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The tree service blog posts that bring calls answer what a homeowner types while standing in the yard looking up: what removal costs, whether the tree is dead, what to do after a storm, whether a permit is needed, how to pick a company. Write each from your own jobs, with your own photos, and confirm any permit rule, safety wording or price detail locally before you publish it.
Key takeaways
- Each post should answer one question a homeowner actually types, in the first two sentences.
- Cost posts should explain what moves a quote, and leave out dollar figures you cannot keep current.
- Storm and power line posts lead with safety and tell readers when to call 911 or the utility.
- Local posts need the town name, your own photos and a reminder to check the local ordinance.
- Put a climber's or the owner's name on every post, because the hands-on detail is the part competitors cannot copy.
A tree company owner has answered every one of these questions in a customer's driveway. A blog post is where those answers go so the next homeowner reads them before calling three companies. Google's guidance on helpful content asks whether a page shows first-hand experience, and a crew lead who has dropped hundreds of trees over houses has it. Each idea below gives a working title, the search it answers, what the post must contain, and one detail only someone in the trade would know. For the full plan on websites, phones and customer records for this trade, see our tree service industry page. If you are still setting up the company, start with how to start a tree service business.
1. How much does tree removal cost in [your town]?
Search it answers: "tree removal cost near me." Must contain: the things that move a quote (height, trunk size, what the tree could hit, access for the truck and chipper, whether a crane is needed, cleanup and haul-away, stump) and how you give a quote (free site visit, written, good for how many days). Only an operator knows: a real example of two trees that look alike from the street and quote very differently, with the reason, such as one being over a pool. Leave out dollar amounts unless you will update them; our tree pricing guide covers how to build the numbers behind the quote.
2. Do I need the tree removed or just pruned?
Search it answers: "should I cut down my tree or trim it." Must contain: what you look at to decide: the structure of the trunk, large dead limbs, a lean that changed, root damage from digging, how much of the crown is left. Explain which problems pruning can fix and which it cannot. Only an operator knows: the case where a homeowner wanted a removal and you recommended pruning, and what you looked at to say so. That story earns trust a sales page cannot. Add a photo of the specific defect you point to.
3. How can you tell if a tree is dead?
Search it answers: "is my tree dead," "tree has no leaves." Must contain: the simple checks a homeowner can do from the ground, such as whether buds are present in season, whether bark is loose, whether branches snap dry or bend, and whether only one limb or the whole crown is affected. Say plainly that a leafless tree in winter is not necessarily dead. Only an operator knows: the scratch test you use on a twig and what you see under the bark. Tell readers not to climb or prune near the house themselves, and offer a site visit.
4. Is my ash tree dying from emerald ash borer?
Search it answers: "ash tree dying top dead branches." Must contain: what the USDA's APHIS page on emerald ash borer lists as signs: D-shaped exit holes, S-shaped markings under the bark, dead branches near the top, vertical bark cracks and more woodpecker activity. Add that other causes produce similar dieback and that a certified arborist or the county extension office should confirm the cause. Only an operator knows: how long ash in your area typically stand dead before they turn brittle, and why that changes the way you rig them. Skip this post if ash are rare where you work.
5. A tree fell on my house or yard: what do I do first?
Search it answers: "tree fell on house," "who to call." Must contain: safety before anything else. Tell readers to stay clear of any downed or sagging line, treat every wire as live, and call 911 or the power utility, and to get everyone out of a damaged structure. Then cover photos for the insurance claim, calling the carrier, and what you do to make a site safe. Only an operator knows: why a tree under tension in a pile is more dangerous than it looks. Do not promise what insurance will cover; tell readers to ask their carrier.
6. Do I need a permit to remove a tree in [your town]?
Search it answers: "tree removal permit [town]." Must contain: that rules differ by city, township and sometimes by neighborhood association, that some places regulate trees of a certain size, trees in the right-of-way or trees on historic or wetland property, and where to look: the town's website, the clerk or planning office. Only an operator knows: which office in your service area you actually call, and the one you cannot get through to. Link each town page you have. Tell the writer to read the ordinance in full and put a "checked on" date in the post.
7. Stump grinding or stump removal: what's the difference?
Search it answers: "stump grinding vs removal." Must contain: what each method leaves behind, how deep you grind, what happens to the chips, and what the homeowner can plant or build afterward. Mention that digging of any kind starts with the free national 811 before-you-dig service, which asks for a request a few business days before digging, and say whether you or the customer places it. Only an operator knows: what you find in the soil under old stumps, such as buried fencing or irrigation lines, and why you ask about them first.
8. How to hire a tree service: what to ask before you sign
Search it answers: "how to choose a tree service." Must contain: a short list readers can use: a written quote, a current certificate of insurance sent from the insurer or agent, who is on site, how cleanup is handled, and whether an arborist credential is held. The International Society of Arboriculture says its credentials help consumers identify qualified tree care professionals; say honestly whether you hold one. Only an operator knows: the questions that make a cheap, uninsured crew stall. Check your state's licensing rules before you mention a license.
9. What happens on tree removal day?
Search it answers: "what to expect tree removal." Must contain: the order of the day from arrival to cleanup: walk-through, gear and drop zone setup, rigging or crane, chipping, hauling and raking. Tell the homeowner what to move (cars, patio furniture, pets inside) and how long a typical day runs for your crew. Only an operator knows: what makes a drop zone hold up, such as ground protection mats over a lawn or a septic field, and how you tell the homeowner where the crew will park. Use photos of your own setup so the post reads as a preview of your day.
10. Why do some quotes use a crane and others a climber?
Search it answers: "crane tree removal vs climbing." Must contain: when a crane is the safer choice (no room to drop sections, a failing trunk you do not want to climb, a house or structure directly below) and when climbing is fine. Explain what the crane adds to the job and what the homeowner needs to provide, such as clear access for a large truck. Only an operator knows: the site detail that rules out a crane, like a narrow street or overhead lines, and how you handle it. Be even-handed; both methods are legitimate and the right one depends on the site.
11. What happens to the wood and chips after the job?
Search it answers: "free wood chips," "tree removal keep the wood." Must contain: what you offer: haul everything away, leave logs, leave chips, or drop chips for a gardener. Explain the firewood rule that applies here. APHIS asks people to buy only local firewood or certified heat-treated firewood because moving infested ash wood spreads emerald ash borer; tell customers not to haul ash firewood far. Only an operator knows: which species you will not chip for mulch or leave on a lawn, and why. Add how to join your chip drop list.
12. Can I trim my own trees? When to stop and call a pro
Search it answers: "can I cut my own tree," "diy tree trimming." Must contain: an honest answer that small, ground-level pruning with sharp hand tools is a homeowner job and that anything involving a ladder and a chainsaw, branches over a roof, or limbs near a wire is not. List the signs a job has gone beyond DIY. Only an operator knows: the kind of call you get after a DIY attempt went wrong, without naming anyone, and what you do about a limb that is hung up. Do not shame the reader. A calm post gets the call.
13. When is the best time to trim trees in [your region]?
Search it answers: "best time to trim trees [state]." Must contain: your own seasonal schedule, plus a reminder that timing depends on the species and the reason for the cut, and that the state extension office is the place to confirm species-specific timing. Cover what winter work means for your crew (leafless trees show their structure; frozen ground carries equipment) and what you avoid in a given season. Only an operator knows: when your calendar actually fills and when you have open days, so readers can book early. Update the post each year.
14. Branches near power lines: who is allowed to cut them?
Search it answers: "tree touching power line who to call." Must contain: that a homeowner should never prune near a wire, that the utility handles lines it owns and has its own process, and that your crew's work near lines is limited by training and by the utility's rules. Name the utilities in your area and give the number for the one that answers. Only an operator knows: how that process works in practice where you operate, including how long a utility request tends to take. Check the process on each utility's site, because rules differ by company and state.
15. A neighbor's tree hangs over my yard: what are my options?
Search it answers: "neighbor's tree branches over my property." Must contain: a plain statement that the rules differ by state and town, so the reader should check local law or ask an attorney before cutting anything or sending a bill. Cover what a tree company can do: inspect, document the condition and give a written opinion on the tree's health, with the owner's permission. Only an operator knows: how you approach a job where two neighbors disagree, such as asking for both to sign off before work starts. Avoid legal conclusions; this post is about the practical steps and a calm tone.
16. Job story: a tight removal, start to finish
Search it answers: "tree removal over a house" and similar. Must contain: one real job with the owner's permission: the situation, the plan, what the crew did and how it ended, in plain language and with before, during and after photos. Name the town and leave out the address and the customer's name. Only an operator knows: the decision that made the job work, such as changing the rigging after the first cut showed rot. This is the post a prospect forwards to a spouse. Make it the page your ads and Business Profile posts point to, and tie it to your local search work by linking it from the matching service page.
Where to start
Write three posts first. Post 1, the cost post, catches homeowners who are comparing quotes. Post 5, the storm post, needs to be live before the next big wind, so write it now and update it after each event. Post 8, the hiring checklist, gives a careful buyer a reason to pick you before the first call. Once those are up, add one post a month from the jobs on your calendar, and read tree service SEO to see how the posts, your service pages and your Business Profile fit together.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a tree service publish blog posts?
One solid post a month from real jobs beats a weekly stream of thin ones. Fewer, better posts with your own photos and a clear answer in the first two sentences are easier to keep up and more useful to the reader.
Should I put prices in my blog posts?
Explain what moves a quote and how you estimate rather than printing dollar amounts. Prices go out of date, vary by site, and a figure that is wrong for a reader's yard creates an argument at the door.
Who should write the posts?
The owner or a crew lead, or someone who interviews them. A writer who has never been up a tree misses the details that make a post believable, so have an operator read every draft before it goes live.
Do I need a post for every town I serve?
Only where you have something real to say, such as the local permit office, common species or typical lot types. A town page with only the name swapped adds nothing for the reader or for search.
Sources
General information for service-business owners, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules vary by state; check with a qualified professional for your situation.