How to Do SEO for Contractors (5 Steps + Examples)

As a general contractor, you want a steady stream of customers for your business.

What’s a surefire way to get your business top-of-mind for potential clients?

Make sure they can find you online through search engine optimization (SEO).

When someone in your local area searches for services like yours, you want your website at the top of the results. Specifically, you want to appear in the local pack (also called the map pack):

In this guide, you’ll learn all about SEO for contractors, including:

• How SEO can help you attract more leads
• A four-step plan for getting started
• Ways to measure your results
• Reasons you might consider hiring a pro

Let’s dive in.

Why Contractors Need SEO

Done right, SEO makes your contracting business more visible online. Increasing your online visibility can boost your brand awareness and attract more customers.

Just look at Downtown Air.

My team launched an SEO campaign for them to rank them for important keywords that their prospects are searching:

This drives valuable traffic to their site.

But more importantly, that traffic gets them hundreds of phone calls and form submissions every month.

So, SEO can drive tangible results for contractors. Let’s look at how it does this.

How Does SEO for Contractors Work?

When people want to find a product or service, they often type in a keyword or a phrase on search engines like Google. In fact, this is how 72% of consumers find information about local businesses.

For example, someone might go to Google and search “kitchen remodelers in Los Angeles.”

The businesses that appear on the first page of Google for that keyword are doing their SEO right.

But how does a business show up on the first page?

There are many ranking factors, including:

• The quality of your pages and content
• How many other, high-quality pages link to yours
• How fast your website loads and how responsive it is
• Your website’s structure and security
• Your user experience

Google takes these factors (and more) into consideration when ranking results.

And following SEO best practices lets you optimize your site for these factors, boosting your website’s performance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Contractor SEO

There are countless optimizations you can make as part of your overall strategy.

But for contractors in particular, these are the most important steps to follow.

Step 1: Optimize Your Local Profiles

For contractors, local SEO is typically where you should spend a lot of your efforts.

After all, you’re trying to capture the attention of would-be customers in your service area.

Building out your online profiles is a huge part of local SEO.

Here’s how to nail it:

Create a Google Business Profile

To make your business more visible to local searchers, make (or claim) a Google Business Profile (GBP).

This helps your business appear in search results like this:

GBP is a free service that lists your business name, address, and phone number (known as “NAP”) on Google. Along with other information like your opening hours (and you can even add posts too).

It also means people can leave reviews about your service.

That overall review rating will appear on your GBP listing, and Google uses review count and rating for ranking local search results. So, having a positive presence through your GBP can help improve your visibility in relevant search results.

List Your Business in Local Directories

Build an even stronger online presence by listing your business in local directories outside of your GBP. Yelp, Yellow Pages, Bing Places, and Angi are all good places to start.

These free directories help you reach people who aren’t using Google Search to find your site.

Get More Reviews for Your Services

Positive reviews make it easier for your target audience to trust you.

They can make you appear more trustworthy to search engine algorithms too.

Here are a few tips to get more reviews:

• When you complete a job, show your client a scannable QR code that links to your Google review page
• Include a link to your Google review page on your invoice
• Send an email or text thanking your clients for hiring you, and ask them to leave a review

Keep Your NAP Information Consistent

Your business likely has NAP citations all over the place.

Your name, address, and phone number appear on your website, your GBP, and every directory you’re listed in.

Google looks for consistency here so that it can show the right information to users in search results.

Even small inconsistencies (like whether you used “ave” or “avenue” in your address) can hurt your search rankings.

Plus, you want your would-be customers to be able to reach you. And if your listings show the wrong phone number, they won’t be able to.

Let’s take San Diego-based contractor TR Construction as an example.

Here’s the company’s Google Business Profile:

Here they are on Yelp:

And here they are in the Yellow Pages:

Their details are consistent across all three.

TR Construction’s NAP is consistent across three of its listings, but there’s an error in one (Opendi).

​​There are also several directories where the company has no NAP at all.

Tools like this can make it super easy to stay on top of this crucial aspect of contractor SEO.

Step 2: Do Targeted Keyword Research

Including keywords (the search terms your potential customers type into Google) in your content can increase your chances of ranking for those terms.

But you can’t just stuff keywords into your content and call it a day.

Keyword stuffing is against Google’s spam policies. So your rankings can suffer A LOT if you do this.

Instead, figure out how to weave effective keywords naturally into your content.

Here’s how:

Understand Keywords and Intent Types

Different keywords have different motivations behind them. This is known as “search intent.”

The four main types of search intent are:

• Navigational: When someone is looking for a specific brand or website (“TR Construction”)
• Informational: When someone wants to know something about a topic (“what is a general contractor?”)
• Commercial: When someone is considering buying a product or paying for a service (“best general contractors in New York”)
• Transactional: When someone is ready to contact a business for a specific purpose (“bathroom remodeler near me”)

As a contractor with a service to sell, you typically want to focus on commercial and transactional keywords. These are the ones people use when they’re ready or almost ready to buy.

Include these keywords in various places across your site.

Automatic Doorz provides a good example.

See how they’ve included the phrase “garage door company in Maryland” on the homepage?

That keyword has commercial intent. The company wants to attract visitors who are ready to hire them.

You can also use transactional keywords in your calls to action (CTAs).

Like Reborn Home Solutions’ “request a design consultation” CTA:

But not every search is going to be commercial or transactional.

You can also attract searchers who are just starting to explore services like yours by targeting informational keywords.

Blog posts are great for this.

For example, Apex Window Werks describes a window problem that a lot of homeowners have:

Searchers who find that article will appreciate the information Apex Window Werks shared.

And with any luck, they’ll remember Apex Window Werks next time they decide to hire a pro. (Or they might even click the big “Get a Free Estimate” CTA button at the top.)

Okay, so you know what type of keywords to target. But how do you find them?

Use Keyword Research Tools

There are lots of tools for finding keywords. (Backlinko even has its own free keyword generator.)

Some of the most popular include Google Keyword Planner and Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.

These tools can provide you with lots of helpful metrics for each keyword they find. This helps you prioritize them by which ones are likely to get the best results for your business.

These include:

• Search volume (how many people search for that term each month)
• Keyword difficulty (how hard it’ll be to rank for that keyword)
• Search intent (the reason behind the user’s search)

With a tool like Semrush, you can even enter your domain name to get personalized metrics. Like your potential traffic if you ranked for that term, and how difficult it’ll be for your website to rank for it.

When you first start doing contractor SEO, you likely want to target keywords with high search volume and low difficulty.

These keywords attract a decent number of searchers, but there’s not much (great) content to compete with.

Ranking for these keywords is therefore more achievable and likely to pay off. (Although you’ll still need to create high-quality content.)

Keyword research tools make it easier to find these keywords. They eliminate the guesswork and help you make data-driven choices.

Step 3: Build a High-Quality, Optimized Contractor Website

Getting people to see your webpage appear in search results is one thing. Getting them to actually visit your site and contact you is another.

You want to give people a good impression of your business when they visit your site. You do this by making it easy for them to find the information they need. Or teaching them something valuable that they can use.

That way, they’re more likely to think of you when they do decide to hire a contractor.

Here’s how to optimize your website to leave a good impression and convert more visitors into customers:

Write a Catchy (and Effective) Headline

Your headline should showcase your unique selling proposition.

Write something that will set you apart from other contractors. This helps potential customers understand why they should hire you for their contractor work.

Ask yourself: What sets your company apart?

Is it decades of experience? Excellent customer service? Affordable prices?

Whatever it is, make it clear on your homepage.

Here’s what MSCS Inc. did:

Their focus is on “state of the art hardwood flooring” and it’s instantly clear when you land on the site.

Do On-Page SEO

Doing on-page SEO means improving the content on your individual webpages.

That way, they’re more likely to rank higher in search results.

Optimize key elements like:

• Keyword placement: Place keywords in title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and naturally throughout your pages
• Meta tags: Write short, descriptive title tags and meta descriptions so people (and search engines) know what the page is about
• URL: Use descriptive URLs that incorporate relevant keywords
• Page structure: Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to organize your content

Also create separate pages for each of your services. This way, you optimize pages for the specific services you offer, rather than trying to rank one broad page for lots of different terms.

For example, create dedicated service pages for remodeling, new construction, and maintenance.

Like this roofing company, which has separate pages for replacements, storm damage repair, rejuvenation, and solar projects.

If you serve multiple cities within a state, create dedicated pages for each location.

This way, Google can serve the most relevant page to users based on the specific area they’re in.

Optimize for Speed

The slower your pages load, the more likely your users are to leave (or “bounce”).

Use free tools like PageSpeed Insights to run speed tests on your site.

Large image files, poorly optimized code, and long server response times can slow your site down.

Use Internal Links

Internally linking your webpages to one another makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website.

Start by linking to important pages (like your “Contact Us” page) from your homepage.

Then, place key pages (like your service pages) in the footer.

In your content, write descriptive anchor text (the text that contains a link).

Instead of writing “click here,” use more descriptive text. Like “Learn more about White Castle Roofing”:

Also add internal links between your blog posts.

The Kitchen Cabinet Guys did that well here, linking from an article about kitchen cabinets to one about picking kitchen hardware:

Include Social Proof

Social proof helps show potential customers why they should trust your contracting business.

It could be customer testimonials, trust badges, and even awards you’ve received.

They show that people have used your services in the past and are satisfied.

Silverado Construction Services uses its homepage to show its awards. This helps build trust and confidence with the company’s prospective customers.

Step 4: Create High-Quality Content

A huge part of optimizing your website is creating quality content for your audience—and including the search terms they use within it.

Here’s how to do it:

Research Your Intended Topic

One quick way to come up with content is to base it on your target keywords.

Let’s say you want to show up for the keyword “kitchen remodeling.”

You could write blog posts like “How to Prepare for a Kitchen Remodeling,” or “10 Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes.”

In the example below, the Kitchen Cabinet Guys probably want to show up for the term “Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Providers in Chicago.”

So the website features a blog post that naturally incorporates the keyword:

Tools like Semrush’s Topic Research can also help you come up with content ideas.

Simply enter a topic into the text field and click “Get content ideas” to start.

As an example, we entered “kitchen remodeling.”

We get a bunch of content ideas, along with search volumes, difficulty scores, related questions, and more:

Analyze Your Competitors

Make a list of your competitors and study their content.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What types of content do they publish?
• What topics get a lot of engagement?
• Is there anything they’re doing that you can do better?
• Are there opportunities they’re missing that you could snap up?

Looking carefully at your competitors’ strategies can help you define your own.

Create a Content Calendar

Once you have a list of content to create, organize it and plan out where and when you’ll publish it. ‌

You can use a simple spreadsheet for this. Like our free content calendar template:

Or use tools like CoSchedule, Buffer, or Semrush Social:

These tools are especially useful if you collaborate with others to create content. Or if you plan to post your content on multiple social media channels.

Use These Content Ideas for Contractors

Here are some ideas to get you started on writing content for your contractor website:

Success Stories

Share projects that you’re proud of and that your clients love by using a before-and-after format or sharing a case study.

The key is to show your readers the quality of your work and the level of satisfaction you provide to your clients.

DIY Guides

DIY guides can be super helpful for your audience. And they’re a great way to show readers that you know what you’re talking about.

Examples of DIY post ideas include:

• How to choose a flooring material for your kitchen
• How to plan a kitchen remodel
• How to child-proof your living room

Expert Recommendations

People want to learn from experts.

And as an experienced contractor, you can help people understand how to confidently choose a service provider (like you).

Here’s an example from Oregon-based contractor, Mountainwood Homes:

They wrote about the process of choosing a home remodeler.

That’s definitely a topic they’re qualified to talk about. And it’s likely that some readers of that page turn into customers.

FAQs

You can easily add frequently asked questions (FAQs) to your content. Use these to provide short, helpful answers to common questions about your contractor services.

Or create a dedicated FAQ page.

For example, Rosebud Construction’s FAQ page highlights their specialty, which is building decks.

The company uses this page to answer the most common questions they get about their services.

Video Walkthroughs

Another good option for contractors is to show a finished project using videos.

Talk about how you did it, what challenges you faced, and how you achieved the end result.

Seeing real contracting projects come to completion can be a powerful way to win over new clients who like what they see.

Step 5: Use Link Building to Increase Your Website’s Authority

Link building, an integral part of off-page SEO, involves getting other sites to link back to yours.

These are called backlinks.

Quality backlinks from relevant, reputable sources can signal to search engines like Google that your website is trustworthy. This can improve your rankings and increase your visibility.

Here’s how you can add link building to your contractor SEO strategy:

Focus on Your Local Audience

People looking for contractors generally look in their own local area.

They might also read local blogs and news publications from their own city or town.

For example, this article was published by San Diego’s 10 News. It shares expert advice from Murray Lampert, who owns a home remodeling firm in the city.

These kinds of media features can be GREAT sources of quality backlinks.

Publish Shareable Content

Create content that is useful and insightful enough that people want to share it.

Think beautiful interior designs, industry trends, unique hacks, and even expert opinions about a relevant current event.

For example, The Spruce creates galleries with home design ideas. From each one, it links back to contracting companies that worked on the actual design.

Try Guest Blogging

Another way to get quality backlinks to your site is to write guest posts for other websites.

You can start your link-building outreach by researching websites to pitch your content to. Then, reach out to the owner or editor.

As long as you offer relevant and valuable content that benefits their audience, there’s a chance they’ll link back to you.

Use Link Reclamation

Search for mentions of your company online that don’t currently link back to your site, like the one below.

Reach out and request the website owner add a link where the text already is.

These are great opportunities because the other site is already talking about your service. So they’re likely to be open to linking to your website.

Choose the Right Backlink Opportunities

Before reaching out to the website owner to request a backlink, consider the website and its content.

Only ask for links from sites that are reputable and relevant to your business.

How to Measure Your SEO Performance as a Contractor

Once you’ve implemented some SEO best practices, you’ll want to know how your SEO campaigns perform.

This way, you can understand what’s working and what isn’t. So that you can prioritize your efforts on what’s leading to real results for your business.

Here are some of the most common metrics to track:

Keyword Rankings

Use a tool like Semrush’s Position Tracking to monitor your rankings for target keywords.

This helps you catch any major changes.

If your rankings improve, you might want to create more content around that keyword. And use what those pieces of content do well across the rest of your pages.

But if your rankings on a certain keyword drop, it might indicate your content isn’t high enough quality. Or the keyword might not be relevant enough to your business.

Organic Search Traffic

Organic search traffic is traffic you get from Google search thanks to good SEO (i.e., not from paid ads).

You can see this in analytics tools like Google Analytics:

Backlinks and Website Authority

Tracking your backlinks and how authoritative your website is helps you understand what other people think about your website.

And the more quality backlinks you have and the higher your authority, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to rank for important contracting keywords.

Different tools offer different metrics for tracking your authority. For example, Semrush uses Authority Score. Track your Authority Score and backlinks in Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool:

Leads and Conversions

Finally, the most important metrics to track are how many leads and customers you generate.

After all, the whole point of using SEO as a contractor is to grow your business.

Leads are people who’ve taken action on your website and given you their contact details. Like subscribing to your email newsletter or filling out a contact form.

But they haven’t decided to hire you yet.

Use Google Analytics to track leads on your website. In this example, events like “form_start,” “file_download,” and “form_submit” all indicate a lead.

If you’re not getting a lot of leads, try:

• Optimizing existing lead-generating pages for a better user experience
• Creating more lead forms on your best pages
• Testing different versions of your landing pages (A/B Testing)
• Writing more compelling CTAs

Hiring an Agency vs. DIY SEO for Contractors

When you start a contracting business, it makes sense to do your marketing yourself.

You’re on a shoestring budget, and you have more time than money. And you can perform the basics of SEO yourself.

But once your business takes off, the workdays can get really busy. You may not have time to run an SEO campaign—let alone hire staff to help with it.

In these cases, a viable option could be to hire experts.

SEO agencies have the knowledge and experience to deliver great results. But it can get pricey.

So before you consider hiring an SEO agency as a contractor, consider these pros and cons:

Get More Clients with Local SEO

With good SEO, you can rank your contracting business on Google. But it will take time and effort.

To prioritize your efforts, focus on ranking for relevant local keywords.

Learn exactly how to do this with our definitive guide to local SEO.