How Small Businesses Can Dominate Their Area

For small businesses, a strong local SEO strategy can mean the difference between being found by potential customers or being lost in the endless ocean of search results. Local SEO is all about ensuring your business shows up when nearby customers search for your products or services. If you want to beat out the competition in your local area, this guide will walk you through step-by-step how to improve your local rankings.

Why Local SEO Matters for Small Businesses

Local SEO is a cost-effective way for small businesses to compete with larger brands in their area. We like to think about investing in your businesses SEO like saving for retirement. Putting away $100 a week isn’t going to make you rich overnight, however, those small contributions add up over time and eventually you can stop working and live off the dividends of your hard work.

How does this relate to local SEO? It’s simple, SEO, or search engine optimization, is a long term strategy that takes time and consistent effort to pay off. The unfortunate reality is that even if you complete every step on this guide today, your business will not magically appear at the top of Google’s first page organically. However, if you keep chipping away at it, slowly but surely, your website will climb up the ranks and eventually you can sit comfortably at the top of search results and let customers come to you without spending a dollar in paid advertising. (Though doing both is always a better strategy)

Right now you might be thinking to yourself “Man, I’d love to improve my search ranking but all this sounds complicated and time consuming!” Well, you’re right, it absolutely is. But hey, that’s what we are here for! If you don’t want to DIY your local SEO strategy, then give The SMB Strategist a call today and we will take care of it for you.

Step 1: Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the cornerstone of your local SEO efforts. This free tool ensures your business appears in Google Maps and local search results.

Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
Complete all sections, including your business name, address, phone number (NAP), and website.
Add high-quality images of your business, products, or services.
Regularly update your profile with posts, offers, and new photos to keep it fresh and engaging.
Encourage happy customers to leave reviews, as positive ratings improve local rankings.

Step 2: Make Sure Your Website is Structured Properly

Before you go any further down this list, you need to make sure that your website is set up properly for SEO. At the end of the day, your website is the asset we are trying to funnel more traffic to, so if its not designed well or isn’t built with SEO in mind, then all your efforts will go to waste.

Search engines need to easily crawl and understand your site’s content to rank it effectively. Start by organizing your website with a clear hierarchy—use descriptive page titles, headings (H1, H2, H3), and concise URLs that reflect your content.

Make sure your website includes:

Internal Links: Link related pages to guide users and help search engines discover content.
Fast Loading Speeds: Compress images and minimize code to improve page load times, especially for mobile users.
Mobile-Friendly Design: Use responsive layouts that adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes.
XML Sitemap: Create and submit a sitemap to help search engines index your site efficiently.

These steps make your website user-friendly and ensure search engines prioritize your pages in local search results. If web design is not something that gets you excited, let us take care of it for you!

Step 3: Create Locally Relevant Content

Once your Google Business Page and website are set up properly, it’s time to start creating content. Search engines reward websites that publish useful and locally relevant content. This not only improves rankings but also positions your business as a local authority.

Write blog posts about local events, industry news, or community partnerships.
Use targeted keywords within your content, like “HVAC Maintenance Tips” or “Plumbing Do’s & Don’ts”
If you operate in multiple areas, create location specific landing pages

Step 4: Leverage Online Reviews

Reviews play a significant role in local SEO rankings. They signal to search engines that your business is trusted and valued by customers.

Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
Respond to all reviews—thank customers for positive feedback and professionally address any negative comments.
Avoid fake or incentivized reviews, as search engines penalize businesses for dishonest practices.

Step 5: Optimize for Mobile Users

Roughly 70% of local searches come from mobile devices. Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is essential to capturing local traffic. On your website building platform, make sure you are switching to the tablet and mobile view to see how your site looks on different devices.

Use a responsive design that adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.
Optimize site speed, as slow-loading pages can deter potential customers.
Ensure clickable elements like phone numbers and addresses are easy to use on mobile devices.

Step 6: Jumpstart Your Site with Paid Ads

All search engines are trying to do when you type something into the search bar is to match the most relevant results to your search. One key metric that Google and other search platforms use to determine which sites are relevant is the amount of traffic going to the site. While the end goal is to drive traffic to your website organically, you can give yourself a jumpstart buy running paid ads at the beginning.

Not only will Google Ads get you more customers or leads, they can deliver immediate results by driving targeted traffic to your website.

Here’s how to make the most of Google Ads:

Choose the Right Keywords: Focus on local keywords that match your audience’s search intent, such as “best [service] in [city].”
Set a Budget: Determine a daily budget that aligns with your marketing goals and ensures your ads are seen without overspending.
Write Compelling Ad Copy: Highlight your unique value proposition with clear, action-driven language. Include phrases like “Book Now” or “Contact Us Today.”
Optimize Landing Pages: Ensure the pages your ads lead to are fast, mobile-friendly, and align with the content of your ad.

Google Ads can be particularly useful for small businesses launching a new site or entering a competitive market. They provide visibility while your organic SEO efforts gain traction, ensuring you stay ahead of the competition. That being said, Google Ads can be difficult to set up and manage if you have never done it before. To avoid wasting your budget by running ineffective ad campaigns, we strongly recommend working with a professional agency like The SMB Strategist.

Step 7: Build Local Backlinks

Backlinks from local and authoritative sources help boost your website’s credibility. The easiest way to start getting backlinks is to create listings for your business on local directories like Yelp, Angie’s list, and so on

Partner with local organizations, bloggers, or influencers to earn backlinks.
Sponsor local events or charities to gain exposure and links from their websites.
Reach out to local media outlets to feature your business in articles or news segments.

Step 8: Track and Adjust Your Strategy

SEO is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and adjustments to stay effective. Every industry is different and some keywords are more difficult to rank for than others. If you are not tracking your progress, then improving your rank will be quite difficult. While paid SEO tools help with this, there are free options available that will get the job done.

Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your website’s performance.
Monitor keyword rankings and adjust your content strategy as needed.
Regularly audit your website and local listings to ensure information is up-to-date.

Conclusion

Local SEO is a game-changer for small businesses looking to stand out in their area. From optimizing your Google Business Profile to ensuring your website is properly structured, every step you take can significantly boost your visibility and attract more local customers. Remember, SEO is not a one-time effort—it’s an ongoing process of monitoring, adjusting, and improving. By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only dominate local search rankings but also build a stronger, more recognizable presence in your community.

This guide was put together to provide the basics of SEO, think of it as the SEO 101 course. While there is so much more to it than what’s covered here, following these steps will set you on the right track. If you would like some additional help or would like to talk to someone about the specifics of your business, feel free to visit our website where you can book a free consultation with our team.