Contractor SEO Guide: Rank Higher on Google

SEO doesn't have to be complicated. This guide breaks down exactly what contractors need to know to rank higher on Google and get more organic leads, without the technical jargon.

Local SEO focus Actionable checklists No jargon

What's in this guide

1. What is Local SEO? 2. Google Business Profile 3. On-Page SEO Basics 4. Local Keyword Strategy 5. Citations & Directories 6. Link Building for Contractors 7. Technical SEO Checklist 8. Measuring Your Results

What is Local SEO? (And Why It Matters for Contractors)

When someone searches "plumber near me" or "hvac repair Austin," Google shows local results. Getting your business to appear in those results is called Local SEO.

The Local Map Pack

The top 3 businesses shown on the map in local searches. This is prime real estate where most clicks go.

44% of people who search for a local business click on a map pack result

Organic Results

The regular website listings below the map. Important for capturing leads who want more information.

33% of clicks go to the first organic result below the map pack

What Google Looks At (Ranking Factors)

Google Business Profile Critical

36%

Your GBP is the #1 factor for appearing in the local map pack. Optimize it completely.

Reviews Very High

17%

Quantity, quality, and recency of Google reviews directly impact rankings.

On-Page SEO High

16%

Your website content, title tags, headers, and keyword usage.

Citations Medium-High

13%

Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across the web.

Link Building Medium

10%

Quality backlinks from relevant local and industry websites.

Behavioral Signals Medium

Click-through rate, mobile clicks-to-call, check-ins.

Google Business Profile Optimization

Your GBP is responsible for 36% of local ranking factors. It's free, and it's where most local leads come from. Here's your complete checklist:

Claim and verify your listing (Critical)

Choose the most specific primary category (Critical)

Add all relevant secondary categories

Complete your business description (750 characters)

Add all services you offer

Upload 25+ high-quality photos

Add your service area (if no physical location) (Critical)

Set accurate business hours

Enable messaging

Add Q&A with common questions

Post weekly updates (at minimum)

Respond to all reviews within 24 hours (Critical)

Pro tip: Post on your GBP at least weekly. Businesses that post regularly get 7x more engagement than those that don't. Share before/after photos, promotions, or helpful tips.

On-Page SEO Basics

On-page SEO is about optimizing each page of your website to rank for specific searches. Here's what matters:

Title Tags

Drain Cleaning Austin TX | 24/7 Emergency Plumber | ABC Plumbing

Tips: Include primary keyword + city + brand. Keep under 60 characters.

Meta Descriptions

Need drain cleaning in Austin? ABC Plumbing offers same-day service, upfront pricing, and 24/7 emergency repairs. Call (512) 555-1234 for a free estimate.

Tips: Include keyword, city, and a call-to-action. 150-160 characters.

H1 Heading

Professional Drain Cleaning Services in Austin, TX

Tips: One H1 per page. Include primary keyword and location.

Content

600-1000+ words of unique, helpful content about the service

Tips: Answer customer questions. Include variations of keywords naturally.

Internal Links

Link to related services and location pages

Tips: Use descriptive anchor text. Help visitors navigate.

Schema Markup

LocalBusiness, Service, FAQPage schema

Tips: Helps Google understand your business. Enables rich results.

Local Keyword Strategy

Keywords are what people type into Google. Here are the types of keywords contractors should target:

Service + Location

Ready to hire

"drain cleaning austin" "hvac repair dallas" "emergency plumber houston"

Volume: High Competition: Medium-High

Service + Near Me

Ready to hire

"plumber near me" "ac repair near me" "roofer near me"

Volume: Very High Competition: High

Emergency + Service

Urgent need

"emergency plumber" "24 hour hvac repair" "urgent roof leak repair"

Volume: Medium Competition: Medium

Problem-Based

Researching

"water heater not working" "ac blowing warm air" "clogged drain won't unclog"

Volume: Medium Competition: Low-Medium

Cost Queries

Researching

"plumber cost" "hvac replacement cost" "drain cleaning price"

Volume: Medium Competition: Low

Page Structure Strategy

Create separate pages for each service + location combination:

Service Pages

drain-cleaning, water-heater-repair, sewer-line-replacement

Location Pages

austin-tx, round-rock-tx, cedar-park-tx

Combination Pages (High Value)

drain-cleaning-austin-tx, water-heater-repair-round-rock

Citations & Directory Listings

Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. Consistency across all citations is crucial.

NAP Consistency is Critical

Your Name, Address, and Phone number must be exactly identical everywhere. "123 Main St" vs "123 Main Street" counts as inconsistent and can hurt your rankings.

Priority Citations for Contractors

Google Business Profile

business.google.com

Critical

Yelp

biz.yelp.com

Critical

Facebook Business

facebook.com/business

Critical

Better Business Bureau

bbb.org

High

Angi (Angie's List)

angi.com

High

HomeAdvisor

homeadvisor.com

High

Thumbtack

thumbtack.com

Medium

Nextdoor

nextdoor.com

Medium

Apple Maps

mapsconnect.apple.com

Medium

Bing Places

bingplaces.com

Medium

Link Building for Contractors

Links from other websites to yours tell Google you're trustworthy. Quality matters more than quantity. Here are realistic strategies for contractors:

Local Business Associations

Easy Medium Impact

Join your local Chamber of Commerce, contractor associations, or business groups. They often link to members.

Supplier/Manufacturer Links

Easy Medium Impact

If you're an authorized dealer or installer for brands, ask to be listed on their website.

Local Sponsorships

Easy Medium Impact

Sponsor local sports teams, events, or charities. You'll typically get a link from their website.

Local News/PR

Medium High Impact

Get featured in local news for community involvement, unique projects, or expert commentary.

Guest Posting

Medium Medium-High Impact

Write helpful articles for home improvement blogs, local news sites, or industry publications.

Resource Page Outreach

Medium Medium Impact

Find local resource pages and ask to be included as a trusted contractor.

Never buy links from random websites, link farms, or "SEO packages" on Fiverr. Google will penalize your site, and recovery is painful.

Technical SEO Checklist

Technical SEO is the foundation. If your site is slow or broken, nothing else matters. Here's what to check:

Mobile-friendly design (responsive) (Critical)

Page load speed under 3 seconds (Critical)

SSL certificate installed (HTTPS) (Critical)

XML sitemap created and submitted

Robots.txt properly configured

No broken links (404 errors)

Images optimized (compressed, with alt text)

Clean URL structure (no random characters)

Schema markup implemented

Google Search Console set up (Critical)

Google Analytics installed

Quick test: Go to pagespeed.web.dev and enter your website URL. Aim for scores above 70 on mobile.

Measuring Your SEO Results

SEO takes time. Here's how to know if it's working (and when to expect results):

Free Tools to Track Progress

Google Search Console - See what searches bring people to your site
Google Analytics - Track visitors, time on site, conversions
GBP Insights - See how people find and interact with your listing

What to Track

• Organic traffic (visitors from Google, not ads)
• Keyword rankings for target terms
• GBP views, clicks, and calls
• Leads/calls from organic search
• Review count and rating

Realistic Timeline

Month 1-2

Optimization phase. Set up GBP, citations, on-page SEO. Rankings may not change yet.

Month 3-4

Early movement. GBP may show improvement. Website starts to gain traction.

Month 5-6

Meaningful results. Should see increases in organic traffic and leads.

Month 6+

Compounding returns. Rankings solidify. Organic leads become consistent.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does SEO take to work for contractors?

Typically 3-6 months to see meaningful results, sometimes longer in competitive markets. Google Business Profile optimization can show results faster (1-2 months). The good news: once you rank, you keep getting leads without ongoing ad spend. SEO is a long-term investment, not a quick fix.

Should I do SEO myself or hire someone?

Basic optimization (GBP, citations, on-page basics) you can handle yourself. For ongoing content, link building, and technical SEO, most contractors benefit from professional help, whether that's an all-in-one solution like ours or an SEO agency. The key is understanding the basics so you can evaluate what you're paying for.

How many pages should my contractor website have?

A competitive contractor website typically needs 30-50+ pages minimum. That includes: homepage, about, contact, individual service pages (not just a list), and location pages for each city/area you serve. Each page targets different keywords, giving you more chances to appear in searches.

What's more important: Google Business Profile or my website?

Both matter, but if you had to prioritize one, start with Google Business Profile. It appears above website results in local searches and is responsible for about 36% of local ranking factors. However, a strong website supports your GBP rankings and captures leads that want more information before calling.

Do I need to pay for SEO tools?

Not necessarily. Google Search Console (free) shows how you rank and what people search. Google Analytics (free) tracks website visitors. For keyword research, free tools like Ubersuggest or Google's Keyword Planner work for basics. Paid tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush are nice but not essential for most contractors.

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