Top Commercial Construction Marketing Trends
The backbone of all strategy is understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses. Where are we excelling? Where are we falling short? And, most critically of all – how do we use this knowledge to make the right moves going forward?
Vnzo AEC has taken a close look at the brand strengths and weaknesses of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms. Now, we’re sharing this research to help AEC firms and the marketers who serve them develop better, more impactful marketing strategies.
The insights in this report will:
- Help AEC firms strengthen their brand and marketing strategies.
- Give marketers perspective on the concerns AEC brands have about their brand and marketing.
About the Research
After meeting with roughly 30 different companies over 2023 and early 2024, Chief Strategist at Vnzo AEC Andrew Engel compiled responses to identify trends regarding confidence in their marketing, brand, and strategic plans.
The companies that were interviewed:
- Were headquartered or operated within the midwestern United States
- Ranged from less than $5 million to more than $1 billion in annual revenue
- Can be grouped into seven industry sub-categories:
- General contracting firms
- Architecture firms
- Engineering firms
- Project management firms
- Commercial real estate brokers
- Interior design firms
- Specialist services
The research findings are broken down into five key categories in this report:
- Brand positioning & brand awareness
- Website effectiveness
- Social media presence
- SEO importance
- The top 5 marketing goals of AEC firms
Brand Awareness & Brand Positioning
The first goal of this research was to understand how AEC firms felt about the state of their brand. To that end, questions about both brand positioning and brand awareness were asked.
Brand positioning refers to the way a brand differentiates itself from its competitors, while brand awareness refers to how well consumers recognize a brand. The former can have a direct impact on the latter.
For example, there are hundreds of car manufacturers globally. But when one hears ‘luxury electric cars’, they probably think Tesla. Tesla’s excellent brand positioning as the ubiquitous luxury electric car manufacturer contributes directly to the strength and clarity of the consumer’s awareness of their brand.
How confident are AEC firms in their brand positioning?
Of the AEC firms surveyed:
- 24% said they were confident in their brand positioning.
- 40% indicated they lacked confidence in their brand positioning.
- 36% gave either a neutral or no response.
How confident are AEC firms in their brand awareness?
Of the AEC firms surveyed:
- 12% said they were confident in their brand awareness.
- 84% said they lacked confidence in their brand awareness.
- 4% gave either a neutral or no response.
How do AEC firms improve brand positioning and awareness?
The numbers are clear – AEC firms broadly lack confidence in both their brand positioning and their brand awareness. Fortunately, there’s good news for companies that struggle with both these areas - gains in one tend to have a positive impact on the other. That means brand building efforts can have a particularly strong ROI.
Brand building strategies for AEC firms include:
- Identifying and resolving inconsistencies in brand messaging
- Communicating key differentiators in market niche, experience, skill, etc.
- Improving brand value and messaging alignment with consumers
- Increasing brand visibility
Website Effectiveness
The second goal of this research was to understand how AEC firms felt about their current website.
Particularly in AEC, where projects tend to be long and expensive, clients are generally inclined to take their time investigating potential firms before reaching out. During this process, a brand’s website serves as the authoritative face of their digital presence. If that face is sub-par in any way, it can turn off visitors long before anyone has a chance to make a pitch or proposal.
How confident are AEC firms in their websites?
Of the AEC firms surveyed:
- 16% said they are confident in the effectiveness of their website.
- 32% said they have neutral feelings about the effectiveness of their website.
- 48% said they lack confidence in the effectiveness of their website.
- 4% did not provide a response.
Put another way, only 1 in 5 AEC firms expressed confidence that their website is doing what it needs to do – presenting a cohesive brand and driving customers to connect.
What makes a strong AEC website?
With such a low proportion of respondents expressing confidence in their website, it’s clear that this is a major opportunity for improvement in these industries. First, there are some basic standards that every company (AEC or not) should be following. These include:
- Looking and feeling different than competitors
- Showcasing work in a meaningful way (rich media, testimonials, etc.)
- Being easy to navigate
- Having consistent branding and messaging
- Being up to date
If a website fails to meet these basic standards potential clients are more likely to dismiss that brand on sight.
As for AEC firms in particular, websites should also clearly convey the quality and expertise that a firm brings to their professional niche. This primarily consists of showcasing the work itself. We urge firms to tell the stories of their projects through the lens of their clients and partners, in the form of project story videos or video testimonials. These elements need to be reflected not just in the content of the website, but also in its design. The website itself should always feel high-quality and expertly crafted.
This is because, in the world of AEC, clients are often investing substantial time and money. The work they want done is inherently high value to them. If a website feels low quality, that can easily be interpreted as a reflection of the firm’s output as a whole. That’s not a good feeling for a client when something they value is on the line.
AEC firms should ensure their websites are:
- User friendly, with a logical layout and easy navigation. This may require conducting a site audit or soliciting user feedback.
- Visually consistent with brand standards – no out-of-date logos or unapproved fonts, for example.
- Aligned with their target audience’s preferences, with the most relevant content receiving priority placement.
- Conveying quality and expertise, both through content and design.
Social Media Presence
The third goal of this research was to understand how AEC firms felt about social media, both their current strategy and the opportunities it presents.
It’s an undisputed fact that social media plays a crucial role in shaping a brand’s image and public perception these days. Buyers may not choose you for a project from one post, but sharing unique and interesting content can help build brand awareness and ultimately get your firm invited to more RFP’s. This fact holds true for AEC firms as well.
How confident are AEC firms in their social media presence?
Of the AEC firms surveyed:
- 8% said they are confident in their social media posting.
- 24% said they felt neutral about their social media posting.
- 56% said they lacked confidence in their social media posting.
- 12% did not provide a response.
Do AEC firms feel that social media presents a marketing opportunity for them?
Fewer than 1 in 10 firms having confidence in their social media presence is a problem, full stop. However, there is a silver lining - 72% of firms also said they believed social media was an opportunity for them. So, despite most firms not feeling great about their current social media strategy, many of those firms are also ready to make a change.
Of course, improvement will look different depending on a firm’s current social media state. If it’s a matter of none existing, it may take some work to secure the right accounts. However, starting from scratch is also a great opportunity to set the right tone and target the right audience, right out the gate.
For many AEC firms, though, the challenge isn’t getting started. It’s that their current strategy is outdated or half-baked, resulting in few leads and poor brand positioning. These firms benefit from having an existing audience but may require a bit more work to clean up their accounts.
Regardless, the widespread recognition of the potential benefits of a social media means AEC firms are in a good position to grow. Social media is a fluid form of marketing that requires agility and regular monitoring to get right, so having a strong commitment to improvement is key
Some good social media strategies for AEC firms include:
- Showcasing work through the eyes of the client
- Providing social proof via video testimonials
- Creating reels to showcase work instead of standard project photos 🥱
- Trying different video trends ranging from TikTok humor to opinion on current AEC events
- Experimenting with new features and platforms to find what works for their target audience
SEO Importance
The fourth goal of this research was to understand how AEC firms felt about SEO.
In virtually all industries, ranking high in search results and driving organic traffic is a powerful way to increase credibility and connect with new clients. AEC is no different. In fact, the importance of credibility is arguably even greater, due to the high stakes placed on the services they render.
How do AEC firms feel about their SEO?
- 64% of firms believe there is an opportunity to improve their SEO.
- 8% of firms do not see an opportunity to improve their SEO.
- 28% of firms did not provide a response.
It takes commitment to see an effective SEO strategy through, making that 64% a heartwarming sign. It shows a clear majority of AEC firms are aware of the importance of SEO and believe in pursuing it. The ubiquity of the Google search as a starting point for modern inquiries cannot be overstated. To that end, securing the top organic search engine results is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach new clients and build a brand.
SEO strategies that AEC firms should consider include:
- Conducting a competitive analysis to understand how top results are being achieved by other companies.
- Conducting a website audit to identify hidden problems impacting rankings.
- Conducting keyword research to identify targeting opportunities.
- Developing high quality, keyword optimized content.
Top 5 goals for AEC firms over the next three years:
Finally, all firms were asked to consider a set of potential goals over the next years and indicate which were important to them.
The top five results were:
- Increase sales (50% of respondents)
- Increase brand awareness (44% of respondents)
- Market recognition (44% of respondents)
- Drive new business via marketing (39% of respondents)
- Team growth (33% of respondents)
How to Make Your Marketing Goals a Reality
The research is clear. AEC firms have a world of opportunity in front of them. Increasing brand awareness, driving new business, and increasing sales – all these goals and more are imminently achievable. It just requires the right marketing expertise on your side.
At Vnzo AEC, we’re dedicated to providing premium marketing solutions for designers, builders, and all who work in the AEC space. We learn your niche inside and out, then we create and help execute a one-of-a-kind strategic roadmap for your business. If any of the numbers we laid out ring true for you and your firm, that’s your sign.
Schedule a complimentary firm discovery appointment today, and let’s get started building your business higher.
