Discover how to tap into digital marketing to get more construction jobs in 2021, from general and local SEO to PPC and beyond.

As COVID-19’s impact on the economy begins to lessen, gradually but steadily, cautious plans for a brighter future abound. For the construction industry specifically, some industry executives dub it a “race to normalcy”; others remain cautious. Regardless of which perspective you ascribe to, however, a slow recovery may indeed be on the horizon, forecasts predict. As such, let us delve into such data and conclude with 5 ways to get more construction jobs in 2021.

Economic forecasts and the construction industry

Initially, while the economic downturn of 2020 was self-evident, many forecast that 2021 will see a rebound toward growth. Specifically, according to ENR:

• The Congressional Budget Office forecast 4% growth in 2021.
• “World Bank project[ed] a [US GDP] rebound of 4.5% in 2021.”
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted a 4.5% increase.

Similarly, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) remained cautious over a potential second wave. Should one emerge, it forecast a rebound of 1.9%; should one not, it forecast a 4.1% rebound.
In all such cases, a pattern is clear; any rebounds for 2021 will not fully match the losses of 2020. They will, however, signify a positive turn, which the rising hospitality demands may already subtly outline.

Prepare for a move

With the above context in mind, then, different states can still expect very different economic developments. Moreover, government construction work, which remains a reliable option, may cross state lines for federal projects. As such, finding more construction jobs in 2021 may, in many cases, entail relocations.
As with all such business partnerships, it would likely be advisable to begin with proactively securing relations. To do so, you may seek the help of professional movers – ideally, ones focused on the needs of the industry. Get referrals, research their services, and ideally, find an agency that offers everything you need in one place. Doing so will ensure you don’t face such practical limitations on top of economic ones.

Marketing matters

Finally, let us stress the marketing aspect of finding more construction jobs in 2021. In such turbulent times, marketing remains an invaluable asset – from general Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to its local subset. It may, by all means, require adaptations, and ensuring cost-effectiveness is nigh imperative. However, it is both a viable standalone strategy and an excellent augmentation for existing ones.
Business expert Michael Masterson remarked that 80% of one’s time involves marketing and sales, and only 20% running one’s business. While the exact ideal percentages will vary across professionals and industries, the point stands, marketing matters. As such, our following suggestions will follow suit, primarily delving into marketing factors and best practices.

5 Ways to get more construction jobs in 2021

Having highlighted the above, let us delve into five key practices you may consider, in 2021 and beyond.

1.     Get more construction leads

Regardless of your area of focus, acquiring more construction leads should be a priority. As such, you may begin with distinct SEO-friendly content marketing practices that help you do so.

#1 Start a construction blog

While perhaps slightly unconventional, in that it is not yet a prominent practice, you may consider starting a blog. If your content is insightful and valuable to readers within your field, it will help generate more search engine traffic. Coupled with keyword research and media use, where appropriate, your posts can act as landing pages themselves.

#2 Promote your content on social media

Next, you may consider social media marketing for similar purposes. Most notably, such platforms as Facebook offer analytics tools for hyper-focused ad targeting, so you may combine it with Pay per Click (PPC) campaigns. Finally, you may cross-post blogs and other content from your site or GMB profile for maximum content outreach.

#3 Use commercial and residential lead generation services

Finally, you may use third-party services dedicated explicitly to industry-based lead generation. General contractors and subcontractors in commercial construction may consider such services as The Blue Book, iSqFt, and Building Connected. Residential contractors may instead use such services as Home Advisor, which are dedicated to homeowner leads.

2.     Engage in local SEO through GMB

With such efforts augmenting your general SEO’s lead generation, you may then turn to local SEO for increased visibility. Local SEO hinges on a strong Google My Business (GMB) profile, which lends itself to many practices you may try.

#1 Provide your NAP

The most fundamental advantage of GMB is arguably the access to Google’s app ecosystem it provides. As such, to make the best use of GMB for such apps as Google Maps, you should provide accurate Name, Phone number, and Address (NAP) information through it. In fact, Google will often use your GMB’s NAP before your site’s NAP – so accuracy and consistency are crucial.

#2 Write locally valuable posts

Local SEO depends on local value, as it primarily focuses on “near me” searches. Thus, you may use location specifiers in your titles and keywords, focusing on local users’ search intent. Additionally, you may produce topical content not strictly within your niche, such as on current events and historical information.

#3 Cross-post

Finally, GMB provides an invaluable additional platform through which to promote your content. You may, by all means, produce content exclusively for GMB, using the platform’s features. However, you may also cross-post content from your page and social media to GMB, as highlighted above. This will increase exposure and, depending on your content’s value, enhance your local SEO without additional work.

3.     Use PPC marketing

Finally, as regards lead generation avenues, you may consider using PPC marketing to further augment your lead acquisition rates. Consider the following practices that best overlap with PPC campaigns.

#1 Social media marketing

As outlined above, social media platforms offer excellent lead targeting analytics. You may thus use them to target and, equally importantly, retarget potential leads.

#2 Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Similarly, SEM overlaps with both PPC and general SEO. Specifically, you may use SEM to target keywords you cannot organically rank in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for. Then, you may use audience segmentation tools to determine which keywords are best served through other avenues, informing PPC campaigns.

#3 Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Finally, while not a marketing practice itself, CRM software continues to see prominence in the construction industry. Should you be using such a solution to keep track of customer interactions, they typically offer insightful tools themselves. From lead segmentation and scoring to automated emails, they can both inform and enhance your PPC and general marketing outreach.

4.     Optimize your web design

Having established a healthy general and local SEO foundation through the above, you may then refine your web design to get more construction jobs in 2021. The aim of this practice is, naturally, to entice leads and incite engagement to secure conversions. That is, in fact, why Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) typically stresses web design quite heavily.
In this regard, consider the following:

• Ensure fast loading speeds. Page loading speeds directly correlate with bounce rates, as Google’s own research found. Thus, you should ensure your pages load within 3 seconds or less. Avoid heavy design elements, disable heavy plugins, and optimize and compress your images to address this factor. If possible, also consider upgrading your Content Delivery Network (CDN).
• Keep your Calls to Action (CTAs) visible and clear. Your CTAs, be they calls to fill contact forms or other conversions, spearhead your website’s conversion rates. Thus, they should always be clearly visible and, ideally, above the fold. Examine your layout to ensure other on-page elements don’t get in the way, and ensure their copy resonates with audiences.
• Always conduct A/B tests. Whether you apply changes to on-page elements for better speeds or CTAs, it is imperative that your choices yield results. As such, you should ideally focus on one element at a time, conducting regular A/B tests to guarantee effectiveness.

Finally, while SEO suggests general best practices, it is always wise to attune your choices with your industry. For example, you may research which colors best resonate with your specific audiences before opting for popular candidates.

5.     Make a list of potential leads to visit

Finally, marketing by itself may still not secure finding more construction jobs in 2021. Thus, you may continue to visit potential clients in person, in addition to your digital marketing efforts. Potential construction leads typically include:

• Past clients
• Suppliers and vendors
• Homeowners Associations
• Owners representative firms
• Mall leasing offices
• Construction management firms
• Property managers
• Interior designers
• Architects
• Mortgage brokers
• Contact realtors

This list is, by all means, not exhaustive. Subcontractors, for example, may also consider general contractors as potential leads. Moreover, some will also consider active construction sites, hospitals, universities, and even apartment complexes for this purpose. Finally, some will only opt to contact past clients when their CRM or other analytics tools dictate is best. Thus, this list is only indicative of potential leads; optimal choices will ultimately depend on each individual contractor or subcontractor.