SEO for Contractors: Complete How-To Guide – Technologist
What Are the Secrets to Success With SEO?
Search optimization isn’t some mystical trick. Getting good results is straightforward once you know what search engines care about.
Prioritize People
The primary role of search engines is to match users with the online information they want. Google wants people to have a satisfying search experience.
SEO success means creating content that helps your target audience. If your website is helpful to customers, search rankings and traffic should follow automatically.
Choose the Right Keywords
You need to show Google exactly what your contracting business is about: your services, expertise, and competitive advantages. It has to be obvious that your website has the solutions visitors need.
That’s where keywords come in. Search terms are like neon signs with flashing arrows that tell Google, “If someone needs a complete guide to SEO for contractors, they can find it right here!”
How can you choose the right keywords for contractor services? Follow these suggestions:
- Consider the problems your business solves for customers, and describe each solution in a simple phrase.
- Make a list of the most common questions your customers ask you.
- Ask current clients what they like about your business and turn those advantages into keywords.
- See which topics competitors are covering.
- Use a keyword research tool to see which construction industry terms have a high volume of searches.
The more you know about your target customers, the easier it is to choose effective keywords for SEO.
Build Better Content
To boost your page rankings, you can’t afford to be average. Your business needs content that stands out. We recommend the following types of SEO content for contractors:
- How-to articles: Blogs like “How to take care of wood flooring” are excellent for families and homeowners.
- Comparison guides: Educate residential and commercial clients with a “Complete guide to window coatings” or “Kitchen countertop buyer’s guide.”
- Informative blogs: Explain industry topics in detail with blogs like “The pros and cons of heat pumps” or “Home remodeling projects with the highest resale value.”
- Frequently asked questions: Include contractor FAQs such as “How often does my roof need preventative maintenance?” for service pages, standalone pages, blog articles and other content.
High-quality content provides everything you need for amazing SEO: topics your clients care about, keywords Google looks for, and trustworthy information showing off your contractor expertise.
How Can You Improve Local SEO as a Contractor?
Over the years, we’ve used SEO for contractors to turn a handful of page visits into significant website traffic each month.
Improve Your Site’s Layout
Whether you’re creating web pages or blog articles, have a clear objective in mind. Plan each piece of content for a specific audience, purpose, and service.
For example, if you perform both residential and commercial contracting services, don’t try to appeal to both client groups on the same page. Split your website layout so you have one section for businesses and another for homes.
Create one page for each major service. For a home remodeler, the results would look like this:
- Kitchen remodeling
- Bathroom additions
- Open-concept living and dining rooms
- Patios, decks and outdoor kitchens
- Home expansions
This type of layout highlights keywords naturally for better SEO and makes it easier for site visitors to learn about your services.
Optimize for Mobile Devices
Almost 60% of customers search Google on smartphones. Is your website easy to navigate and quick to load on mobile? If not, updating pages should be a priority.
Our team makes SEO content look fantastic with short and sweet paragraphs, subheadings and bullet points. These technical improvements also benefit SEO. When users spend more time on your site (because it’s engaging), Google sees you deliver value to customers.
Choose High-Quality Local SEO for Contractors
AI-generated content may be cheap, but you get what you pay for. Generic and false information won’t win you new customers.
Invest in exceptional blogs with personality. As a contractor, one of your greatest strengths is your expertise. Your content should feel like friendly tips from a local expert area residents like and trust.
How Much Should SEO Cost Per Month?
The cost of local SEO for contractors depends on many factors, such as the number of keywords, the size of your business and your target audience. B2B contractors usually pay more than home remodelers because industry blogs require technical expertise.
The golden number for small businesses in the U.S. is about $500 a month. That said, a higher budget gets you more content, keywords and customization, so SEO results get even better.
SEO is one of the most cost-effective marketing options for contractors. Instead of paying for one-off ads, you can invest in content that will help countless potential clients for years. At BKA, we offer a range of SEO for contractors. A great way to save money is to refresh your website’s existing content so it’s better optimized for search.
What Are the Challenges of SEO for Contractors?
It wouldn’t be a complete guide without pointing out that SEO isn’t easy for contractors to handle alone. Your expertise is in construction, not digital marketing. You also have a business to run, bids to create and employees to manage, so finding the time to monitor keywords can be challenging.
The solution is to hire an SEO “sub-contractor.” At BKA Content, we handle SEO for contractors completely, from keyword research and blog planning to website audits and content maintenance. Learn more about our contractor SEO solutions right away.