Cobweb Construction
Bringing a Builder Online After 40 Years
When Graham from Cobweb Construction first contacted me, I encountered something that's become increasingly rare in today's digital landscape, a genuinely successful business with absolutely no online presence. Since the mid-1980s, Graham had built a thriving garage conversion and construction business serving Leicestershire and the Midlands purely through word of mouth and traditional advertising methods.
However, Graham had begun to realise that potential clients were increasingly turning to the internet to research local tradespeople and view examples of their work. Without a website or online presence, his business was essentially invisible to a growing segment of the market. What struck me most was Graham's initial hesitation about this, he seemed almost embarrassed about not having an online presence, which is something I encounter quite regularly with established businesses.
My first priority was to reassure Graham that his situation wasn't unusual and that many successful businesses have thrived without websites for decades. I explained that my role was to help him transition online at his own pace, focusing on what would work best for his specific business model. As I always tell my clients, "You concentrate on doing what you're good at – running your business – and let me focus on the online side of things."
Graham's immediate need was to showcase his garage conversion services, which clearly formed the core of his business. However, I could see from our conversations that Cobweb Construction offered much more than just garage conversions. The challenge was creating a website that would initially focus on his speciality whilst providing a foundation for future expansion to highlight his broader construction services.
The Branding Challenge
One of the first hurdles we encountered was the complete absence of any consistent branding or logo design. Graham had used various print advertisements over the years, but there was no cohesive visual identity for the business. Rather than starting from scratch, I took a cost-effective approach by analysing his previous print materials to identify common elements and themes.
Working within a sensible budget, I developed a logo design, colour palette, and font selection that respected the heritage of his previous marketing materials whilst creating a modern, professional appearance suitable for digital platforms. The key was ensuring that existing customers would recognise the brand whilst making it appealing to new, digitally-savvy clients.
Website Strategy
The website needed to serve multiple purposes. Primarily, it had to showcase Graham's expertise in garage conversions, explaining the process, highlighting the quality of work, and demonstrating the breadth of possibilities for converted spaces. However, I also ensured the site architecture would easily accommodate expansion to feature his other construction services as the business grew online.
The content strategy focused on education and reassurance. Many homeowners considering a garage conversion have never undertaken such a project before, so the website needed to guide them through the process whilst addressing common concerns about quality, disruption, and cost. I emphasised Cobweb's unique selling points, particularly their "no deposit" policy and comprehensive project support, which clearly differentiated them from competitors.
I built the website with scalability in mind, knowing that Graham would likely want to expand the content as he became more comfortable with his online presence. The site structure allows for easy addition of new service pages, case studies, and content areas without requiring a complete redesign.
The technical implementation focused on local SEO, ensuring that potential clients in Graham's service areas would find the website when searching for garage conversion services. This involved careful keyword research and content optimisation specifically targeting the geographical areas where Cobweb operates.
Expanding the Digital Presence
With the website established, our next focus has been on developing Graham's broader online presence. We're currently working on setting up and optimising his Google Business Profile, which is absolutely crucial for any local business. This will ensure that Cobweb Construction appears in local search results and Google Maps, making it easier for potential clients to find and contact the business.
The Google Business Profile setup involves more than just creating a listing, it requires careful optimisation of business information, service descriptions, and ongoing management of customer reviews and enquiries. For a business like Cobweb, which relies heavily on local reputation and word-of-mouth recommendations, this online presence extends those traditional strengths into the digital realm.
Results and Future Plans
The website has successfully established Cobweb Construction's online presence, providing a professional platform that reflects the quality of work Graham has been delivering for nearly four decades. The site effectively communicates the company's expertise whilst addressing the concerns and questions that potential clients typically have about garage conversions.
Looking ahead, we're already planning the next phase of development. This includes expanding the website to better showcase Cobweb's broader construction services, including home extensions and complete renovations. We're also developing a content strategy that will help establish Graham as a trusted authority in the local construction industry.
This project reinforced several important principles about helping established businesses transition online. Firstly, there's no shame in starting late, many successful businesses have operated profitably for decades without websites. Secondly, the transition needs to be managed carefully, respecting the business's existing strengths whilst gradually building new digital capabilities.
Most importantly, the online presence needs to authentically represent the business. Graham's approach to construction work, careful, thorough, and focused on quality, needed to be reflected in every aspect of the website and digital strategy. The goal wasn't to transform the business, but to ensure its existing strengths were visible to a new audience.
Working with Cobweb Construction has been a perfect example of how the right digital strategy can complement and enhance a traditional business model, rather than replacing it entirely. Graham can continue focusing on what he does best, delivering exceptional garage conversions and construction services, whilst his new online presence works to connect him with clients who might never have found him otherwise.
