How to Pick Your First 5 Services to Build Content Around

If you offer more than a handful of services (most trades do), it’s easy to fall into this trap:

“We should write about everything.”

That usually turns into random posting, stalled momentum, and a blog that doesn’t map to what you actually want more of.

A better approach is to pick five services to start with and build content around them.

Five is enough to create focus, but small enough that you can actually execute.

Why “First 5 Services” Beats “Write About Everything”

When you focus on a small set of services, a few good things happen:

• Your service pages become clearer
• Your blog stops feeling random
• Internal linking becomes easy
• Your content starts to sound like a system, not a streak of one-off posts

If you want the bigger-picture framework for building a year of content without burning out, this is a useful reference:
How to Plan a Year of Content Without Burning Out or Going Broke.

The 5-Factor Scoring Method

Pick five services using a simple scorecard. You’re looking for the best mix of business value and customer intent.

Score each service from 1–5 on these factors:

1) Margin

Which services have the healthiest margins or best lifetime value?

2) Frequency

Which services happen often enough that content will stay relevant?

3) Urgency

Which services get searched when people need help soon (without relying on panic)?

4) Seasonality

Which services have predictable “busy windows” where publishing ahead of time can help?

5) Lead quality / fit

Which services tend to attract your ideal customers?

Add the scores up. Your top five is your starting point.

A Quick Scoring Example

You don’t need a spreadsheet, but an example helps:

Service	Margin	Frequency	Urgency	Seasonality	Fit	Total
Service A	5	4	2	3	5	19
Service B	3	5	4	2	3	17
Service C	4	2	1	5	4	16

This isn’t “math that guarantees results.” It’s just a way to make a decision without overthinking it.

One extra filter that matters: don’t pick services you don’t actually want. If a service is low-margin, leads to
constant headaches, or doesn’t fit how you want the business to run, content will attract more of it.

Map Each Service to a Simple Content Set

Once you have your five services, build a small “content set” for each one.

At minimum:

1. A service page (the foundation)
2. A deep guide (a hero article that answers the big questions)
3. Three supports (decision posts, FAQs, and expectations)

This is the same basic structure behind a consistent monthly cadence.

If you want a refresher on how local search intent works and why content supports service pages, start here:
Local SEO Basics: How Content Helps You Show Up When Locals Search.

A Quick Example (Generic)

Let’s say one of your five services is a “replacement” type service.

You might map it like this:

• Service page: “Replacement Service”
• Hero post: “Complete Guide to Replacement: Options, Process, What to Expect”
• Support #1: “Repair vs Replace: A Simple Decision Guide”
• Support #2: “What Impacts Cost (and Why Prices Vary)”
• Support #3: “How Long It Typically Takes (and What Can Change That)”

No hype. Just clarity.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need 30 services to start publishing.

Pick five.

Then publish consistently for a quarter, learn what resonates, and adjust your priorities.

If you want context on how your content and pages help search engines understand what you actually do, this is a good
read: How Google Decides Which Local Businesses to Show: A Plain-English Guide.

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Want us to build Month‑1 around your top services? If you want a free Month‑1 content pack and 12‑month roadmap
preview, we’ll start with your highest-priority services and show you what we’d publish first.

Related Guides

• Local SEO Basics: How Content Helps You Show Up When Locals Search
• How Google Decides Which Local Businesses to Show: A Plain-English Guide
• AI-Powered Local Content Packs: A Smarter Alternative to $2,000/mo SEO Agencies