I have felt for some time that the building/construction industry was dragging its heels on Internet marketing and social media but I was surprised to see that even the top firms were slow to adapt. Using Building Design + Construction’s Giants list as a guide in checking out the websites of the industry’s top construction management firms, I found only one of the top ten construction management companies – all with revenues in excess of $888 million, had a blog.
There is no denying these companies have achieved success without a blog, but they undoubtedly face increased competition. While I am sure potential building owners still solicit referrals for a considered set of builders, I am equally confident they also turn to websites at some point during their search. A company blog provides an outlet for thought leadership, an opportunity to showcase expertise as well as a place for customers and potential customers and prospective employees to engage with you online.
There are plenty of content possibilities … projects in progress, sustainability, charitable work, interesting people and stories. When research shows that blogging drives website traffic, provides valuable feedback to management, and allows companies to showcase their expertise and talent, I am at a loss to understand why these top construction management companies are foregoing the opportunity.
No. 6 (Suffolk Construction) as well as No. 11 on the list, (Hunt Construction Group,) are the exceptions. Hunt’s blog, entitled Landmarks, offers an inside look at various projects under construction as well as community events. Suffolk’s blog provides thought leadership from the company’s CEO. While good efforts, neither of the blogs provides website visitors with an opportunity to comment. About half of the Top 10 firms have Facebook and Twitter accounts. However, often the connections weren’t accessible from the company websites.
Today’s buyers demand more. A modern site should include blogs and sharing features that foster a sense of community.Why is construction so far behind the curve?
| Rank BD+C Giants | Company | Blog | |
| 1 | Gilbane Building Co. | www.gilbaneco.com/ | No |
| 2 | Skanska USA | www.skanska.com | No |
| 3 | Lend Lease | www.lendlease.com | No |
| 4 | Hensel Phelps Construction | www.henselphelps.com | No |
| 5 | Whiting-Turner Conracting Co. | www.whiting-turner.com | No |
| 6 | Suffolk Construction | www.suffolkconstruction.com | Yes |
| 7 | Structure Tone | www.structuretone.com | No |
| 8 | Jacobs | www.jacobs.com | No |
| 9 | Flintco | www.flintco.com | No |
| 10 | The Yates Companies | www.yatescompanies.com | No |
| 11 | Hunt Construction Group | www.huntconstruction.com | Yes |
Joanne,
Thanks for your post. I work with a lot of construction firms (and architects and engineering firms as well) and it is very interesting to see the divide that is occurring. While some of the giants you mentioned may not be taking advantage of online marketing, there are some smaller and mid-size firms that are definitely taking hold of the shift in marketing. I recently wrote a blog post on 3 trends that construction marketing can’t ignore: http://www.hingemarketing.com/blog/story/changes_in_construction_marketing_3_trends_you_cant_ignore/ — I hope you check it out. Would love to get your comments on it. Thanks!
Thanks for this very informative article. Construction Management Services
Thanks Jay. We’re planning to do a full-scale report soon. If you have anything in particular you are interested in send me an email.
Its true that construction is a massive industry with a handful of good blogs. I guess it’s a very traditional industry that hasn’t changed all that much in the last 50 years. It’s not like technology where something exciting happens everyday. LinkedIn, it seems is a popular platform for construction professionals. BTW I own a niche blog aimed at construction managers MEP Construction World
Oh! You have already done a great research and found out the shortcoming. I think they all should get a blog for themselves to improve their business.