As the global marketplace grows ever more connected, the significance of local search cannot be emphasized enough. For construction businesses, appearing at the top of local search results is a powerful way to attract more inquiries, drive targeted traffic, and ultimately secure new clients. With the right approach, you can ensure your business stands out in local search results, turning online searches into valuable leads.
In this article, I’ll walk you through 7 effective SEM (Search Engine Marketing) strategies that will help your construction business dominate local search results. These strategies will help you increase visibility in your area, improve your rankings, and boost your business’s presence in local search.
What You Will Learn:
- The importance of targeting location-based keywords
- How creating location-specific landing pages can increase conversions
- Why an optimized Google Business Profile is crucial for local SEO
- The impact of linking location pages to your Google Business Profile
- How Google Posts can improve your local search visibility
- Why maintaining accurate and consistent listings is essential for local SEO
- The role of online reviews in influencing local search rankings
Let’s dive deeper into these essential SEM strategies for local search dominance.
1. Target Location-Based Keywords
One of the fundamental elements of local SEO is targeting location-specific keywords. Local searches are the backbone of any construction business that operates in specific geographic areas. By targeting key phrases such as “construction companies in Perth” or “building contractors near me,” you make your content directly relevant to people searching for services in your local area. This targeted approach makes it easier for potential customers to find you and increases the chances of driving them to your website or storefront.
When choosing location-based keywords, it’s important to think like a customer. What terms would they use when looking for your services in your city or town? Tools like Semrush, Google Keyword Planner, and Ahrefs can help you identify the right keywords that attract high search volumes.
Once you’ve found the right local keywords, incorporate them naturally into your website content, blog posts, meta descriptions, title tags, and URLs. This ensures search engines know that your business is relevant for local searches, which is crucial for improving your rankings in local search results.
2. Create Location-Specific Landing Pages
For businesses offering services in multiple locations, creating dedicated landing pages for each service area is a must. Generalized content won’t help your site rank for location-based queries. Instead, you need to create tailored content for each city, town, or even neighborhood you serve.
For example, if you provide construction services in Perth, Fremantle, and Mandurah, create specific landing pages for each city, such as “Residential Construction in Perth” or “Commercial Construction Services in Fremantle.” This allows you to target location-specific keywords and rank higher in searches like “construction company in Mandurah.”
The key is to avoid duplicating content across multiple pages. Google penalizes duplicate content, so make sure each page has unique, high-quality information that is specific to the location and services offered.
Creating these localized landing pages may seem like a lot of work, but the results are worth it. In fact, many businesses see substantial increases in website traffic and in-store visits by targeting city-specific keywords with unique landing pages. A notable example of this strategy comes from an automotive client with over 1,700 locations across 1,100 cities. By implementing location-specific pages, this client gained over 1.8 million impressions and almost 300,000 clicks every month.
3. Build and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is an essential tool for local SEO. If your profile is incomplete or lacks optimization, you could miss out on valuable traffic from the Map Pack, which appears in local search results and can drive significant click-through rates.
A complete and optimized Google Business Profile can increase your chances of ranking in the Map Pack, putting your business front and center when potential customers search for construction services in your area. Make sure your Google Business Profile includes your business name, address, phone number (NAP), website link, and working hours. Also, ensure your service descriptions are detailed and relevant to what you offer.
In addition, regularly post updates, promotions, and relevant images. Google Posts can showcase your special offers, updates on ongoing projects, or highlight key services you provide. By engaging customers with fresh, relevant content, you improve your visibility and increase the likelihood that searchers will click on your profile.
4. Link Location Pages to Your Google Business Profile
Once you’ve created unique location pages, it’s time to maximize their visibility by linking them to your Google Business Profile. Google’s Map Pack grabs a significant share of local search traffic. In fact, businesses listed in the Map Pack receive 44% of the clicks in local searches.
When users click on your business profile in the Map Pack, they expect to be directed to a page that provides location-specific details—such as your address, contact details, services offered, and appointment links. This personalized approach enhances the user experience and boosts the likelihood of conversion.
In practice, adding location-specific links to your Google Business Profile can increase organic impressions and drive more targeted traffic to your site. For instance, one client saw a 575% increase in organic impressions and an 11,000% increase in organic clicks after linking location-specific pages to their Google Business Profile.
By doing this, you help Google better understand your business and match your profile to relevant searches in specific locations. This strategy is crucial for improving your rankings and increasing your visibility in local searches.
5. Publish Geo-Targeted Google Posts
Google Posts are another powerful tool for improving local search visibility. Google Posts allow you to publish content directly on your Google Business Profile, similar to social media posts. This content can include promotions, updates, offers, and news that are relevant to your business and local customers.
The key to leveraging Google Posts for local SEO is using geo-modifiers. These are location-specific keywords added to your posts to enhance your ranking in local searches. For example, if you run a construction business and want to target college students in your area, you might create a post saying, “Our construction services for student housing in Perth offer affordable solutions for your renovation needs.”
By using geo-modifiers in your Google Posts, you send clear signals to Google that your business is active and relevant to local searchers. Consistently posting and including geo-modified content gives you a competitive advantage over businesses that aren’t utilizing this feature.
6. Maintain Accurate Listings Across Business Directories
While Google Business Profile is essential, your business should also be listed accurately on other online directories like Yelp, Facebook, Bing, TripAdvisor, and Apple Maps. Many potential customers use these platforms to search for local businesses, and inaccurate or inconsistent business information can hurt your rankings and reputation.
Make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent across all online platforms. This consistency helps Google confirm the legitimacy and relevance of your business, which ultimately improves your local search rankings.
For large businesses with multiple locations, managing listings can be time-consuming. Using a listings distribution service like GPO’s Listings Distribution product can help streamline this process, ensuring your business details are correct across a variety of directories.
7. Monitor and Manage Your Online Reviews
Reviews play a critical role in local search rankings. According to studies, businesses with higher review counts and frequent new reviews tend to rank higher in the Map Pack and local search results. Encouraging your clients to leave reviews is one of the most effective ways to improve your online presence and local SEO.
Online reviews also help build trust with potential customers. A large number of positive reviews signals to Google that your business is reputable and valued by customers. However, it’s important to note that not all reviews will be positive. When handling negative reviews, always respond promptly and professionally. Address the customer’s concerns and demonstrate your commitment to resolving issues. This type of engagement shows potential clients that you care about customer satisfaction and are willing to improve.
It’s also important to encourage happy clients to leave positive feedback. After completing a project, send a follow-up email thanking the client and asking for a review. A personal request often results in a higher response rate and contributes to your business’s overall reputation.
Conclusion: Boost Your Construction Business with Paid Ads
While organic SEO strategies are essential, combining them with paid ads can supercharge your local visibility. By implementing targeted paid campaigns, you can boost your chances of ranking at the top of local search results and drive more immediate traffic to your business.
Paid advertising allows you to target specific demographics, locations, and keywords, ensuring your ads reach the right audience at the right time. If you want to take your local SEO to the next level, consider investing in a paid SEM campaign tailored to your construction business’s goals.
Get in touch today for a free Paid Ad Plan and watch your business grow!
By applying these 7 SEM strategies, your construction business can dominate local search results, increase your visibility, and drive high-quality leads. Whether you’re a small contractor or a large construction firm, these tactics will help you stay ahead of the competition and meet your local customers where they are searching for your services.
