Industry · Contractors

Contractor SEO & AI visibility for HVAC, roofing and remodeling.

In short: “roofers near me” goes to your Google Business Profile. Big jobs start earlier, with research: “heat pump installation cost” gets 22,200 searches a month in the US, four times as many as “heat pump installation near me”. AI answers take on these questions too; for “bathroom remodel cost”, half the sources in Google’s AI Overview were remodelers and builders. Claire writes these guides in your voice, with sources and current incentive rules, and publishes once you approve.

Book a demo
No credit cardSet up in 15 minutesCancel monthly
HVAC contractor in his workshop checking copper pipe fittings next to a heat pump on a pallet
Claire is looking at what homeowners ask …

What your customers search for

Google · United States · per month

Google
heat pump installation cost22,200
cold climate heat pump12,100
heat pump installation near me5,400
Checking search terms …

Companies whose blogs grow with Claire

TrustypostPlanimolREA CardTomorrow UniversityKUGUPaforySybilionNubibase

What your customers search for

First the cost, then the contractor.

Before homeowners request a quote, they want to know what it costs, how long it lasts, which option fits and what the rules are. Four areas from the trades with the big tickets, with US search data:

Heat pumps & HVAC

Search terms Heat pumps & HVAC with searches per month and cost per click
Search termper monthCost per click
heat pump installation cost22,200$13.04
furnace replacement cost14,800$11.76
cold climate heat pump12,100$5.11
ac replacement cost9,900$14.25
heat pump vs furnace6,600$6.50

Roofing

Search terms Roofing with searches per month and cost per click
Search termper monthCost per click
roof replacement cost18,100$19.96
metal roof cost14,800$11.65
how long does a roof last12,100$8.32
metal roof vs shingles6,600$9.38
hail damage roof5,400$19.02

Remodeling & new homes

Search terms Remodeling & new homes with searches per month and cost per click
Search termper monthCost per click
bathroom remodel cost33,100$19.41
kitchen remodel cost22,200$10.69
walk in shower cost6,600$14.71
how long does it take to build a house6,600$6.17
cost to build a house5,400$4.81

Incentives, permits & licenses

Search terms Incentives, permits & licenses with searches per month and cost per click
Search termper monthCost per click
energy efficient home improvement credit18,100$10.42
mechanics lien12,100$5.93
contractor license lookup9,900$1.07
building permit6,600$7.06
solar tax credit4,400$8.70

Search volume: Google Ads, United States, monthly average from September 2025 to August 2026, retrieved via DataForSEO on October 5, 2026. Cost per click: average price of an ad click in Google Ads, in US dollars, same query.

What the numbers show

4×

as many searches for “heat pump installation cost” as for “heat pump installation near me”.

  • heat pump installation cost22,200
  • heat pump installation near me5,400

$32

is what one ad click on “bathroom remodel near me” costs on average ($32.29). A guide that ranks for “bathroom remodel cost” (33,100 searches a month) brings in readers without a price per click.

9×

as many searches for “roofers near me” as for “roof replacement cost”. That search goes to your Google Business Profile, not to a guide.

  • roofers near me165,000
  • roof replacement cost18,100

The questions Google shows alongside

“heat pump installation cost”

22,200 / month
  • How much does a heat pump cost for a 2000 sq ft home?
  • What is the downside to a heat pump?
  • Is there a federal tax credit for installing a heat pump?

“roof replacement cost”

18,100 / month
  • Is $30,000 too much for a roof?
  • What can I do if I can’t afford a new roof?
  • How to tell if a roofer is lying?

“bathroom remodel cost”

33,100 / month
  • What is included in a bathroom remodel?
  • What is the 30% rule in remodeling?
  • What not to do in a bathroom remodel?

“heat pump vs furnace”

6,600 / month
  • Why don’t contractors like heat pumps?
  • Will my electric bill go up with a heat pump?
  • What are the disadvantages of a heat pump?

Questions: Google’s “People also ask” on google.com (United States), retrieved on October 5, 2026.

When people search

Tax credit questions peak at filing time.

Searches for the federal credit on heat pumps, insulation and windows climbed to 49,500 in March 2026, as homeowners filed for 2025 installs, and fell to 5,400 by August. The credit covered improvements made through December 31, 2025. Now homeowners ask what’s left: “hvac tax credit 2026” went from zero searches in September 2025 to 1,300 a month in spring. A dated guide answers that; an old one promises a credit that’s gone.

“energy efficient home improvement credit”

Searches per month · Google · United States

Google Ads
Searches per month for “energy efficient home improvement credit”
Sep 202512,100
Oct 202512,100
Nov 202512,100
Dec 202514,800
Jan 202627,100
Feb 202640,500
Mar 202649,500
Apr 202633,100
May 202612,100
Jun 20269,900
Jul 20268,100
Aug 20265,400

Search volume: Google Ads, United States, monthly average from September 2025 to August 2026, retrieved via DataForSEO on October 5, 2026.

Google and AI answers

Who answers today when your customers ask.

Homeowners ask about cost long before they ask for a quote. Four of the eight sources in Google’s AI Overview and three of the top five results came from remodelers and builders. Three of the cited guides still had 2024 or 2025 in the title, so a current cost guide has room.

AI Overview sources from the industry
4 of 8
Top 5 results from the industry
3 of 5
bathroom remodel cost33,100

AI Overview · 8 sources

  • youtube.com (Video)
  • propertyblueprintco.com (Planning guides)
  • tri-townconstruction.com (Builder & remodeler)
  • nvkitchenandbath.com (Remodeler)
  • modernkitchenva.com (Remodeler)
  • modernize.com (Lead marketplace)
  • homelight.com (Real estate platform)
  • a2zconstructionmgmt.com (General contractor)
  1. 1westsideremodeling.comRemodeler
  2. 2youtube.comVideo
  3. 3tri-townconstruction.comBuilder & remodeler
  4. 4modernize.comLead marketplace
  5. 5mudosikitchenandbath.comRemodeler
Businesses from the industryPortals, media, others

Results: google.com (United States), desktop, retrieved via DataForSEO on October 5, 2026. Ads and map pack not shown.

The levers

Five levers for the right jobs.

Your Google Business Profile wins the search for a contractor nearby. Big projects start earlier, with questions about cost, incentives, permits and timing.

Master woodworker explaining a plan to a young apprentice at a workbench
01

The “near me” search goes to your Google Business Profile.

When the AC quits or the roof leaks, homeowners pick from the map: by distance, reviews and photos. A complete Google Business Profile is the foundation. You or your agency handle it, not Claire.

Evidence“plumber near me” 823,000, “roofers near me” 165,000 searches a month. Google’s AI Overview for “contractor seo” listed the Google Business Profile first on October 5, 2026.

02

Explain the cost before anyone calls.

Before a heat pump, a new roof or a kitchen remodel, homeowners run the numbers. A guide with honest price ranges, what drives them and what your price includes makes you the source before the first quote.

Evidence“heat pump installation cost” 22,200, “heat pump installation near me” 5,400 searches a month. Three of the top five results for “bathroom remodel cost” on October 5, 2026 were remodelers and builders.

03

The right jobs, not just more leads.

Many contractors are booked out. Then what counts is which leads come in. Guides that state your process, timeline, service area and typical budgets bring homeowners who know what they’re signing up for, and filter out the rest.

EvidenceFor “roof replacement cost”, Google showed the questions “Is $30,000 too much for a roof?” and “How to tell if a roofer is lying?” on October 5, 2026.

04

Keep incentives and rules current.

The federal tax credits for heat pumps and solar ended for installs after 2025. Homeowners still ask, and old articles become a trap. A guide with a date and a source beats pages that still explain last year’s rules.

Evidence“hvac tax credit 2026”: 0 searches in September 2025, 1,300 a month from February to April 2026. On October 5, 2026, one of the top five results still said the credit exists in 2026.

05

Write before the season.

Furnace questions arrive with the first cold weeks, AC questions with the first heat. A new article needs weeks before Google ranks it, so heating topics belong online by late summer and cooling topics by early spring.

Evidence“ac replacement cost”: 2,900 searches in November 2025, 22,200 in July 2026. “furnace replacement cost”: 27,100 in October 2025, 6,600 in June 2026.

Pitfalls and the law

What can go wrong in contractor content.

A guide on your website is advertising for your business, and the federal incentives for heat pumps and solar changed at the start of 2026. This isn’t legal advice; if in doubt, ask your lawyer or your state’s licensing board.

Tax credits that no longer apply

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) covered improvements made through December 31, 2025, with up to $2,000 a year for heat pumps. The Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) for solar, battery storage and geothermal heat pumps isn’t available for property placed in service after that date. Guides that still promise these credits for 2026 installs mislead your customers. Date every incentive, and check state and utility programs before you name them.

Source: IRS: Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit

Your license number in your advertising

States regulate how contractors advertise. In California, for example, every licensed contractor must include the license number in all forms of advertising, as prescribed by the registrar of contractors. A guide on your website promotes your business, so check what your state requires before you publish.

Source: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7030.5

Reviews and customer stories

Since October 21, 2024, the FTC’s rule on consumer reviews and testimonials applies. Reviews or testimonials from people who don’t exist or never used your service are banned, and incentives for reviews must not depend on a positive rating. Testimonials you put on your own website count as your advertising. Courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations.

Source: FTC: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Q&A

Energy savings and green claims

“Cuts your heating bill in half” is a claim you have to be able to back up. For insulation, the FTC’s R-value Rule requires a reasonable basis for any claim that it lowers fuel bills, plus the notice “Savings vary. Find out why in the seller’s fact sheet on R-values. Higher R-values mean greater insulating power.” The FTC’s Green Guides also warn against broad claims like “eco-friendly”. Say what a system saves and under which conditions.

Source: 16 CFR § 460.19 (FTC R-value Rule)

How Claire does it

You set the direction. Claire does the work.

Claire works like a good editorial team: topics on the wall, sources on the desk, corrections in the margin. And she keeps going after you log off.

Topic cards on a wall, connected into clusters
Looking for questions about heat pumps …
cold climate heat pump12,100 / month
heat pump vs furnace6,600 / month
dual fuel heat pump4,400 / month

What you need

Included from Growth. €299 a month.

Free trial, no credit card. Cancel monthly, no setup fee. On Starter (€199), Claire writes up to 30 articles a month, without the full SEO strategy.

Compare all plans

Growth

cancel monthly

€299/ month

  • SEO strategy with 300+ keyword gaps
  • Up to 30 guides and articles a month
  • Publishing to WordPress, Webflow or Wix
  • Tracking your visibility in ChatGPT and Google AI

Questions

Good to know.

Is SEO still worth it for contractors in 2026?

For big projects, yes. Before a heat pump, a new roof or a remodel, homeowners research cost, options and rules, and those are the questions Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT answer. For “bathroom remodel cost”, half the sources in Google’s AI Overview were remodelers and builders (October 5, 2026). For emergency repairs and small jobs, a blog rarely pays off; those searches go to your Google Business Profile.

What brings more jobs: Google Business Profile or a blog?

For searches like “plumber near me” (823,000 a month in the US) or “roofers near me” (165,000), your Google Business Profile with reviews and photos. It’s the foundation, it’s free, and you or your agency keep it up; Claire doesn’t. A blog works on the questions before that: cost, comparisons, incentives, permits. Those are also the questions AI answers.

How much does SEO cost for a contractor?

With Claire, €199 a month on Starter and €299 with the full SEO strategy and AI tracking, cancellable monthly. Your Google Business Profile is free to keep up yourself. Technical work on your website, like speed or the mobile layout, is your web designer’s job.

Can I do it myself, or just use ChatGPT?

The profile, asking for reviews and one clear page per service, yes. ChatGPT can draft text, but it doesn’t know your prices, your service area or which incentives apply today, and a draft doesn’t publish, update or measure itself. Claire researches with sources, checks facts, writes in your voice and waits for your approval. You add what only you know from the job site.

How long does it take for a guide to get found?

Usually weeks to months, depending on competition and the age of your website. That’s why seasonal topics need a head start: heating guides belong online by late summer, AC topics by early spring. “ac replacement cost” went from 2,900 searches in November 2025 to 22,200 in July 2026.

Can I write about tax credits and rebates in my guides?

Yes, if the facts are current. The federal credits for heat pumps (25C) and solar (25D) ended for installs after December 31, 2025, but some pages still promise them for 2026. Name the program, the date and the conditions, and check state and utility programs before you mention them. In some states, California for example, your license number belongs in your advertising too.

How do I get recommended by ChatGPT as a contractor?

With clear answers to the questions before the job, your trades and service area stated plainly on your website, and mentions elsewhere, for example in local news or trade media. You can request media placements directly in Claire. The free AI check shows how often ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity name you today.

Keep reading

Your platform, your next step.

See all industries

Try it on your own website. Or check first whether ChatGPT knows you.

Enter your website, connect your blog, read the first draft. Before that, the free AI check shows how often ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity mention your brand and whom they recommend instead.

Free AI check
No credit cardSet up in 15 minutesCancel monthly