It is frustrating. You know you do better work. Your prices are fair. Your customers are happy. And yet some other painter or plumber in your area is sitting at the top of Google and getting all the calls.
What are they doing that you are not?
In most cases it comes down to a small number of fixable things. Here are the most common reasons a competitor outranks you and what you can do about each one.
They Have More Google Reviews Than You
This is the number one reason in most cases. Google heavily favours businesses with more and better reviews in local search rankings.
If your competitor has 35 reviews and you have 4, they will outrank you even if your website is better built. Reviews are a major trust signal for Google.
The fix: Start asking every happy customer for a review immediately after the job. Send them a direct link. Make it a habit after every single job. Give it two to three months of consistent asking and you will close the gap.
Their Google Business Profile Is More Complete Than Yours
An incomplete Google Business Profile is one of the most common reasons tradespeople rank poorly. Google rewards profiles that are fully filled in, active, and maintained.
Check your profile against your competitor’s. Do they have more photos? More services listed? A better business description? Regular posts?
The fix: Go through your profile field by field and fill in everything. Add photos of recent work. List every service you offer with a short description. Write a proper business description that mentions your key services and the areas you cover.
Their Website Has More Relevant Content
If your competitor has a dedicated page for each service they offer and you have one generic “services” page, they will rank better for specific searches.
Someone searching “exterior painter Drogheda” is more likely to find a competitor who has a page specifically about exterior painting that mentions Drogheda than they are to find your general services page.
The fix: Create a separate page on your website for each major service. Each page should clearly describe the service, mention the areas you cover, and be written in plain language.
Their Website Is Faster or More Mobile-Friendly
Google uses page speed and mobile-friendliness as ranking factors. A slow website or one that looks broken on a phone will rank lower than a fast, mobile-optimised one.
The fix: Test your website at pagespeed.web.dev. If your scores are low, the report will tell you what needs to be fixed. Common issues include unoptimised images, old website themes, and too many plugins.
They Have More Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to yours. Google sees them as votes of confidence. A tradesperson who is listed on their trade association website, mentioned in a local news article, and linked to from a supplier’s website has more backlinks than one who is not.
The fix: Get listed on your trade association website. Reach out to any local businesses or suppliers you work with and ask if they would link to your site. If you complete a notable project, consider reaching out to local media.
They Have Been Online Longer
Google gives some weight to how established a website is. A business that has had a website for five years has a head start over one that set theirs up six months ago.
The fix: You cannot fast-forward time, but you can put consistent effort in. The other factors in this list can compensate for a newer website if you work on them seriously.
Their Business Information Is Consistent Everywhere
If your business name, address, or phone number varies across different websites and directories, it creates confusion for Google. Competitors with consistent information across the web will rank better.
The fix: Search for your business online and check every listing. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are identical everywhere.
What to Do First
If you are looking at this list and feeling overwhelmed, start here:
- Check how many Google reviews your top competitors have and start closing that gap immediately
- Spend an hour completing your Google Business Profile fully
- Make sure each of your main services has its own page on your website
Those three things will make a noticeable difference within a few months.
If you want a website that is built to rank from the start and SEO handled on an ongoing basis, that is exactly what we offer at ProBizMate.
Written by Maebh Collins
ACA qualified, Dundalk-based. I build websites and write SEO content for trade businesses across Ireland and the UK. If you have questions, get in touch.