SEO for architects

How clients look for architects

Domestic clients often start with the project: a kitchen extension, a loft conversion, a new house on a plot, or a renovation of a listed building. They research planning rules, costs, timescales and design ideas, then look for architects with relevant built work nearby. Commercial clients may approach through frameworks, tenders and referrals, but they still check websites and portfolios carefully.

Clients want to understand what an architect will do, how fees work and how the process runs from first sketches through planning to construction.

Protected title and professional bodies

"Architect" is a protected title under the Architects Act 1997. Only people on the Architects Registration Board register can use it in business. Show registration clearly. RIBA Chartered Practice status is another recognised signal. If your team includes architectural technologists or designers who aren't registered architects, describe their roles accurately.

Keyword themes

• Project types: house extensions, loft conversions, new-build homes, renovations, listed buildings, conservation areas.
• Approaches: sustainable design, Passivhaus, retrofit, low-energy homes, if you have that expertise.
• Planning: planning applications, permitted development, planning drawings, pre-application advice.
• Process and fees: how architects charge, project stages, working with builders.
• Location: architect plus town or county, especially where local planning knowledge matters.

Refer to official sources such as the Planning Portal when explaining planning, and be clear that each site is assessed individually.

Projects as content

Built work is your strongest SEO asset. A project page covering the brief, site constraints, design response, materials, planning process and photographs is useful to prospective clients and unique to you. Including the location and project type helps people find relevant local examples. Architectural photography is often heavy, so optimise images to keep pages fast.

Explaining the process

Many first-time clients don't know how architects work. A clear process page, perhaps loosely based on the stages of the RIBA Plan of Work, with what happens at each stage, what the client decides and typical timescales, reduces uncertainty and filters enquiries.

Fees and first meetings

Clients often hesitate to contact an architect because they don't know whether a first meeting costs money or commits them to anything. Say plainly what the first conversation involves, whether there's a charge for an initial site visit and what you'll need from them. A short list of questions to think about before the meeting, such as budget, timescale and must-haves, makes enquiries better on both sides.

Local visibility

Local planning knowledge is a real advantage, so local search matters. Keep your Google Business Profile accurate with project photos, and ask clients for reviews that describe the project.

AffordSEO for practices

AffordSEO's £99 plan keeps your site technically healthy, improves titles, headings and internal links across services and projects, suggests content improvements and drafts them for your input and covers Business Profile basics. See what's included.

Architects' SEO questions