How Construction Companies Should Do Content Marketing

Consumers in every industry are accustomed to having access to the information they need in just one click. Content marketing strategies have proven to be a powerful tool for businesses to compete and meet this fast-paced demand.

Content marketing empowers businesses in every field to meaningfully connect with their target audience in today’s high-speed, convenience-driven market. Construction companies can leverage content marketing to showcase their business’s expertise, build trust with potential clients and, ultimately, drive growth in a competitive industry.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore the ins and outs of content marketing for construction companies, helping you navigate the digital landscape and unlock new opportunities for success.

Content marketing is a digital marketing strategy involving creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a defined audience. For construction companies, this means producing content that addresses the needs, challenges and interests of their target market, which may include property developers, architects, homeowners and businesses looking to undertake construction projects.

There are many different forms of content within content marketing that serve unique audiences and that perform better or worse depending on where it’s distributed. Some of the most common forms of content are:

• Blogs 
• Videos
• Audio/Podcasts
• Graphics/Infographics 
• Emails
• Social Media
• User-Generated Content 
• Short-term Content 
• Curated Content  

Depending on your construction company’s target audience, goals, brand personality and content creation capabilities, your business’s content marketing strategy may include every form of content or niche down into just a few. Testing and experimentation are key when discovering which kind of content strategy yields the best results for your construction company’s goals.

Traditional methods of marketing like mailers, fliers, billboards, television ads and radio ads could also fall under the content marketing bucket. However, this blog will only focus on digital content marketing strategies centered around an online audience and internet distribution.

Before diving into building out a content creation strategy and workflow, it's essential to thoroughly understand your construction company’s target audience. Conducting market research and creating buyer personas can provide valuable insights into the demographics, preferences, pain points and buying behaviors of your business’s ideal customers.

When defining your construction company’s target audience and ideal buyer persona, dig deeper than surface-level demographics like age, homeownership status and location—identifying the resource, emotional and philosophical challenges that your target audience encounters within the construction industry positions your business to create content that addresses those specific, felt needs.

Similarly, define and name the core desires of your construction company’s ideal buyer persona when it comes to their new build or other construction project. Affordability? Sustainable materials? Working with an award-winning, publicly recognized construction company? Answering these questions will ensure that your construction company’s content is always valuable and resonates with what truly matters to your audience.

This knowledge will guide your construction company’s content strategy, ensuring that your content resonates with your audience and drives meaningful engagement. Be mindful that what constitutes valuable and meaningful engagement from your construction company’s content marketing may change over time based on your business’s overall goals and your customer’s buying behaviors and preferences.

For example: valuable content engagement could mean growing an email contact list and then shifting into seeing those subscribers convert into customers. Content marketing is a versatile and powerful lead generation and conversion tool and it’s important to pivot and flex your construction company’s content marketing strategy as your business’s needs and goals change.

Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience and your construction company’s goals, it's time to identify key content topics that align with your audience’s interests and needs and your business’s goals. For construction companies, content topics may include:

1. Project Showcases: Highlight completed projects to showcase your company's capabilities, expertise and craftsmanship. Include high-quality images, videos and testimonials to provide a compelling narrative.

Remember to make every piece of content primarily about the customer. Even when showcasing completed projects, position the piece to emphasize the value the project brought to the client instead of simply advertising your construction company’s quality craftsmanship. 

2. Educational Content: Provide informative and educational content that addresses common questions, concerns and challenges related to construction projects. This could include blog articles, downloadable guides, video tutorials and an FAQs podcast episode covering topics such as building codes, permits, sustainability practices and new construction techniques.

It’s a common myth that giving away educational content for free will deter paying customers and only empower DIY enthusiasts. Educational content is not only valuable to DIYers and hobbyists; it’s also valuable to individuals, families and businesses who plan to outsource a construction project but want to make sure their contractor is an expert and learn something new along the way. 

Educational content can also position your construction company as an authority in the industry and it can humanize your brand, making it appear more credible and more approachable for potential business partners and new customers. 

3. Industry News and Trends: Keep your audience informed about the latest developments, innovations and trends in the construction industry and how your construction company is incorporating them into projects. This kind of content demonstrates your company's commitment to staying ahead of the curve and delivering cutting-edge solutions.

4. Case Studies: Share real-life examples of successful projects, along with insights into the strategies and solutions employed. Case studies serve as powerful social proof, demonstrating your construction company's track record of delivering exceptional products.

Gather case studies from satisfied customers and business partners to appeal to every sector in the industry. 

5. Customer Stories: Feature testimonials and success stories from satisfied clients to build credibility and trust. Authentic customer experiences can resonate with potential clients and influence their decision-making process.

Implementing a review marketing strategy will ensure that your construction company will always have plenty of glowing testimonials to share and advertise to your contacts.

With your content topics identified, it's time to package it into engaging and compelling content that captivates your audience and drives action. Here are some tips for creating high-quality, engaging content:

1. Focus on Value: Ensure that your content provides genuine value to your audience by addressing their needs, answering their questions or solving their problems. Avoid overly promotional content and focus on building trust and credibility.

Promotional content can make an appearance every once and a while as long as other types of content, like entertaining content and educational content, take up the lion’s share of pieces.

2. Visual Appeal: Incorporate visually appealing elements such as high-quality images, videos, infographics and interactive content to enhance the user’s experience and make your content more engaging.

Not only will high-quality visual elements enhance users’ experience, but it will also help boost your construction company’s website’s search engine optimization value for search engine algorithms.

3. Optimize for SEO: Optimize your construction company’s content for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords, meta tags and descriptions. Conduct keyword research to identify popular search terms related to construction and integrate them naturally into your content.

Keyword research should also help dictate and ideate new pieces of content based on what your audience is actively searching for.

4. Consistency: Maintain a consistent publishing schedule to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more. Whether it's weekly blog posts, monthly newsletters or quarterly case studies, consistency is key to building a loyal audience.

Consistency also signals to search engine algorithms that your business is active online and reputable, helping your website rank higher in search results.

5. Promotion and Distribution: Don't just create content; actively promote it and distribute it across various channels to maximize its reach and impact. Publishing channels may include social media, email marketing, industry forums and partnerships with relevant influencers or publications.

Repurposing content can be a useful skill and tool when it comes to promotion and distribution. Instead of creating new content for each channel, repurpose and optimize existing content to use across various platforms. Keep in mind that CTAs and links may need to be updated depending on where your audience views and interacts with the content.

Once your content is live, it's important to track its performance and iterate based on data feedback. Utilize analytics tools (like GA4 or native platform tracking tools) to monitor key metrics such as website traffic, engagement, conversion rates and lead generation. Identify which types of content resonate most with your audience and double down on those strategies while refining or discontinuing less effective approaches. 

By continuously measuring, analyzing and optimizing your construction company’s content marketing efforts, you’re creating a data-informed plan for long-term success and sustainable growth for your construction company.

Content marketing presents a valuable opportunity for construction companies to connect with their target audience, showcase their expertise and drive growth in a competitive industry. By understanding your construction company’s target audience, identifying key content topics, creating engaging content and measuring success, you can leverage the power of content marketing to attract, engage and convert prospects into loyal customers. 

With a strategic and consistent approach, content marketing can become a cornerstone of your construction company's marketing strategy, helping you achieve your business goals and stay ahead of the competition in the dynamic field of construction.

Learn more about our construction digital marketing services or feel free to contact us today to discuss a custom marketing strategy for your construction brand.