LinkedIn provides a platform for construction professionals to connect with each other and increase their networks by providing valuable business tips and advice. LinkedIn is used slightly differently compared to other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. It has a professional reputation and should not be used as a selling tool. Smart construction professionals will avoid excessive self-promotion and instead sell themselves and their services by being a valuable knowledge source in the community which they serve.
Building loyalty and reducing one night stands
We’ve spent a lot of time over the last few years re-analysing clients’ web data and measuring the performance of their website(s) against their competitors, business objectives and plans set out for the forth coming year in preparation for the next. Mining through the data to find the insights which will enable me to answer real business questions such as:
- “Is my website attracting quality traffic?”
- “Are visitors, and in particular Architects, engaging with my website?”
- “How many visitors entered my website via my key product pages?”
- “Is my website converting traffic into leads?”
- “Which sources are performing the best in attracting traffic and then converting?”
- “Why do people leave the site from the homepage?”
- “Which search terms are performing the best against their rankings in Google?” (Hint: Ranking first in Google does not always produce results)
Integrating your online and offline construction marketing strategies
The new year is quickly approaching and many businesses have already planned their 2011 marketing strategies. However, for those who haven’t yet, this post provides useful tips and guidelines for integrating your online and offline marketing activities to ensure maximum impact and effectiveness. Some companies in the construction industry still keep their offline and online marketing activities separate, leading to confused messages, inconsistency and wasted budgets.Read More
Social product marketing for product manufacturers in the construction industry
The advent of social media has led to new strategy development and various opportunities to do business in different ways. This post will focus on product manufacturers and how they can combine traditional marketing methods with social media to increase brand awareness and purchase intentions. This strategy is referred to as ‘social product marketing’. It is based on the concept of the hierarchy of effects model, developed by Lavidge and Steiner (1961), which argues that people pass through several stages from product awareness, to preference and eventually to purchase. This model can also be applied in a B2B context because company decision-makers go through similar stages when deciding which firm to do business with.Read More
How social is your construction company?
To start off with, a definition for ‘social’ is needed. Social can be described as ‘interaction’, with each other or the environment around us – either voluntarily or involuntarily. People enjoy engaging with others and like to feel included. This is why we form communities. So you might be asking why this is relevant for construction marketers and B2B companies. The answer is that social media is simply another platform through which we can interact with others and become more ‘social’. The aim of this post is to find out what makes a company more social than another.Read More
14 Things to Consider for the Perfect Construction Website Home Page
The home page of any website should be a sign post. It should be built to move your audience on.
You don’t want your audience on the home page, there is nothing of depth there.
The quest for quick targeted knowledge means the more focused, more relevant, faster loading pages will start ranking higher in the search engines.
If your home page is the only page your construction company is being found for in Google then you have a big problem…
This post is about how to leverage the popularity of your home page to get visitors to where they need to get to quickly and with minimum effort.
5 ways construction companies can use Twitter for business
Twitter is becoming one of the most talked about social media tools. It provides a platform for businesses to connect with each other as well as with industry professionals. By listening and engaging in conversations and also creating and sharing content, construction companies can form long-term relationships, increase brand awareness and establish their presence in the social media world.
Construction companies need to ‘get in on the action’ to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace so I have compiled a list of the top 5 ways Twitter can be used for business.Read More
Do you use social media tools for networking, marketing or both?
There still seems to be a lot of confusion around social media in general and whether businesses should be using the channel for marketing or networking purposes. Companies in the construction industry wonder what social media platforms and tools are the most effective, how to go about forming relationships, what conversations to engage in and how to measure campaign results.
Social media networking is the process of interacting with other individuals through a specific social media tool or community. Networking is crucial for increasing awareness and encouraging people to talk about you and your company whilst listening to what others say about you and your brand. Business leads can be generated from networking on professional sites such as LinkedIn where industry knowledge and expertise can be shared by engaging in group discussions. But is this type of exchange suitable for brands or rather for individuals (employees) representing the brand?Read More
UBM publish research results for construction industry marketers
UBM (United Business Media) recently released the results of an independent research study amongst architecture, construction and commercial property professionals about mainstream construction industry publications. The data gathered provides marketers with valuable information about the current market situation to guide their future campaign development decisions.
The study showed a gradual decrease in industry employees, falling from 100,534 people in 2005 to 80,513 people in 2010. The greatest difference was in the number of house-builders/contractors which fell dramatically. The number was nearly halved, demonstrating the impact of the recession which forced many companies to decrease employee numbers. Surprisingly, there is a significant increase in the number of architects which were the only group not to decrease in number.
Read More
Random acts of Marketing
Had a great meeting with a clever guy (nearly five years ago now) who unprompted, confessed to implementing ‘Random acts of Marketing’.
It made me wonder how many agency and client-side senior managers and marketing managers within the construction industry are actually brave enough to step forward and say;
“Yep, that was random. That was probably a complete waste of time and money. Truth is I don’t know”
I know I’ve been prone to a few random acts over the years*
Post updated – October 2014
