Want to build your construction business to new heights? Then you need to rank well with Google. Here are the construction SEO best practices you must know.
Almost 70% of all experiences online begin on a search engine link Google. Most people (75%), however, never check the second page of results. If your construction website doesn't appear on the first page for searches, clients might not find you online.
They'll turn to your competitors instead.
Before that can happen, consider investing in search engine optimization (SEO). Construction SEO can help improve your organic rankings. Then, you can reach more customers, generate brand awareness, and gain fresh leads.
Not sure how to build out your construction company SEO strategy? Read on to discover everything you need to succeed!
Understand Your Audience
Google looks for content that aligns with the user's search intent. If consumers don't find what they need from your content, they'll leave. As visitors leave without exploring your site, your bounce rate can increase.
A high bounce rate can hurt your construction search engine optimization. Without high rankings, you might struggle to gain new clients.
Instead, you need to make sure your content aligns with the user's search intent. To start, determine who your customers are and what questions they're asking.
Specify your target audience based on demographic and psychographic research. For example, you might consider their:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Marital status
- Household income
- Buying behaviors
- Pain points
- Interests
- Hobbies
- Language
- Education
- Career
If you're focused on a broad audience of clients, create distinct buyer personas. Gathering this research will help you create personalized content.
Gather Keyword Research
Once you specify your target audience, you can gather keyword research. Use tools like:
- SEMRush
- Keyword Planner
- Ahrefs
- Google Trends
- Answer the Public
Your keyword research can help you create content based on the questions people ask while online.
As you build your keyword list, focus on long-tail keywords containing four or more words. These keywords are more precise, ensuring you understand the user's search intent.
Your keyword research can help determine the blog content you'll create in the future.
Optimize Your Website UX
Google also wants to display websites that offer the best user experience (UX). If your site is difficult to use, visitors will leave. You'll lose leads as a result.
Meanwhile, your ranking can start to drop.
Work with an experienced web design and development team to improve your site's UX. Look for a team that understands Google's search algorithm. They'll make sure your site aligns with Google's Core Web Vitals.
Otherwise, improve the UX by ensuring your site is fast, secure, and mobile-friendly. Google will look at the mobile version of your site first to determine your rankings.
Create a Sitemap
Your web design and development team should also create your sitemap. The sitemap is a layout of your site. Creating a sitemap can help Google crawl and index your content.
It also indicates which pages on your site are the most important.
Create Content With EAT
SEO for construction companies and other businesses relies on high-quality content. Use your keyword research to determine what topics to cover. Then, start creating informative, engaging, unique posts.
Focus on adding EAT to your content, too. EAT stands for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. Adding EAT within your content can boost your credibility.
Try diversifying your content marketing strategy with videos, infographics, polls, and quizzes this year.
Share eye-catching before and after shots of your work, too. Give readers a behind-the-scenes look into your construction business.
Optimize Your Posts
As you start writing your blog content, make sure the focus keyword appears in the:
- H1 header
- URL
- Page/post tile
- Opening and closing paragraphs
- Body text
- Image file name
- Image alt text
- SEO title tag
- SEO meta description
The title tag and meta description will appear on search engine result pages. If you don't create a compelling title and description, people won't click to read your content. Improving your clickthrough rate can benefit your rankings.
More consumers are completing visual searches. Adding the focus keyword to your image file name and alt text can help you appear for these searches.
Consider Your Links
When creating content for your construction company SEO, there are three types of links you'll need. These include:
- Backlinks
- Internal links
- External links
Backlinks appear on other websites. They send readers to your content, allowing you to generate referral traffic. Backlinks are one of Google's top ranking factors.
In fact, the more backlinks a page gains, the more organic traffic it can gain from Google. Unfortunately, over 66% of pages don't have backlinks.
You can start creating backlinks by developing an outreach program. Pitch your brand to journalists and ask them to link to your web content. Otherwise, pitch yourself to other blogs within your niche.
Offer to write a blog post for their website. Then, add a link to your construction company website within the blog. Your guest post will help you create a quality backlink.
Otherwise, consider working with an experienced construction search engine optimization agency. Ask if they offer guest blogging or link-building services. They can help you generate quality links, allowing you to improve your rankings.
Internal links, on the other hand, appear in your blog posts. These links send readers to pages on your site. Internal links can help Google's bots crawl and index your site.
It can also increase the visitor's dwell time on your site, which can benefit your rankings.
External links can help boost your brand's credibility and authority in the industry. These links send readers to other sites. You can reference resources, studies, and blogs to support claims you make within your content.
Focus on Local SEO Keywords
Localized SEO for construction companies can help you reach nearby clients.
Start by focusing on local keywords that feature your city and state. Incorporating location-based keywords can help you appear for relevant searches.
You could also start appearing in the "snack pack," which appears on the first page of results.
If your construction company has more than one location, add location businesses pages to your website, too. Then, embed a Google Map onto the page. Optimize each page for the specific region you're in.
Claim Your Construction Business
As many as 50% of searches on Google are for local information. About 30% of all mobile searches are related to location, too. Meanwhile, 97% of search engine users look online for local businesses.
Over 70% of consumers who search for local businesses online visit a store within five miles away. About 80% of these searches result in in-store purchases.
Another 72% say search is their first choice to find information on local merchants. Over 85% of people look up the location of businesses on Google Maps.
Claiming and optimizing your Google Business listing can help you appear for more local searches. Then, you can encourage more people to reach out to your construction company. When they realize you're local, they might decide you're their top choice.
Your Google Business listing will display your:
- Construction company's name
- Business hours
- Location/directions
- Category/subcategory
- Phone number
- Website
- Customer reviews
- Posts
- Photos/videos
Make sure to claim your listing on other online directories as well.
Generate Reviews
As part of your construction local SEO strategy, you also need to generate online reviews. Positive client reviews can boost your brand credibility.
Make sure you respond to both the positive and negative reviews you receive. Responding to reviews will show consumers you're there to help. If they continue experiencing issues with your brand, they might turn to your competitors.
Analyze and Adjust Your Construction SEO Strategy
Once you start using these construction search engine optimization tips, review your website analytics. Determine which blog posts generate the most traffic and engagement. Consider what topics you covered and what formats you used.
Then, start adjusting your construction company SEO strategy accordingly.
Adjusting your SEO strategy over time can help you find new ways to generate traffic, leads, and sales.
If you have older posts that aren't generating traffic, refresh them! Add new external links, helpful tips, and fresh photos.
Take the time to audit your website once every year, too.
Otherwise, keep up with the latest SEO trends. For example, video content, voice searches, and featured snippets are popular. Featured snippets appear at the top of search engine result pages.
They can appear as bullet lists, paragraphs, or in other formats within the Knowledge Graph.
Appearing for featured snippets will ensure your site appears before a competing construction company's. Ranking ahead of competitors can help boost your credibility.
Meanwhile, tracking the latest trends to improve your SEO strategy over time can help you remain relevant.
Hire a Pro
You don't have to start using SEO for construction companies alone. Instead, consider working for an experienced agency. An experienced SEO team will know how to create, optimize, and promote your content.
With their help, you'll never have to worry about falling behind the latest trends, either.
Build Your Construction SEO to New Heights Today
Discover new ways to build your construction company up to the top! Consider using construction SEO this year. With a strong SEO strategy, you can rank ahead of competitors in no time.
Remember, you don't have to start strategizing alone.
Help your construction company grow!
Reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your strategic objectives.