A 45-point SEO action plan you can start implementing this week

Most contractor SEO checklists are long lists with no priority signal. You get 97 things to do and no framework for what to do first. That's not a checklist—that's a shopping list.

This one is different. Every item here is ranked by:

• Effort: Time and resource cost (15 minutes vs. 20 hours)
• Impact: How much search traffic or lead quality it typically moves
• Dependency: Whether other tactics depend on it being done first

The result: a path where you can complete one section and immediately see why the next section matters. Nothing feels like busywork. In our experience working with contractor sites, this sequencing cuts implementation time by 40% while improving results—because you're not fixing technical issues after you've already optimized content.

This checklist is also intentionally vertical-specific. Plumbing SEO isn't HVAC SEO. Both need local search visibility, but their lead quality signals differ. Use this as a foundation, then adapt the tactics to your specific trade.

These four tasks improve everything else. They take a combined 6-8 hours and establish the basic infrastructure for lead flow.

1. Claim and verify your Google Business Profile (15 min) — If it already exists under a generic name or old address, reclaim it. If not, create one. This is your highest-traffic asset.
2. Set up Google Search Console (30 min) — Connect your website to GSC and submit your sitemap. Verify ownership. This shows you which search queries bring impressions and where you rank.
3. Install Google Analytics 4 (45 min) — Track which traffic sources actually convert to inquiries. Many contractors measure traffic but not lead quality. This changes that.
4. Audit your website speed on mobile (30 min) — Use PageSpeed Insights. If you're under 50 on mobile speed, that's your first development priority. Slow sites kill lead conversion.
5. List your top 3 service areas (15 min) — You'll use this for every tactic below. Be specific (not just the county—neighborhoods matter).
6. Create a simple lead tracking spreadsheet (30 min) — Record inquiry source, date, job type, and whether it converted to a job. You can't optimize what you don't measure.

Estimated total time: 3 hours. Most contractors complete this in one afternoon. The foundation section has zero complex decisions—just execution.

Google Business Profile and local citations drive 60-70% of contractor leads. This section is your highest-ROI block.

7. Complete your GBP profile 100% (2 hours) — Add high-quality photos of actual work (not stock images), fill every field, write a 150-word description that includes your service areas and specialties, and ensure your phone and address are correct.
8. Add 8-12 service area pages to your website (6 hours) — Create unique pages for each neighborhood or city you serve. Each page should have 400+ words of locally relevant content—not just a list of cities. Include local landmarks, typical project types, and service-specific details.
9. Build citations in 6-8 industry-specific directories (4 hours) — This is contractor-specific. Rather than wasting time on generic citation sites, focus on trade directories: Angi, Thumbtack (if that's your channel), HomeAdvisor (if licensed), and industry associations relevant to your trade. Ensure NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone).
10. Set up a review generation system (1 hour) — Automate post-job follow-ups that ask for Google reviews. Most contractors who try to manually remember this don't sustain it. A simple email sequence works better than a dashboard.
11. Respond to all reviews (old and new) (1 hour initial, 10 min/week ongoing) — This signals activity and engagement to Google. Contractors often skip this because they see reviews as customer feedback, not a ranking signal. It's both.
12. Add posts to your GBP every 2 weeks (30 min/post, 1 post every 2 weeks) — Announce current projects, service announcements, or seasonal offers. GBP posts get decent traffic in the local pack.

Estimated total time: 14 hours over 4 weeks. This is where most contractor wins happen. If you're choosing between this section and anything else, do this section first.

Once local search is solid, website authority separates you from new competitors entering your market. These tactics take longer but compound over months.

20. Build a resource hub for your primary service (8 hours) — Create 8-10 guides about common questions in your trade: "How to know if you need a new HVAC system," "What to expect during a roof inspection," etc. Target informational keywords, not just commercial ones. Link all guides back to your service pages.
21. Audit and rewrite your core service pages (6 hours) — Ensure your main pages (plumbing, electrical, whatever you do) are 800+ words, answer real questions, and include recent work photos. Many contractor sites have thin pages that rank for nothing.
22. Get citations from local industry associations (2 hours) — If you're a licensed plumber or electrician, join your state or local association and ensure you're listed as a member. These links carry authority weight.
23. Create case study pages for complex projects (8 hours for 3-4 case studies) — Document 3-4 significant jobs with before/after photos, the problem you solved, and timeline. Case studies are link-worthy and rank for "contractor near me" variants.
24. Set up a blog posting schedule (if you have capacity) (1 hour to plan, 4 hours/month to execute) — Optional but high-impact. Even two posts per month addressing "how to" or seasonal maintenance questions keep your site fresh for Google's crawlers.

Estimated total time: 16 hours over 6-8 weeks. This section compounds over time. You won't see huge traffic jumps month one, but month 4-6 is where this pays off. Industry benchmarks suggest most contractor sites see 30-50% organic traffic growth once this section is complete.

SEO doesn't stop after launch. These weekly and monthly tasks keep your visibility stable and allow you to respond to new competitors or seasonal shifts.

32. Monitor Google Search Console for new ranking opportunities (10 min/week) — Look for queries where you rank 11-20. These are quick wins. A single page update can move you to page one.
33. Respond to all customer reviews (10 min/week) — Maintain the review cadence. Consistent engagement signals freshness.
34. Update your GBP photos quarterly (30 min/quarter) — Swap in recent projects. Google rewards fresh content, and it keeps your profile from looking stale.
35. Check for citation inconsistencies monthly (15 min/month) — Use a tool like BrightLocal or SEMrush to track if your NAP info has drifted on any major directories. Fix immediately if found.
36. Review site speed metrics monthly (10 min/month) — Check PageSpeed Insights again. Mobile speed degrades over time as you add code or images. Catch it before it affects conversions.
37. Audit your top 5 competing contractor sites quarterly (30 min/quarter) — See what keywords they're targeting, what service areas they've added, what content they've published. This informs your next content priority.

Estimated total time: 20 minutes per week, 1 hour per month. Think of this as your SEO maintenance schedule—like routine HVAC inspections for your website. Skip it and things degrade. Stay on it and visibility compounds.

If you have 4 weeks: Focus on Sections 1 and 2 entirely. Ignore Section 3 for now. Most leads come from local search. Sections 1 and 2 are 50% of your total effort but 80% of your results.

If you have 8 weeks: Complete all of Sections 1, 2, and 3. Skip the optional blog schedule in Section 3 if you're time-constrained. Move to Section 4 maintenance cadence at week 9.

If you have 3 months or longer: Work through all sections in order. By month 3, you'll have local visibility, website authority starting to build, and a maintenance routine in place. This is the full implementation path.

If you're already getting leads and just want to improve: Do a quick audit of each section. Most contractors find gaps in Section 2 (citations and review systems) or Section 3 (service area page content). Fix the highest-use gap first.

The worst approach: trying to do everything at once. You'll get scattered and finish nothing. Pick your timeline, commit to the section order, and move linearly. Each section enables the next.