"My Industry Is Boring" – Finding Interesting Angles in Any Trade

"Nobody wants to read about plumbing."

We hear this constantly from trade business owners. And they're half right—nobody wants to read boring content about plumbing. But plenty of people are genuinely interested in:

• Why their water bill spiked 40%
• Whether their weird pipe noise means something serious
• How to avoid getting ripped off on a water heater
• What that smell from their drain actually means

The topic isn't boring. The approach usually is.

Why "Boring" Industries Are Actually Great for Content

Here's a counterintuitive truth: so-called boring industries often have BETTER content marketing opportunities than exciting ones.

Lower competition: Everyone assumes these topics are boring, so fewer businesses create good content. Less competition = easier to rank.

High intent: People searching about plumbing problems need a plumber. There's no "just browsing" like there might be for travel or fashion content.

Genuine questions: Homeowners have real confusion about home services. Your content provides real value.

Local focus: National content sites don't cover "emergency plumber" topics deeply. You're competing locally, not globally.

The opportunity is there. You just need to find the right angles.

Finding Interesting Angles in Any Trade

Angle 1: The "What's Wrong?" Questions

People don't search for "plumbing services." They search for symptoms:

• "Water heater making popping noise"
• "AC smells like burning"
• "Roof leak but no rain"
• "Drain backing up in multiple sinks"

These are detective stories. Something is wrong, and they want to understand it. Your job is to be the expert who explains what's happening and what it means.

Why it works: High search volume, high intent, natural expertise showcase.

Angle 2: The "How Much?" Questions

Cost content is never boring to someone about to spend money:

• "How much does a new furnace cost?"
• "Average price for sewer line repair"
• "Roof replacement cost by material"

This is some of the highest-value content for local businesses. People making purchasing decisions need this information.

Why it works: Direct commercial intent, establishes transparency, builds trust.

Angle 3: The "Should I?" Questions

Decision-making content helps people figure out what to do:

• "Repair or replace my AC?"
• "Is a tankless water heater worth it?"
• "Do I need a whole-house water filter?"

Your expertise helps them make better decisions. That's valuable—and memorable.

Why it works: Positions you as advisor, captures people early in buying journey.

Angle 4: The "Behind the Scenes" Angle

People are curious about how things work:

• What actually happens during a sewer scope inspection
• How HVAC technicians diagnose strange noises
• Why roof estimates vary so much
• What contractors look for during an inspection

This demystifies your work and builds confidence in hiring professionals.

Why it works: Satisfies curiosity, demonstrates expertise, differentiates from competitors who don't share.

Angle 5: The "What They Don't Tell You" Angle

Insider knowledge that helps people avoid problems:

• "What home inspectors miss about HVAC systems"
• "Questions to ask before signing a roofing contract"
• "Red flags when getting plumbing estimates"

This positions you as honest and helpful—someone who gives people real information.

Why it works: Builds trust, provides genuine value, stands out from sales-focused content.

Angle 6: The "Extreme Case" Angle

Unusual situations are inherently interesting:

• The strangest thing you've found in a drain
• Most expensive repair you've ever seen (and how it got that bad)
• The renovation project that went completely wrong (and how you fixed it)

Stories are memorable. They illustrate expertise while being genuinely interesting.

Why it works: Engaging to read, shareable, demonstrates experience.

Angle 7: The "Seasonal Moment" Angle

Timely content tied to seasons or events:

• "Before You Turn On Your AC for the First Time This Year"
• "Holiday Plumbing Survival Guide"
• "Storm Season Roof Checklist"

Relevance creates interest. Content that matches what people are thinking about right now feels useful.

Why it works: Timely, practical, captures seasonal search volume.

If you don't want to brainstorm all this alone, we'll do it for you. We start by mapping 12 months of interesting angles for your specific services and city as part of your free content roadmap—matching angles to the seasons, problems, and questions that matter most in your market.

Making Any Topic Engaging

Beyond choosing good angles, here's how to make the execution interesting:

Start with a hook

Don't begin with "In this article, we'll discuss..." Start with something that creates interest:

• A surprising fact: "The average water leak wastes 10,000 gallons per year—enough to fill a swimming pool."
• A question: "Hear a strange noise coming from your furnace? Here's what it probably means."
• A scenario: "It's 2 AM, twenty degrees outside, and your furnace just stopped working."

Use specific details

Generic is boring. Specific is interesting.

Boring: "This can cause expensive repairs."
Interesting: "I've seen this turn a $200 repair into a $4,000 replacement—three times in the last year."

Tell stories

Humans are wired for narrative. Include brief stories from your work:

"Last month, a customer called about a 'small leak.' When I got there, I found water damage that had been spreading for months. What started as a $150 fix became a $3,000 remediation project. Here's how to catch these early..."

Address real fears

What do customers worry about? Speak to those concerns:

"Worried about getting overcharged? Here's exactly what a fair price looks like for this repair, and what to ask if a quote seems too high."

Be opinionated

Generic advice is boring. Expert opinions are interesting.

Instead of: "There are pros and cons to each option."
Try: "Nine times out of ten, I recommend option A. Here's why—and the one situation where B makes more sense."

The Boring Trap to Avoid

The reason most trade content is boring: it's written from the business's perspective, not the customer's.

Business perspective (boring):
"ABC Plumbing offers comprehensive plumbing services including repair, maintenance, and installation. Our licensed technicians are available 24/7."

Customer perspective (interesting):
"Woke up to water on your bathroom floor? Before you panic, here's how to figure out if it's a minor fix or a major problem—and what to do either way."

Always ask: "What does my customer want to know?" not "What do I want to tell them?"

Your "Boring" Content Ideas Starter List

Take these templates and fill in for your trade:

1. "Why Your [System] Makes That [Sound/Smell/Behavior]"
2. "How Much Does [Service] Really Cost? A Breakdown"
3. "[Service A] vs. [Service B]: How to Choose"
4. "The [Number] Signs You Need [Service] (And [Number] You Don't)"
5. "What to Expect During a [Process]"
6. "Questions to Ask Before Hiring a [Trade]"
7. "The Biggest [Trade] Mistakes Homeowners Make"
8. "When to DIY vs. When to Call a Pro for [Issue]"
9. "Why [Thing] Fails and How to Prevent It"
10. "What [Industry Trend] Means for Your Home"

None of these are boring—because they all address things people actually want to know.

The Bottom Line

Your industry isn't boring. Boring content is boring.

The difference:

• Boring content talks about your services

• Interesting content answers customer questions

• Boring content is generic

• Interesting content is specific and opinionated

• Boring content sounds like marketing

• Interesting content sounds like expertise

You have interesting things to say about your trade. You just need to say them from the customer's perspective.

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Stuck on content ideas? We'll propose 10 angles specific to your trade and city, then show you exactly how they shape a Month-1 content pack—complete with a hero article and support pieces built around the angles that'll resonate most with your local customers. No more "boring" content.

Related Guides

• You Know More Than You Think: Turning Trade Expertise Into Content That Ranks
• The Questions Your Customers Ask (And Why They're Content Gold)
• Why Long-Form Content Works for Local Service Businesses
• Local SEO Basics: How Content Helps You Show Up When Locals Search