General Contractor SEO: Which Category Goes First
Your primary Google Business Profile category should be the work you want most — then make the website menu match those categories in the same order.
Bret Moleta, Founder, Mindsaw
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Updated
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~5 min read
General contractor — which SEO category
“Contractor” covers too much. Homeowners search “bathroom remodeler” or “concrete contractor” with a town name. Local SEO for contractors starts by picking the jobs you want and lining up the profile and website around them.
“Here are your GMB categories: general contractor, bathroom remodeler, concrete contractor and so on and so forth.”
Bret Moleta, Is My Website KILLING My Ranking In 2026, at 9:03
Primary category = the work you want
If you are mostly a kitchen and bath remodeler, General contractor may not be the right first category. Check what the top three in your town use. Only list categories for work you actually do.
Make the website menu match
Your first menu link should match your first category. Your next link matches the next category. Under each one go the service pages that belong to it. A remodeler might have bathroom remodeling with shower conversions and tile under it.
“I would put the name of the town first.”
Bret Moleta, Is My Website KILLING My Ranking In 2026, at 10:42
Put your main town in title tags and headings where it reads naturally. One strong page for where you are based beats twenty thin city pages.
“you could put hi you know, hire a Hyattsville contractor today instead of contact us, right? Go through all your title tags.”
Bret Moleta, Is My Website KILLING My Ranking In 2026, at 15:47
“Contact us” says nothing. “Get a quote for your bathroom remodel” tells the homeowner what happens next.
The full contractor hire guide is on local SEO for contractors. Plumbers have their own page at local SEO for plumbers. Note: Guarantee not available for legal, roofing or water damage.
Keep reading
More from this A80 article set — same layout, same full-face featured crop.
Questions we get
Should I use General contractor as my main category?
Only if general contracting is the work you want most. Remodelers and specialty trades often do better with a more specific category.
Should I make a page for every city I serve?
No. Build pages only for areas where you have real jobs and customers.
Does the Mindsaw guarantee cover roofing contractors?
No. Guarantee not available for legal, roofing or water damage.
Want to talk about your map pack?
Start with a free Google Maps audit, or call Mindsaw. We’ll look at your categories, menu order, and what people actually search in your market.
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Bret Moleta, Founder, Mindsaw
Bret Moleta founded Mindsaw in 2000. He works on Google Business Profiles, Google Maps rankings and websites for local businesses, and shares what he learns on YouTube. More about Bret.
