SEO & Local Search

The fastest way to get your business on Google is to create a free Google Business Profile at business.google.com.

This puts you on Google Maps and in local search results. Fill out every field completely: business name, address, phone, hours, categories, services, and photos. Next, build a website optimized for your target keywords and location. Get listed on key directories like Yelp, Facebook, and industry-specific sites. Encourage customers to leave Google reviews. Within a few weeks, your business should start appearing in local search results. Ongoing SEO work helps you climb higher over time.

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from local searches.

When someone searches 'plumber near me' or 'best restaurant in Dallas,' local SEO determines which businesses appear. It involves optimizing your Google Business Profile, building consistent local citations (directory listings), earning Google reviews, creating location-specific website content, and ensuring your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent everywhere online. Local SEO is essential for any business serving a specific geographic area. Unlike paid ads, the traffic from local SEO is free and compounds over time.

SEO typically takes 3–6 months to show meaningful results, though some improvements can appear within weeks.

Quick wins like optimizing your Google Business Profile, fixing technical issues, and updating title tags can improve visibility within 30 days. Competitive keywords in larger markets take 6–12 months of consistent effort. Local SEO for small businesses in less competitive markets often shows results faster - within 2–4 months. The timeline depends on your starting point, competition level, domain authority, and how aggressive your strategy is. SEO is a long-term investment: results compound over time and the traffic is essentially free once you rank.

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free tool that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Google Maps.

It displays your business name, address, phone number, hours, website, photos, reviews, and services. A complete, optimized profile is the single most important factor for appearing in the local Map Pack - the top 3 business listings shown for local searches. To get started, visit business.google.com, claim or create your profile, verify your business, and fill out every section completely. Add photos weekly and respond to all reviews to maximize your visibility.

The Google Map Pack shows the top 3 local businesses for a search query.

To rank there, focus on three things: relevance, distance, and prominence. Optimize your Google Business Profile completely - choose accurate categories, add all services, and write a detailed description with keywords. Build consistent citations across major directories. Earn Google reviews consistently (aim for more reviews and a higher rating than competitors). Ensure your website has location-specific content and your NAP matches everywhere. Regularly post updates and photos to your Google Business Profile. Proximity to the searcher matters too, but you can't control that.

The best way to get more Google reviews is to ask every satisfied customer directly.

Create a short review link from your Google Business Profile and share it via text, email, or a QR code at your business. Time your ask when the customer is happiest - right after a successful service or purchase. Make it easy: send a direct link that opens the review form. Follow up once if they don't respond. Respond to every review (positive and negative) to show you value feedback. Avoid buying reviews or offering incentives - Google penalizes this. Consistency matters more than volume; aim for a steady stream rather than bursts.

Local citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on directories, websites, and social platforms.

Common citation sources include Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages, BBB, industry-specific directories, and local chamber of commerce sites. Citations help Google verify your business exists and is legitimate, which boosts your local search rankings. Quality and consistency matter more than quantity - having your NAP identical across 20 authoritative directories is better than being on 100 sites with inconsistent information. Start with the top general directories, then add industry-specific ones relevant to your business.

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number.

NAP consistency means your business information is identical everywhere it appears online - your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, industry directories, and any other listing. Even small differences like 'St' vs 'Street' or a missing suite number can confuse search engines and hurt your local rankings. Google cross-references your NAP across the web to verify your business information. Inconsistencies make Google less confident about your data, which can lower your rankings. Audit your citations regularly and fix any discrepancies immediately.

Yes, if you serve multiple cities or neighborhoods.

Service area pages are location-specific landing pages that help you rank for searches like 'plumber in [city]' or 'web design [neighborhood].' Each page should have unique content about serving that specific area - not just the city name swapped into a template. Include local landmarks, neighborhoods you serve, relevant testimonials from clients in that area, and specific service details. Well-built service area pages can dramatically increase your local search visibility and capture traffic from surrounding communities. At MooseBase, we build these as part of our local SEO strategy for service businesses.

On-page SEO refers to optimizations you make directly on your website pages to improve search rankings.

Key elements include: title tags (the clickable headline in search results), meta descriptions, header tags (H1, H2, H3 hierarchy), keyword-optimized content, internal linking between pages, image alt text, URL structure, page speed, and mobile responsiveness. Good on-page SEO tells Google what each page is about and helps it match your content to relevant searches. Every page should target a primary keyword, have a unique title tag, and include that keyword naturally in the first paragraph, headers, and throughout the content.

Track SEO results using Google Search Console (free) for keyword rankings and click data, and Google Analytics for traffic and conversion metrics.

Key metrics to monitor: organic traffic (visitors from search engines), keyword rankings for your target terms, click-through rate from search results, bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rate (leads or sales from organic traffic). Check Google Business Profile Insights for local search performance - views, searches, calls, and direction requests. Review monthly and look for trends over 3–6 months rather than daily fluctuations. Set up goal tracking in Analytics to tie SEO efforts directly to leads and revenue.

Yes, you can handle basic SEO yourself with some learning.

Start with claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile, writing keyword-focused page titles and descriptions, creating helpful content that answers your customers' questions, building citations on major directories, and asking for Google reviews. Free tools like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Ubersuggest can guide your efforts. However, technical SEO (site speed, schema markup, crawl issues) and competitive keyword strategies often require professional help. Many small businesses start with DIY basics and hire an SEO professional once they want to scale. Even doing the basics well puts you ahead of most competitors.

Every business should start with the major general directories: Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, Bing Places, and BBB.

Beyond these, the best citations are industry-specific. Restaurants should be on TripAdvisor, OpenTable, and DoorDash. Healthcare providers need Healthgrades, Zocdoc, and WebMD. Legal professionals should target Avvo, FindLaw, and Justia. Home services businesses benefit from Angi, HomeAdvisor, and Thumbtack. Real estate agents need Zillow, Realtor.com, and Trulia. The key is to prioritize directories that your potential customers actually use to find businesses like yours, rather than trying to be listed everywhere.

Yes, website speed directly affects SEO rankings.

Google has confirmed page speed as a ranking factor, and it uses Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS) to measure user experience. Slow sites also hurt indirectly: visitors bounce faster, spend less time on your pages, and convert at lower rates - all signals Google uses to evaluate quality. A 1-second delay in load time can reduce conversions by 7%. Aim for pages that load in under 3 seconds. Common speed killers include unoptimized images, too many plugins, cheap hosting, render-blocking scripts, and bloated code. Test your speed at PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

Schema markup is structured data code you add to your website to help search engines understand your content better.

It uses a standardized vocabulary from Schema.org to label information like your business name, address, hours, services, reviews, events, and FAQs. When Google reads schema markup, it can display rich results - enhanced search listings with star ratings, pricing, FAQ dropdowns, and other visual elements that increase click-through rates. Common schema types for small businesses include LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Service, Review, and BreadcrumbList. Schema doesn't directly boost rankings, but the enhanced visibility in search results can significantly increase clicks and traffic.

To rank for 'near me' searches, you don't actually need 'near me' on your website - Google determines proximity based on the searcher's location and your business address.

Focus on: having a fully optimized Google Business Profile with accurate address and service area, maintaining NAP consistency across all directories, earning Google reviews with location mentions, creating location-specific pages on your website, using local keywords naturally in your content (city names, neighborhoods, landmarks), and building local citations. Mobile optimization is especially important since most 'near me' searches happen on phones. The businesses with the strongest local SEO signals rank highest.