Why Most Construction Websites Fail (And How to Avoid It)

Did you know that 79% of users leave a site due to slow task completion? This is very common for poorly optimized construction websites nowadays.

A lot of construction websites fail to deliver on a lot of fronts these days, be it due to a lack of proper content or technical website issues that make users leave. Remember, a website is generally the first point of contact between a potential client and a business.

This means that having a well-optimized construction website is key if you want to convert visitors into loyal customers. 

So what makes construction websites fail and what should you be doing instead?

That’s what this article is going to explain in detail.

From having an outdated design to a weak SEO strategy, this article will go through the biggest mistakes construction websites make all the time.

Want a new website for your construction company but don’t know where to start? Let us help.

Common Reasons Construction Websites Fail and How to Fix Them.

This list is in no particular order; every single reason below should be addressed and improved as quickly as possible.

1. Outdated Design

Construction is all about details, and it should translate to their website as well.

One of the reasons why construction websites fail is that owners ignore how it looks because it’s “good enough.”

While this would have made sense 15 years ago, it’s not the case anymore when everything is digital.

Look at it from an outsider’s perspective.

What would you think of a company if its website was lackluster and had issues?

You’d assume that if this is how they treat their digital presence then your project with them would be just as problematic.

A high-converting construction website needs to stand out in order to compete with other construction companies that have invested in their digital presence. This goes for everything design wise.

Follow top web design trends and you’ll be able to keep your website modern and converting. From your brand identity to how people interact with your website as a whole.

A clean and modern layout signals professionalism and credibility. Make sure that any image you use on your construction website is either professionally taken or from a high-quality stock photo website.

Nothing screams “we don’t care” more than seeing a homepage with stock images.

First impressions matter when it comes to websites, and an exceptional web design is the best way to introduce your company.

2. Bad Mobile Experience

More than 60% of searches on Google happen on mobile; that means that having a construction website that isn’t mobile-friendly is the same as closing the door on at least half of your potential visitors.

This is where a lot of construction websites fail due to thinking mobile friendliness isn’t as important. But that’s very far from the truth. 

A construction website generally uses a lot of information on their website to explain what they offer and what they can do. Now imagine looking at all of that information on a mobile device. It would feel overwhelming to see a wall of text as soon as you swipe down.

A mobile-friendly website would ensure that text is separated and easier to skim through and digest. It would also have buttons and menus that are easier to access, even on smaller screens.

The goal of a mobile-friendly website is to make it as easy and comfortable to navigate your website on any device.

Remember that the goal of your construction website is to convert visitors into clients, and letting them browse through it on any device they want increases the odds of it happening.

Mobile-first websites solve all these issues by building a website based on mobile devices first and then implementing it on desktop. This ensures that the website always looks good no matter the device. The downside is that it requires you to create a website from scratch.

3. Slow Loading Website

This is by far the biggest reason why most construction websites fail every year. They load their websites with full resolution images and try to use as many animations and apps as possible to make their websites look good.

While they might be making their website look good, they are also making the pages take longer to load, which can cause visitors to leave out of frustration.

A slow-loading website not only affects how people interact with your construction website though. It also directly affects your SEO. Google takes into consideration how fast your website loads and moves you down the rankings the worse the website is.

This means that not only would you be losing potential customers out of annoyance due to a slow website, but it will also reduce the amount of organic traffic your website receives.

So how do you prevent any of this from happening? Here are a few things you can do:

1. Compression: Make sure you compress all of the images you use on your website. Ideally, use a format such as WebP to compress images even more while losing as little quality as possible.
2. Delete Plugins: Double-check all the plugins you use daily and erase any plugins you have installed that you don’t use anymore. Having too many plugins can significantly slow down your website without you noticing.
3. Use a CDN: This uses servers in strategic locations to store cached copies of your web pages. By reducing the physical distance data needs to travel, you minimize latency and speed up your website.
4. Work with Google Pagespeed: By using this app, you can verify how good or bad your website speed is. This is a great way to verify if your website needs more optimization or if you can focus on other aspects.

Learn how we increased R&O Construction’s user engagement by 126% in our latest case study.

4. Lack of Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

What is the point of having an exceptionally looking website if it doesn’t yield any conversions? If your construction website has weak and unappealing CTAs or, even worse, none at all, then it’s time to change that.

CTAs are the core of any good website. They aren’t used only to sell a product or service; they can also be used to guide visitors to other pages or to download resources that help them understand what you offer.

Make good use of CTAs by adding them in strategic places like after explaining a product you offer or a case study to entice visitors into scheduling a call or meeting with you for a future project.

Here are some examples of CTAs we would recommend you use if you want to get visitors on a call:

• Request a Free Consultation.
• Get a Project Quote.
• See Our Completed Projects.

Make sure to utilize them in places that make sense; don’t just add them anywhere and call it a day. We see this all too often, especially on B2B website designs.

They add CTAs in places where it makes no sense for them to be, then question why no one schedules calls with them.

A CTA is effective only when accompanied by copy and visuals that help sell it.

5. No SEO Strategy

SEO is not something you should consider; it’s something you must do if you want to thrive online. Construction websites fail all the time because they only focus on adding content without ever considering what keywords will drive traffic to their sites.

Think of it this way, without any SEO strategy or plan in place, you are practically invisible to the world. The only way for people to find your construction website would be to find your link directly or via paid ads.

SEO is especially important for construction websites since most construction companies are highly local. This means that your local SEO efforts should be even better than what normal companies do if you want to stand out in your state.

Make sure you make use of location-specific keywords that target your services and the area where you are located. While you are at it, make sure you have your Google Business Profile (GBP) updated.

Having an up-to-date GBP is a necessity if you’re planning to focus on local SEO. Without one, it’ll be hard for your company to appear when searching for local construction websites.

With a proper SEO strategy, your construction website can start appearing in different searches related to your industry if you target them. Organic reach is vital if you want to reach the maximum number of people.

6. No Clear Messaging

We see way too many construction websites using buzzwords throughout their pages to attract customers, but in reality, it does the opposite. Phrases like “innovative solutions” tell prospects nothing at all.

They want to know what separates you from all the other construction companies and why they should trust you with their next project.

You want clarity above all. Do you clearly explain what you offer without making them read a full document?

If you don’t, then it’s time to work on your website’s copy.

Do you have a page explaining how you work and what they should expect from your construction company as soon as they start working with you?

And most importantly, do you explain why they should choose your company over all the others?

Remember, you might know the answer to all of these questions, but a visitor who just learned about your construction company doesn’t know anything about you or your company.

This means that being as clear as possible about everything related to your construction company is not optional but a necessary part of your messaging.

Last but not least, remember that despite working in a B2B industry, it doesn’t mean that you should make your writing complicated. Try to make it as easy to read and understand as possible.

Explore how we increased Bragg Companies’ organic traffic by 75% with a web redesign here.

7. Weak Portfolio

The construction industry is all about results.

If your website doesn’t show any of your past completed projects, then you’re missing out on your biggest selling point.

A portfolio filled with vague descriptions and low-quality images won’t cut it either. Potential clients want a detailed overview of what your company delivers and how it can benefit them.

As a general rule of thumb, your case studies should answer these questions:

• What was the project scope?
• What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
• Did you meet deadlines and budget goals?
• How did you measure your success?

A lack of a portfolio indicates a clear absence of experience or transparency, which potential clients may view as a red flag for a risk-free project.

If you have several projects under your belt already, then it’s time for you to use them in your portfolio.

Make sure you use high-quality images from the project and ensure that the client is okay with you using them in a case study for your website.

Your case study should explain what challenge the client was facing, how your service fixed that challenge, and why you would be the perfect company to help the reader with their upcoming construction project.

Do this with every case study you make, and you will see your conversions go up in no time. 

Get a Construction Website That Converts With Blacksmith

Most construction websites fail because they don’t know what they have to do. It’s hard to keep up with web design trends, proper web development strategies, and your daily job.

This article will help you avoid any of the major pitfalls that we see all too often with construction websites.

That being said, applying all of these changes to your construction website can be difficult, especially if you’re tight on time with client and internal work. So what now?

That’s where we come in. Here at Blacksmith, we’re construction website experts with dozens of different websites under our belts.

As a professional construction website design company, we are ready to create the perfect website for your construction company.

We will make sure that your website looks modern and professional while also adding all of the latest SEO strategies available.

Unsure if a new construction website is what your company needs?

Don’t worry, click here to schedule a call with us so we can give you a free website and brand audit. This way we can show you where you’re losing potential customers and how we can help you fix it.