by John Wright
It's 7am, and a homeowner discovers a major leak in their bathroom. They grab their phone and type "emergency plumber near me" into Google. Within seconds, they're scanning the local search results, looking at ratings, reviews, and locations. The businesses that appear in those crucial first few local listings will likely get the call. If the search was relevant to your trade, would your business be one of the ones receiving the call?
Having spent over three decades in the construction industry, I've watched the evolution of how people find local trade businesses. Gone are the days when the Yellow Pages and local newspaper ads were enough. While word-of-mouth recommendations are still valuable, even these referrals typically head straight to Google to check out a business before making contact.
In this guide, I'll share proven local SEO strategies that help construction businesses dominate their local market online. Whether you're a small contractor focusing on a particular town or city, or a larger firm covering a wider area , these techniques will help you become more visible to potential clients in your service area.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO focuses on optimising your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. When potential customers in your area search for services you offer, you want your business to appear at the top of the search results.
By implementing local SEO strategies, you can improve your visibility and make it easier for nearby customers to find and choose your business.
Why is Local SEO Important for Construction Businesses?
For construction businesses that serve specific geographic areas, local SEO is particularly important.
When people need a plumber, electrician, or contractor, they often search for businesses nearby. In fact, 97% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses, and 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information.
By optimising your online presence for local search, you can:
Attract more qualified leads and customers in your service area.
Stand out from competitors who aren't focusing on local SEO.
Build trust and credibility with potential customers.
Drive more traffic to your website and generate more phone calls.
Top Local SEO Strategies for Trade Businesses
Now that you understand the importance of local SEO, let's dive into some effective strategies you can implement:
1. Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free listing that allows you to manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. Claiming and optimising this profile is one of the most important steps in local SEO.
Make sure your profile includes:
Accurate and consistent business name, address, and phone number (NAP)
A detailed description of your services and service area
High-quality photos of your work, team, and equipment
Your business hours and a link to your website
Categories that accurately describe your business
Regularly update your profile with fresh content, such as posts about new projects, special offers, or company news.
2. Build Local Citations
Local citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on directories, websites, and social platforms. Consistent citations across the web help search engines verify your business information and can improve your local search rankings.
Some key places to list your business include:
General directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Bing Places.
Local directories specific to your city or region.
Ensure your NAP is consistent across all listings and matches the information on your website and Google Business Profile.
3. Encourage and Respond to Customer Reviews
Online reviews are a key factor in local SEO and greatly influence potential customers. Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile and other relevant sites. You can:
Ask for reviews in person after completing a project.
Send follow-up emails with a link to your review profiles.
Share positive reviews on your website and social media profiles.
Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, in a professional and timely manner. This shows you value customer feedback and are committed to providing excellent service.
4. Create Local Content
Incorporate local keywords into your website's content to signal your relevance to local searches. This can include:
Creating service pages for each specific location you serve
Mentioning your service areas in your website's meta titles and descriptions
Writing blog posts that discuss local industry news or highlight local projects
Avoid keyword stuffing (Unnaturally cramming search terms into content to manipulate search engine rankings) and focus on providing valuable, informative content that naturally includes local terms.
5. Invest in Mobile-Friendly Web Design
With the majority of local searches happening on mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is essential for local SEO. Ensure your site:
Loads quickly on smartphones and tablets
Has a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes
Includes click-to-call buttons and easy-to-find contact information
A mobile-friendly website not only improves user experience but can also boost your local search rankings.
Measuring Your Local SEO Success
To track the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts, monitor key metrics such as:
Your Google Business Profile insights (views, clicks, calls)
Organic traffic to your website from local searches
Number and quality of online reviews
Leads and sales from local customers
Regularly analyse this data to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy as needed.
Conclusion
Implementing these local SEO strategies can help your trade business attract more customers in your service area and stand out from competitors.
By consistently optimising your online presence for local search, you can build a strong reputation, generate more leads, and ultimately grow your business.
While local SEO requires ongoing effort, the long-term benefits are well worth the investment. Start incorporating these tactics into your marketing plan today to see the power of local SEO in action.
Take Action: Optimise Your Google Business Profile
One of the most impactful ways to improve your local online presence is to claim and optimise your free Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). This listing appears in Google Search and Maps results when potential customers search for your services in their area.
Here's how to get started:
Go to google.com/business and sign in with your Google account (or create one if needed).
Enter your business name and address. If your listing already exists, claim it as the owner. If not, create a new listing.
Fill out all relevant information, including your business category, service area, hours, contact details, and a description of what makes your company unique. Be as detailed and accurate as possible.
If you are creating a new listing, you will need to record a video of your business to show your location. This is to verify to Google that you manage the business.
Add high-quality photos of your team, equipment, and successful projects. Visuals help build trust and give potential clients a better sense of your work.
Once your listing has been verified and is visible, encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your profile. Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, in a professional manner.
Regularly post updates, special offers, and new projects to keep your profile active and engaging.
By optimising your Google Business Profile, you can improve your local search rankings, stand out from competitors, and make it easier for potential customers to find and choose your business. Set aside some time this week to complete your profile and start leveraging this powerful local SEO tool.
Up next
Stay tuned for our next post, where we'll dive deeper into on-page optimisation techniques to ensure your website's structure and content are search-engine friendly and primed to rank.
Found This Useful?
I hope you've found this guide to SEO helpful. If you'd like to discuss local SEO and/or your construction company's digital marketing strategy, feel free to email me or connect with me on LinkedIn.
About the Author
John Wright began his construction industry career at Kennedy Builders Merchants in the 1980s, marking the start of a 35-year journey in sales, marketing, and business development within the construction sector.
In 2016, John transitioned into digital marketing as an it'seeze web design franchisee, before founding RBC Marketing in 2022. Today, he combines his deep understanding of the construction industry with digital and traditional marketing expertise to help construction companies build an effective online presence and drive business growth through both digital and offline marketing strategies.
Commenti