SEO for Trades Businesses: Importance, Practices, Tools & More

What Is SEO for Trades Businesses?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for trade businesses means using specific SEO strategies to make your business appear at the top of Google search results when clients seek your services. It improves a company’s online presence and attracts more potential customers.

SEO works by optimizing your website content and overall digital footprint to meet Google algorithm ranking factors. This optimization can include using relevant keywords, improving website speed, and earning positive customer reviews.

Unlike SEM (Search Engine Marketing) or Google Ads, SEO focuses on organic search results rather than paid advertising. While ads provide immediate visibility, SEO generates long-term growth by building a strong, credible online presence.

Now, let’s look at why you should invest time and effort in search engine optimization.

Why Is SEO Important for Trades Businesses?

Tradesmen need SEO because most customers turn to Google when they need a plumber, electrician, or HVAC technician. If your business doesn’t appear at the top of search engine results, potential clients will likely call your competitors instead.

Keyword research shows that, on a monthly basis, tens of thousands of users search for local trades services using phrases like “HVAC near me” or “HVAC repair near me.”

SEO allows you to rank higher for these keyword searches and attract more leads without paying for ads.

Here are other ways SEO benefits trade businesses:

• Enhanced online visibility by allowing more people to find your business when they need your services.

• Quality leads generation by targeting local customers who are actively searching for what you offer.

• Increased click-through rates (CTR) because customers tend to trust organic search results more than sponsored results.

In fact, according to the 2025 First Page Sage meta-analysis, ranking high in organic search results generates an average CTR of 39.8%.

However, keep in mind that AI is changing the world, including search engine results.

As Andrew Adams, Director of Integrated Marketing at Scorpion, ServiceTitan’s preferred digital marketing partner, puts it:

“AI search results are going to become a really significant part of how consumers look for businesses online, and therefore how your business can communicate with those consumers. [...] People want to use this tool. They're looking to find your business, and they're going to use the AI overview when they can, because it simplifies things for them.”

Learn more about how AI is changing search in this eye-opening webinar recap.

Next, we’ll share some of the best SEO practices that help make your business shine in local search results.

How to Do SEO for Your Trade Business?

Here are the most effective SEO strategies that can help you achieve success.

Let’s see what each of these SEO efforts entails.

1. Local SEO

Local SEO refers to optimizing your trade business for searches within your local area. 

One of the most efficient ways to increase local online visibility is to rank high in the Google Map Pack, the business listings displayed at the top of Google search results when users search for local businesses.

Appearing in local search results is a must because most customers searching for trade services are looking for nearby, reputable businesses.

The 2024 SOCI Customer Behavior Index concluded that 72% of customers use Google Search to find information about local businesses.

Google Map Pack is free to use; however, to obtain a prime position, you still need to implement SEO.

Another solution to boost local visibility is to use Google Local Services Ads (LSAs). This paid feature helps you appear at the top of local searches with a trustworthy “Google Guaranteed” badge.

However, managing and optimizing your LSAs can be difficult without a highly versatile trades business management system, such as ServiceTitan’s Field Service Management Software.

With ServiceTitan’s Local Services Ads feature, your business stands out by allowing potential customers to book your services directly from the Google ad with just one click. The booking information automatically appears in ServiceTitan to avoid manual entry errors and missed job opportunities.

Ara Mahdessian, CEO and co-founder of ServiceTitan, says:

"With our combined technology, ServiceTitan and Local Services Ads are offering consumers the convenience they want. More than 70% of online searches for home services are on Google. Local Services Ads helps contractors stand out from their competition in the search results and directs new local leads their way. With this integration, we're taking the process a step further and putting contractors in position to convert more of those leads."

Now, let’s explore the best practices for improving your local search engine rankings:

• Claim or create your Google Business Profile

• Optimize your Google Business Profile

• Build local citations

• Do local keyword research

• Get positive reviews

Claim or create your Google Business Profile

Google My Business (GMB), now called Google Business Profile (GBP), is a free tool that helps businesses appear in Google Search and Google Maps. This profile provides essential details, like your business name, phone number, work hours, customer reviews, and location, making it easier for potential customers to find and connect with you.

A well-maintained Google Business Profile increases your trades business’s visibility and credibility, allowing you to reach nearby customers actively searching for your services.

How to set up your Google Business Profile:

• Sign in to your business Google Account or create one.

• Click on create a profile and enter your business name. 

• Choose the correct business category and add your service area.

• Include your business website and phone number.

• Verify your business using one of the options provided.

Optimize your Google Business Profile

Once you set up your Google Business Profile, it’s time to make it stand out.

Google algorithms prioritize businesses with complete and up-to-date information. A well-optimized Google Business Profile improves your local search ranking and makes your business more appealing and trustworthy, increasing home services leads and conversions.

Here are some practical optimization tips:

• Use high-quality images to showcase your services, products, and location.

• Write a compelling business description with relevant keywords that describe your expertise.

• Regularly update your profile with new posts, promotions, and announcements.

• Encourage and respond to reviews to build credibility and trust with potential customers.

Build local citations

Local citations are online mentions of your business in directories and on websites. These citations include your business name, address, and phone number (NAP).

Citations help search engines verify your business's legitimacy and improve your position in local search results.

Build local citations by listing your business in major business directories, such as:

• Yelp

• Apple Business Connect

• BBB (Better Business Bureau)

• Nextdoor

At the same time, make sure you get listed in industry-specific directories to generate more contractor leads, like:

• Thumbtack

• Angi

• HomeAdvisor

• Houzz

For ServiceTitan users, the system is integrated with some of these directories—Angi and Thumbtack. Allison McCarthy, Owner at Zoom Drain Houston, said this about ServiceTitan’s Thumbtack integration:

“I think we’ve got maybe 30 jobs in the last month from Thumbtack alone. [...] The integration is really great because when we get a lead on Thumbtack, it goes automatically to our bookings feature. I don't have to copy all that over; you can just book the job straight from there, so it makes it simple as far as scheduling once they contact us.”

Using ServiceTitan’s Marketing Pro Reputation, you can simplify citation management and provide consistent NAP information. This tool includes a Listings Management feature, allowing you to update your business details across multiple directories from a single dashboard. 

Do local keyword research

Keyword research helps identify the terms potential customers use when searching for trade services. 

Local keyword research focuses on search terms with geographic intent, like “roofing installation Texas” or “roofing companies in Dallas.”

One of the simplest ways to find relevant keywords is to check the “related searches” at the bottom of Google results.

If two terms return nearly identical search results, it’s better to target the keyword with better metrics to avoid redundancy.

We’ll cover keyword research in more detail later on.

Get positive reviews

Reviews are a major ranking factor for local SEO. More positive reviews improve your business’s credibility and search visibility.

You can get more reviews by asking satisfied customers to leave feedback, automating review requests, and responding to all reviews.

For more practical tips, explore our webinar recap with Brittany Brewer, Marketing and Customer Service Manager at Bradbury Brothers Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical.

ServiceTitan’s Marketing Pro Reputation offers an Automated Review Requests feature that sends SMS messages requesting feedback to all your customers.

Using Review Monitoring you can track customer feedback across platforms, all in one dashboard. Moreover, you can quickly respond to all reviews using In-App Review Responding.

2. Keyword research

Keyword research is the process of identifying the terms that potential customers use to search for trade services online. By targeting relevant keywords, you can improve your website ranking and generate more leads.

If you’re doing SEO for a home services business, you can find industry-related keywords using:

• SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush that enable you to identify high-traffic search terms, analyze competition, and uncover valuable keywords.

• Google autocomplete suggests popular search queries as you type, revealing commonly searched phrases that reflect real user intent.

• Related searches provide additional keyword ideas at the bottom of search results, showing variations and related topics that can help expand your content strategy.

Once you have a comprehensive list of relevant keywords, you can create a page for each keyword. The page can be a service page, a blog post, or a different type of page entirely – analyze the type of pages in the search results for the keyword to find out which one you should create.

3. On-page SEO

On-page SEO involves optimizing the content and structure of your website to improve search engine rankings.

Here are some key on-page SEO techniques you can apply:

• Title tags and meta descriptions with relevant keywords to help search engines understand your content and attract clicks from search results.

• Clear header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to improve readability and signal content hierarchy to search engines, especially for key sections, like your homepage and service pages.

• Fast website loading time on desktop and mobile devices to improve user experience by compressing images, enabling caching, and using a reliable hosting provider.

• Schema markup to help search engines display rich results, such as star ratings and FAQs, improving click-through rates.

4. Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO focuses on improving your website’s authority and credibility through external sources.

Backlinks are a key component of off-page SEO. These external links pointing to your business website signal to search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable. 

To make the most of this SEO strategy, you need to acquire backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites through link building practices.

Just as local citations help establish your business online, link building strengthens your presence by securing backlinks from trusted sources.

You can start by implementing these effective link building tactics:

• Write guest posts for industry-related websites to demonstrate your expertise and earn valuable backlinks.

• Leave testimonials and reviews for products or services you’ve acquired from trusted suppliers to earn backlinks from them.

• Be active on social media to elevate your home services marketing, building brand awareness and credibility and encouraging backlinks from reputable sources. Regularly post or share intriguing content and engage with industry professionals and leaders.

• Monitor online mentions of your business and request proper links to strengthen your backlink profile.

5. Technical SEO

Technical SEO enhances a website’s structure and backend elements to make it more compatible with search engines. This process includes improving your website’s speed, creating a well-organized layout, and eliminating technical errors that could impact performance.

Here are some technical SEO best practices:

• Create a mobile-friendly design because search engines prioritize websites that work well on mobile devices.

• Generate a sitemap to help search engines efficiently index all your important pages.

• Use a robots.txt file to control which pages search engines should or shouldn't crawl and prevent duplicate content issues.

• Secure your website with HTTPS to build trust with users and rank high in Google search.

Now, let’s turn our attention to pricing for SEO services.

How Much Does SEO for Tradesmen Cost?

SEO for tradesmen can cost anywhere from $300 to $5,000+ per month, depending on several factors:

• Scope of services: Basic SEO, such as on-page optimization and local listings, is more affordable, while full-service SEO with content marketing, link building, and technical SEO costs more.

• Competition in your industry: If you’re doing SEO for plumbing, HVAC, or other competitive trades, ranking higher requires more effort and an extensive budget.

• Location and market size: SEO for trade businesses in large metropolitan areas tends to be more expensive due to higher competition.

• Who handles SEO: Hiring an SEO agency typically costs more than working with a freelancer or handling SEO in-house, but agencies often provide more comprehensive services.

Regardless of how much you invest in SEO, you must constantly track performance to guarantee a strong return on investment.

Next, learn more about measuring SEO success.

How can I Measure SEO Performance for My Trades Business?

Measuring SEO performance helps you determine what’s working and what needs improving.

Track these key metrics to ensure your home services marketing drives real results.

• Organic traffic measures the number of visitors coming to your website from search engines. Increasing organic traffic means your website is ranking higher and attracting potential customers.

• Keyword rankings track where your business ranks for important keywords, such as “emergency plumber near me” or “HVAC repair services.”

• Google Business Profile insights into profile views, direction requests, and phone calls indicate how visible your business is in local searches.

• Conversion rates monitor how many visitors turn into leads by tracking form submissions and phone calls.

ServiceTitan’s Home Services Marketing Software is designed to help you track, analyze, and optimize your marketing efforts. 

With real-time performance tracking, you can see which campaigns generate the most leads and revenue. Moreover, ServiceTitan integrates with Google Ads, allowing you to monitor ad spend and ROI directly from your dashboard.

ServiceTitan can also generate trackable phone numbers for your marketing campaigns or ads. When customers call these numbers, the platform records and analyzes them to identify which marketing sources drive the most bookings. 

Just ahead, we’ll explain the concept of black-hat SEO tactics and how to avoid them.

Black-Hat SEO Tactics Trades Businesses Should Avoid

Black-hat SEO refers to unethical tactics that manipulate search engine rankings. Search engines like Google actively combat these tactics, meaning businesses that rely on them risk losing online visibility.

In contrast, white-hat SEO follows ethical best practices, focusing on high-quality content, user experience, and long-term search engine success.

Engaging in black-hat SEO can harm your website by leading to penalties, loss of rankings, or even complete removal from search results. 

Here are some of the unethical tactics you should avoid:

• Keyword stuffing involves overloading your website or Google Business Profile with excessive keywords, making content unreadable and leading to potential penalties.

• Buying or trading backlinks violates Google’s guidelines and can lead to website de-indexing.

• Misleading redirects lead users to unrelated pages, confusing them and damaging your credibility.

• Fake reviews and ratings for your business can lead to the loss of your Google Business Profile.

For a complete list of prohibited tactics, consult Google’s spam policies.

Next, let’s look into some of the tools that simplify search engine optimization.

Tools to Help You Do SEO for Your Trade Business

SEO tools provide data-driven insights into website performance, keyword rankings, backlinks, and technical issues, allowing you to refine your SEO strategy.

Using the right tools helps you save time, make informed decisions, and stay ahead of competitors. 

Explore two of Google’s powerful tools:

• Google Search Console is a free tool for monitoring website performance in search results. It provides data on search traffic, indexing issues, and keyword rankings, making it ideal for troubleshooting and optimizing visibility.

• Google Analytics is another free tool for tracking website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. It can help you understand where your visitors come from and which pages generate the most leads.

Finally, we’ll share some tips on choosing the right SEO agency for your business.

How Can Trades Businesses Hire an SEO Agency?

SEO is an ongoing, complex process that involves technical optimizations, content strategy, and local SEO improvements, making it difficult for some trades businesses to conduct in-house. If that’s the case, try hiring an SEO agency.

However, you must carefully research and analyze your options to make sure you partner with professionals who can deliver real, measurable results. 

Consider the following factors before hiring an SEO agency.

• Request case studies or client success stories to see how the agency has improved rankings and lead generation for businesses similar to yours. Pay attention to key performance indicators (KPIs) like organic traffic growth and conversion rates.

• Read reviews and testimonials to assess their reputation. Positive feedback from other trade businesses is a good sign.

• Make sure the agency follows ethical SEO practices. Using black-hat tactics can lead to penalties and long-term damage to your website’s rankings.

• Check the pricing to make sure you can afford the agency’s monthly rate and you get the best value for money.

Your Turn to Grow Your Trades Business

Mastering SEO in the highly competitive trades industry is imperative for your business’s success.

Using the strategies and tools discussed here, you can significantly enhance your online presence, attract more leads, and drive business growth.

By integrating ServiceTitan into your workflow, you can streamline business operations and take marketing to the next level.

ServiceTitan offers a comprehensive field service management platform designed specifically for trades businesses, providing real-time scheduling, dispatching, and robust reporting to optimize operations. In addition, its advanced marketing suite delivers data-driven solutions to track campaign performance and maximize ROI.