Let me paint you a picture: You’re sitting at home after a long day, scrolling your phone, maybe cracking open a cold one, when it hits you—your phone didn’t ring once today.
No calls. No leads. No action.
Meanwhile, your competition down the street? He’s out there giving estimates, booking jobs, and probably rolling asphalt like he’s printing money.
And you know what’s fueling all that work?
Free leads. From Google.
Yeah. Google.
That multi-billion dollar monster behind your search bar, your Gmail, and your late-night YouTube rabbit holes is handing your competition free leads like Halloween candy.
Leads that cost $75, $100, even $200 on HomeAdvisor or Angi—just floating down from the digital heavens into your competitor’s lap.
Why?
Because they figured out how to play Google’s game.
And you haven’t. Yet.
Let me explain it like this.
Google’s whole existence is built on one thing: being the go-to place people trust when they need answers.
So when someone searches “asphalt paving near me,” Google wants to give them the best local options.
Not just any options. The best.
So what does Google do?
It picks three local businesses it thinks are the best and plasters them right at the top of the page.
In a map. With phone numbers. With directions. With reviews.
It’s called the “Google 3-Pack.” And here’s the crazy part: It’s 100% free.
But why would Google give away anything for free?
Simple. They knew from day one what would happen next.
Google’s not a charity. They’re playing chess, not checkers.
By handing out free leads to just three top contractors, they created demand. All the other businesses—the ones who didn’t make the cut—started looking for ways to get in on the action.
Enter Google Ads.
Google knew that if they got people hooked on showing up in local search, the rest would eventually pay to jump the line.
And they were right.
Now businesses everywhere are throwing money at Google Ads just to appear above the 3-Pack.
Genius? Diabolical?
Doesn’t matter.
Either way, Google wins.
Back in the day, people found contractors in the Yellow Pages or through a buddy at church.
Today? They Google it.
And over the last 10 years, Google has quietly cornered the local lead market.
They gave every business owner a free Google Business Profile. They let people leave reviews. They let you upload photos, hours, services, the whole shebang.
And guess what happened?
Contractors who played the game started showing up on top.
Contractors who ignored it… well, they’re the ones still writing checks to Angi and wondering where all the calls went.
You want in on that sweet stream of free leads? Here’s what Google’s looking for:
Google Business Profile Set Up If you don’t even have one of these yet, we’re not mad—we’re just disappointed. Set it up. Fill out every box. Upload every photo. Treat it like your new best employee.
Online Visibility Everywhere Google checks to see if your business exists outside of its own platform. Do you have a Facebook page? An Instagram? A Yelp listing? If your name’s out there, it shows Google you’re legit.
A Real, Well-Built Website And no, your cousin’s Wix site from 2016 doesn’t count. Your website should clearly show what you do, where you do it, and why you’re worth hiring. Services, cities served, photos, contact info—the works.
Local Reviews—Real Ones Google’s algorithm knows when reviews are coming from real customers in your area. The more you get from legit jobs in your service area, the more Google says, “Hey, this guy’s killing it. Let’s show him off.”
Backlinks From Real Sites If other websites are linking to yours—like blogs, directories, or partner companies—it tells Google your site is trustworthy. The more of these, the better.
People Search You By Name This one’s huge. If people are Googling your business name directly—like “Stanley Asphalt Paving”—Google sees that as brand recognition. It means people know you. And that means Google should, too.
Google isn’t just handing out free leads for fun.
They’re rewarding contractors who treat their online presence seriously.
You don’t have to be a tech wizard.
You just have to give a damn and do the basics right.
Because if you don’t, someone else will.
And when they do?
They’ll be the ones showing up at the top of search results while you sit there wondering why no one’s calling.
So here’s your move:
Get that Google Business Profile.
Clean up your website.
Start getting real reviews.
Get mentioned online.
Build a brand people remember.
Do that, and you won’t just be “on Google.” You’ll be owning it.
And if you want help doing all that?
That’s what I do. Let’s talk.
