By Bret Moleta, Founder, Mindsaw · Published October 25, 2026 · Last updated October 25, 2026
Yes. For a service business the part that counts is structure: what your pages say, how your menu is built, and whether a customer can find your phone number right away. Here are the rules I use.
What does Google need your website to say?
Two things, on every page that matters: what you do and where you do it.
“You can’t just have a website that doesn’t really explain what you do and where you do it without a phone number, right? You need an optimized website.”
Bret Moleta, Google Doesn’t Trust Your Website: And It Shows at 5:07
I put the test as one question:
“Does your website say what you do and where you do it?”
Bret Moleta, The Top 3 LOCAL SEARCH RANKING FACTORS FOR 2026 at 8:07
Pull up your homepage on your phone. If a stranger can’t tell your trade and your town from the first screen, fix that before anything else.
How many pages does a service business website need?
One for each service you actually provide, plus your categories:
“You need a page for each and every category as well as each and every service that you provide.”
Bret Moleta, The Top 3 LOCAL SEARCH RANKING FACTORS FOR 2026 at 8:36
The same goes for towns, but only towns where you really work:
“You need pages on your website to say what you do in those towns.”
Bret Moleta, The Top 3 LOCAL SEARCH RANKING FACTORS FOR 2026 at 13:58
Keep those town pages real. I said it in my newest website video:
“Talk about the work that you do in those neighborhoods.”
Bret Moleta, Google Doesn’t Trust Your Website: And It Shows at 6:14
A town page with a real job, real photos and real local details earns its spot. A copy-and-paste page with the city name swapped doesn’t. If you can’t show work in a town, leave the page out.
What should go in the menu?
Build the navigation in this order:
- Your Google Business Profile categories. These are your first links.
- Your keyword pages, one per service.
- Areas you serve, only the towns with real jobs behind them.
- About and FAQ after those, if you want them.
- Contact last, always easy to find.
You don’t need a Home link. People click your logo to get home.
What goes at the top of the page?
Less than you think. Pile icons up top and people leave:
“Also, get rid of these shiny objects up on top. Once I click Facebook, I’m looking for my ninth grade girlfriend, and I’m off your website.”
Bret Moleta, The Top 3 LOCAL SEARCH RANKING FACTORS FOR 2026 at 9:07
I’ve had this pet peeve for years:
“one of my pet peeves up on top is uh giving the client too many choices or giving the visitor too many choices as to what to do if you notice up on top it just says call it doesn’t have their their facebook their twitter their instagram pages as well as email address and other ways to get in touch with them it’s just a call we don’t want to confuse the visitor”
Bret Moleta, How I Start Every Google Maps Campaign (Step by Step – Full Tutorial ) at 1:23
What does belong up top:
- Your address or service area, so people know right away where you work. “we have the address where they’re located, right? So, if somebody lands on the website, right away they know where you’re located.” (12:18)
- A big phone number you can tap on a phone.
- One call to action, repeated down the page.
Watch: The Top 3 LOCAL SEARCH RANKING FACTORS FOR 2026, from the clip above.
Should you put your own face on the site?
Yes. People hiring a contractor want to know who’s showing up at their house.
“Put your face on your website.”
Bret Moleta, How to set up a Local SEO Campaign for Beginners at 20:18
Use real photos of you and your crew. No AI headshots, no stock “team” pictures. Customers can spot them.
Your website checklist
- [ ] First screen says your trade and your town
- [ ] Phone number big and tap-to-call on mobile
- [ ] No social icons or email links competing with “Call” up top
- [ ] Menu order: categories, service pages, areas served, then the rest, contact last
- [ ] One page per real service
- [ ] Town pages only where you have real jobs, photos and local details
- [ ] Real photos of you and your team
Next step
Want us to check your site against this list? Get a free Google Maps audit or text (718) 227-2300. If you need a rebuild, our website design page shows how we build these sites.
Written from Bret’s videos with AI help; reviewed by Bret.
