It’s a secret that top construction firms already know: There’s been a revolution in AEC marketing. As traditional marketing becomes less and less effective, more firms are looking to online marketing to increase visibility and attract new clients. While this shift may seem intimidating or challenging to firm leaders, failing to embrace this marketing revolution could mean falling further behind the competition as market demands shift.

This type of change may be particularly difficult for construction firms that have solely relied on traditional advertising and face-to-face networking. However, construction marketers who allocate a substantial portion of their budget to traditional advertising aren’t just engaging in an outdated strategy—they’re essentially wasting money.

The Problem With Budgeting for Print Ads

Why is print advertising no longer an effective marketing technique for construction firms? To put it simply, print advertising is limiting. Consider the following.

• Print ads have a limited run. Publications run the ad once or a few times, but a designated number of print runs halts the visibility.
• Print ads have limited visibility. The number of people who see a print ad is limited to the number of people who come in literal contact with the publication.
• Print ads lack a clear ROI. With no precise method for tracking whether viewing the ad leads to new clients, firms can’t ever be sure that their investment in a print ad was worthwhile.

For these shortcomings and more, traditional marketing is quickly becoming a strategy of the past for construction firms. So what’s at the center of the online marketing revolution? A well-designed, high-performance website.

The Advantages of a Strong Website

Contrary to print advertising, a carefully curated and high-performing website can create unlimited opportunities with exceptional flexibility. The internet never sleeps, and there’s no limit to how many times a website can be viewed, which means a construction firm’s website can be viewed 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year by an unlimited number of potential clients.

Further, without relying on a dedicated readership, websites can reach diverse geographic areas. With various techniques for search engine optimization, construction marketers can even attract more visitors, generate qualified leads and nurture potential prospects. Throughout this process, every action can be tracked, allowing for a precise ROI determination.

Still, even with these insights, many construction executives are hesitant to dedicate their marketing budget to developing a strong website. Instead, they’re more likely to continue wasting money on outdated methods—for no discernible reason other than it’s the way things have always been done.

By embracing online marketing, construction firms can market in a way that is smarter, more cost-effective and easily adaptable based on success.

Here are three reasons why a website is the best marketing investment construction firms can make.

1. Showcase strong branding. A website is a perfect place to showcase the firm culture and present a clear, consistent brand. In addition to attracting new clients, this can also play a significant role in how firms attract top talent.
2. Demonstrate valuable expertise. A good website that quickly demonstrates the strengths and expertise of a firm will steadily generate leads, ensuring that construction firms don’t have to rely on luck to land prospects.
3. Present a consistent value proposition. As long as a firm can successfully align the messaging on their website with the messaging they present in the real world, their website can be another piece in presenting a genuine, consistent value proposition. Combining these two fronts under consistent messaging will enhance a website’s ability to attract, nurture and convert leads.

By embracing the online marketing revolution, construction firms can finally say goodbye to outdated, ineffective methods of attracting new business. Investing in a well-developed, high-performing website allows for marketing that works 24/7/365—and unlike print advertising, construction firms will never have to worry that their carefully spent marketing dollars end up in the recycling bin.