Local SEO Tips & Strategies for Contractors

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Intro

Contractors are ramping up their online presence for one main reason - to find clients in their service area. Plus, clients first search online for information, whether for a remodeling project or a trusted contractor.
That's why you must use local SEO techniques to attract clients who are already looking for your services.
Here's are our local SEO tips for contractors.

Here is the List of Top Local SEO Tips for Contractors

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1. Update NAP info

The first step on your local SEO journey is simple but sometimes overlooked. Your website, directory listings, and any other platform must have your:

• Company's updated Name,
• Address, and
• Phone number (NAP) information

That's because, when searching for contractors, potential clients look at contact and location details. Updated NAP information allows clients to connect with your business.
Let's say a user searches for a "contractor near me." Your company appears in the search results, along with glowing reviews. However, when they decide to call for a consultation, your phone number is incorrect or, worse - it's missing; this is a missed opportunity.
For example, in the below screenshot, the contractor has mentioned their name, address, and phone number. It has to be updated whenever they change anyone of this data.
When search engines rank and index your website, NAP info is a factor. It helps your company show up in specific search queries. So, update your NAP details ASAP!

2. Add A Google My Business Listing

Google My Business is a platform where users get information about your company.
Users can get contact details, reviews, business timings, photographs, videos, etc. It also geo-tags your business on Google Maps so that it shows up in those location searches, as well.
Here’s how the businesses rank local Google map searches, also send a strong signal for Google algorithms to rank on local 3-pack.
Users trust Google's directory information, so having a GMB profile will help your contractor business get more quality leads.
There are many benefits of a GMB profile. For example, your GMB listing will get ranked higher than competitors who don't have a profile on the platform. That's because Google uses the platform to rank and rate your company in search results.
Additionally, the structured data from your listing shows up as a widget on the right side of the search results page. Giving your company more visibility - This increases traffic and generates leads.

3. Optimize for voice search

The invention of smart speakers/watches has increased voice searches over the years.
According to the Search Engine Journal, 58% of consumers use voice search to find local business information. But there's an added benefit. Let's say a user has performed a voice search and is interested in your company details.
The next logical step is to use the smart device to call your company for a consultation. Therefore, optimizing voice search increases conversion rates, visibility, and website rank.
However, you might wonder why all this makes a difference to your business or local SEO strategy?
The answer is simple, smart speakers and watches factor in your home/office location to pull up search results. Statista says the voice recognition tech market is expected to reach 30 billion USD by 2026.
Therefore, if your website is optimized for voice search, it will help your company outmaneuver competitors who haven't done so.

4. Conduct a Local SEO Audit

Regardless of whether you've implemented local SEO strategies or not, it's important to know where your company and website stands.
Conducting a local SEO audit will give clear insights into elements such as:

• Metadata that needs optimizing
• Broken links
• Inconsistent NAP information

Most contractors prefer to outsource this audit to a digital marketing expert. Because they understand the nuances of local SEO practices. However, if you're tech-savvy and know a bit of local SEO, investing in automation tools will help this process. Moz Local, BrightLocal, and GrowthBar have a local SEO audit feature that allows you to:

• Conduct keyword research
• Monitor website ranking
• Analyze reviews/ listings, etc.

These tools help you find your weak spots for local SEO. Using this, you can rectify them immediately and start showing up in more 'near-me' searches.

5. Create Local SEO-Friendly Service Pages

As an experienced contractor, you have many services to offer your clients. Listing them on separate pages/blogs and optimizing them with location-specific keywords will help them appear in more searches.
Take a look at the below image where a contractor has listed the services offered, clicking which will take users to respective individual pages.
Search engines index these pages and get more information that will help them rank your company for those searches.
Say you're a contractor in Miami who offers kitchen remodeling services. First, you create a service page with that information, optimizing it for local search.
Additionally, you create a blog post with a kitchen remodeling project.
Now, when a user searches for 'kitchen remodeling in Miami,' all your services pages and blogs will show up. So, don't list all your services on one page.
Service pages are an opportunity to use local SEO strategies to grow your brand visibility and local website rank.

6. Optimize URLs and Metadata

Another great way to boost your local SEO standing is to optimize your URLs, alt tags, title tags, and meta descriptions using location keywords.
Each of these technical elements helps search engines understand the content of your page. So that crawlers can more accurately index your site.
For example, by optimizing the blog title URL 'best contractor for houses' to 'best Los Angeles contractor for houses,' your URL will show up in local searches. By optimizing URL, title, and description, the pages have more chances of ranking on top of SERPs, as shown below.
Adding geographic or city-specific keywords in title tags, meta descriptions, etc., will add to that keyword density.
Causing it to show up in more location-specific search queries. And, therefore you get more traffic and visibility from users searching in your area.

7. Publish Location-Based Content

Search Engines are constantly looking for relevant, authentic, and fresh content that targets a user's search intent.
Their algorithms and crawlers are becoming increasingly more intelligent when discerning content. It's not enough to mention the location of your contractor business on your website.
You must also firmly establish your company's presence in an area. Therefore, blogs and social media content that target and add value to your local community will help your website rank higher.
For example, let's say you're an Austin-based contractor.

• Write blogs about your participation in local events or content around your niche for the users,
  
• Geo-tag your location in social media posts,
• Add reviews/ testimonials from people in your neighborhood,

These small elements tell search engines that your website and company come from Austin. Therefore, when users search for contractors in Austin, your company will rank higher than competitors.

8. Perform Local keyword research

According to Think With Google, 78% of users who conduct 'near me' searches visit the related business, and 27% of those searches end in purchases. Therefore, researching local keywords is vital for your local SEO strategy.
Targeting keywords with your local client in mind will help diversify your keywords.
For example, 'contractor in Scranton' might seem obvious; however, research the data behind more specific ones like 'Scranton's top contractors' or 'best-rated remodeling contractors in Scranton.'
Once you've listed a few, use SEO tools such as SEMrush, KWfinder, or Ahrefs Keywords Explorer to analyze the top performers. You can also find trending keywords on other platforms, as shown in the screenshot below.
Take the guesswork out of keywords entirely by hiring a professional. They have the best knowledge and will create a list of keywords to increase website rank and lead to more client conversions.

9. Earn Local Backlinks

Backlinks are essentially viewed as a "vote of confidence" by search engines. Your contractor website has backlinks from reputed bloggers, newspaper articles, etc.
Search engines deem your website and business authority in your niche. Therefore, it displays your website in more search results pages.
The same principle applies to local SEO. The more local backlinks your website acquires, the more a search engine will rank your company in local search queries. You can do this by reaching out to interior designers, influencers, and media publishing houses in your area.
Also, look at the screenshot below to perform competitor backlink analysis using Ahrefs tool to find maximum opportunities to fetch local business links.
Ask them to write articles or do a feature on your contracting business. This strategy is a way to build strong backlinks. Plus, their article links to your company will increase your "local votes" and help boost your rank and rating in local search queries.

10. Go Mobile

It's common knowledge now, but 82% of mobile queries are for 'near me' searches. That's a huge percentage, and as a contractor, you must not let this knowledge pass you by.
Mobile optimization should be your top priority as far as local SEO goes. The easiest way to take advantage of this user behavior is to optimize your website for mobile usage. Use search console or other SEO tools to find improvements to be made, such as the mobile page experience shown in the below image.
Speak to your web developers and make sure that your:

• Website is responsive on android and iOS mobiles,
• Mobile site loading speed is under 3 seconds,
• The mobile website focuses on user experience, etc.

Search engines index mobile sites, too; they rank them higher compared to competitors who haven't done so. So, don't miss out on this opportunity to boost traffic and local SEO rank. All you have to do is optimize for mobile.

11. Include Structured Data

Nowadays, when you search for a business, product, or question, the results are presented so that users need not click the top link. That's because search information is formatted in a way that directly fulfills the user's search intent.
For example, let's say you search for 'remodeling ideas.' At the top of the page, a list of ideas taken from a contractor/interior design blog is presented directly on the SERP.
Next, you’ll see a map with all the local contractors in your area. This format entices the user to click on the information.
How is this done?
Through structured data. It's a specific code that searches engines index and displays separately on a search page. Local structured data like NAP shows up in the coveted top 3-pack for local searches, which increases your organic traffic and visibility.

12. Focus on Client Reviews and Social Media

According to Google, one of the main components for local SEO ranking is prominence. To determine prominence, it uses factors such as social media and client reviews to gauge your contractor business's reputation and popularity.
For example, look at the below screenshot of results for “house contractors”, where Google has top-ranked businesses having a commendable number of reviews.
Therefore, it's important to monitor your company's reviews, ratings, listings, social shares, etc. These elements help Google rank your company higher on local searches.
Social media and review management is a full-time commitment. That's because it involves constantly connecting/communicating with your target audience.
As a contractor, your time is better spent growing your business and attending to projects. We suggest hiring a digital marketing agency to monitor, strategize and improve your reviews, ratings, and social presence.
Alternatively, SEO tools such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and SEMrush can help you with this process.

13. Submit Some Citation Links On Authoritative Websites

Here Is a List of Authoritative Citations in the Web

• Yelp - A popular local business review and social networking site. Here contractors can interact with potential clients and set up consultations.
• Build Zoom - A contractor-only directory that helps clients find local businesses by project requirements or project quote/ budget.
• Houzz - A website that connects homeowners with contractors, vendors, and design advice. List your contractor company on Houzz to access potential clients in your niche.
• Angi - Find homeowners looking for contractor services by listing your company on Angi. Here you can manage your reviews, interact with clients and upload project pictures.
• Crunchbase - Find business information about private/public companies. Information such as mergers, acquisitions, personnel change, etc. They use data-driven features and algorithms to rank businesses.
• Apple Maps - Listing your contractor business on Apple Maps will help secure its rank and visibility among all Apple platforms from Siri to Safari and Apple Wallet.
• Home Advisor - Here, homeowners and clients can find, rate, and book your local contractor business for small or large-scale projects.
• Thumbtack - Users can find trusted local contractors for projects on this platform. Here, professionals can list services, advertise and manage profiles to get more customers.
• Bing Places - Get more local customers with a free business profile. Add photos, NAP, and services on your profile to appear in Bing searches.
• Manta - Manta is dedicated to promoting and listing small businesses across America. Claim your listing and also create a Manta website for more visibility.
• FourSquare - FourSquare is a mobile-optimized platform that allows users to find your business and rate your services. The app uses a client's current location when ranking local businesses.
• Waze - Waze is a Google subsidiary that provides navigation software. Get directions to and find local businesses in real-time using this platform.

Local SEO for Contractors - FAQs

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Q1: Can Local SEO Help My Contractor Business?

As a contractor, your business depends on homeowners in your area. Appearing in local searches will help potential clients find your company. Your business will gain more visibility through local SEO practices such as business listings, local keyword research, etc.

Q2: How To Get Clients For My Remodeling Company Without A Website?

We strongly suggest creating a website for the best results. However, using local SEO practices like a Google My Business listing, strong social media presence, and claiming listings in reputed directories, you can get clients without having a website.

Key Takeaways

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Getting organic traffic from all corners of the world helps with brand visibility but won't grow your contractor business. That's because a construction business is limited to the area it can physically service.
Therefore, you need clients in your area to grow. That's why Local SEO is ideal for contractors.
By implementing the tips in this article, your company will get more local visibility on search engines. More visibility leads to increased traffic and conversions.
The SEO world can be complex to navigate. So, hire a local SEO specialist to get results fast. We hope you found this article helpful. Keep checking back for more useful SEO tips and tricks.