If you run a flooring, bathroom renovation, or home services company, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: when potential customers search for services in your area, big directories like Houzz and Angi dominate the first page of Google. These platforms have massive budgets, established domain authority, and seemingly endless resources to throw at SEO.

But here’s what most local contractors don’t realize: You can actually beat them at their own game. The secret isn’t trying to out-spend these giants or copying their tactics. It’s about building something they can’t replicate: a localized, specialized services hub that speaks directly to your community’s needs.

Why Traditional Directory Sites Are Vulnerable

Houzz and Angi might look unbeatable, but they have a fundamental weakness. They’re trying to be everything to everyone, everywhere. Their pages are generic templates that barely mention your specific city or neighbourhood. They’re stuffed with contractor listings from across the country, making it nearly impossible for them to provide genuinely local, relevant content.

Think about it, when someone in your town searches for “bathroom remodelling near me,” they don’t want a national directory. They want someone who understands local building codes, knows which materials hold up in your climate, and has worked on homes similar to theirs. That’s your advantage.

Google’s algorithm has gotten smarter about recognizing truly local businesses versus national aggregators pretending to be local. The search engine wants to show users the most relevant results, and a well-optimized local business website beats a cookie-cutter directory page almost every time.

Building Your Services Hub Foundation

A services hub isn’t just your standard five-page website with a home page, about us, services, gallery, and contact form. It’s a comprehensive resource that establishes you as the definitive expert for home renovation services in your specific market.

Start by mapping out every service you offer, but break them down granularly. If you do bathroom renovations, don’t just have one “Bathroom Remodelling” page. Create separate, detailed pages for shower installations, vanity replacements, tile work, accessibility modifications, and luxury spa bathrooms. Each page should be a deep dive into that specific service, answering every question a homeowner might have.

The structure matters more than you think. Your main service pages should be easily accessible from your homepage, and each should link to related services naturally. If someone is reading about hardwood floor installation, they might also be interested in floor refinishing or waterproof flooring options for kitchens and bathrooms.

Creating Location-Specific Content That Dominates

Here’s where you really start pulling ahead of the national directories. Every service page should have location-specific information woven throughout the content. Don’t just mention your city once and call it a day; talk about the neighbourhoods you serve, local architecture styles, regional weather considerations, and area-specific challenges.

For example, if you’re a flooring company in a coastal area, discuss how salt air and humidity affect different flooring materials. If you work in an older city with historic homes, explain your experience working within preservation guidelines. Moving companies can talk about navigating narrow city streets or handling moves in high-rise buildings common to the area.

Create dedicated location pages for each city or major neighbourhood you serve. These shouldn’t be thin, duplicate content; each page needs unique, valuable information about serving that specific area. Include details like typical project timelines for local permits, popular design trends in that neighbourhood, and examples of past projects there.

The Content Strategy That Actually Works

Most contractors treat their blog as an afterthought, posting sporadically when they remember or when someone tells them they “should be blogging for SEO.” That approach won’t cut it against established directories.

Your content needs to answer real questions your potential customers are asking. Use tools like Google’s “People Also Ask” sections, look at what people are searching for in your Google Business Profile insights, and pay attention to questions you get during estimates.

Write comprehensive guides that genuinely help people. A post titled “How Much Does Bathroom Renovation Cost in [Your City]?” with actual local pricing ranges, factors that affect cost, and tips for budgeting will attract people in the research phase. A detailed guide on “Choosing the Right Flooring for [Your Region’s] Climate” positions you as an expert while capturing search traffic.

The key is consistency and quality over quantity. Two thoroughly researched, well-written posts per month beat eight thin, generic posts every time. Each piece should be substantial, think 1,500 to 2,500 words, and include images from your actual projects, not stock photos.

Technical SEO Fundamentals You Can’t Ignore

Even the best content won’t rank if your technical foundation is shaky. Unfortunately, many home service companies are making critical mistakes that tank their search visibility. Avoiding common local SEO mistakes can make the difference between page one and page three.

Your website needs to load fast, really fast. If your project gallery images aren’t optimized, they’re likely killing your load time. Compress images before uploading them, and consider lazy loading for galleries. Mobile speed is particularly crucial since most homeowners are searching for services on their phones.

Schema markup might sound technical, but it’s basically code that tells Google exactly what your business does and where you serve. Local business schema, service schema, and review schema all help search engines understand and display your information more prominently. Many platforms have plugins that make this easier than it sounds.

Your site architecture should make sense to both users and search engines. Clear navigation, logical URL structures, and proper internal linking all contribute to better rankings. When you mention related services in your content, link to those service pages using descriptive anchor text, not generic “click here” links.

Leveraging Reviews and Trust Signals

Houzz and Angi have thousands of reviews, but quantity isn’t everything. What matters are recent, authentic reviews from real local customers. Google puts significant weight on fresh reviews that mention specific services and locations.

Make it ridiculously easy for satisfied customers to leave reviews. Send follow-up emails with direct links to your Google Business Profile, provide business cards with a QR code that goes straight to your review page, and personally ask happy clients when you complete projects.

Display reviews prominently on your website, especially on relevant service pages. If you have a great review about a bathroom renovation, feature it on your bathroom services page. Include photos from the project if the customer allows it.

Build out detailed case studies and project showcases. These serve double duty; they provide fresh content for SEO while demonstrating your expertise and quality. Include before-and-after photos, discuss the challenges, explain your solution, and mention the specific location and services involved.

The Power of Hyper-Local Link Building

Backlinks still matter for SEO, but for local businesses, the quality and relevance of those links matter more than the quantity. One link from your local chamber of commerce website is worth more than ten links from random, irrelevant sites.

Get involved in your community beyond just doing business. Sponsor local sports teams, participate in community events, partner with local real estate agents, or host home improvement workshops at the library. These activities often come with website mentions and links.

Create relationships with complementary local businesses if you do flooring, partner with local interior designers, real estate agents, and home stagers. Many will be happy to link to your resources from their websites, and you can return the favour.

Local news outlets and blogs are always looking for expert sources. When there’s a story about the local housing market, renovation trends, or home improvement tips, reach out as a local expert willing to provide quotes or insights. The resulting articles often include links to your website.

Understanding What Success Actually Looks Like

Don’t obsess over ranking number one for ultra-competitive keywords like “bathroom remodelling” nationally. That’s not the goal, and it’s not where your customers are. Focus on dominating local search terms like “bathroom renovation [your city]” or “flooring company near [neighbourhood].”

Track the right metrics. Traffic is nice, but what matters is qualified leads and conversions. Use Google Analytics to monitor which pages attract visitors who actually contact you or request quotes. Double down on content types that drive conversions, not just traffic.

Monitor your Google Business Profile insights closely. You’ll see which searches trigger your profile, where people are finding you, and how they’re interacting with your listing. This data is gold for refining your SEO strategy.

Watch your competitors, but don’t obsess over them. Check in quarterly on where they rank, what content they’re creating, and which keywords they’re targeting. Use this information to find gaps you can fill, not to copy their strategy.

Making It Happen Without Burning Out

Building a services hub that outranks major directories takes time and consistent effort. Most contractors either try to do everything at once and burn out, or they procrastinate indefinitely because it feels overwhelming.

Start with your most profitable services. If bathroom renovations are your bread and butter, build out those pages first: the main service page, specialized sub-pages, related blog content, and location variations. Get that dialled in before moving to your next service line.

Create a realistic content calendar. Maybe you write one detailed service page and one blog post each month. That’s 24 pieces of substantial content per year, which is more than most of your competitors will produce.

Consider where your skills are best used. If you’re great at sales and project management but writing makes you miserable, it might be worth working with professionals who understand both home services and SEO. The services that can support your growth often pay for themselves quickly through better rankings and more leads.

Getting Started Today

The best time to start building your services hub was a year ago. The second-best time is now. While you’re waiting and thinking about it, your competitors might be implementing these strategies and claiming the top spots in search results.

Begin with an honest assessment of where you stand. How does your current website stack up against the directories you’re trying to outrank? What content gaps exist? Which services or locations aren’t adequately covered? A thorough free SEO analysis can identify specific opportunities and quick wins for your business.

Pick one action item from this article and implement it this week. Maybe that’s creating a new location page, writing a detailed service page, or asking your last three happy customers for reviews. Small, consistent actions compound into significant results.

Remember, Houzz and Angi aren’t going anywhere, but they’re not unbeatable. They’re slow-moving corporations with generic content strategies. You’re a nimble local business with genuine expertise and community connections. Use those advantages, build your authoritative services hub, and watch as you climb past the directories to capture the customers who are actively looking for what you offer in your area. The opportunity is there. The question is whether you’ll take action while your competitors are still complaining about how hard it is to compete with big directories.

HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH GREAT CONTENT

“Marketing is a contest for people’s attention,” says Seth Godin, best-selling author, marketing expert and entrepreneur. Currently there is an attention crisis with brands and companies struggling for attention. Why not when there are so many brands to choose from? Gone are the days when the only thing a company had to do to be successful is to create a useful product and make people know about it through advertising. If you want to be a success today, then you have to market accordingly.

One of the best ways of marketing a product or a service is through content marketing. Industry leader Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as “a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” Content marketing came to be as a result of consumers shunning away traditional marketing methods like television, print ads and even online ads. Content marketing has many platforms: social media, blogging, infographics, slideshows and videos, all geared toward customer engagement and eventually, profit for the company.

Content is King

Content can be anything from a very important piece of scientific writing to a video of three dogs chasing their own tails. Microsoft founder Bill Gates, in an article with the title Content is King, states that the Internet is a marketplace of content – ideas, experiences and products.

But this kind of marketing is not churning out articles or video clips just for the heck of it. Businesses need to do marketing with fresh and relevant content to stay on top. As Gates writes in his essay. “If people are to be expected to put up with turning on a computer to read a screen, they must be rewarded with deep and extremely up-to-date information that they can explore at will. They need to have audio, and possibly video. They need an opportunity for personal involvement that goes far beyond that offered through the letters-to-the-editor pages of print magazines.”

What is great content?

A post on the Google Webmaster Central blog explains how Google determines the quality of content. Essentially, the content has to:

• Have information that can be trusted.
• Have substance, preferably written by someone who is an enthusiast or an expert in the topic.
• Draw genuine interest, not written merely to drive search engine ranking.
• Be original, fresh and found on research.
• Be more insightful and interesting than what is obvious.

Content is written not only for search engine optimization, but more importantly for customer engagement. To produce great content and engage your audience, you must:

• Have knowledge, insight and perspective that set your content apart.
• Have someone in your business to produce compelling and valuable content.
• Have the resources to regularly create content for existing and potential customers.

Unless you have these, content marketing will not work for you. Bad content is just a waste of time and energy.

Content Generation and Relationship Building

If you want a successful business, – then you have to build a relationship with your customers. You can do this by engaging your customers – both existing and potential – through generation of great content. Here are some tips in producing fresh and engaging content:

1. Create content centered on the customer. Know your audience and create stories that focus on them. More than writing about your product specifications or the advantages of hiring the services you offer, you should make your audience the star – so make something that appeals to the customer in an intellectual and emotional level.
2. Know which style works best. Will you build a relationship with your customers through articles or forum discussions? Are you going to make videos to reach out to them? Personalize your content delivery to draw customers in and make sure to continue the connection through constant engagement.
3. Be accessible. Make it easy for your customers and your target audience to be connected and to stay connected to your brand. You can do this by phone, by chat or by email. Make sure that your website is easy to navigate by positioning buttons and links accordingly.
4. Be personal. Nothing would encourage engagement better than personal stories. Be yourself and communicate this in your content. Most products and services offered nowadays are of the same high quality, so differentiate your brand and inspire customer connection, engagement and loyalty.
5. Put quality over quantity. Do not feel pressured to put out great amounts of content at a single time. Remember that quality is always better than quantity, especially if you are after building a relationship that lasts.
6. Be committed. Building a brand and engaging customers is a long and hard process, much like building a relationship with a real person. If you cannot commit to generating great content, then do not expect to build lasting relationships with your customer base.
7. Nurture connections. Your content should not just bridge the gap between you and your customers. It should also allow your audience to connect with other people. Therefore your content should evoke emotions that will spur your customers to share it and spread the word about your brand and what you offer.
8. Offer help. People turn to the Internet for almost every need. If they know that you can help them solve problems, then you will become a trusted and reliable go-to resource for help. People inherently like to be consistent and loyal to what they believe to be trustworthy and consistent, so make sure that your content is truthful and honest.
9. Share your expertise. The days when you have to withhold your secret formula for success is gone. Nowadays, information is a commodity that people can easily get with a single mouse click or finger tap. If you want to be successful in building a relationship with your customers, then you have to share what you know through free courses, webinars and e-books, among others.
10. Be compelling. Write detailed and informative articles with catchy titles. Create emotionally-charged videos that people like to share and discuss. Be consistent with your delivery and before you know it, you will have a strong following.

Encourage engagement and create meaningful conversations through content marketing. Through these meaningful conversations you will be able to build strong, solid and lasting relationship with your customers, which will, in turn, drive profit and success for your brand.

Looking for help with your companies content or brand image online?

CONTENT MARKETING: A SALES STRATEGY WITH ADDED VALUE

There has been a lot said about content marketing, not just in social networks, but all over the internet, for a long time. The definition, however, can be somewhat elusive. Actually, we are always talking about content marketing in one way or another. In many ways, it’s considered the backbone of brand presence.

Content marketing can have many forms, for example: through videos, case studies, books, computer graphics, quizzes, polls, photos, and more. The range is very wide in the digital world.

What is Content Marketing?

We use content marketing to do things like increase sales of a brand, to generate a positive brand image and to position a company as an authority in a particular subject or particular line or range of products.

For SEM or PPC Marketing (Pay per Click Marketing) we also need good content. This means that quality content is the key whether we are working with social networks on the web, or with some other digital media. If we buy traffic, buy followers, then we have to have something to hold them.

Content marketing is a concept that takes time and experience online to accomplish, and is becoming more relevant everyday. When you are marketing your content, you should offer original, entertaining or useful content to users (even all three at once) targeting sale as the primary goal. When creating a content marketing strategy, it is essential to be clear about what our target audience is, what their needs are, what information you want to provide them, and how you can help.

The corporate blog is one of the best tools to convey valuable content that helps attract, convert and retain customers. However, the originality of both topic and presentation of information plays a fundamental role. Therefore, you have to take advantage of the various forms that can offer good content(videos, info-graphics, e-books, newsletter, interviews, etc.).Factors such as Social Media or SEO Positioning are very important for a good content strategy, which is why, you can always exploit the potential of all available opportunities. In addition, content marketing is a sales strategy with many benefits.

How do you know if it works?

Some basic metrics will help you know what you have to achieve(themes, formats, strategies, customer service, design, usability, etc.). Content marketing is often confused with other related online content generation strategies like Branded Content, Copywriting, Storytelling and Content Creation. The line that divides some other concepts is fine, sometimes fuzzy, but it should be clear in its meaning and must involve each of these actions at the time of raising your content creation strategy.

Branded Content Marketing Content

This technique is based, as the name suggests, on the production of “branded content”, in any format, which means that the branded content does not have to be digital. In fact, this type of content marketing is mostly used in the television field.

Content Marketing vs. Copywriting

This is a technique of creating persuasive content focused on the user performing a specific action such as a purchase in your online store, a call or requesting particular information. The most important nuance is that copywriting hides the fact that you are trying to sell something. It is more aggressive and more direct. Of course, you can also perform functions such as inform or entertain your users, but this is not its true goal. In addition, copywriting is only the creation of content in text format.

Content Marketing vs. Storytelling

Storytelling consists of turning a message or an idea in a short story that allows a connection between the narrator and the audience. Its turning branded content into a narrative that encompasses various stages and chapters. It is another way to reach your audience.

If you want to know more about content marketing, fill our free SEO analysis form and one of our experts will contact you.