If your AEC company is like most, you probably have an impressive homepage, a well-structured services page, and a strong portfolio. However, when someone visits your site, they are likely asking themselves one crucial question:
“Do these people actually understand my industry?”
If your answer is a generic “we work with all kinds of businesses,” you’ve likely lost them.
The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All
Consider this from the perspective of your prospective clients. Imagine you are a healthcare executive responsible for constructing a new wing for your hospital. Before you create the Request for Proposal (RFP), you must conduct a vetting process to identify which companies are qualified to receive your RFP.
While researching online, you come across a website that features a mix of healthcare clients, retail brands, and tech startups. The messaging is acceptable, and there’s nothing technically wrong with the site. However, when you discover another site, you notice a clearer navigation structure: it lists markets and specifically highlights healthcare.
You click. Suddenly, you’re reading about someone who understands your specific challenges. They present healthcare case studies and use the terms relevant to your day-to-day work. Which one is going to get the RFP?
What a Markets Section Actually Does
A markets section (often referred to as industries or verticals) is a collection of dedicated landing pages, each designed for a specific industry you serve. Instead of forcing everyone to navigate through generic content, you create personalized experiences that communicate, “We created this page just for you.” This approach goes beyond simply improving user experience; it has a much greater impact.
The Benefits of Market Pages
Targeted Industry-Specific Messaging
Every industry has its unique vocabulary, challenges, and priorities. Aviation companies prioritize safety certifications and regulatory compliance, while the healthcare sector is concerned with HIPAA regulations. In manufacturing, the focus is on supply chain management and efficiency. By creating dedicated market pages, you can directly address these specific concerns. You’re not just claiming to understand each business; you’re demonstrating it with every sentence.
Improved SEO and Organic Traffic
Here’s something that should excite your marketing team: dedicated market pages are invaluable for SEO.
Instead of attempting to rank for highly competitive broad terms like “general contracting,” you can focus on specific searches such as “aviation construction management” or “civil engineering for manufacturing.” These long-tail keywords face less competition and, more importantly, attract prospects who are a better fit for your services..
Accelerated Sales Cycles
Trust is essential in B2B sales, and nothing builds trust more effectively than demonstrating your expertise.
When potential clients see that you have experience working with companies in their industry, have solved their specific problems, and understand their unique challenges, the sales cycle becomes shorter. They won’t need to spend the first several calls explaining their business to you because they will recognize that you already understand their needs.
Your sales team will appreciate receiving pre-qualified leads that are ready to engage in meaningful conversations about solutions, rather than wasting time on lengthy discovery calls.
Focused Portfolio Presentation
Your portfolio can become a powerful tool when you tailor it effectively. Instead of presenting a random assortment of projects, ensure that your market page highlights work relevant to a specific industry. For instance, if you have a restaurant page, it should exclusively showcase restaurant-related projects. This targeted approach emphasizes your depth of experience rather than just the variety of your work.
Higher Conversion Rates
Let’s be honest: people are impatient. They want to know if you’re the right fit for them within about 8 seconds. Market pages allow prospects to self-identify and access relevant content immediately, eliminating the need to search for information that applies to them. For example, if someone clicks on “Aviation,” they instantly see everything relevant to that market.
This level of personalization significantly improves conversion rates. When content feels specifically tailored for an individual (because it is), they engage more, stay longer, and are much more likely to reach out.
Competitive Differentiation
Many of your competitors likely don’t have dedicated market pages. If they do, those pages are often just brief paragraphs that lack substance.
This presents an opportunity for you to stand out. While others remain generalists, you can position yourself as a specialist. Specialists command higher rates, secure more deals, and foster stronger client relationships.
The Bottom Line
A dedicated markets section transforms your website into a targeted sales tool. It enhances SEO, builds trust more quickly, increases conversions, and establishes you as a specialist rather than just another option. Since your prospects are looking for experts, provide them with exactly what they’re seeking.
Are you ready to add market pages to your website? Let’s discuss how we can help you create experiences tailored to specific industries. Feel free to reach out through our contact form or call us at 630-300-3288.