The UK construction industry is growing at a rapid rate, especially in the public sector.
As of 2024, it’s estimated that over £300 billion is being spent each year on public procurement alone, with the private sector also seeing steady growth.
But the increase in public sector spending is not the only shift in the industry.
More and more, smaller companies with an impressive online presence are landing these major tenders, beating established industry titans to projects they would have once considered out of their reach.
As an increasing number of businesses in the construction space turn to online marketing strategies, it’s becoming clear that a strong brick-and-mortar reputation is not enough to cement your place as a leader in the construction industry.
You need a professional and results-oriented web design that showcases your expertise, experience and unique value proposition.
This post aims to explore how you can use website design to highlight your expertise in the industry, attract potential clients and secure lucrative projects.
The Importance of Web Design in the Construction Industry
We all know businesses need a website.
It’s long been accepted that a website serves as a virtual storefront, showcasing products and services to potential customers.
But in the construction industry, where relationships are built on trust and reputation, having a well-designed website is even more crucial.
We see it all too often when a construction company’s website is outdated, difficult to navigate or lacking in essential information.
This can lead to potential clients questioning the company’s professionalism and credibility, ultimately impacting their decision to work with them.
On the other hand, a great construction website should tick all five of the following boxes:
- Generate leads and secure big tenders
- Build trusted relationships with potential buyers, suppliers and contractors
- Establish your authority in the industry
- Give you control over your reputation
- Show off your impressive construction portfolio
Investing in a quality website design can help you achieve all of these goals and more.
Does My Construction Company Website Need an Update?
If you need to ask if your website needs an update, then it probably does.
Your website is the first impression many potential suppliers, buyers and contractors will have of your business, and like any industry, trends and technology are constantly evolving, and your website should reflect that.
An outdated or poorly designed website can give potential buyers the wrong impression about the quality of your work and could even be the reason why your company fails to win a major tender.
Let’s say you’re a principal contractor working on a big infrastructure project, and you want to attract subcontractors to bid on specific parts of the job.
Two companies stand out to you, but one has an outdated and poorly designed website while the other has a modern and professional one that puts a unique focus on their construction portfolio.
Which one are you more likely to choose for your project?
Exactly. Your website is a representation of your company’s professionalism and capabilities. Failure to keep it updated and relevant can result in missed opportunities and a lack of business growth.
Some may argue that the best company will win the tender regardless of their website, but in a competitive industry like construction, every advantage counts.
Look over your website design, compare it to others in the industry and leaders of similar sectors, and ask yourself if it’s time for a web design update.
This leads us quite nicely to a question we are asked a lot by industry leaders in the construction space:
Why Are Smaller Contractors Beating My Company on Big Tenders?
The reason why smaller contractors look bigger than they are and secure major tenders over your business is simple: Perception.
It’s a word some businesses don’t like to hear but it fuels the success of many successful companies.
Perception is often the reality when it comes to how your company is perceived by potential clients, suppliers and contractors – especially in the online space.
A smaller contractor with an impressive online presence can give off the impression of being well-established and successful, even if they are relatively new to the industry. This is how they get their competitive edge over bigger and more established companies.
On the other hand, a larger contractor with an outdated or poorly designed website may be perceived as outdated and not up-to-date with industry standards.
Investing in a high-quality website for your construction company is not just about keeping up with competitors, it’s also about showcasing your professionalism and expertise to potential clients and partners in the industry.
How to Show Industry Expertise Online
We have established that a modern website design is crucial for a construction company, but what else can construction companies do to demonstrate their industry experience in a competitive online space?
To start, you need to think about how the users will interact with your website.
Intuitive Web Design Says a Lot About Your Construction Company
Your website shouldn’t just look great, it should feel great.
Poor or confusing navigation, long page load speeds, and broken links can all contribute to a negative user experience and subconsciously indicate to potential clients that your company is not up to par with industry standards.
What’s more, if your website doesn’t adapt or work well on mobile, you may have already lost a major lead.
With the majority of internet users now accessing websites on their mobile devices, if your site can’t be easily viewed and navigated on a phone or tablet, potential clients may simply move on to your competitors.
An intuitive web design showcases a company’s attention to detail and understanding of user experience – key traits in the construction industry where precision and efficiency are highly valued.
Showcase Your Construction Portfolio With Case Studies
After the look and feel of your website, what is the most important aspect to showcase? Your work, of course.
Having a construction portfolio on your website is a no-brainer, but taking it a step further with case studies can really set your company apart from the rest.
Case studies allow you to dive deeper into specific projects, highlighting the challenges, solutions and successes of each one, showcasing your company’s expertise and results.
More than that, your case study portfolio is an excellent opportunity to set yourself apart from the competition
Think of your case studies as a unique opportunity to showcase your company’s values, quality of service and brand personality.
It’s on these pages where you can truly separate your business from the competitors and establish yourself as a forward-thinking leader in the industry.
That’s why the way in which you present your case studies is crucial.
The page design, tone of voice, visuals and flow of information all play a role in how your audience perceives your company and its capabilities.
Position Your Brand as an Industry Leader
Every company’s brand image is unique, and it’s important to cultivate an authentic brand that represents your company’s values and personality.
This extends beyond just the design elements of your website, but also in the content you produce and share on your blog and social media platforms.
Any potential buyers and suppliers coming to your website should be able to immediately understand what your company stands for and why they should choose you over the competition.
This means that every page – from the About Us to the service pages – should resonate with your brand’s messaging and values, be of high quality, and showcase your expertise and professionalism.
Over time, this strong and consistent brand image can establish your company as an industry leader, setting you apart from the rest and attracting top clients and partners.
Quality Service Pages and Business Blog
Your service pages are where you can highlight exactly what your company has to offer and why it’s the best choice for potential clients.
These pages should be informative, easy to navigate, and clearly and concisely showcase your expertise to any potential buyers.
Additionally, having a business blog is an excellent way to demonstrate your industry knowledge and establish yourself as a thought leader in the construction space.
Not only do these pages increase online visibility, but they can often assure potential clients of your company’s expertise and knowledge, leading to more successful tenders and partnerships.
So, whether you decide to create a business blog to provide important industry updates and explore current trends or showcase your company’s culture and values through highly targeted service pages, consistently producing high-quality content can help position your construction company as a reliable and knowledgeable leader in the industry.
Finding the Balance Between Website Management and Business Growth
The most common obstacle our clients experience is finding the balance between keeping their website up-to-date and focusing on business growth.
A successful website isn’t something you create one afternoon and forget about.
It’s an asset to your business that demands attention and regular updates in order to compete with other construction companies online.
But, as a business owner or manager, your main priority is growing your company and completing projects for clients.
So how can you find the balance between website management and business growth?
The simple answer: Partnering with a trusted web design and marketing company.
Of course, we’re biased and are going to recommend ourselves, but the truth is that outsourcing your website management and marketing can alleviate the stress and time constraints of trying to do it all on your own.
You most likely know all too well that construction projects are time-consuming and demanding, leaving little room for much else.
Meanwhile, there are case studies, service pages, technical issues, and constant updates that need to be addressed on your website for it to function at its best.
By partnering with a web design and marketing company, you can focus on growing your business, winning major tenders, and completing projects, while also having a professional team of industry experts to handle your website and online presence.
This collaboration fuels business growth for your construction company, allowing your industry specialists to focus on what they do best while your outsourced team takes care of your online presence.
Reducing Unnecessary Leads With Intuitive Web Design
There are few things more annoying than receiving floods of emails and calls asking for services that you don’t even offer or more information on the most basic aspects of your business.
All these calls and emails do is eat up your time and resources without resulting in a lead, ultimately leaving you with less capacity to focus on the important aspects of your business.
But why does this happen?
It could be because your website doesn’t properly communicate your services or because it’s not intuitive enough for potential clients to find the information they need.
By implementing an intuitive web design, you can reduce these unnecessary leads and focus on attracting the right ones.
An intuitive website means that all the necessary information is easily accessible and clearly presented, making it easier for potential clients to understand what your company offers and whether you are the right fit for their project.
Comprehensive service descriptions, easily accessible FAQs, and well-structured contact forms direct inquiries more effectively, filtering out irrelevant requests.
Not only does this streamlined approach save time and resources, but it also helps to establish your company as a professional and trustworthy choice in the eyes of potential clients.
As a result, you can dedicate more time to pursuing meaningful opportunities that directly contribute to your business growth and success.
How Do I Grow My Business After Making a Website?
Okay, so you’ve built your website. Now what?
It’s time to grow your online presence.
The most effective and organic way of doing this is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Essentially, this is all about increasing the number of search engine results pages you appear on and making sure that the right audience finds your website.
The SEO process involves a variety of techniques, including using relevant keywords, building backlinks and optimising your website’s structure and content.
Similar to the web design and development process, SEO is exceptionally time-consuming and overwhelming – especially for someone who is not familiar with the complex world of digital marketing.
An SEO strategy can take upwards of six months to start showing results, mainly because Google’s algorithms take time to index new content and rank it accordingly.
Some businesses want instant results and don’t want to invest in a long-term SEO strategy as part of their marketing strategy, but without one in place, your business simply won’t be seen.
Once your website starts gaining organic traction in search engine results pages, you can expect a steady flow of traffic from potential clients who are actively searching for construction services – leading to more business opportunities and growth for your company.
Additionally, without the knowledge of search engine algorithm updates and best practices, it’s easy to make mistakes that can negatively impact your website’s ranking or even result in penalties.
That’s why (once again) partnering with a web design and digital marketing company can be beneficial for your construction business.
A professional team will have the expertise and resources to implement effective SEO strategies, continuously monitor and analyse results, and drive more targeted leads for your business.
With a strong SEO strategy in place, your construction company can reach a wider audience, attract more qualified leads, and ultimately drive business growth through increased conversions
Plus, with user experience now being a crucial ranking signal on search engines, SEO goes hand in hand with website design and development. A visually appealing, user-friendly website will not only attract more visitors but also keep them engaged and increase the chances of converting them into clients.
Websites for Principal Contractors, Suppliers and Buyers That Drive Business Growth
In summary, an effective construction web design plays a pivotal role in your business’s success.
By prioritising user experience, effective design and concise content, your website can serve as a powerful tool for attracting and converting potential clients, cementing your brand as a reputable choice in the industry.
Outsourcing the management of your website and online presence to experts in web design and marketing allows you to focus on your core business, while simultaneously driving growth through a well-optimised online presence.
Moreover, the synergy between intuitive design and robust SEO practices can significantly enhance your online visibility and lead generation, ultimately driving growth and profitability.
Embracing these strategies means empowering your construction business to thrive in a competitive landscape, allowing you to focus on delivering exceptional projects while we manage your digital presence with expertise and precision.
Inc Studio is a design and marketing company that helps construction and property companies increase their brand and online visibility.
We’ve gained valuable knowledge over the years, developing successful websites, applications, platforms and SEO strategies for leading businesses in the construction space.
Let us help you achieve your growth objectives through an intuitive web design and a comprehensive SEO strategy that will generate tangible results for your business.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can drive growth for your construction company.