| Last Friday's newsletter was all about whether or not AI is killing SEO. I gave you my take, and a lot of you shared an interest in hearing more about search in general. | Today's your lucky day. | Below, I share more thoughts on the current state of SEO and where things are headed. Again, a big thanks to Lisa Appleby from Service Scalers for sharing her knowledge. |
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| | Check out these resources before we get started… | |
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| | SEO in 2026: What Actually Matters | AI didn't kill SEO. It cleaned it up. | Traffic is down for a lot of companies, but it's mostly low-intent traffic that never converted anyway. What's left is higher-quality visitors who are more likely to book. | Google still dominates real buying behavior. People might discover options through AI, but they verify and take action on Google, especially for local services and emergencies. | The game has shifted from volume to quality. It's no longer about stuffing keywords or pumping out pages. It's about being the most trustworthy, relevant answer when someone is ready to act. | Note: bookmark this article for future reference. |
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| | | What's Actually Changing? | Search behavior has changed. The fundamentals haven't. | AI is stripping out low-intent traffic. The "how to fix it yourself" searches, the blog readers, the tire kickers. That traffic used to inflate your numbers. It made SEO look better than it actually was. | Now, what's left is higher intent. People who click are more likely to book. | Google is still where decisions happen. Someone might ask AI for options, but they go to Google to verify. They check reviews, photos, and availability before they call. That hasn't changed. | What has changed is how content gets ranked. | It's no longer enough for Google to crawl and index a page. AI needs to understand it. Context matters. Depth matters. Expertise matters. | A basic service page with keywords won't cut it anymore. Google and AI are both looking for real authority. Who wrote this? Do they know what they're talking about? Is this actually helpful? | At the same time, your Google Business Profile has become more important than ever. Reviews, freshness, and completeness now directly impact whether you show up or get skipped. | Less noise. More signal. | That's the shift. |
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| | | | What The Data Is Saying | Traffic is down. That's not the problem. | What's actually happening is a shift in traffic quality. In one example, a site was getting 30,000 monthly visitors, but most of it came from blog content that never converted. High volume, low value. | That kind of traffic is disappearing. | At the same time, buying behavior hasn't changed much. Roughly 60% of customers still find contractors through Google. Around 20% come from referrals. AI tools barely register in comparison. | Brand is showing up in a big way too. In some cases, over 80% of Google Business Profile traffic comes from people searching the company name directly. That tells you branding and recall are driving demand, not just rankings. | Reviews are another clear signal. A company with 200 recent, consistent reviews can outrank one with 600 older, stale reviews. Freshness and response rate matter more than total volume. | And while SEO is still powerful, the timeline hasn't changed. Expect a 3 to 6 month lag before meaningful results show up. | Less fluff traffic. More intent. More scrutiny. | That's where things are heading. | PS: nows's a good time to read my article → Google Can't Reign Forever: The Future of Lead Generation |
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| | | Don't Just Play the SEO Game. Win. | Start with this: SEO is no longer a volume game. It's a trust game. | If you're still pumping out pages and hoping something sticks, you're already behind. | Build Service + Location Pages That Actually Convert | You still need pages like "toilet repair Akron, Ohio." That hasn't changed. | What has changed is how deep those pages go. | Don't just say what you do. Explain how you do it, who you serve, and why it matters. Add real scenarios. Add FAQs. Answer the questions a customer would ask before they call. | AI and Google are both trying to understand your content. The more context you give them, the more likely you are to rank. | | Refresh Content Instead of Chasing New Pages | If you've already built out a large site, the next move isn't more pages. It's better pages. | Go back and improve what you already have. Expand sections. Update outdated info. Add new FAQs. Layer in more expertise. | SEO is never finished. The companies that win are the ones that keep improving. | Prove You're an Authority | Generic content doesn't work anymore. | You need to show real expertise. | Add quotes from experienced team members. Highlight licenses and certifications. Tie your content to real people in your business. | Google and AI are both asking the same question: does this company actually know what they're talking about? | Your job is to make that answer obvious. | Treat Your GBP Like Your Most Important Asset | Your Google Business Profile is no longer secondary to your website. In many cases, it is the first impression. | Keep it updated. Post regularly. Add photos. Fill out every field, even the optional ones. | Reply to every review. | I use Big Reputation to manage our GBP. It's a simple way to improve performance while saving time. | Google is constantly asking for more data. Give it to them. | | Focus on Review Velocity and Freshness | A steady stream of new reviews matters more than a high total count. | If you have 600 reviews but haven't gotten one in months, you will lose to a competitor with 200 recent, consistent reviews. | Replying to reviews also matters. It signals activity and builds trust with potential customers. | Strengthen the Foundation of Your Website | Your website is the bottom of the funnel for everything. | SEO, LSA, PPC all depend on it. | Make sure it loads fast. Make sure it's easy to navigate. Make sure your service pages are clearly connected to your GBP. | If your site is slow or confusing, you lose the lead before it ever converts. | Use Supporting Signals, But Don't Rely on Them | Tactics like geotagging photos can help. | They add another layer of context and location relevance. | But they won't move the needle on their own. Think of them as support, not strategy. | Commit to the Long Game | There is no fast move in SEO. | Expect three to six months before you see meaningful results. | That's what makes it hard. It's also what makes it valuable. | If you stay consistent, keep improving, and focus on trust over volume, you don't just rank. | You become the obvious choice. |
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| | | | Common SEO Errors | Most businesses are losing at SEO because they're focusing on the wrong things. Consider these common errors: | Chasing traffic instead of conversions: high traffic means nothing if it's low intent and never turns into booked jobs Pumping out low-quality pages: volume without depth no longer ranks or converts Ignoring your Google Business Profile: outdated info, missing fields, and no activity kills visibility Letting reviews go stale: inconsistent reviews or no responses will drag you down over time Expecting fast results: SEO takes 3 to 6 months, treating it like a quick win leads to bad decisions
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| | Get Control of Your Numbers | You're growing the business, but your numbers still feel like a black box. CFO Made Easy helps you understand cash flow, fix pricing, and make better decisions without guessing. | Book a free 20-minute strategy session and walk away with real clarity on what to do next. | |
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| | | SEO didn't go away. It just got harder and more honest. | If you focus on trust, depth, and real customer intent, you'll win where others fall off. | Do it right, and your website stops being traffic. It starts being revenue. |
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| | |  | Why Septic is the Most Underrated Business in America |
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| Apple | Spotify | YouTube | What do you think about today's "Clicks to Calls" newsletter? | |
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| 👊 John | Disclosure: Some of the content and links in this newsletter are sponsored or affiliate links, which means we may receive payment or earn a commission if you click through or purchase. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own. |
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