Steel Framing Campaign Setup

This article outlines a lean marketing setup for steel framing and construction businesses. It focuses on quickly generating leads using Google Ads and Facebook (Meta) Ads supported by fast landing pages, while simultaneously building a new SEO-focused website structure for long-term performance. It blends paid media activation with foundational website and SEO strategy.

As a construction business owner, there’s no time to waste when it comes to generating leads. Whether you’re in steel framing, metal fabrication, or any other trade, you need a marketing strategy that delivers results yesterday-while you’re working on building a solid online presence for the long term.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through a lean marketing strategy I use for clients in competitive industries like construction, where speed is essential. It’s all about getting Google Ads and Facebook Ads running quickly, setting up a simple but effective landing page, and building a new website with SEO in mind-all while managing client expectations and delivering results that matter.

Step 1: Deploy Quick Landing Pages While Building Your New Site

A major challenge I often see is clients with outdated websites that need a full rebuild. Many of these sites are five years old (or more), running on outdated platforms that won’t perform in today’s competitive, local SEO landscape.

But the good news? You don’t need to wait for the full website overhaul to start generating leads.

I call this a Band-Aid solution-a quick fix while your main site gets rebuilt. Here’s how I approach it:

• Landing Pages First: We create a simple, focused landing page either on your existing website or a subdomain (which could be WordPress, GoHighLevel, or any other CMS). This landing page will be the core of your paid campaigns.
• Design Matters, But Function is Key: I’ve found that a quick, attractive landing page (with a clear call-to-action, like “Get a Free Quote”) is often enough to drive leads. It doesn’t need to be a work of art-just simple, effective design with great images or videos that showcase your work.

This gets Google Ads running quickly, so you can start seeing leads come through while your main site is still under construction.

Step 2: Running Google Ads to Capture High-Intent Leads

Once you’ve got that landing page live, it’s time to turn on the ads. Google Ads are essential for targeting high-intent keywords, such as “steel framing Melbourne” or “metal fabrication Sydney.”

Here’s what I’ve learned from running dozens of these campaigns for construction businesses:

• Start with Core Keywords: Focus on exact-match keywords that directly relate to the services you offer. In the case of steel framing, this might mean keywords like “steel frame fabrication Melbourne” or “metal framing contractors Sydney.”
• Set a Modest Budget: Even with a limited budget (I recommend $20-$50/day), you can begin capturing leads if your landing page is optimised for conversions.

The great thing about Google Ads is that you can start driving traffic almost immediately. Even with a small budget, if your landing page is on point, you’ll start to see those leads trickle in quickly.

Step 3: Running Facebook Ads to Boost Local Brand Visibility

While I don’t always run Facebook Ads for construction businesses, sometimes the visuals (think drone shots of completed projects) can be too good to pass up.

For this particular client, we had an amazing collection of high-quality photos and videos, and that’s when I decided to test Facebook Ads. These ads aren’t directly aimed at generating leads but rather creating local brand awareness. Here’s how:

• Leverage Visual Content: Facebook Ads that showcase your past work-such as videos or before-and-after project shots-are a great way to attract attention and build local recognition.
• Use Lead Forms: You can create ads that encourage users to fill out simple forms with their contact details. However, I’ve found that Facebook lead forms in industries like construction can be hit-or-miss, so don’t rely solely on this channel for serious inquiries.

Remember, these Facebook Ads are more about visibility than direct conversions, but they do help create brand awareness within your target geographic area.

Step 4: Build Your New Website with SEO in Mind

Now that you’ve got your quick landing page running and your ads bringing in traffic, it’s time to think about long-term SEO.

Here’s where a well-structured site can really pay off. I often work with clients whose old sites are cluttered with pages that all target the same keyword (a classic case of SEO cannibalisation). When multiple pages are competing for the same keyword, Google gets confused and doesn’t know which page to rank.

To avoid this, I use a pillar-page strategy:

• Create Clear Pillar Pages: Your homepage (and key service pages) should target broad keywords like “steel framing” or “structural steel fabrication.”
• Subpages for Specific Services: Then, create subpages for more specific services like “steel roof trusses” or “steel framing doors.” These pages should support the pillar pages and link back to them.

As you build your new site, aim for clean, logical architecture. This helps both Google and your users navigate your site effectively, which means better SEO outcomes in the long term.

Step 5: Deconstruct Competitor Websites

While we’re working on your new website, it’s important to see how your competitors are structuring their sites. What’s working for them? What keywords are they ranking for?

I’ll run an SEO audit using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to see which pages on their site are getting traffic and ranking well on Google. From there, we map out what we need to target. I’ll sit down with the client and ask them about each service:

• “Do you do steel framing doors?”
• “How about roof trusses?”

This is a crucial step, as it helps avoid keyword cannibalisation and ensures that we’re targeting the right services and pages on the new site.

Quick Results, Long-Term Strategy

By now, you’ve got leads coming in via Google Ads and Facebook Ads, and your new website is starting to take shape with a clear SEO structure. But I’m not going to pretend that this is all smooth sailing.

Getting results from Google Ads often takes time, and SEO doesn’t happen overnight. However, by using this lean approach, you can start driving leads immediately while building a website that will perform in the long term.

Real-World Case Studies

Case Study: Steel Frame Solutions – Construction – Melbourne

• The Challenge: Steel Frame Solutions needed a fast lead generation strategy as their website was outdated, and the industry was highly competitive. They wanted to generate immediate leads while a new, SEO-optimised site was being built.
• The Strategy:
  • Created a temporary landing page on the existing domain or a subdomain for quick setup.
  • Ran Google Ads targeting competitive keywords like “steel framing Melbourne” while gathering initial leads.
  • Launched Facebook Ads using high-quality drone footage and construction imagery to drive traffic and increase brand visibility.
  • Deconstructed competitor websites to identify keywords and services Steel Frame Solutions could focus on.

• The Results:
  • Generated 10-15 high-quality leads within the first 2 weeks of ads running.
  • Google Ads started driving steady leads, and the Facebook ad budget brought in additional brand recognition.
  • The website launched with an improved SEO structure and 30% faster load times.
  • SEO rankings started to improve after 6 months, with 40% more leads compared to the previous website.

• The Lesson: Fast lead generation can be achieved even with a temporary landing page, as long as there’s a clear strategy to build a strong SEO foundation.
• Industry Application: In competitive sectors like construction, having a website that works both for immediate leads and long-term SEO is crucial.