People hire a painter on how the work looks, and they cannot judge it in advance. This is what actually moves an independent painter up in local search, in the order I would do it, with no promises about rankings.
How customers find you
General searches ("house painter near me") are mostly answered by the map results, which come from Google listings. Specific-job searches ("cabinet painting," "deck staining") are answered by pages on your site.
The plan
Steps 1, 4, 5 and 6 cost nothing. Steps 2, 3 and 7 are content for your site. None of this guarantees a ranking, and results take weeks to months.
Choose "Painter" as your main category, then add only the extras you really offer, such as drywall or pressure washing. If you travel to customers and have no storefront, hide your address and set your service area. The full steps are in the listing setup guide.
Interior, exterior, cabinets, and deck or fence staining are different jobs with different customers. Write a short page for each: what you do, how long it usually takes, how you prepare, and the area you cover.
Photograph every job: rooms, exteriors, cabinets, before and after. Put the best on your site and your Google listing. A painting is hard to judge in advance, so photos do much of the selling.
Say how an estimate works, what prep you do and which products you use. If you offer free estimates, make that the main call to action. Be clear about what a quote covers.
Send your Google review link or QR code after each job, ideally with a photo of the finished room. Never offer a discount or payment for a review, and do not only ask customers you expect to be happy. Google prohibits both.
Use the same business name, phone number and service area on your site, Google, Yelp, BBB, Apple Maps and Bing.
Exterior work runs in the warm months and interiors fill the rest. Put the right one forward, and keep your hours and availability current on your listing.
What your site needs
What not to do
For what a site costs, see how much a contractor website costs. If you pay for leads today, see the plan to stop paying per lead.
If you would rather not
FieldTender builds a painting website and your Google listing in 48 hours: interior, exterior and cabinet pages, a place for your photos, how your estimate works and a call button on every page. $1,197 once, then $19 a month for hosting, no minimum term. See the painting page.
See the painting website →Common questions
There is no fixed answer. A new site and Google listing can be live in days, and Google typically reviews a listing in 1 to 5 business days after verification, but ranking in search takes weeks to months and depends on your market and competition.
Yes, it helps a lot. The listing gets you into the map results. A website shows your finished work in a gallery, explains your process and estimate, and answers the searches for specific jobs like cabinets and decks.
You do not need every job, but photos are the most persuasive thing a painter has. Take them as you go, on a phone, and keep the best of each kind of job.
Yes. Each is a separate search and a separate customer, and each page can show the right photos and answer the right questions.
You can do it yourself with this page and the listing setup guide. If you would rather spend the time on jobs, FieldTender builds the site and Google listing for you: $1,197 once plus $19 a month for hosting, no minimum term, before sales tax.
More questions? See the full FAQ or email us. Other trade guides: Electrician SEO · Roofing SEO · Plumbing SEO · HVAC SEO · Handyman SEO · Landscaping SEO · Pest control SEO · Locksmith SEO · Garage door SEO · Water damage restoration SEO · Pool service SEO.
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