Article's Content
Article's Content
This is not a riddle: What does the process of building a modern high-rise condominium have in common with content marketing?
Not a thing, at first glance — unless you happen to run Autodesk’s construction blog. Then, the two are almost synonymous.
In just over a year, Autodesk has accomplished something remarkably similar to raising a skyscraper seemingly overnight. Their online content hub has grown to contain nearly 900 pages and brings in over 78,000 visits each month.
In both the world of B2B marketing and construction, that’s still a quick build.
And just like the process of building a new condo, it’s very difficult to see what’s happening if you focus on the overall result.
So, today, we’ll examine Autodesk’s construction blog, a key growth driver for the EEAT brand, and explore how they became the poster child of successfully executing a content marketing strategy for an enterprise at the highest level.
The Foundation of Autodesk’s Construction Subfolder
The Autodesk site itself is already an achievement. For over forty years, the company has created industry-leading design and engineering tools for everything from architecture, engineering, and construction to media and entertainment.
As you can imagine, Autodesk has built up more than just a massive customer base and brand recognition in that time — four decades is also a significant amount of time to amass and develop a massive content moat that includes:
- 33,700+ web pages
- 17 million backlinks
- 32k keywords in a top 3 SERP spot
- 6.7 million monthly organic visits
- A monthly traffic value of $3.7 million
There’s no denying that this expansive foundation helps Autodesk build up new “subfolders” like their construction blog quickly. Here’s why:
In website architecture, you have two main options for organizing content: subdomains (like blog.autodesk.com) or subfolders (like autodesk.com/blogs/construction). This seemingly small difference has significant SEO implications.
Subfolders carry a massive advantage: they inherit the domain authority of the main site.
So, when Autodesk publishes content in the construction blog subfolder, that content immediately benefits from the accumulated SEO equity of Autodesk’s main domain — in the form of those 17 million backlinks, their domain authority rating of 91, and decades of established authority.
Yes, there is an element worth mentioning: bigger companies generate more organic traffic. However, investing in more content requires awareness of this effect and a conscious decision to take advantage of it.
And that’s exactly what their team decided to do.
Since establishing the Digital Builder construction blog in February of 2024, Autodesk has published 900 posts that are driving some serious traffic:
This subfolder contains a mix of content discussing top-of-funnel content related to all things construction — including cost estimation, budgeting, project management, types of construction, and even tips and tricks for using tools.
By moving their existing and net-new construction content into the same subfolder, the Autodesk team is creating an ever-expanding SEO moat. This network of thematically and semantically related content helps showcase topical authority and expertise while also holding off SERP competitors.
To get an idea of the content covered on Digital Builder, here are the five leading traffic magnets in the subfolder:
- How much does it cost to build a house in 2025 — 15,894 monthly visits
- Building Construction Process: Start to Finish — 4,806 monthly visits
- What Are As-Built Drawings? — 4,799 monthly visits
- 60 Common Construction Tools — 3,366 monthly visits
- The 5 Types of Construction — 2,839 monthly visits
These may seem like superficial topics to cover when you’re targeting enterprise companies in the architecture engineer and construction (AEC) space. Still, some of these high-level blogs are surprisingly valuable. In fact, the explainer piece on “As Built Drawings” brings over $10,500 worth of organic traffic each month.
From an SEO strategy perspective, here are the terms that Autodesk is targeting to drive this high level of traffic:
1) Emphasis on High-Volume Queries with Informational Intent
Autodesk has strategically targeted high-volume, informational keywords that address common industry queries. For example, look at the cost-related queries they target with their top-performing blog post:
- “how much does it cost to build a house” (36,000 monthly searches)
- “cost of building a house” (3,900 monthly searches)
- “cost to build a house” (10,000+ monthly searches collectively across variations)
These queries demonstrate Autodesk’s deliberate strategy of capturing significant traffic from highly valuable and frequently searched general informational searches.
2) Keyword Variation and Synonyms
The content consistently targets closely related keyword variations such as:
- “cost to build a house”
- “how much does it cost to build a house”
- “cost of building a house”
- “how much is to build a house”
- “building a house cost”
This approach enables them to rank for multiple related searches, capturing diverse user intent around core themes. By targeting clusters of related keyword variations, Autodesk not only ranks for a broader range of queries but also increases the likelihood of dominating the search results for those topics, reducing reliance on a single keyword or search term.
3) Low Keyword Difficulty (KD) & High Search Volume
Autodesk strategically prioritizes keywords with moderate keyword difficulty (KD) yet significant volume, balancing competition and reward:
- “cost to build a house” (KD of 35, volume 11,000 monthly searches)
- “types of construction” (KD 15, 2,600 monthly searches)
- “as built drawings” (KD 6, 2,200 monthly searches)
Lower keyword difficulty scores indicate careful keyword research to maximize visibility with minimal competition. According to Ahrefs, Autodesk currently ranks in the top SERP position for each of those three keywords and is featured in the corresponding AI overview.
The best part about this strategy is that it’s easy to repeat. Actually, Autodesk must repeat it. Why? You know the old adage: whether investing or marketing, going all-in on one type of asset is risky — so diversify.
And that’s exactly what Autodesk decided to do: diversify their content marketing investment. They have built up a number of other topic-specific blog subfolders that they’re filling with content to capture SERPs and establish authority:
- AutoCAD Blog — includes tutorials, product news, success stories, and events related to Autodesk’s flagship product
- One Water Blog — covers topics related to water distribution, drainage, and other related systems
- AEC Tech Drop — provides information on the Autodesk tools solutions most relevant to AEC companies
- Design & Manufacturing — includes overviews, how-to guides, and industry news on digital manufacturing
Autodesk continues to invest resources into the Design Builder construction blog, which has more published pieces than the rest of the /blogs/ subfolders combined. This makes sense because it’s one of the most profitable industries they target.
Building SERP Success Through Content Design
Autodesk’s enterprise SEO investment in establishing topic-specific blog subfolders is an excellent high-level strategy. But like the success of any construction project, it’s the details that really matter.
In this case, the details refer to how the different blog posts are written and structured so that each has the best chance of securing a top SERP position and attracting new potential Autodesk users.
Now, let’s look at how one of Autodesk’s top-performing construction blog pieces, What Are As-Built Drawings?, contributes to their reputation as a high-EEAT brand.
1) Improving EEAT with Author Bylines and Profiles
Author bylines are an excellent way to establish EEAT—experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—with your audience. They put a name and face to the otherwise anonymous content that typically appears on websites, demonstrating confidence and accountability.
The Autodesk bylines link to short profiles explaining why each author is a credible source. In this case, readers learn that the author is Grace Ellis, editor-in-chief of the Digital Builder Blog and Manager of Content Marketing Strategy with 15 years of experience in tech writing — six of which focused on the construction technology space.
2) Improving Content UX with Easy Navigation and Key Takeaways
One key strength of Autodesk’s construction blog is its focus on the content user experience (UX).
The Digital Builder team understands that construction professionals are busy people who need information that promises to be comprehensive — but also remains easily digestible.
To meet the expectations of their target audience, Autodesk strategically incorporates navigational aids like a Table of Contents and “Key Takeaways” sections that help readers quickly find the information they need.
For example, before diving into the meat of the article, the Autodesk team presents readers with a clear roadmap of what to expect:
Meanwhile, the “Key Takeaways” section equips skimmers with the critical information they need without reading the entire article. For those who read the whole piece, this tactic reinforces key points and improves on-page SEO by highlighting essential concepts.
It’s a simple but effective strategy that enhances both user experience and search performance.
3) Providing Informative Images and Video
Autodesk’s construction blog doesn’t just rely on text to communicate complex concepts—it strategically incorporates visual elements that enhance user experience and boost SEO performance.
The detailed floor plan image provides readers with an immediate visual understanding of what an as-built drawing actually looks like in practice. This technical diagram—complete with the Autodesk Construction Cloud branding—is a concrete example that helps construction professionals instantly grasp the discussed concept.
For visual learners, in particular, seeing the visual layout with its grid lines, measurements, and notations communicates more effectively than paragraphs of explanation ever could.
Taking their visual strategy further, the embedded YouTube video featuring an Autodesk expert explaining as-built documentation offers an engaging multimedia experience.
By thoughtfully integrating these visual elements, Autodesk transforms what could be a dry overview into an engaging, multi-media experience that satisfies user needs and outperforms competitors in search rankings.
Start Building the Foundation for Long-Term Success Today
Like Autodesk’s strategic approach to content marketing, your brand’s long-term success requires a solid foundation. In this case, that means:
- Diversifying your content assets into topic-specific blogs
- Targeting high-volume yet attainable keywords
- Enhancing user experience with thoughtful navigation and visual elements
Remember that even Autodesk didn’t build their impressive content moat overnight—they systematically expanded their presence through consistent publishing and strategic organization.
With the right blueprint and steady execution, your brand can build an enduring presence that stands tall in your industry’s digital landscape. Book a discover call today to get started on yours.
