Hey Blue Collar Boss,
Your SEO company tells you that your website is ranking for 100 keywords.
Sounds impressive, right?
But how many of those rankings are actually making your phone ring?
Because ranking for the wrong keywords won’t put another job on your schedule.
3,000 Keywords. Only 100 Worth Tracking?
Imagine your plumbing or HVAC company has 3,000 potential Google search terms, but your SEO team can only track 100.
Which 100 should they choose?
Most SEO tools push marketers toward keywords with the highest search volume.
But here’s the problem.
Someone searching “how to fix a leaking faucet” probably wants to do it themselves.
Someone searching “emergency plumber near me” is much more likely to need a plumber right now.
And someone searching “water heater leaking from bottom” might be standing in a flooded garage, ready to call for help.
All three are plumbing-related searches.
But their potential to turn into paying jobs is very different.
More website traffic means nothing if it’s not bringing the right customers.
Your Most Profitable Jobs Should Drive Your SEO Strategy
Let’s say your HVAC company offers maintenance, AC repairs, and complete system replacements.
Your SEO company might focus on “AC maintenance tips” because thousands of people search for it.
But what if you’re trying to grow your system replacement business?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to prioritize searches from homeowners looking to replace their AC?
Even if fewer people search for those terms?
The goal isn’t to win the most Google searches. It’s to win the searches that bring you the business you actually want.
What Should Your SEO Company Actually Track?
A smart SEO strategy should answer four questions:
- Are people searching for it? There needs to be enough demand in your service area.
- Are they likely to hire? Someone needing emergency repairs has different intentions than someone looking for DIY advice.
- Is the job worth pursuing? Prioritize services based on your margins, crew capacity, and growth goals.
- Can you realistically compete? Look at where your website already ranks and where improvements could make a difference.
And here’s something many contractors overlook.
Your Google Ads data can help make your SEO smarter.
If your paid ads are generating qualified calls and booked jobs from certain search terms, those terms deserve a closer look for SEO, too.
Why guess which keywords might bring customers when you already have some evidence from your paid campaigns?
AI Can Help. But It Doesn’t Know Your Business.
AI can analyze thousands of keywords, group similar searches, and identify opportunities much faster than doing everything manually.
But AI doesn’t know which jobs make you the most money.
It doesn’t know whether your technicians have room for more drain cleaning calls or whether you’d rather fill the schedule with water heater installations.
That takes business knowledge.
AI can help find the opportunities. Your business goals should decide which ones matter.
Here’s What to Ask Your SEO Company This Month
Next time they show you a report full of green arrows and improved Google rankings, ask:
“Which of these keywords are helping us get more calls, booked jobs, and revenue?”
They may not be able to attribute every job to a specific organic keyword, but they should be able to explain how rankings, search traffic, inquiries, and actual business results connect.
If all they can talk about is traffic and rankings, you’re missing a big part of the picture.
Want Your Marketing Focused on Jobs, Not Just Rankings?
At True Blue Collar, we believe SEO, Google Ads, and your website should work toward the same goal: attracting homeowners who need your high-value services and turning those opportunities into booked jobs.
Let’s talk about what’s bringing business to your company and where your next growth opportunities might be.
Avi | Founder True Blue Collar Marketing
Talk to you next week,