific construction directories.
As for links, Google rankings require you to possess top-quality inbound links from reliable sites. Establish relationships both online and offline with other companies that provide complementary services, like realtors and subs. You may ask to trade web links if necessary.
SEO is a Long-term Marketing Strategy for your Website
There are many ways to market online, but if you want a source of traffic for the next months and years, SEO is your only way to go. The amount of exposure available is endless, from ranking for trending topics to positioning for service-related terms.
SEO requires consistent maintenance, and you may find yourself not having enough time to manage it. If it’s your goal to improve your online visibility without spending so much time, trust us. We are ConstructionMarketing.io, a leading full-service digital marketing agency that has a strong background in construction. We offer a range of digital marketing services to help your construction business attract new leads and clients.
Contact us today and find out how we can help you create an effective contractor SEO strategy.