SEO for Construction Companies:
The Definitive SEO Guide
(With Examples & Tips)

Why is SEO for Construction
Company Websites Important?

Your future customers search for construction company-related keywords 828,270 times per month across the United States on Google.

And these don’t even include the sub-niches, such as contractor, builder or electrician.

Just to be clear:

Old-fashioned methods like personal recommendations or referrals should be your top focus.

However, when you need more leads, SEO can do that 24/7/365.

Think about this: the number of searches is growing. More and more people are heading to Google to find their next contractor. Searches for “construction company” have almost doubled in the last 10 years, with millions of home build and reno queries yearly.

And here’s the kicker – this growth trend is happening across all construction sectors. 

So, what does this mean for you? By harnessing the power of organic traffic, you’re looking at revenue that grows over time. 

That’s right, we’re talking about a digital marketing strategy that keeps on giving!

It’s no surprise that SEO is one of the most effective digital marketing channels your construction company can invest in.

However, it takes significant effort to rank high on Google. 

The construction industry is fiercely competitive, and Google often changes its algorithms. 

To put this in perspective, in 2021 alone, Google has made more than 5,000 changes.

Yet, can you afford to miss out on being found by potential clients? The average ROI of a well-executed SEO campaign is 275%. 

The key term here is “well executed.” Be sure to check which SEO company you hire – more on that later.

Additional reasons why SEO is crucial for construction companies who want to grow:

• More website traffic: Higher positions on the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) will drive more qualified visitors to your site. More traffic means more leads and sales.
• Better conversion: SEO brings targeted visitors that convert better than other channels. 
• Increased visibility: With more people using search engines to find local businesses, SEO ensures your website is found for relevant searches.
• Outrank competitors: SEO helps you rank above other construction companies in your area for key terms prospects search for.
• Build authority: When your business comes up on the search engine results, your brand’s authority is reinforced in the market. A well-optimized website establishes trust and credibility.
• Generate leads: Research shows over 70% of searchers only click on the top 5 results. SEO puts you above the competition to capture more leads.

Takeaway: SEO isn’t fast or easy, but it provides one of the highest ROIs in all marketing processes.

What is
Construction Company SEO?

Construction company SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of improving a Construction company’s website positions in search engines like Google, Microsoft Bing, and others.

The goal is to increase organic (not paid) traffic and generate more traffic, leads and projects.

Construction company SEO focuses on optimizing websites in the construction industry, like general contractors, home builders, developers, roofers, HVAC contractors, electricians, plumbers, and more. 

By ranking higher in search results for relevant keywords, builders and contractors can reach more of their target customers.

SEO generates targeted website traffic from organic search instead of direct or paid sources like ads (i.e., Google Ads).

Takeaway: Construction Company SEO is a process for improving search engine positions and boosting lead generation for construction-related businesses.

The Long-Term Benefits
of SEO for Construction Companies

Only SEO and word-of-mouth marketing bring compounding returns over time.

Other channels are volatile, and traffic fades when you stop paid ads or social posts.

SEO works the other way around. Achieving better positions takes time, but traffic grows. 

Think of it as a steam engine train. It takes time to build up steam and get going, but once the engine starts chugging down the tracks, it picks up speed and momentum.

SEO is just like this. It requires effort and time upfront, but it compounds results over the long haul as it gains momentum.

Takeaway: SEO generates more opportunities to bid on projects and convert clients. The ROI easily justifies the investment into optimizing for search.

Mastering SEO for
Your Construction Company

So, how do you nail SEO for your construction company? It boils down to these essentials: 

• Understanding Google’s Ranking Factors: Learn how Google ranks pages and prioritizes certain signals like relevance, authority, trust, and location. Optimizing for these core factors is the foundation of any good SEO strategy.

• Keyword Research: Research what topics and keywords customers are looking for in the construction niche. Also, be clear on your service area and the specific cities and towns relevant to your business.

• Content: Write useful, informative content on your website that establishes your expertise in specific services and areas. (hint: just like this guide)

• On-Page SEO & Technical SEO: Optimize on-page elements like titles, headers, content, etc., to help people and search engines easily understand your content. Ensure your site is technically sound and easy to crawl with XML sitemaps, optimized page speed, proper HTML, etc. Fix any issues blocking search bots.

• Link Building & Earning: Earn high-quality backlinks from industry websites, blogs, directories, and local citation sources. These links signal trust and authority to search engines.

• Local SEO: Get your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and optimize it to rank for relevant local searches. Help searchers find you locally.

• Measuring Results: Tracking SEO KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) like rankings, traffic, and conversions.

Focusing on these foundations ensures your site has what Google and other search engines want: relevance, authority, trust, and usability. 

Remember, it’s about hitting the basics right and then consistently working on content and links. When you do, traffic and conversions will follow.

If you are looking to hire an agency specializing in contractor SEO services for construction companies, they should provide these.

Takeaway: Effective SEO involves mastering key areas like keyword research, content, on-page optimization, link building, technical SEO and local SEO.

The Pre-Requisites of
SEO Success

Before diving into specific SEO tactics, make sure your construction company website has these elements in place:

Get a Domain Name

You most likely already have a domain name for your website. If so, no need to change anything.

If not, your domain name is your online identity, which is crucial for branding. 

You have a choice to make right away. 

From an SEO perspective, you will have an easier and faster way to rank a website with an exact match (EMD) or partial match domain (PMD).

An exact match domain contains the primary keyword, for example miamiconcretecompany.com.

A partial match domain is where the main keyword is included in the domain name. For example: atlantabasementdesign.com

You get the idea.

There are two schools of thought here. 

On the one hand, getting an EMD or PMD optimized and ranked on the search engines will be easier, quicker and cheaper. 

On the other hand, these domains are not as great for branding purposes. 

If you are choosing a new domain name, we recommend going for a partial match domain. 

This way, you can take advantage of the domain name keyword, which still sounds professional and unique. 

The alternative is that you go with a completely different name with a focus on branding. 

These work, too, but compared with an EMD or PMD, they will take longer to get traction on the search engines. 

And it’ll cost more.

At the minimum, when selecting a domain name, consider the following: 

About Domain Names

• It includes your company name (and keywords)
• It’s short and memorable
• It avoids hyphens in the domain name
• It has a .com TLD (top-level domain)

Top-Level (TLD) Domain

Popular options like .com establish trust. Avoid niche TLDs like .construction / .contractors.

Domain Name Search and Name Generation Tools

If you have a specific name in mind and want to find out if it’s still available, try the Instant Domain Search tool. But if you’re looking for available domain name ideas, brandsnap.ai does a great job.

Takeaway: A carefully selected domain name, balancing SEO benefits and brand identity, sets the foundation for your website’s online visibility and brand identity.

Choose a Reliable Web Hosting Service

A web hosting company will host your website on its servers and send the necessary data so that it loads on the user’s end. 

Your web host keeps your site online 24/7. 

If you haven’t picked out a hosting provider or are unhappy with the existing one, here is what you want to look for:

• At least 99.9% uptime guarantee: This means that in a given year, no more than 8 hours, 41 minutes of downtime.
• Active uptime monitoring: In other words, your host or developer will monitor your site, as opposed to you reaching out to them because your site is not working.  
• Fast page load speeds: Although the final page load speed will also depend on the website’s structure and build, look for a hosting company with fast servers.
• SSL Certificate Included: You’ll need an SSL certificate to have a secure connection to your site. If you don’t have that, Google Chrome and other browsers will show a warning. More about this below.
• Daily backups: A website can break when its version is updated, and it can also get hacked. Daily backups ensure you can return to an earlier version if something is wrong.

Takeaway: Selecting a web host with excellent uptime, rapid load speeds, and uptime monitoring is crucial for maintaining a professional, reliable online presence.

Choose a Robust, SEO-friendly Content Management System (CMS)

Don’t complicate your life more than it has to be. 

For residential and commercial construction websites alike, we recommend WordPress. 

It’s one of the most popular CMS for a reason. 

Webflow is also okay, but its CMS isn’t as flexible. WordPress allows you to use various website builders with varying levels of technicality. If you’re non-technical, we recommend Divi Builder over others like Elementor.

By the way, don’t confuse wordpress.org with wordpress.com. The former is a managed by WordPress and it’s more limited in functionality than the version you can get from wordpress.com. 

By the way, don’t confuse WordPress.org with WordPress.com. You’d have to host WordPress.org yourself (an additional headache), and it is limited in functionality compared to WordPress.com, which WordPress hosts itself.

In short, we recommend WordPress over Wix, Squarespace or Weebly because WordPress is more powerful and flexible.

Then, when you have WordPress, use SEO plugins like RankMath or Yoast to optimize your website’s pages and improve the chances of ranking higher in search engines.

Takeaway: Opt for a versatile and SEO-optimized CMS, like WordPress, to streamline website management and make it easier to improve your site’s search engine rankings.

Give Your Target Audience an Amazing User Experience

Google has mastered the art of delivering exactly what users are searching for quickly and efficiently. 

Think of Google as a librarian who knows every book in the library. When a visitor asks a specific question, this librarian instantly knows which book—or, in Google’s case, which website—has the right answer.

If readers find what they were looking for, they’ll read on. If not, they’ll discard the book—or in this metaphor, leave the website. Clearly, the key here is relevance. If your content is the most relevant and reliable source for the reader, they’ll stick around. That’s what winning at SEO is all about.

Relevance is also central to a positive customer experience. 

Imagine a library visitor who finds their answer in a dusty, 500-year-old book; they’d be thrilled, regardless of the book’s age. Conversely, a brand-new book full of irrelevant information would be quickly dismissed.

This same principle applies to user experience on your website. It’s mostly about relevance. Get this right—as we’ll show you in this guide—and you’ll convert visitors into lifelong customers and brand advocates. 

Interested in the secret recipe for exceptional customer experience straight from the source? Check out the Google Quality Rater Guidelines.

Takeaway: Google considers user experience (UX) a top ranking factor, and relevance is at the heart of UX. Create targeted, relevant content and establish an authority in your industry that makes your visitors shout, “Yes, this is exactly what I was looking for!” at the top of their lungs.

Secure Your Site with HTTPS by Installing an SSL Certificate

Remember we talked about SSL certificates?

If you don’t install it, your visitors will receive a warning signal that’s basically a red flag saying, “Not Secure.”

Would you hang around a site like that? Probably not.

So, choose a web hosting service that provides SSL certificates (for free) if you want your website to scream “security!”

Takeaway: An SSL certificate enables HTTPS and signals security to visitors.

Build Credibility & Trust with Good Web Design

Effective web design goes beyond just looks. 

It’s about 

• ease of use, functionality, and straightforward navigation 
• giving people what they come to the website for and 
• guiding them to your desired outcome (i.e. reach out to you)

Think of your website as a well-built house by a skilled contractor. 

It’s not just about a stunning façade. It’s about the solid foundation and the well-planned rooms’ functionality. 

Takeaway: A professional design establishes your credibility. Prioritize simple, intuitive navigation and well-placed call-to-action buttons.

Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly (Responsive)

Talking about the importance of mobile-friendly (aka responsive) websites in 2024 and beyond feels like reminding people to wear a hard hat on a job site. 

It’s beyond obvious, but as long as Google mentions it, we will keep reminding you about it.

Google prioritizes your website if it works well on mobile devices because over 60% of all website traffic in the U.S. comes from mobile as of December 2023.

Use a Readable Font Size

Set the main content font sizes between 16px and 20px for comfortable reading on all devices.

Pop-Ups and Live Chats: Do’s and Don’ts

Ever been annoyed by a salesperson who just won’t let you browse in peace? 

That’s what bad pop-ups and intrusive live chats feel like. Make your live chat and pop-ups helpful, not a hurdle. 

Live chat options are great because people can get quick responses to their questions, but don’t push these on your website visitors.

Takeaway: Don’t interrupt visitors with pop-ups. These annoy users and hurt conversions.

Optimize Your Website So It Loads Fast

In the digital world, speed is king. While not the most significant ranking factor, a slow website can be a buzzkill for your visitors. Aim to outperform your competitors in speed, and you’re golden.

Takeaway: 69% of people abandon slow websites. Optimize images and enable page caching at the minimum.

Use a Logical Site Structure

Websites, as we also described above, are like books. If well-organized with a clear hierarchy, they’re easy for both people and search engines to navigate.

Keep pages as close to the homepage as possible. This means no page should be 4+ clicks away from the homepage. Google likes flat site structure. 

Takeaway: Make navigation intuitive and pages easy to find. 

Keep URLs Organized and Simple

The simpler the URL structure, the better. You can use keywords, but avoid overstuffing them. Keeping the URLs clean is the key. 

Here are a few example structures that work really well:

yourdomain.com/construction-management/
yourdomain.com/boston/
yourdomain.com/boston/construction-management/
yourdomain.com/boston/home-builder/
yourdomain.com/projects/commercial-construction/
yourdomain.com/blog/example-post-name/

If you’re using WordPress, stick with the simple ‘Post name’ in your permalink settings.

Caution: Don’t mess with the URLs if your site is already doing well on the search engines. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Takeaway: Keep your URLs clean and straightforward with a keyword in it.

Install the RankMath SEO Plugin 

RankMath is the gold-standard SEO plugin nowadays. You may be using Yoast, which had its glory days, but now RankMath is more robust. 

Just like in construction, using the right tools can make a huge difference, and RankMath is your power drill for SEO!

Remember, no plugin is a magic wand for achieving better positions, but RankMath excels at the essentials. Setting up page titles, meta descriptions, sitemaps, robots.txt modifications, and redirects becomes a breeze. 

Plus, it’s a champ at adding schema markup to your pages, helping search engines understand your content better.

Takeaway: RankMath makes SEO easy, including generating XML sitemaps, meta tags, redirects, creating structured snippets and more.

Get Your Construction Website Indexed by Google

Once your site is ready, it’s time to start indexing in Google. 

Here’s a quick guide:

1. Find your sitemap.xml file. If you’re using RankMath, it will be at sitemap_index.xml.
2. Head over to Google Search Console.
3. Click on Sitemaps.
4. Enter your sitemap URL and hit Submit.

Google will start crawling your website in a day or so, and you should see “Success” under Status on the same sitemaps page.

Takeaway: Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console. Monitor for crawl errors.

Set Up & Optimize Your Google Business Profile (GBP)

Your Google Business Profile (aka Google My Business) is like your digital business card for local search results and Google Maps. Get it right, and you’re automatically a hundred times closer to your ideal customers!

Key points to focus on:

• Choosing the right GBP category
• Adding the correct service information and don’t overdo it
• Use photos taken at your target location, or use Geo-tagging tools and optimize your construction company photos 
• Be proactive in getting reviews from your customers
• Posting updates a few times per month

As of 2024, keywords in your business name help your Google Business Profile (GBP) rank. That’s how Google rolls… 

If that’s the route you take, be sure that the business name you register on GBP is your legitimate business name. Keywords and all. 

Keep it real and consistent with your site and directory listings.

Be sure to take your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone Number) consistency in focus. It should match everywhere online, from your Google Business Profile to your website and other directories. 

Takeaway: Complete your GBP profile 100% for local SEO. Focus on getting genuine 5-star reviews and be consistent with NAP.

Tracking SEO Campaign’s Results:
What KPIs to Follow?

So, we’ve nailed the SEO basics: what to do and how to get there. It’s like laying the foundation and framing a building—all essential steps surely. 

But how do we know if it’s all working? What KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) should we focus on?

We’ll discuss the specifics of measuring your SEO success later. For now, let’s take a look at the key metrics to monitor.

01. Organic Traffic: Your Growth Thermometer

Just like watching a building rise, you want to see your organic traffic steadily climb. The best part is that you don’t need any paid tools for this—Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Search Console (GSC) do it for you for free.

Based on your website’s current state, set a realistic but progressive goal, such as “Increase organic traffic by 25% in 6 months.” 

Keep in mind that SEO takes time, so even if you don’t see immediate results, trust the process. The results will compound over time.

For example, if you compare the first six months of an SEO campaign with the same six months after a year or after two years, you will see more progress in the first or second year than in the first six months. 

02. Track Keyword Rankings

When planning, creating, and publishing new pages, assign each a specific topic keyword. To track your progress, monitor the improvement in search engine rankings for these keywords over time. To facilitate this monitoring, use tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush, or Accuranker.

We’re not a huge fan of using Google Search Console for keyword tracking. It’s inaccurate and often uses averages. It gives you a general idea about the trend but not a clear picture.

03. Track Google Maps Rankings

Tracking positions on Google Maps is critical for local businesses, such as a construction company serving specific locations—even if you have multiple offices and addresses. To do this, use tools such as Semrush’s local rank tracker or Brightlocal’s local rank tracker.

04. Conversions and Signed Contracts

The ultimate goal is converting organic traffic into leads (conversions) and projects/jobs. 

These are the true measures of your SEO’s ROI. Track your conversion performance in Google Analytics (GA4). 

Pay attention to your web form submissions, received calls or online chat messages. Track how many result in booked estimates and signed contracts. 

Utilizing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is an excellent way to calculate your actual ROI.

Takeaway: Tracking and optimizing based on core SEO KPIs ensures you get maximum results.

SEO Basics to Remember
for Construction Companies

• SEO for construction companies is all about increasing your website’s organic traffic from search engines and helping potential clients find you easily.
• SEO brings targeted website traffic, leads, and sales.
• SEO stands out as the most reliable marketing vehicle for achieving sustained growth over time.

Top 10 SEO Tips
for Construction Companies

• A robust SEO strategy for construction companies should encompass SEO audit, keyword research, content marketing, link building, on-page optimization, Google Business Profile setup and optimization.
• Do your keyword research. Optimize your pages for relevant keywords your prospects search for. 
• Craft top-notch content that answers your audience’s questions and meets their needs.
• Focus each page on a single target keyword and topic to avoid diluting relevance. Don’t mix multiple services or locations.
• Acquire high-quality backlinks from trusted industry websites and directories.
• Offer an amazing user experience on all devices.
• Optimize your Google Business Profile completely to rank higher locally. This helps prospective clients find your construction company for searches like “construction company near me.”
• Measure and track keyword rankings, traffic, and conversions.
• Key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor are the number of leads (conversions), booked estimates and signed projects.
• SEO delivers results when you stick to the fundamentals and stay patient. Building rankings takes time but compounds over the long term.

Frequently Asked Questions

NEXT CHAPTER

Google’s Top Ranking Factors

Discover how Google’s ranking factors influence construction companies’ website traffic and search visibility.

Find out how Back Bay Digital can help your construction company grow with SEO.