Home improvement and construction companies are good at their craft, but typically lack the time and skills to do digital marketing.

From roofers and electricians to restoration firms and specialty manufacturers, everyone’s saying the same thing: be found, be trusted, be fast.

When everyone claims to be those things on their website, differentiating as a local construction company from competitors is not easy.

Let's find out how individuals from construction firms struggle with, and how they have solved the issues. Below is a field-tested playbook woven from practitioners’ quotes, with clear online marketing strategies you can steal right away to become more trusted online.

Sidenote: Trustmary's founders, Johannes Karjula, Perttu Paukkeri, and Arttu Haho, as well as some of the employees, have worked in construction and home improvement companies before Trustmary existed.

You can listen to the full story in the 10th episode of the Founders' Point of View podcast.

Lead Volume or Lead Quality Is Low

Some companies have no shortage of inquiries, but a shortage of the right ones. In other words, they struggle with the quality of leads.

Budgets, timelines, and service areas don’t always line up, and ad costs keep rising. The answer isn’t “more ads.” It’s better proof and faster follow-up.

“Lead quality is all over the place… Add rising ad costs to the mix, and it becomes this constant balancing act of finding people who actually have the budget, timeline, and are in your service area.”
— Vedran Markovic, SEO Specialist for D2C Brands; Founder & CEO at MIAV Media

“The greatest problem… is how to break through the clutter on the Internet… the cost of advertisement has risen.”
— Jason Rowe, Director & Founder at Hello Electrical

How to Get Qualified Leads for Home Improvement and Construction Companies

  • Put social proof where buyers look first: your Google Business Profile (GBP) and top service pages need to look reliable
  • Make sure your brand visibility is good on local search results
  • Add authentic before/after photos, realistic price ranges, and short timelines to the website
  • Add contact forms to many places on your website to convert organic traffic

What do you think is better: Having fresh, not-so-perfect photos of past construction projects on your website or planning to do high quality images, but never getting around to doing it?

Most construction companies struggle with this part, so no need to feel alone! Here's a great example of what construction companies can do in their niches.

"The hardest part is standing out in a market where everyone says they have the best outdoor furniture. We’ve tackled this by focusing on education, showing customers how to pick the right materials for Australia’s climate and how to style outdoor areas of all sizes. It builds trust before they even step into a store."

– Shaun Green, Founder & Senior Interior Designer at The Furniture Shack in Australia.

And another great example that requires you to know your market very well:

"Instead of blasting ads, we built a system where architects receive custom material briefs before they even request them. That’s marketing as anticipation, not reaction."

— Erwin Gutenkust, CEO at Neolithic Materials

Trust Is the Channel: Reviews, Referrals, and Neighborhood Effects

Contracting is a trust business. When strangers are about to let you into their home or give you hundreds or thousands of their hard-earned money, they want evidence, not adjectives. Collect and use social proof in all stages of the customer journey.

“Referrals and a solid local online presence. Reviews, social proof, and word of mouth consistently do better than paid advertising.”
— Jennifer Claytor, Success Manager at Best California Movers

“Google reviews and strong SEO strategies… People look for reviews, images, and evidence.”
— Adam Watson, Owner at Hollywood Mirrors

“Neighbors, probably… Do one house right, the whole street watches… That beats a billboard any day.”
— Aaron Jakel, Owner at Bubblegum Roofing

“Google reviews have been our most successful tool to acquire new work, and our over 150 five-star Google reviews generate consistent inquiries. One review can yield over $5,000 in a month.”
— Daniel Vasilevski, Owner & Director at Pro Electrical

How to Build Trust Online for Construction Business

Before you get positive reviews from existing customers, make sure your customer satisfaction is high.

  • Request reviews immediately at the end of a project via SMS or email. Route to Google first, and publish them on your website with review widgets.
  • Respond to every review, it shows reliability and lifts conversions (and local rankings).
  • Activate the “street effect”: lawn sign + thank-you card + referral code after each job.

Getting more leads as a local business means you should focus on being worth mentioning rather than spending fortunes on Google ads.

Automation That Feels Human (Not Robotic)

Contractors who win don’t automate everything, they automate the moments that reduce friction and create clarity.

"We send follow up emails to contractors a month after a project installation with maintenance instructions and to property owners with warranty coverage information. This will not leave anyone out, and we maintain a human touch by calling directly and making a personal visit. Automation can be helpful to have consistency, but it is never used to substitute real relationships."
— Barbara Robinson, Marketing Manager of WeatherSolve Structures

“Automated reminders via SMS and email… After work, a follow-up with maintenance advice and a direct link to leave a review.”
— Jason Rowe, Hello Electrical

“Simple check-ins via text… keep it human but consistent.”
— Aaron Jakel, Bubblegum Roofing

“Automations decreased missed appointments by ~30% and increased repeat business.”
— Steven Bahbah, Managing Director at Service First Plumbing

“Whoever replies first usually wins.”
— Phil Portman, Founder & CEO at Textdrip

How to Automate Communication

  • Before: Auto-confirmations, calendar invites, prep checklist.
  • During: ETA texts, milestone photos, “running late” nudges.
  • After: One-tap initial feedback ask → follow-up 7 → long-term satisfaction survey at day 90 → One year after project completion "Is everything as expected?"

The after-care part is important, as it allows you to get insights on how well the project succeeded, but also keeps you on their minds. This might lead to getting more sales, as you come across as someone who cares about its customers.

Content That Converts: Case Studies, Not Claims

Everyone says “quality work.” Only a few construction company websites actually show how they delivered it, fast, clean, on budget, with receipts.

"The greatest challenge at this moment is breaking through all the noise on the Internet. All plumbers tell they are dependable and cheap, but the population is weary of the same speech. What really creates trust is arriving on schedule, performing the task correctly, and leaving the house better than we found it. That is what results in referrals and five-star reviews. Poor service cannot be masked in any SEO trick."

– Emily Demirdonder, Director of Operations and Marketing at Proximity Plumbing

“Turn every completed job into a quick case study within 72 hours… 6 photos, project details, neighborhood, timeline, and ballpark cost. Map it to the right service page.”
— Vedran Markovic, MIAV Media

“The most underutilized tool we have is case study storytelling. We should publish more in-depth project narratives that show the transformation, not just the stone.”
— Erwin Gutenkust, CEO at Neolithic Materials

“We know that blogs, videos, and guides about disaster preparedness would build authority, but client emergencies often take priority.”
— Robert D’Amato, Co-Founder at Nord Restoration

Word-of-Mouth as a Marketing Strategy

  • Make a 72-Hour Job-to-Case-Study rule (template below).
  • Pair case studies with review widgets on the same page to stack social proof where decisions happen.

Everyone's Bottleneck: Video (and the Simple Fix)

Nearly everyone I talk with for this article knows video would accelerate trust, yet it’s the first thing to slip when crews are slammed.

“The only thing that I consistently put off is creating additional video content… it would establish a greater degree of trust.”
— Jason Rowe, Hello Electrical

“I know that videos build enormous trust, especially for home items, but it's time-consuming. I just keep telling myself I'm going to create a behind-the-scenes series or a walk-through on how to choose the right-sized mirror for your area, but it always gets pushed off.”
— Adam Watson, Hollywood Mirrors

“We really should be filming more of what we do… ‘nightmare fix’ jobs go viral if you do it right.”
— Aaron Jakel, Bubblegum Roofing

“A three-minute on-site video would beat ten pages of text.”
— Barbara Robinson, Marketing Manager at WeatherSolve Structures

How to Get More Videos for Marketing in Home Renovation and Construction

  • Add a 10-clip shot list to your job app (arrival, issue, fix, finish, walk-through, customer reaction).
  • Get customers to submit video reviews at the end of a project
  • Hire a freelancer for one day of filming and another of editing, and you'll have content for weeks

To be honest, there are no shortcuts here. Rewarding (read: bribing) your staff to film and post is the way to go if you don't want to hire a social media marketer.

Ownership: Who’s Driving Online Visibility?

If no one owns it, it doesn’t happen. The best setups pair a strategist with an “evidence runner” who feeds photos, clips, and sign-off notes from the field.

“We handle the heavy lifting, but we always need someone client-side (often the office manager) to send photos, respond to reviews, and give green lights.”
— Vedran Markovic, MIAV Media

“You can’t do it alone… We make sure GBP, portfolio, and reviews are connected.”
— Kevin Heimlich, CEO & Founder at The Ad Firm

“If no one owns it, it gets pushed down the list.”
— Leah Miller, Marketing Strategist at Versys Media

Every owner I spoke with said that they are in charge of their online presence either personally or have hired a marketing agency for it, if they don't have their own marketer.

"I handle online visibility myself. I mean, who else is going to care as much? Every week I check our listings, respond to reviews, and clean up junk content. It is not hard, just annoying. But if your info is wrong, people scroll right past. No joke, a misspelled street name can cost you a job. So I babysit our online presence like it owes me money."

— Aaron Jakel, Owner at Bubblegum Roofing

Quick Local SEO Win Strategy

Search engine optimization efforts should be directed at building trust in potential customers when they're looking for companies to buy a renovation from.

Take one or two of your most profitable construction services, and create content related to those niches.Try to answer the questions people have, and make buying from you as easy as possible.

  • Assign 1 owner (internal or agency) + 1 conduit (office manager/PM).
  • Set a weekly GBP ritual: add new photos, answer Q&A, update services, and respond to every review.
  • Check that you have fresh social proof from recent projects on the most important services pages
  • Do weekly social media posts to stay relevant and build trust
  • Take one or two of your most profitable construction services, and create content related to those niches on social media platforms and your own website.

Make buying from you as easy as possible. People are careful with their money, and it's your job to convince them that you'll do quality work.

Specialty Insights Worth Stealing

  • Design-led demand: Partner early with architects/designers so you’re specified before the homeowner even searches.
  • Crisis communications: For restoration, automate status + schedule updates to reduce stress; pair with human calls at key decisions.
  • Complex B2B buys: For engineered structures, lead with education and ROI math; it shortens the sales cycle.
  • Expansion mode: Use CRM automations to qualify interest and prioritize markets with the strongest review + referral momentum.
  • Define and use feedback points: Measure customer satisfaction when people are most likely to have an emotional experience. Identifying your feedback points accurately will help you

Working Strategies for Getting Customers

Across renovation, construction, and home improvement businesses, the strongest acquisition channels all point to trust, visibility, and speed. From reviews and referrals to search visibility and media exposure, here’s what industry leaders shared:

“Google Business Profile optimization is huge, getting those top 3 local spots makes all the difference. We back that up with solid service pages (before/after photos, honest price ranges) and strategic use of Google’s Local Services Ads.”
— Vedran Markovic, SEO Specialist for D2C Brands; Founder & CEO at MIAV Media

“Local search is the most powerful channel nowadays. Word of mouth is still good, but customers usually start with Google.”
— Jason Rowe, Director & Founder at Hello Electrical

“Referrals and a solid local online presence. Reviews, social proof, and word of mouth consistently do better than paid advertising.”
— Jennifer Claytor, Success Manager at Best California Movers

“Our best way of acquiring customers now is Google reviews and strong SEO. No one purchases based on ads alone. They look for reviews, images, and evidence.”
— Adam Watson, Owner at Hollywood Mirrors

“Direct collaboration with designers who specify materials before homeowners even begin renovations. That bypasses traditional advertising entirely.”
— CEO at Stone Supply

“Referrals remain our strongest driver, both from past clients and from insurance agents. Authentic word-of-mouth outperforms paid ads in our space.”
— Robert D’Amato, Co-Founder at Nord Restoration

“Google reviews have been our most successful tool to acquire new work. Customers always say they selected us due to positive reviews—not cost. One review is capable of generating over $5,000 worth of jobs in a month.”
— Daniel Vasilevski, Owner & Director at Pro Electrical

“Currently, word of mouth and referrals are the best methods of attracting customers.”
— Adam Bushell, Director at AB Electrical & Communications

“Search is the most effective channel for us. People almost always start online when researching furniture, so showing up in those searches is critical.”
— Shaun Green, Founder at The Furniture Shack

“A good review system is the foundation for everything else we do. I’ve seen companies get a great website and run good ads, but if their Google reviews are weak or nonexistent, they get nowhere.”
— Kevin Heimlich, CEO & Founder at The Ad Firm

“Neighbors, probably. If you do one house right, the whole street watches. We drop signs, say hello, and leave thank-you cards with discount codes for referrals. That hits harder than SEO on a good day.”
— Aaron Jakel, Owner at Bubblegum Roofing

“Referrals are the best method by which contractors are acquiring customers, but Google search and reviews are rapidly closing the gap.”
— Jimmy Fuentes, Consultant at California Hard Money Lender

“For most companies, the most effective channel has been fast SMS lead response. When someone fills out a form online, an automated text is sent within seconds. That immediate contact creates trust and significantly increases conversion rates.”
— Phil Portman, Founder & CEO at Textdrip

“The most effective method for customer acquisition right now remains reputation carried through referrals. In industries like this trust is currency and a satisfied client is worth more than $10,000 ad spend!”
— Barbara Robinson, Marketing Manager at WeatherSolve Structures

“A rather unusual, but quite useful tip… convert the unfinished or running projects into media opportunities. By showing progress in established local or regional outlets, the visibility becomes instant. One client saw a 35% increase in quote requests in 6 weeks from just one feature.”
— Suvrangsou Das, Co-Founder & CEO at EasyPR LLC

“Referrals with high visual content on social sites have been the most common way to bring in new clients. Images and renders help us stand out and drive referrals.”
— Alex Smith, Manager & Co-Owner at Render3DQuick

“Reviews and personal recommendations together drive over 60% of new project inquiries in this industry.”
— Olha Nehodova, Marketing Manager at MyHomeQuote

“The most effective way to get customers now is to hook them with interesting, relevant, and meaningful content that solves their needs across digital platforms like social media.”
— Mike Falahee, President at Marygrove Awnings

“Online visibility is the best promoter of new business. By not appearing in the places that people are searching, you are already lagging behind.”
— Doug Van Soest, Owner at SoCal Home Buyers

“Referrals are the most powerful force, but now it is equal to online reviews. One positive Google review can produce up to $2,000 worth of business in a week.”
— Steven Bahbah, Managing Director at Service First Plumbing

“Local SEO combined with paid search is still the most cost-effective lead driver. Especially Google Business Profile management. Some clients now get over 60% of their inbound calls just from that channel.”
— Leah Miller, Marketing Strategist at Versys Media

Key Takeaway: Whether it’s reviews and referrals, visual proof through images or media coverage, or instant lead response, the winning strategies all revolve around being trusted, being visible, and being first.

How are you making sure you succeed in all these areas?

Check out our Home improvement and renovation guide for information on how to automate collecting and displaying social proof to attract more customers.

The 72-Hour Job-to-Proof Playbook (copy/paste)

Within 2 hours of sign-off

  • SMS + email: “Thanks! 1-tap review” (Ask for feedback first, and only redirect to third-party solutions from the thank you page).
  • Take 6 photos (wide before/after, detail, safety, finish).

Within 24 hours

  • Write 120–180 words: problem → fix → outcome (timeline + budget band).
  • Tag suburb/neighborhood + service type.

Within 72 hours

  • Publish mini case study to the matching service page.
  • Embed your latest review widget (Trustmary) next to the CTA.
  • Add 2 photos to GBP with a 1-sentence caption.
  • Yard sign + thank-you card + referral code delivered.

Wrap-Up: Proof Over Pitch

Across trades and regions, the pattern is clear:

  1. Reviews and social proof fuel discovery and conversion
  2. Automation boosts speed and consistency—without replacing humans
  3. Case studies + video make your expertise visible

People Who Contributed to This Article

Thanks a million to everyone who contributed to this piece!

  • Vedran Markovic, SEO Specialist; Founder at MIAV Media
  • Jason Rowe, Director & Founder at Hello Electrical
  • Jennifer Claytor, Success Manager at Best California Movers
  • Adam Watson, Owner at Hollywood Mirrors
  • Erwin Gutenkust, CEO at Neolithic materials
  • Robert D’Amato, Co-Founder at Nord Restoration
  • Daniel Vasilevski, Owner & Director at Pro Electrical
  • Adam Bushell, Director at AB Electrical & Communications
  • Shaun Green, Founder & Senior Interior Designer at The Furniture Shack
  • Phil Portman, Founder & CEO at Textdrip
  • Barbara Robinson, Marketing Manager at WeatherSolve Structures
  • Aaron Jakel, Owner at Bubblegum Roofing
  • Jimmy Fuentes, Consultant at California Hard Money Lender
  • Mike Falahee, President at Marygrove Awnings
  • Doug Van Soest, Owner at SoCal Home Buyers
  • Leah Miller, Marketing Strategist at Versys Media
  • Alex Smith, Co-Owner at Render3DQuick
  • Emily Demirdonder, Director of Operations & Marketing at Proximity Plumbing
  • Steven Bahbah, Managing Director at Service First Plumbing