For local, service-based businesses such as HVAC companies, personal injury lawyers, and countless others, knowing how to attract local customers online is one of the biggest keys to growth. While there are a lot of strategies that can be used to achieve local business online visibility, optimizing your business’s presence on Google is an essential place to start.
Whether it’s searching for nearby businesses on Google Maps or researching options on Google Search, almost everyone these days begins their search for local businesses using the world’s most popular search engine. If you want to make sure your business is one of the first ones they find, mastering local SEO for service businesses is key. To help you get started, here’s all the important information you need to know about boosting your local Google presence.
Understanding How Customers Search for Local Businesses Online
Before you can begin optimizing for local searches, it’s important to understand how customers find local businesses online and how Google decides which results to display. Let’s say, for example, that a customer is looking for a plumber in their area. Most people looking for a local plumber will begin their search by typing something like “plumbers near me” or “plumbers in [city]” into their browser. If your business is one of the first listings they see when they search these phrases, you’re sure to generate a lot of new leads.
But not every business gets listed on the first page, or even the first few pages. To determine which businesses are ranked the highest in search results, Google uses three primary factors:
- Relevance: This is a measure of how well your business profile matches what the user is searching for. Keywords in your business description, services listed, website content, and categories selected on your Google Business Profile are all factors used to gauge relevance. The more aligned your information is with the searcher’s intent, the more likely you are to appear in relevant results.
- Proximity: This factor looks at how close your business is to the person conducting the search. If someone searches “HVAC repair near me,” Google prioritizes businesses that are physically located nearest to them or clearly serve that area. That’s why it’s critical to list your address and define service areas by zip code or city.
- Prominence: This is a measure of how well-known and trusted your business is, both online and offline. Google considers factors like the number and quality of your reviews, how often your business is mentioned across the web (citations), your website’s SEO strength, and even media coverage or backlinks. A business with hundreds of 4 and 5-star reviews and a strong online footprint will typically outrank a lesser-known competitor.
By building an online presence that is optimized for all three of these critical factors, you can get your listing in front of more local customers who are searching for businesses like yours.
Six Strategies to Attract Local Customers Online
Now that we’ve covered how Google determines which listings to show to users who are searching for local businesses, the next question is how to optimize your presence on Google so that your business will rank higher in the results. Local SEO for service businesses is the key to getting found, and here are seven local SEO strategies proven to get results:
1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile
One of the best tools service businesses have for boosting online visibility is their Google Business Profile. This listing often shows up before your website in search results and on Google Maps when customers search for services in your area. However, many businesses fail to complete their Google Business Profile or don’t update it as often as they should.
Google Business Profile optimization starts with ensuring that your profile is complete with thorough and accurate information. You’ll want to make sure your business name is correct, your categories reflect the exact services you provide, and your address, phone number, and hours are up-to-date. Adding high-quality photos, such as photos of your team or “before and after” photos of your work, will also help your profile stand out. Reviews (and how you engage with them) are a key part of Google Business Profile optimization as well.
2. Target Local Keywords on Your Website
Keywords play a central role in helping search engines like Google understand what it is that your business offers so that they know which users to show it to. That’s why it’s essential to weave location-specific keywords into your website content in a natural, strategic way. A roofing company located in Kansas City, for instance, might want to target keywords such as “Roofers in Kansas City” or “Roofing Companies in Kansas City”. Including location-specific keywords such as in your website content will make it more likely that your website gets displayed when customers search these terms.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t just mean stuffing your home page with keywords; service pages, meta titles, and even blog posts should all reflect the locations you serve as well. For example, if you’re a chiropractor in Toronto, a blog post titled “What to Expect During Your First Chiropractic Visit in Downtown Toronto” will be far more effective than a generic headline. Google rewards specificity, especially when it’s tied to high-quality content that matches what users are looking for.
3. Create Zip Code and City-Based Landing Pages
If your business serves multiple zip codes or cities, relying on a single “Service Area” page isn’t going to cut it. Google favors content that speaks directly to the searcher’s location, and one of the best ways to do that is by building individual landing pages for each area that you serve.
Each page should be tailored with localized language, photos, and testimonials. If there are any service nuances that vary from one location to the next, be sure to include them on the pages. By building this kind of location-based structure into your website, you give Google and your customers a much clearer path to finding the services you offer right where they need them.
4. Encourage Online Reviews
We’ve already touched on the importance of customer reviews when it comes to optimizing your Google Business profile. Online reviews are one of the most important elements when it comes to local SEO for service businesses, however, they are also the most difficult element to directly control. Unlike blog posts and service pages, you can’t write customer reviews yourself. What you can do, though, is implement a strategy for encouraging more of them.
Creating automated email or SMS campaigns to request reviews from satisfied customers is one highly effective way to generate more reviews for your business. Encouraging customers to leave reviews on Google should be your top priority, but it’s also helpful to have reviews on other platforms such as Yelp or Angie. Once you start generating reviews, don’t just collect them —showcase them. Embedding reviews on your website and referencing them in your content helps reinforce your reputation. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative ones, is also key. It demonstrates responsiveness and engagement, which matter to both Google’s algorithm and potential customers who are browsing your reviews.
5. Get Listed in Authoritative Directories
Directory listings (also known as citations) are one tool Google uses to evaluate the legitimacy and authority of a local business. When your business appears consistently across popular directories, it helps establish your credibility and expand your online footprint.
Start with the major players like Yelp, Bing Places, and the Better Business Bureau. Then, look for niche or industry-specific directories such as HomeAdvisor for home services, Avvo for law firms. Be sure that your business information (name, address, and phone number) is consistent across all these listings, and try to get listed in as many as you can. For local SEO, there’s no such thing as having too many credible citations.
6. Invest in Localized Content Marketing
Content marketing is a long-term strategy, but it can deliver huge returns for service-based businesses when it is locally focused. Creating helpful, relevant content that is targeted to customers in a specific area makes your website more likely to appear in the search results when those customers search for the topics you’re writing about. It also helps build trust with your audience before they ever call or visit you.
To take a localized approach to content marketing, you need to think beyond general blog topics. Instead of writing “How to Maintain Your Air Conditioner,” go with “How to Prepare Your Air Conditioner for Summer in Phoenix”. Or, if you’re a personal injury lawyer in Atlanta, you could create a blog post titled “What to Do After a Car Accident in Atlanta”, This type of localized content will help you rank higher for local searches, generate more backlinks, and position your business as the go-to expert in your local market.
Optimize Your Local Google Presence With Surefire Local
Boosting the online visibility of a local, service-based business requires a multifaceted approach. From managing customer reviews to executing a localized content strategy, there’s a lot that goes into optimizing your business for local searches.
Thankfully, Surefire Local makes it easy for local service businesses to manage all their marketing efforts from a single platform. Our all-in-one marketing platform comes equipped with easy-to-use tools that you can use to grow your business’s reach and online presence. To see for yourself how Surefire Local helps service-based businesses grow their online presence, be sure to sign up for a free demo today!