SEO for architects. Be found by the clients whose projects you actually want.
SEO for architects turns a beautiful portfolio into one that search engines can read, so future clients find your firm when they search for an architect for their kind of project. It is about attracting the right commissions, not the most traffic.
The problem
Most architecture websites are invisible to Google
Architects build websites the way they build portfolios: large images, minimal text, elegant navigation. Clients love it. Search engines see almost nothing. A project called "House K" with twelve photos and no description gives Google no idea that it is a custom home, an extension or a coastal renovation.
Meanwhile, directories and larger firms with plain, text-rich pages take the searches. Good architecture SEO keeps the aesthetic and adds the words.
Client searches
How clients search for an architect in the US
| Search | Monthly US searches | Avg. Google Ads cost per click |
|---|---|---|
| architect near me | 18,100 | $10.02 |
| architecture firms near me | 9,900 | $3.72 |
| residential architect | 6,600 | $8.29 |
| interior architect | 6,600 | $8.23 |
| commercial architect | 3,600 | $15.12 |
| landscape architect near me | 3,600 | $8.12 |
| custom home architect | 2,400 | $6.12 |
| architect for house plans | 1,900 | $2.03 |
| home addition architect | 1,300 | $14.22 |
The pattern is clear. Beyond "architect near me", clients search by project type: residential, custom homes, additions, commercial. Each of those is a page opportunity, and most firms do not have one. The volumes are modest, but a single commission can be worth more than a year of SEO.
Our approach
SEO for architecture firms, in five parts.
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Pages for the work you want more of
Custom homes, additions, commercial, interiors, renovation of listed buildings. Each type of commission is its own search, and deserves its own page with relevant projects.
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Project pages with words, not just photos
A short written story for each project: the brief, the site, the constraints, the solution, the location. Google cannot see a beautiful photo, but it can read why the project matters.
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Images that load fast and are described
Architecture sites are heavy by nature. Modern image formats, correct sizing and descriptive alt text keep the portfolio sharp and the site fast.
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Local signals
A complete Google Business Profile, the areas you work in, and projects tagged by location. Most residential clients look for an architect in their region.
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Expertise that earns links
Planning guidance, sustainability approaches, publications and awards. Content like this is what other sites link to and what AI assistants quote.
Our work
An architecture firm we have worked with
Caspersen & Krogh Arkitekter is a Danish architecture firm. Their timeless, mobile-first site showcases the firm's work and has strengthened its position in the industry. We have not yet worked with a US firm, and our US advice is based on US search data for your market.
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Timeless
Caspersen & Krogh Arkitekter
Read the case : Caspersen & Krogh Arkitekter
mobile-first site that showcases the architecture firm's work and has strengthened its position in the industry.
SEO or website
Architecture SEO or a new website?
If your current site cannot handle text alongside images, loads slowly, or is hard for you to update, a rebuild comes first. See architect website design. If you are happy with the design and just want to be found, SEO can usually be added to the site you have.
MediaVikings is a small studio in Denmark, where architecture and design are taken seriously. We work remotely with firms in the US, UK and Europe. Our own site scores 100 in all four Lighthouse categories, which is the standard we aim for with image-heavy portfolios too.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why do architects need SEO?
Because many future clients start by searching for an architect for a specific kind of project in their area. If your site is a gallery with no text, Google has little to rank it for, and those clients find someone else first.
What is SEO for architects?
SEO for architects is making an architecture firm easy to find in search: pages for each type of commission, project pages with written descriptions, fast image-heavy pages, local visibility and expertise content that earns links and mentions.
Will adding text ruin the look of our portfolio?
It does not have to. A few paragraphs per project, well set in type, can sit under or beside the images. Good architecture sites manage to be both beautiful and readable.
Does SEO work for commercial architecture firms?
Yes, though the searches are fewer and the buyers are different: developers, businesses and public bodies. The emphasis shifts to sector pages, expertise and case studies rather than "near me" searches.
Have you worked with architects?
Yes. Caspersen & Krogh Arkitekter in Denmark has a timeless, mobile-first site that showcases its work and has strengthened its position in the industry. It is a Danish firm, and we are open about that.
Next step