Do Contractors Need a Blog on Their Website

Contractor websites with an active blog generate 67% more leads per month than contractor websites without one. That figure comes from analyzing lead volume across thousands of service business websites, controlling for paid traffic and direct visits.

78% of home service contractor websites have zero blog content. No articles. No resources. No educational content. Just a homepage, a services page, and a contact form. These sites rank for their brand name and almost nothing else.

The math on blogging for contractors is straightforward. But the execution is where most contractors either waste time on the wrong topics or quit before seeing results.

What a blog actually does for a contractor website

Your service pages target transactional keywords. “Plumber Phoenix.” “HVAC repair Dallas.” “Electrician near me.” These are the searches where someone is ready to hire.

A blog captures everything else. The research phase. The comparison phase. The “how much does this cost” phase that happens weeks or months before a homeowner picks up the phone.

“How much does it cost to replace a water heater” gets 14,000 monthly searches nationally. Your water heater service page won’t rank for that query because the intent is informational, not transactional. A blog post will.

That searcher isn’t ready to hire today. But in 2-6 weeks, when their water heater actually fails, they’ll remember the contractor whose website answered their question. And if your blog post links to your water heater service page (which links to your contact page), you’ve built a path from research to revenue.

A roofing contractor on Reddit started publishing one blog post per month answering common customer questions — “how much does a roof replacement cost in [city]” and “signs you need a new roof.” Within 6 months, those posts ranked on the first page of Google and generated 15-20 organic leads per month. Total content investment: about 2 hours per month of writing.

Blog content increases the total number of keywords your site ranks for. A typical contractor website without a blog ranks for 50-150 keywords. Add 20-30 well-targeted blog posts over 12 months, and that number jumps to 500-1,500 keywords. More keywords means more entry points for homeowners to find your business.

For the full breakdown of which keywords to target and how to structure your content, read our guide on content that ranks for contractors.

The cost-per-lead advantage

Organic traffic from blog content is dramatically cheaper than paid traffic once the content is producing.

Google Ads cost per lead for home services: $85-150. That’s what you pay every time someone clicks your ad and fills out a form. When you stop paying, the leads stop.

Organic blog traffic cost per lead: $18-35. This factors in the cost of content creation (writing time or freelancer fees) amortized over the lifespan of the post. A blog post that costs $300 to produce and generates 2 leads per month for 3 years produces 72 leads at $4.17 each.

An HVAC contractor on ContractorTalk tracked his marketing spend by channel for a full year. Google Ads: $2,400/month producing 22 leads ($109/lead). Blog content: $350/month in freelancer costs producing 8 leads by month 8 ($44/lead). By month 12, the blog was generating 14 leads per month at an effective cost of $25/lead — and the older posts kept producing without additional spend.

The caveat: blog content takes 3-6 months to rank and start producing traffic. During that ramp-up period, the cost per lead is infinite because you’re investing without returns. The contractors who quit during this window never see the payoff.

After month 6, the economics flip. Every blog post that ranks becomes a permanent asset generating leads at near-zero marginal cost. Paid ads never do that. The moment you stop spending, the traffic disappears.

For a broader analysis of whether organic investment makes sense for your specific situation, read is SEO worth it for contractors.

When blogging works for contractors

Blogging produces measurable results under specific conditions.

When you commit to at least one post per month. Consistency matters more than volume. One quality post per month for 12 months outperforms 12 posts published in January followed by nothing for 11 months. Google rewards sites that regularly publish fresh content.

When you target keywords with actual search volume. A post titled “Why We Love Being Plumbers” gets zero search traffic because nobody searches for that. A post titled “How Much Does a Slab Leak Repair Cost in Houston” captures hundreds of monthly searches from homeowners who need exactly what you sell.

When your average job value supports the investment. A roofer with an average job value of $8,000-$15,000 can justify spending $300-500 per blog post because one additional lead more than covers a year of content investment. A handyman with $150 average jobs needs significantly more volume from blog content to see positive ROI.

On the Owned and Operated podcast, John Wilson (Wilson Companies) described content marketing as “the only channel that gets cheaper over time.” Wilson’s team publishes 2-3 posts per month targeting “cost of” and “how to” searches in their market. Their blog generates an estimated 30% of their organic website traffic. Wilson’s advice: “Write about the questions your CSRs answer on the phone every day. Those are the same questions homeowners are typing into Google.”

When you’re in a market with moderate competition. In markets where competitors aren’t blogging (which is most markets), even basic content can rank quickly. In highly competitive metros where PE-backed companies invest heavily in content, the bar is higher.

When blogging doesn’t work

Blogging is a poor investment in certain situations.

When you need leads this week. Blog content takes months to rank. If cash flow is tight and you need jobs immediately, spend that time and money on Google Ads, LSAs, or networking. Blog content is a medium-term investment, not an emergency tactic.

When you write about topics nobody searches for. Company news, employee spotlights, and community involvement posts rarely generate search traffic. They might serve a purpose on social media, but they won’t drive leads through organic search.

When you publish thin, generic content. A 200-word post about “the importance of regular HVAC maintenance” won’t outrank the 50 other contractors who published the same generic advice. Posts need to be specific, detailed, and genuinely more useful than what’s already ranking.

When your website has fundamental problems. A blog on a site that loads in 8 seconds, isn’t mobile-friendly, and has no clear calls to action is like putting a billboard in a field. The content might rank, but visitors won’t convert. Fix your website foundation first.

What to write about

The highest-performing blog topics for contractors fall into five categories, ranked by lead generation impact.

1. Pricing and cost content

These generate the most traffic and the warmest leads. Homeowners researching costs are actively planning a project.

• “How much does [service] cost in [city]”
• “[Service A] vs [Service B] cost comparison”
• “Is it worth repairing or replacing your [equipment]”

68% of homeowners say they research costs online before contacting a contractor, according to data shared across multiple contractor forums. A plumber on Reddit added pricing ranges to every service page and saw his organic traffic increase by 31% within 90 days — primarily from “[service] cost in [city]” searches that his competitors weren’t targeting.

Pricing content makes up the largest share of high-traffic blog posts for home service sites. One pricing article for a popular service can generate 200-500 monthly visitors on its own.

2. Problem-solution content

These target homeowners experiencing a specific issue right now.

• “Why is my AC running but not cooling”
• “Water heater making noise: causes and fixes”
• “Breaker keeps tripping: when to call an electrician”

The visitor reading “why is my AC running but not cooling” at 2 PM in August has a problem and needs help. If your post answers their question and ends with “If your system needs professional repair, call us for same-day service in [city],” you’ve converted an informational search into a service call.

3. Comparison and buyer’s guide content

These help homeowners make decisions and position you as the knowledgeable expert.

• “Tankless vs traditional water heaters: pros and cons”
• “Metal roof vs asphalt shingles: which is right for [city]”
• “Central AC vs mini-split: cost and efficiency comparison”

Comparison content ranks well because it matches a specific search intent that service pages can’t fulfill. These posts also keep visitors on your site longer, which is a positive ranking signal.

4. Seasonal and maintenance content

Lower in direct lead generation but useful for capturing early-stage traffic and building topical authority.

• “Fall furnace maintenance checklist”
• “How to prepare your plumbing for winter in [region]”
• “Spring AC tune-up: what’s included and why it matters”

These posts perform best when published 4-6 weeks before the relevant season.

5. Local and market-specific content

Content that’s specific to your area ranks faster because there’s less national competition.

• “Common plumbing issues in [city] older homes”
• “Why [city] homes need electrical panel upgrades”
• “[City] water quality and its effect on your plumbing”

Local content also signals geographic relevance to Google, which strengthens your rankings for all local queries.

For keyword research techniques specific to contractors, read our guide on long-tail keywords for contractors.

The time investment reality

A blog post takes time to produce. Here’s what the realistic investment looks like.

Writing it yourself: 2-4 hours per post, depending on your writing speed and the topic’s complexity. Most contractors find this unsustainable beyond a few months.

Hiring a freelance writer: $150-500 per post for quality content from a writer who understands home services. Budget $200-300 for a solid 1,000-1,500 word post with keyword research included.

Using an agency: $500-1,500 per post. You’re paying for strategy, keyword research, optimization, and professional editing. Worth it for contractors doing $2M+ in annual revenue who want a comprehensive content program.

The minimum viable effort: One 1,000-word post per month, focused on a high-volume keyword, published consistently for 12 months. Total investment: 24-48 hours of your time or $2,400-$6,000 in freelancer costs.

Expected return at 12 months: 200-800 additional monthly organic visitors, 5-15 additional monthly leads, at a cost per lead of $18-35. That return continues growing as older posts accumulate rankings and new posts add traffic.

Measuring blog ROI

Track these numbers monthly to know if your blog is working.

Organic traffic growth. Use Google Search Console (free) to track impressions, clicks, and average position for blog-related keywords. Traffic should grow each month as posts age and earn rankings.

Keyword rankings. Track position changes for your target keywords. A new post typically starts on page 3-5 and moves to page 1 over 3-6 months if the content is solid and the keyword is within reach.

Leads attributed to blog content. Set up goal tracking in Google Analytics to see which blog posts drive contact form submissions or calls. Not every post will generate leads directly, but the ones that do are your most valuable content assets.

Cost per lead from organic. Divide your total blogging investment (time + money) by the number of leads generated. Compare this to your Google Ads cost per lead. The organic number should be significantly lower after month 6.

If after 6 months of consistent publishing you’re seeing zero traffic growth, either the content quality needs improvement, the keyword targeting is off, or technical SEO issues are preventing indexing. Read our SEO overview for home service businesses to diagnose the issue.

The compound effect

Blog content compounds in a way that no other marketing channel does.

A post published in January ranks by June and generates 10 visitors per month. By December, it’s generating 30 visitors per month as it climbs in rankings. A year later, it’s still generating traffic and leads at zero additional cost.

Publish 12 posts over a year, and by month 18, you have 12 assets all generating traffic simultaneously. The cumulative effect is a 200-400% increase in organic traffic compared to your pre-blog baseline.

One contractor on r/sweatystartup described his blog as “the employee that works 24/7 and never calls in sick.” After 18 months of consistent monthly publishing (22 posts total), his blog generated more organic leads than his $1,500/month Google Ads budget. He reduced his ad spend by 40% and reinvested the savings into more content. Three years later, organic search is his #1 lead source.

Your competitors who aren’t blogging (78% of them) are stuck competing for the same small pool of transactional keywords with their service pages. You’re capturing the entire research funnel, from “how much does this cost” to “who should I hire.”

A blog isn’t required to run a successful contracting business. Plenty of contractors thrive on referrals, paid ads, and marketplace leads alone. But if you want to build an organic lead engine that reduces your dependence on paid channels and compounds over time, a blog is the most cost-effective tool available.

One post per month. Twelve months. That’s the commitment. The 78% of contractors who haven’t started are leaving the door wide open.