According to one recent study, Google Search and Google Maps are the most commonly used tools for local searches. If people are going to look up information about a local business, more than 50% of them will do it from one of these two places.
But more than that, mobile as a portion of the SEO (search engine optimization) market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 10% every year between now and the end of the decade. So not only are people using Google Search and Google Maps to find out information about local businesses, but they’re doing so on the mobile versions of those sites.
They’re typing things like “kitchen remodeler near me” or “bathroom renovation in [Your City]” and making quick decisions based on what they see in those search results. If you can show up at the right time, in the right place, with the right message, you can win those jobs.
But just showing up isn’t enough. To attract the right clients, you have to understand why they’re searching and what they’re looking for. That’s called search intent, and when you know how to decode it – especially at the local level – you can turn more searches into phone calls, consultations, and signed contracts.
Getting to that point isn’t necessarily difficult, but it does require you to keep a few key things in mind along the way.
The Ins and Outs of Local Search Intent
But before you can start attracting your ideal customers using search intent as a remodeling professional, you first need to understand what makes it all so important in the first place.
Think about it like this: you know exactly what someone is searching for if you know what keywords they’re using. But have you ever stopped to think about why they might be searching for that? Do you think they may be using one set of keywords incorrectly, meaning that they’re trying to find something different from what it initially appears to be?
Search intent answers that question, uncovering the “why” behind the search so that you can act on it.
Is someone looking for information? Trying to compare services? Ready to hire someone right now? Google is constantly trying to match search results to that “why.”
Now layer in “local” intent. That’s when people are looking for services in a specific location, usually close to where they live. If someone is searching for “basement remodeling contractor near me,” you can bet that they’re being pretty literal – they’re looking for a professional to do the work that is physically close to where they live. If they’re looking for top-rated kitchen remodelers in Cleveland, they don’t care about the highest-rated company in that category in the country if they don’t work out of Cleveland.
These are not just random clicks. These are people who are actively searching for your services – probably today, probably from their phone, and probably with a project in mind.
If your business doesn’t show up when they search, someone else’s will.
Pay Attention to HOW People Are Searching
So if you want to use WHY people are searching to your advantage, you need to pay attention to HOW they are doing the searching. Meaning that you need to speak their language, especially when it comes to the location-specific phrases that you’re including throughout the content that you’re working so hard to create.
To make sure that your remodeling business is always showing up in the right searches at the right time, lean into things like geotagged keywords. Don’t just say that you’re a “kitchen remodeler.” Work in the fact that you’re a “kitchen remodeler in Austin” whenever you can.
To give yourself as many opportunities to do this as possible, be sure to create location-based service pages – especially if you work in multiple towns or neighborhoods. Don’t try to cram references to the five major cities that you work in on the same page. Create five separate pages for each of them, giving them adequate room to breathe.
Likewise, don’t forget to mention local landmarks and other things like that whenever possible. It’ll help show new customers that you know what you’re talking about – that you walk the walk in addition to talking the talk, so to speak.
Overall, Google needs clear signals that you’re a local business serving a local area. Your website should say that loud and clear if you want to attract ideal customers for your business with local search intent.
Don’t Neglect Your Google Business Profile
Another essential element of local search intent comes down to what is essentially your virtual business card – your Google Business Profile.
When people go looking for a remodeling business like yours for the first time, they’re probably going to turn to Google to do it. When they do stumble across your online presence, it won’t be by way of your website – at least, not yet. It’ll be your Google Business Profile, which appears alongside the search results when people search for things like “remodeler near me.”
At a bare minimum, you need to always make sure your business name, address, and phone number (also commonly referred to as your NAP) are consistent everywhere online, including on your Google Business Profile. You don’t want to have one phone number on your website and another on your Google Business Profile, as this will cause confusion and could potentially harm the trust you’re working to build.
Likewise, add photos of your work – especially if you have any before/after shots of projects you’ve been involved with in the past. Some businesses are at a disadvantage because their services all essentially look the same. You may have worked on decks, major home renovations, small projects, and everything in between. Show that off with quality photos so that you appear in as many specific local searches as possible.
Another major best practice you’ll want to follow is to keep your hours updated and respond to messages quickly. Ask clients to leave Google reviews – and respond to all of them, even the grumpy ones. This might seem small, but showing up in the map results with glowing reviews can make or break your next lead – particularly as you start to consider local search intent and the long-term implications.
Once You Understand Intent, Speak To It
Finally, understand that once you decode local search intent, you need to do more than just use it to optimize your Google Business Profile or the landing pages on your primary domain. If you were to only use it as a chance to get more specific with the keywords and phrases that you’re using, you would be failing to tap into more than a fraction of its full potential.
Here’s the thing: not everyone landing on your website is in the same place mentally. Some people are just dreaming about redoing their kitchen someday. Others are neck-deep in contractor research. And a few? They’re ready to pick up the phone and book your services today.
The secret is to have content that speaks to all of them.
Think of it like a conversation – if someone walks into your showroom and says, “Hey, I’m just browsing,” you wouldn’t launch into a hard sell, right? But if someone says, “I’ve already picked tiles and cabinets, can we talk about a timeline?”, you’d totally shift your approach.
These are the types of things you need to think about when creating content that lives on your website, on your blog, on your social media profiles, and more. If you were to write an article titled “2025 home remodeling trends to be aware of,” you’d create a totally different post if you were talking to someone who had just purchased a home versus someone who had lived in the same home for decades. You’d tailor your approach to someone who lives in an apartment versus someone who lives in a single-family house.
This subtle point-of-view shift is something that you need to continually think about, not just to play to the strengths of local search intent as it exists today, but to continue to take advantage of how it evolves tomorrow.
Overall, remember that today’s homeowners aren’t waiting around. When they need a remodeler, they grab their phone, type (or say) what they need, and expect to find someone local, trustworthy, and professional fast. If that someone isn’t you, it’s probably your competition.
How do you show them that what they’re looking for can be found in your company? By speaking their language. By understanding their own local search intent and what it really means to provide them value.
But here’s the truth: all of this takes time. Updating your listings, creating content, managing reviews, and analyzing traffic—it adds up. And you probably didn’t get into remodeling to become a part-time digital marketer, right?
That’s where a powerful all-in-one marketing platform like Surefire Local comes in. It’s about more than just managing your online presence (including reviews, your Google Business Profile, ads, and more) all in one place. It’s also about saving hours each week by simplifying digital marketing, allowing you to focus more on those matters that truly need your attention.
If you’d like to find out more information about how remodelers can attract more ideal customers in 2025, or if you have any additional questions that you’d like to go over with someone in a bit more detail, please don’t delay – contact us today. You can also click here to attend a Surefire Local demo so that you can see how easy it is for remodelers to attract new customers in 2025 and beyond.