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Aaron Carmen

Architect SEO guide

SEO for Architects

A practical Architect SEO guide: how architects get found on Google and in AI search, what to build, and where your marketing budget goes furthest.

Updated October 13, 2026

At a glance

Local Services Ads
Eligible
Google category: Architect
Google search ads, avg cost per lead
$93.69
LocaliQ 2026, Business Services
Typical job value
High
Marketing spend signal
High

Aaron's take

Architect SEO has an odd problem: much of the search interest in "architect" comes from people looking at careers, software architects and IT roles, not homeowners hiring. The searches that matter are more specific. "Architectural design" gets around 49,500 searches a month in the US, and residential architect, custom home design and home addition design are where real clients show up.

Architects who win online let their work do the talking, but they also explain the process. Homeowners hiring an architect for the first time do not know how fees work, what an architect does that a designer does not, or how long design and permits take. A portfolio organized by project type, with clear answers to those questions, turns admiration into enquiries.

Aaron CarmenSenior WordPress Developer and SEO Specialist

Keywords

How homeowners search for architects

Group your pages around how people actually search, from urgent problems to research before they choose.

Service

Project types

  • architectural design
  • residential architect
  • custom home design
  • home addition design
  • commercial architect

Near me

Near me searches

  • architect near me
  • home architect

Comparing options

Choosing an architect

  • architect vs designer

Research

Fee questions

  • architect cost
  • how much does an architect cost

Search volumes: DataForSEO (Google Ads data), US, checked October 13, 2026. "Architectural design" gets about 49,500 searches a month and "architect near me" about 18,100.

Your website

Pages your website needs

In the order I would build them. Each page targets one group of searches.

  1. A page for each project type

    Custom homes, additions, renovations and commercial work attract different clients with different searches.

  2. Portfolio organized by project type

    Clients want to see work like theirs. Each project page can rank for its own type and location.

  3. How we work page

    First-time clients do not know the process. Explain the phases from brief to permits to construction.

  4. Fees page

    People search for what architects cost. Explain how you charge, whether by percentage, fixed fee or hourly.

  5. Architect versus designer page

    A real question clients ask. Explain what a licensed architect adds and when it matters.

  6. Team page

    Clients hire people. Show licences, experience and the projects each person led.

How I plan and build sites like this

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile for architects

Primary category
Architect
Secondary categories
Architecture firmArchitectural designerInterior designerBuilding designer

Categories checked on October 13, 2026

What to get right

  • Use Architect as your primary category. Half of the 10 most-reviewed US architects I checked added Architecture firm and Architectural designer, and 4 added Interior designer.
  • Add Interior designer only if you offer interior design as a service.
  • Upload photos of completed projects, with the project type and location in the description.
  • Ask clients for reviews at project completion, while the result is fresh.

Reviews

Reviews that matter for architects

Where reviews count

  • Google
  • Yelp
  • HomeGuide
  • Ask every customer, not only the happy ones, right after the job is done.
  • Send one short message with a direct link, so leaving a review takes a single tap.
  • Reply to every review, good or bad, calmly and specifically.
  • Never pay for reviews or offer anything in return. It breaks Google's rules.

Ads and SEO

Local Services Ads, Google Ads and SEO

Architects can advertise with Local Services Ads, the "Google Verified" ads that sit above everything else for many local searches. You pay per lead, not per click.

  • Google category: Architect
  • The Google Verified badge is available for this category.
  • Pre-badge ads are available while verification is pending.
  • Booking leads are available.
  • This category is only available in California and Florida.

Google is moving Local Services Ads into Performance Max with pay-per-lead goals, starting with a first US phase in August 2026.

Ads and SEO work best together. Ads buy leads while your organic and map rankings grow, and strong reviews and a complete Google Business Profile help both. As SEO brings in more leads for free, you can lower ad spend on the searches you already win.

For context, Google search ads in the Business Services category average $93.69 per lead (LocaliQ, 2026). That is a search ads benchmark, not a Local Services Ads lead price.

Local Services Ads rules for the US, from Google Local Services Help, checked October 13, 2026.

Seasonality

When homeowners search

  1. Jan: High
  2. Feb: Peak
  3. Mar: High
  4. Apr: High
  5. May: Moderate
  6. Jun: Moderate
  7. Jul: Moderate
  8. Aug: Moderate
  9. Sep: Moderate
  10. Oct: Moderate
  11. Nov: Low
  12. Dec: Low
Relative search interest by month. Source: Google Trends, "architect", US, past 5 years, via DataForSEO, checked October 13, 2026. Searches are highest in January and February and lowest in December. The term also covers software and IT architects, so treat this as a rough guide.

Structured data

Schema for architects

Add this to your home page, filled in with your details, so search engines and AI tools know exactly what your business is, where it is and how to reach you. It uses the ProfessionalService type.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "ProfessionalService",
  "name": "Your architecture firm name",
  "url": "https://www.example.com/",
  "telephone": "+1-555-555-0100",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Your city",
    "addressRegion": "ST",
    "postalCode": "00000",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "areaServed": "Your service area",
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.google.com/maps?cid=YOUR_CID",
    "https://www.facebook.com/yourpage"
  ]
}
</script>

Mistakes

Mistakes architects make

  1. Targeting the word "architect" alone

    Much of that traffic is careers and IT. Build pages around project types that homeowners and businesses search for.

  2. A portfolio with no words

    Beautiful images without the project type, scope and location give Google nothing to rank and clients nothing to compare.

  3. Not explaining fees

    People search for architect costs. Explaining how you charge removes a big reason to delay contacting you.

  4. Assuming clients know the process

    Most clients hire an architect once in their life. A clear process page builds confidence.

FAQ

Architect SEO questions

Why is "architect" a hard keyword to rank for?

Because much of the search interest comes from people looking at careers and software or IT architects, not clients. Homeowners and businesses search more specifically, for architectural design, residential architects, custom home design and additions. Pages built around those project types bring in real enquiries.

Can architects use Local Services Ads?

Architect is a Local Services Ads category in the US, but it is currently available in California and Florida only. Elsewhere, paid search means regular Google Ads. In both cases, a strong portfolio and reviews help your organic and map rankings. Google says these ads are ranked on factors such as your distance from the customer, your reviews and how quickly you respond to leads.

Should an architect publish fees?

Explain how you charge, whether as a percentage of construction cost, a fixed fee or hourly, and give typical ranges for common project types. People search for what architects cost. A clear explanation brings in clients who understand the investment.

What should an architect's portfolio include?

For each project: the type, location, size, the brief, what you designed and good photos. Organise the portfolio by project type so clients can find work like theirs, and give each project its own page so it can rank on its own.

How much does SEO cost for an architecture firm?

It depends on how competitive your area is, how many project types and locations you want to rank for and what your website needs first. Most architecture firms pay monthly, because new pages, reviews and local work need steady attention. I look at your site and the competitors near you first, then give you a fixed quote.

Related

Related guides and services

  • Local SEO

    Google Business Profile, citations, reviews and location pages, so you show up in the map pack where buyers look first.

    Learn more about Local SEO

  • Web Design

    Clean, fast designs planned around how people search and buy. Built to convert, not just to win compliments.

    Learn more about Web Design

Contact

Get a quote for your architecture firm

Tell me about your business and your site. Say what you want to achieve and I'll reply within one business day with any questions, then a fixed quote.

  • Reply within one business day
  • No obligation, no hard sell
  • Form and email only, calls optional
What you need

Prefer email? hello@aaroncarmen.com

Sources

  1. LocaliQ: Search Advertising Benchmarks for Every Industry [2026 Data], checked October 13, 2026Google search ads averages (CPC and cost per lead). Not Local Services Ads lead prices.
  2. Google Local Services Help: Business screening and verification requirements (US categories), checked October 13, 2026US. Badge, pre-badge, booking-lead and state-limited category rules.
  3. Google Business Profile categories, checked in a live GBP dashboard, checked October 13, 2026
  4. Seasonality: Google Trends, "architect", US, past 5 years, via DataForSEO, checked October 13, 2026. Searches are highest in January and February and lowest in December. The term also covers software and IT architects, so treat this as a rough guide.
  5. Keyword volumes (Fee questions): DataForSEO (Google Ads data), US, checked October 13, 2026. "Architectural design" gets about 49,500 searches a month and "architect near me" about 18,100.