More Local Leads with Voice Search?

Here are the 10 reasons why optimizing your website, online profiles, and even your personal and business social media accounts for voice search can land you more local contractor gigs. 

Case Studies:

• AD Green Gutters won a $85,000 in gutter jobs with voice search in 12 months.
• ADS Sheet Metal won $450,000 in commercial metal roofing jobs in the first 2 years.

1. 50% of All Mobile Searches Are Voice-Activated

Over 50% of all mobile searches are now initiated via voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa. That means homeowners aren’t typing “roofing contractor near me” — they’re saying it out loud. For contractors, this shift means your business must be built to show up in spoken search results, or you risk losing half your potential mobile leads.

Voice search has become the go-to method for homeowners to find immediate help. Think of phrases like “emergency plumber near me” or “who installs seamless gutters around here.” These are high-converting, local searches being spoken about every day. According to NPR and Edison Research, 62% of Americans use voice assistants, and a growing percentage use them to locate local services, especially home contractors.

2. “Near Me” Searches Continue to Skyrocket

According to Google, “near me” mobile searches have increased over 500% in recent years, and many of them are spoken, not typed. When someone says “find a roofer near me” or “gutter cleaner open now,” Google pulls local results based on proximity, relevance, and voice-friendly content. That makes voice search critical for any contractor who depends on local leads.

With both the near me searches rising and the ability to ask longer questions… You have yourself a dream machine of local leads. 

3. Voice Search Only Shows the Best (top 3 answers)

According to Backlinko, 71% of voice search answers come from websites and blogs that rank on the first page. Whichever site is the best gets the credit and the lead. When someone uses voice search, they don’t see a list of 10 results. They receive one answer — the top result. No scrolling. No clicking to Page 2. The assistant either speaks the top answer out loud or displays it at the #1 spot on their phone.

This is called the “position zero” effect, and if your contractor business isn’t ranking at the top, you’re not even in the conversation. And in local service industries, the first contractor a homeowner hears is usually the one they call. There’s no second chance. That’s why showing up first in local packs, maps, and snippets is more valuable than ever.

4. Google Maps and Voice Search Work Together

Voice search and Google Maps are directly connected. When a homeowner says “find a roofer near me” or “plumber open now,” Google pulls business results from Maps, not just your website. According to BrightLocal, 64% of consumers have used Google Business Profiles (formerly Google My Business) to find local contact info, and much of this is triggered by voice. If your listing is incomplete, you’re missing leads from the #1 source that voice tools rely on.

5. Voice Search Converts Higher Local Leads

Voice search users aren’t browsing — they’re taking action. According to Search Engine Journal, mobile voice-related searches are 3X more likely to be local and result in fast conversions like calls or map clicks. For contractors, that means voice users are the hottest leads: they’re looking to solve a problem right now. Optimizing for voice means getting found at the exact moment someone needs your service.

Voice assistants are designed to provide phone numbers and call buttons, and 64% of voice searches result in direct phone calls, according to Invoca. That’s gold for contractors, where a call can turn into a booked job within minutes.

6. Voice Search = Younger Homeowners Leads

According to PwC, people aged 25–49 are the most frequent voice assistant users, with that age group being significantly more likely to be “heavy users” compared to other age brackets. Keywords Everywhere states 61.9% of Millennials and 55.2% of Gen Z use voice assistants monthly, compared to just 51.9% of Gen X and 31.5% of Baby Boomers. While the older population generally owns more homes, it is the younger generation that is buying houses right now. Capitalize on younger money with Voice Search SEO to gain the younger homeowner audience.

7. Spend Less on Paid Ads

If voice search drives organic leads, you rely less on costly Google Ads or social campaigns. HubSpot reports that businesses ranking #1 organically capture over 30% of voice-driven clicks, often without paying for ads, freeing up your budget for branding, tools, or hiring experts like TIP.

8. Urgent Services via Voice Search

Urgent homeowner issues, such as leaks, blocked drains, or power outages, often drive voice search. Google’s Consumer Insights reports that 40% of voice searches are emergency-related. If your profiles and site content highlight emergency or same-day services, you’ll show up ready when they most need you.

9. You Can Rank Without Blogging Every Week

Voice SEO is about having concise, optimized service pages and FAQs, not churning out long blog posts. SEMrush indicates that businesses with structured pages optimized for conversational keywords saw a 25% increase in local rankings — without a heavy blogging schedule.

10. Voice Search isn’t harder, it’s Different SEO

Unlike traditional SEO, where you're competing for clicks on a crowded search results page, voice search focuses on answering specific, spoken questions. This offers a lower-competition route to the top, especially for contractors serving a defined local area. According to SEMrush, 70% of voice search answers come from featured snippets or well-structured content with local relevance. With fewer businesses actively optimizing for voice, the competition remains wide open, and competent contractors can rank faster with the proper setup.

Are the Keywords Different? Yes.

Voice queries are typically longer and more conversational. Google reports that voice searches average 29 words, compared to just 2–3 typed words. According to a 2024 Local Search Association survey, over 60% of small trade businesses haven’t optimized for voice search at all. That leads to massive missed opportunities, especially when homeowners are already searching by voice for these services. Because most contractors aren’t actively optimizing for voice yet, the playing field is wide open. 

For the most part, it’s people talking into their phones as if they are chatting with a friend. 

“Tell me the top three plumbing companies in Reno?”
“Tell me the top three gutter companies near me, and list why.”

Voice assistants pull answers from pages that match the asked question. Websites with well-defined service pages (e.g., “emergency HVAC repair in Sparks”) are 45% more likely to be used for voice results, according to SEMrush. The clearer and more local your pages, the higher your odds.

BrightLocal’s 2024 Local SEO study found that businesses with complete Google Business Profiles get 2.7x more queries via voice search. Having updated hours, correct services, reviews, and local photos sends the right signals to voice assistants, boosting your chances of being the spoken answer.

Page speed and mobile usability are crucial for voice search. Google’s Core Web Vitals report shows that websites meeting mobile speed benchmarks are 70% more likely to be picked as voice results. If your site loads quickly and has clean navigation, it’s more likely to be featured by voice assistants.

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