Are you a local contractor looking to grow your business and reach more customers in your service area? If so, you can't afford to ignore search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of optimizing your website and online presence to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords and phrases. By investing in SEO, you can:
Increase your visibility to potential customers
Drive more qualified traffic to your website
Generate more leads and sales
Build credibility and trust with your target audience
Gain a competitive edge in your local market
Achieve long-term, sustainable growth
Maximize your return on investment
Still not convinced that SEO is worth your time and resources? Here are 7 compelling reasons why every local contractor needs to make SEO a top priority:
1. Most Customers Search Online for Local Services
Gone are the days when people turned to the Yellow Pages to find local service providers. Today, the vast majority of consumers use search engines like Google to find and research local businesses, including contractors.
In fact, a recent study found that 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else. What's more, 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine.
What does this mean for your contracting business? Simply put, if you want to be found by potential customers, you need to show up in the search results for relevant keywords and phrases. And the higher you rank, the more likely people are to click through to your website.
Consider this: the first five organic results on Google account for 67.6% of all clicks. In other words, if you're not ranking on the first page of Google for your target keywords, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to drive qualified traffic to your site.
2. Local SEO Helps You Get Found in Your Service Area
As a local contractor, you likely only serve customers within a specific geographic area. That's where local SEO comes in. Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to rank higher in localized search results.
For example, let's say you're a plumber in Denver. When someone in Denver searches for "plumber near me" or "plumbing services in Denver," you want your business to show up at the top of the search results.
Local SEO tactics like claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing, building local citations, and getting reviews from happy customers can help you improve your local search rankings and get found by more people in your service area.
3. SEO Drives Qualified Traffic to Your Website
Getting traffic to your website is great, but not all traffic is created equal. You want to attract visitors who are actually interested in your services and likely to become customers.
That's the beauty of SEO. By targeting relevant keywords and optimizing your website for search, you can attract qualified leads who are actively searching for the services you offer.
Think about it this way: if someone searches for "kitchen remodeling contractors in [your city]," they're probably interested in hiring a contractor for a kitchen remodel. If you rank well for that keyword and they click through to your website, there's a good chance they'll contact you to request a quote or schedule a consultation.
On the other hand, if you're relying on paid advertising or social media to drive traffic, you may end up with a lot of unqualified leads who are just casually browsing and not ready to make a purchase.
4. SEO Helps You Generate More Leads and Sales
Ultimately, the goal of any marketing strategy is to generate more leads and sales for your business. And SEO can be a powerful tool for driving conversions.
According to a study by BrightEdge, organic search drives 53% of all website traffic, and those visitors have a 14.6% close rate on average. In comparison, outbound leads from tactics like print or TV advertising only have a 1.7% close rate.
By attracting more qualified traffic to your website through SEO, you can generate more leads and sales for your business. But it's not just about getting people to your site - you also need to optimize your website for conversions.
That means having clear calls-to-action (CTAs), easy-to-use contact forms, and compelling content that encourages visitors to take the next step. A well-designed website that is optimized for both search engines and users can be a powerful sales tool for your contracting business.
5. SEO Builds Trust and Credibility With Your Target Audience
When people search online, they tend to trust the businesses that show up at the top of the search results. After all, if Google is ranking your site highly, you must be a reputable and trustworthy company, right?
This is known as the "halo effect" of SEO. By ranking well for relevant keywords, you can build trust and credibility with your target audience before they even click through to your website.
Of course, once they do land on your site, it's important to reinforce that trust with high-quality content, professional design, and social proof in the form of customer reviews and testimonials. But getting that initial visibility and credibility from SEO is a crucial first step.
6. SEO Helps You Stay Competitive in Your Local Market
Let's face it - the home services industry is competitive. No matter what type of contracting work you do, there are likely dozens if not hundreds of other businesses vying for the same customers in your local market.
SEO can be a powerful way to gain a competitive edge. By outranking your competitors in the search results, you can steal away their potential customers and grow your own business.
What's more, SEO is a long-term strategy that can help you build a sustainable competitive advantage over time. Unlike paid advertising, which stops generating leads as soon as you stop paying, the benefits of SEO compound over time.
The more you invest in SEO, the higher you'll rank, and the more traffic and leads you'll generate. And as you build up your website's authority and credibility, it becomes harder and harder for your competitors to overtake you in the search results.
7. SEO Delivers a Strong Return on Investment
Finally, one of the biggest reasons to invest in SEO is the incredible return on investment (ROI) it can deliver. Unlike other marketing tactics that may only generate short-term results, SEO can drive long-term, sustainable growth for your business.
A study by Terakeet found that organic search has an average ROI of 5.3%, compared to just 2.4% for paid search and 0.6% for social media marketing. And the benefits of SEO continue to accrue over time, as your website builds up authority and rankings.
While SEO does require an upfront investment of time and resources, the long-term payoff can be substantial. By attracting more qualified traffic, generating more leads and sales, and building a sustainable competitive advantage, SEO can help you grow your contracting business for years to come.
How to Get Started With SEO for Your Contracting Business
Convinced that SEO is worth pursuing for your local contracting business? Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Do your keyword research: Identify the keywords and phrases your target customers are using to find businesses like yours online. Focus on long-tail, localized keywords that are specific to your services and service area.
Optimize your website: Make sure your website is optimized for search engines and users alike. This includes having a clear site structure, optimized page titles and meta descriptions, fast page load speeds, and mobile-friendly design.
Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing: Your Google My Business listing is a key component of local SEO. Claim your listing, fill out all the relevant information, and encourage customers to leave reviews.
Build local citations: Get your business listed in reputable online directories and citation sites relevant to your industry and location. Consistent NAP (name, address, phone number) information across these listings helps improve your local search rankings.
Invest in content marketing: Publish high-quality, informative blog posts, articles, and other content that addresses your target customers' needs and pain points. This can help you attract inbound links, build authority, and rank for more keywords over time.
Measure and track your results: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to track your website traffic, search rankings, and other key metrics. This will help you see what's working and make data-driven decisions to optimize your SEO strategy over time.
Ready to Level Up Your Local SEO?
If you're ready to take your local SEO to the next level, the team at D&J Contractor Marketing is here to help. With years of experience helping contractors and home service businesses grow through search, we know what it takes to drive real results.
From local SEO services to website design and PPC advertising, we offer a full suite of digital marketing solutions tailored to your unique needs and goals.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you attract more qualified leads, generate more sales, and grow your contracting business through the power of search.