We see it every day: strong plumbing and HVAC companies that simply do not show up on Google. These are reputable businesses doing quality work—honest shops with satisfied customers—yet they are passed over daily. The issue is rarely pricing or poor reviews. More often, Google does not see them clearly or does not view them as trustworthy. This problem affects contractors at every level, from one-person operations to companies generating seven or eight figures annually. Size is not the differentiator. Visibility is.

Many of these businesses overlook the basics. For example, their Google Business Profile has outdated photos. Reviews are months old. Website content is generic and disconnected from local searches. None of this reflects the quality of their work, but it directly impacts how Google evaluates them.

The new front door

Homeowners no longer hire contractors by browsing websites. They search phrases like “AC repair near me” or “leaking water heater” and click one of the top results. They may scroll briefly, but most decisions are made within seconds based on perceived legitimacy.

That is how contractor selection works today. Prospects are not reading your “About” pages or comparing licenses. They are making a fast judgment call, and Google controls what they see.

Google’s local results are driven by three factors:

Proximity: How close your business is to the person searching.

Relevance: How well your services match the search query. For example, listing “ductless mini-split installation” instead of only “HVAC.”

Prominence: How established and active your business appears online. Are customers talking about you? Are you posting updates? Do you look real and engaged? Prominence is where many contractors fall behind. Not because they do poor work, but because their online presence has gone quiet. Google does not reward quiet businesses.

The fact is you’re being judged before the phone rings. Before a homeowner ever calls, they evaluate several signals:

Star rating.

Total number of reviews.

Recency of reviews.

Quality of photos (real versus stock).

Business hours.

Listed services.

Overall appearance of activity and legitimacy.

If any of these elements appear outdated or incomplete, prospects move on. Not out of dislike, but out of uncertainty.

We routinely see experienced contractors lose business to newer companies simply because the newer companies present themselves better online.

For example, a client came to us who did not appear in the top 20 results for “home remodeler, Boulder, Colorado.” Within six weeks, she was in the top three. Four weeks later, she reached the number one position.

She did not run ads. We optimized her Google Business Profile, updated photos, implemented a consistent review process and localized her website content.

The result was immediate and measurable: more calls, more booked projects, a new designer hire and plans to expand her team again. All from improved visibility.

We’ve also seen two-truck operations outrank and out-book national franchises. The reason is simple: fresh reviews, real photos and accurate information.

Google does not care how many trucks you own or how much you spend on advertising. It prioritizes real customer engagement and active businesses it can trust to serve searchers well.

Another one of our clients began generating 30 to 40 qualified local SEO leads per week. Even with a conservative 25 percent close rate, that translated into eight to 10 new jobs weekly. At his average ticket price, this produced a three- to four-times return on his monthly SEO investment. These were not clicks or impressions, but booked jobs.

The real problem

Most PHC contractors are busy running their businesses, which is understandable. Unfortunately, that is also why many leave money on the table every week.

The marketing industry has not helped. Too many agencies sell rankings and traffic without connecting those metrics to actual revenue. Visibility without conversion is meaningless.

If your marketing partner is not helping you own your online presence and generate real results, the strategy needs to be reevaluated.

A good starting point is simple: search for your own company on Google. Review your profile as a customer would. Would you call your business based on what you see?

If the answer is no, that is not a failure. It is an opportunity.

So, how to fix it and start winning?

Now that we understand where things break down, let’s focus on what works. This is not theory. These are the practices we implement every day for contractors nationwide. Local SEO does not require massive budgets or complex campaigns. Small, consistent actions send stronger signals than sporadic, expensive efforts.

Here’s something we call, The 15-Minute Weekly Routine.

Once a week, spend 15 minutes on the following:

Request one customer review: Keep it simple. Send a text, make a call or hand them a card. Consistency matters more than volume.

Post one real job photo: A truck in the driveway, before-and-after shots or a team photo. Authentic beats polished every time.

Update your Google Business Profile: Add a service, adjust hours or post a short update such as “Now booking heating tune-ups.”

These actions show Google that your business is active and show customers that you care. Both directly impact visibility.

We worked with a contractor in Crofton, Maryland, paying $2,000 per month for SEO and receiving zero leads. The agency had set up the profile, published a few blog posts and walked away.

We rebuilt the Google Business Profile, added real job photos, aligned service pages with the contractor’s actual offerings and implemented a review system. Within four weeks, the phone started ringing again.

If you are paying for marketing and still invisible online, the issue is rarely bad luck. More often, foundational elements are missing.

To recap, here are some other common issues we see:

Inactive or poorly optimized Google Business Profiles.

Long gaps between reviews.

Website content written for national rankings instead of local searches.

No call tracking.

No system for requesting reviews.

None of this is complex, but it is frequently overlooked. When it is, jobs go to competitors who simply show up better.

Local still beats corporate

Large brands have advertising budgets, but local contractors consistently outperform them when fundamentals are done right. Homeowners want to see real crews, real vans, and real projects. They trust authenticity over stock photos and vague messaging. Google does too.

You already do the hardest part: The work itself. The craftsmanship. The service.

Now you need to show it where customers are looking.

Whether you manage your marketing in-house or work with an agency, ensure the essentials are covered. Focus on real reviews, real photos, and real trust signals. You do not need to manipulate algorithms. You need to present your business accurately and consistently.

The phone rings when people trust what they see. Make sure you give them a reason to trust you. 

Gabe Bustos is a founder of Hector Home Services Marketing (hectorhomeservicesmarketing.com), a no-BS lead generation agency built to help home service businesses book more jobs, take control of their marketing and grow with confidence.