Social Media Marketing for Construction Companies: 12 Tips

No matter how skilled and efficient your construction crew is, one thing’s for sure: These talents won’t matter if you can’t seem to book new clients. Thankfully, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram make marketing your construction company simple and affordable. To use social media marketing for construction companies, create business profiles, use targeted Facebook Ads, and produce weekly videos and posts. You should vary your post style (text, videos, and photos), share your contact information whenever possible, and engage with your followers often. It’s safe to say that marketing a construction company is unlike marketing any other type of business. So, keep reading to learn about the 12 most useful tips for marketing your construction company.

Why Social Media Marketing?

Let’s face it: Cold calling, EDDM routes, highway billboards, and 10-second ad spots are becoming more and more outdated as the years pass. And, in an age where 81% of Americans own smartphones and about 233 million Americans are on at least one social media platform, there’s only one logical solution: Bringing your marketing to the internet. Social media marketing can take place on any of the more popular social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. This style of marketing allows you to reach your clients where they are (whether they’re at home, at the park, or on the job) and reach a wider audience without much additional effort. If done strategically and creatively, social media marketing can boost traffic, generate sales, and improve your ROI in the process. If done impulsively or carelessly, you might forever tarnish your company’s reputation. So, are you ready to find out how you can use social media marketing to see these results and more in your construction company? Then, here’s a look at 14 ways to use it!

Create Business Profiles on Social Platforms

If you’re like the majority of adults in America, then you probably already have your own personal accounts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. So, you might be thinking that it would be easy to just change your name on these profiles to your business’s name and that’s that. You start off with 200+ friends without even having to advertise your company, right? Well, not quite. Using a personal account to advertise a business on most social media platforms is considered a big no-no. In fact, this actually violates the Terms of Service for platforms like Instagram or Facebook. And, the last thing you want to do is to have your construction company suspended or permanently banned from social media for trying to take shortcuts. That means you’ll have to make business profiles on each individual platform. Here’s a look at some of the major benefits of making a business profile on social media for your construction company:

Seeing how many people visit your profile and when: You can see which posts are drawing attention and what time or day of the week customers seem to engage with your posts the most.
Being a hub for all of your company’s contact information: Your profiles will display your business hours, other social media accounts, phone numbers, addresses, and more (so, your customers can always get in contact with you).
Keeping up to date on interactions: Business profiles on these platforms give you access to the direct message or messenger features as well. You’ll even get insight into how long it takes you to respond on average to provide better customer service.

It would be easy to say that you should make a business profile on all social media platforms, but that can be a little tough to juggle as a small construction company. Just note that Americans tend to center their attention on YouTube (74%), Facebook (71%), and Instagram (38%). So, each of these platforms would be a great place to get started!

Post About Non-Business Community Relationships

There’s no doubt about it: It’s very important to do what you can to get people interested in booking and scheduling jobs with your construction company. But, there’s another key aspect of marketing that your competitors are likely overlooking: Personal branding. This is what immediately comes to mind when people think about your construction company and its role in the community. And, it’s important to your future clients too, which is why nearly 90% of marketers who use Facebook will use the platform for branding purposes. So, how do you go about building up your brand? Via social media marketing, that comes in the form of posting about your non-business community relationships. This is a great way to show your clients and followers that you’re a staple in the local community and that you’re more than an average construction company. Think about posting text posts, images, and videos of the following:

Donations being made to the local food bank or children’s hospital
The crew attending a 5K race or another event for a good cause
Personnel offering to tutor at an after-school program or summer camp
Employees walking dogs or cleaning cages at the local animal shelter
Rebuilding flood-damaged structures or building a sandbox at a local park

Keep in mind that sharing these moments on social media can be a bit of a touchy subject. Doing so too frequently might make it seem like you make these posts solely for the praise, not for the genuine good of the community.

Target Your Ideal Audience via Facebook Ads

Advertising via social media gives you insight that many old-school marketing tactics (like print ads) were never able to provide. It’s so popular among businesses, in fact, that about 72% of businesses will use Facebook Ads to market their company online. It’s true: Just about everyone can make a social media ad from their business profile. But, to really get the best results, you’ll want to look at the fine details. Here are some things to think about when running an ad on Facebook (and Instagram):

Choose a geographical area: There’s a good chance that word of mouth and yard signs post-project have made your company more popular in certain local towns. You can select these towns when you run an ad (or decide on an X-mile radius).
Select an age group: As a construction company, you probably have somewhat of a niche. Does your company tend to cash in on jobs within senior communities? Do you specialize in new construction trends that target Millennials? That can be key.
Decide on interests to target: Whenever you “like” a page on Facebook, it goes into your “interests.” Via Facebook Ads, you can choose the interests that your future clients tend to like, such as DIY projects or even the local town’s page.

There are also a few other settings that you can play around with when you’re running an ad. For example, you can have your ad repeatedly show to the same clients and hope the Rule of 7 will eventually prove true. This is a theory where it will take a client to see your name or logo seven times before deciding to give you a call. There are also plenty of different ad styles that you can use to benefit your company. Some will capture contact information from those looking to hire a construction company and others will drive traffic to your website. And, no matter what type of ad you decide to run, you’ll get insight into how the ad actually performed after it concludes. So, you’ll be able to see which posts and images people seem to engage with the most and figure out what works best for attracting new clients. It’s no longer a guessing game. You do what works and avoid what doesn’t.

Produce Educational Videos About Construction

The construction world is one that most outsiders just don’t seem to understand. Most people know what they’re willing to spend, what they want the finished product to look like, and when they want the project to be completed. But, there’s a lingering curiosity about what actually goes into building those beautiful structures behind the scenes. Social media marketing can come in the form of posting educational videos and clips about the construction industry and even simple DIY projects. Here are some examples of topics you might want to highlight:

How to lay a foundation
A time-lapse of the homebuilding process (and what happens at each step)
What each construction tool and machine does
How to build a wooden outdoor patio set
How to level land
A time-lapse of building a skyscraper
An overview of average prices for specific types of projects
DIY project ideas that don’t require a construction crew

There are a few reasons that these types of posts and videos will come in handy. First, if you’re using clips from your own company, it gives clients an in-depth look at what they should expect when they hire you. This is a solid way of showing your clients that you run a neat worksite, get jobs done quickly, don’t cut corners to finish a job faster, and can actually do the job they’re looking to have done. But, you can also post about some simple DIY projects that seem to be popular these days. These posts tend to generate a ton of traffic since people love to build and make things with their hands. It also can show you as a trusted source in the industry that clients will turn to when they have a big job that needs to be done! Ready for some inspiration? Here’s a great sample video that shows a construction company building an entire house in a neat time-lapse video: Here’s a video that’ll show your followers how foundation and basement blocks can be laid much more efficiently:

Limit Your Self-Promotions to 50% of Your Content

One of the biggest misconceptions about marketing is that it all has to be self-promotion. While this is a good strategy when you’re just trying to get your company’s name out there, it can come off as a bit tacky to social media users. Nobody wants their feed overloaded with advertisements and it makes your construction company look a little desperate for business. Now, you might be wondering, “What am I supposed to post then?” In reality, you can post just about anything (within moderation, of course) on your social media profiles for your construction company. The goal is to boost your personal branding and interest in your company as a whole. Here’s a look at some types of posts that people seem to like:

Funny pictures (or memes) related to construction
Relevant news stories involving the local community or the construction industry
DIY project videos and images
Glimpses of what goes on behind the scenes on your worksites
Tips for hiring a crew or doing your own projects

Interestingly enough, about 79% of marketers believe that businesses are doing far too much self-promotion on social media. This can be detrimental to the public perception of your construction business and actually hurt business as a result. Clients are more likely to lose trust in your company and possibly unfollow your accounts. Moderation is key, so aim for about five informative posts or shares for every one self-promotional post that you make.

Engage With Your Followers via Likes & Comments

The social media world revolves around the concept of “give-take.” So, many users and clients will expect you to follow them back on Twitter on YouTube after they follow you first. Commenting on the posts of followers and liking their content is a great way to build up that positive rapport with the people who might want to hire you in the future. But, just how significant is it to your construction company to build these relationships via engagement? Well, the data shows that about 71% of people would recommend a specific company or brand to loved ones after a great online experience with the company. This also helps to show clients that you care about their lives and truly appreciate their support that they give. And, it’s incredibly easy to do, too. Take a look at these basic things that you can do that may make a world of difference for your social media marketing tactics:

Like
Comment
Follow (and follow back)
Respond to messages quickly
Be lighthearted in responses (don’t come off as too serious or business-like)

Remember that not all of your interactions with users online will be in a customer service sense. Just about anyone can read and see your posts, so be sure to respond politely, with correct spelling and grammar, and within a reasonable amount of time!

Post Content on a Weekly Basis (or More Frequently)

Using your social media platforms to market your construction company is definitely a bit complicated. If you post too often, you risk coming off as spammy or losing followers in the process. If you post too little, your ideal client will probably forget that you’re still in the business. Fortunately, there’s a middle ground when it comes to how often you should post. And, this is what was found in a study looking into how follower and post counts relate to engagement:

Businesses with more than 10,000 followers: 31 to 60 posts per month is best
Businesses with fewer than 10,000 followers: 1 to 5 posts a month is best

There’s a little bit more to this information than just the numbers the study produced. For example, you have to think about what you’re actually posting. A construction company with 6,500 followers that posts five self-promotional ads a month probably won’t do much in the way of recruiting new clients. At the same time, a company with 15,000 followers that publishes 50 posts of various styles will probably see hundreds of clicks on each.

Provide Your Website URL and Contact Information

Getting more followers, likes, and comments can make you feel like your construction company is actually making headway through social media marketing. But, you have to remember what your end goal is: To boost revenue. That means those 1,000 followers that live on the other side of the country won’t be potential clients unless they pick up and move. That’s why it’s so important to make your contact information readily available on social media. People need to know where you’re located and that you’re a great option for their job! That means you should be including your business phone number on all ads that you decide to run and even on posts that come off as self-promotional. You also want to be sure that your profiles include your relevant contact information, like your phone number, email address, physical address if you have an office, and website URL. So, it would be a good idea to end posts with something like, “For a free consultation, give us a call at _____.” Just make sure that your posts actually give clients something worth contacting you about (like a deal or incentive). It’s also a good idea to figure out where you want your clients to end up. Many social media ads can direct clients to check out your website as a whole. This is a great tactic if you have a website with an educational blog that the public would appreciate.

Check Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation

There’s no doubt that your construction company is worth the investment and can finish any job that a client asks of you. But, there’s one thing that can cause the respect and trust in your company to tank: Poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation. In fact, research shows that about 59% of people would think less of your company for some of these basic mistakes. We’re talking about you’re vs. your, there vs. their vs. they’re, and its vs. it’s. And, those pesky spaces that always seem to show up between commas and periods. There are a few reasons that these minor issues can wreak havoc on your reputation. First, it can make your construction company look careless or lack attention to detail. And, in an industry where every plank, bolt, nut, and screw matters, the last thing you want is to look like you rush through things. In another sense, it looks like you’re uneducated and unprofessional. Errors always slip through the crack, which is why it’s a good idea to install the Grammarly plugin or run spell check on all of your posts and content before publishing them.

Share Images and Videos of Completed Jobs

You know how important good workmanship is when it comes to the construction industry. Posting images and videos of finished jobs is a great idea, but posting before and after pictures is a far better strategy. Think about this: How is a potential client going to know that you’re the right company for the job if they haven’t seen your work from start to finish? For all they know, you’re just posting other completed jobs that you found on the internet and claimed it as your own. Nothing puts your company’s skill on display quite like before and after pictures. And, thankfully, they also generate a ton of interest from online users on social media platforms. Here’s what the research shows when it comes to posting media on Twitter, specifically:

Tweets with pictures get 18% more clicks,
Tweets with pictures get 89% more favorites.
Tweets with pictures get 150% more retweets.

So, it’s safe to say that making shareable content is much more efficient than word of mouth. The more screens and feeds that your posts appear on (thanks to retweets and shares), the more likely you’ll draw in more leads and clients.

Share Testimonial Videos From Satisfied Customers

So, you know that your construction company is the real deal, right? But, even the worst companies out there will post self-promotional content bragging about how great of a company they really are. You’re better, but you have to be willing to prove it. Clients aren’t just going to take your word for it. That’s where using testimonials from some of your real clients will do wonders for business. And, here’s why: About 92% of consumers will trust online reviews and recommendations as if they came from their own inner circle. These videos can easily be shared on all platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Plus, you can pair them with a before and after image of the job so potential clients can see that there’s some real truth behind the testimonial. Just keep in mind that you don’t want to obsessively post these videos on your Instagram profile or YouTube profile. You should stick to getting testimonials from the clients that were really blown away by the finished product.

Vary the Types of Posts & Media You Share

Now, you know it’s not a good idea to post advertisement-like content on a daily basis. Yet, after a few weeks on the platform, you might find yourself running out of ideas of what to post. One thing to keep in mind is that you don’t always have to post original content. You can also share from other people! Ready to figure out what other types of posts you can put on social media? Take a look at what types of posts you can put on your profile:

Videos (educational, instructional, entertaining, or news-worthy)
Images (before & after, completed jobs, behind the scenes, or community engagement)
Content (blog posts, how-to guides, or advice)
Testimonials (reviews or videos)
Progress (how a job is coming along from day to day)

No matter what you’re posting, consider your personal branding and what others might think of your construction company after seeing the post. So, stay away from potentially controversial sources (unverified news sources) and topics (like religion, politics, etc.).

The Best Social Media Platforms for Construction Companies

It’s important to realize that not all social media platforms are considered “ideal” for construction companies. So, here’s a look at some of the better platforms to use and what makes them so great for the construction world:

Facebook: It’s the most popular social media platform in America.
Twitter: This is a great way to quickly engage with clients publically & build your brand.
YouTube: This works best for sharing instructional, educational, and how-to videos.
LinkedIn: It’s a great place to find high-end commercial clients.
Instagram: It’s awesome for sharing pictures and short clips (and people love media).

Just remember that it doesn’t matter how many platforms you’re on if you’re not using them effectively. So, follow the tips we mentioned above for the best results!

Conclusion

No matter how you plan to use social media marketing to benefit your construction company, one thing’s for sure: You should be using these platforms in one way or another. Just remember that it might take a little time to figure out which methods work best for your company and your ideal client. So, test out different post and advertisement styles to see which types generate the most interest and engagement. As long as you stick to what seems to work, you should continue to hear from a greater number of interested clients and see sales volume go through the roof.