Sarasota SEO That Actually Gets Your Business Found

Look, we get it. You’ve got a business in Sarasota, and nobody can find you online. Maybe you’re on page 3 of Google. Maybe you’re not showing up at all. Either way, you’re watching your competitors get all the calls while you’re sitting there wondering what went wrong.

We’re a local SEO company right here in Sarasota, and we’ve been helping businesses like yours since 2015. We’re not some call center in another state – we live here, we shop here, our kids go to school here. We know that traffic on 41 gets crazy during season, that everyone’s got an opinion about the Unconditional Surrender statue, and that your business needs to show up when snowbirds search for services in January.

Local SEO

Here’s something nobody tells you: being good at what you do doesn’t mean people will find you. We worked with a plumber over on Beneva Road who had 30 years experience. Great guy. Five-star service. But when someone searched “plumber near me” in Sarasota, he didn’t show up. His competitor with half the experience got all the emergency calls.

That’s where Local SEO comes in.

Local SEO is basically making sure your business shows up when people in Sarasota search for what you do. It’s not rocket science, but it’s also not as simple as just having a website. Google needs to trust that you’re actually here, that you’re legitimate, and that people like doing business with you.

We fix your Google Business Profile first – that’s the thing that shows up on the right side when someone searches your business name. Then we make sure your address, phone number, and hours are the same everywhere online. Sounds simple, right? But you’d be surprised how many businesses have three different phone numbers listed across different sites. Google hates that.

We also get you reviews the right way. Not fake ones – Google can spot those a mile away. Real reviews from real customers. We’ll show you exactly how to ask for them without being weird about it.

And we make sure you show up for neighborhoods you serve. Lakewood Ranch, Gulf Gate, Siesta Key, downtown near Main Street, Palmer Ranch – wherever your customers are, that’s where you need to show up in searches.

Small Business SEO

Big companies can throw money at SEO and wait six months for results. You can’t. You need customers now, and you need to know your money’s actually doing something.

Small Business SEO is different because your competing against companies with bigger budgets and bigger teams. But here’s the thing – they don’t know Sarasota like we do. They don’t know that people search different things during snowbird season versus summer. They don’t know which neighborhoods are growing and which ones have been here forever.

One of our clients runs a landscaping company. He was spending $2,000 a month on those pay-per-click ads, and half the clicks were from people just browsing or companies trying to sell him stuff. We got him ranking organically – meaning free traffic – for “landscaping Sarasota” and about 20 other searches people actually use. He cut his ad spending in half and got more leads.

For small businesses, we focus on the searches that actually bring in customers. Not just traffic – customers. There’s a difference. We’ve seen companies rank #1 for some fancy keyword that sounds impressive but never actually get called because nobody searches that way in real life.

We also make your website work on phones. Sounds basic, but you’d be shocked how many small business websites look terrible on mobile. Most of your customers are searching on their phone while their sitting in their car or waiting in line somewhere. If your site takes forever to load or they have to pinch and zoom to read anything, they’re just gonna call the next business on the list.

Google Maps Ranking

This is the big one. When someone in Sarasota searches for what you do, there’s three businesses that show up in that map section at the top. That’s the map pack. If you’re in there, your phone rings. If you’re not, you’re invisible.

Google Maps Ranking is how you get into that pack of three.

Last year we had a HVAC company come to us. They’d been in business 20 years, great reputation, but when you searched “AC repair Sarasota” they weren’t in the top three. A company that opened six months ago was beating them. Why? Because that new company understood Google Maps.

Getting ranked in Google Maps isn’t just about reviews, though those help. It’s about proximity, relevance, and prominence. Basically – are you close to the person searching, do you actually offer what their looking for, and does Google think you’re important?

We can’t change where your business is located, but we can make sure Google knows exactly what you do and that your relevant for the searches that matter. We optimize your categories, we make sure your getting citations from local Sarasota directories, and we build up your authority so Google sees you as prominent.

The difference is real. One of our clients went from position 8 in the maps (which might as well be invisible) to position 2. Their calls went up 340%. Same business, same location, same services – just better Google Maps ranking.

We also fix the technical stuff that kills your rankings. Duplicate listings, wrong categories, old addresses that are still floating around online, competitors doing shady stuff to mess with your listing. We’ve seen it all and we know how to clean it up.

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Why Sarasota Businesses Need SEO Different

Here’s what we’ve learned working with Sarasota businesses for almost a decade: the market here is different. You’ve got seasonal changes that other cities don’t deal with. You’ve got snowbirds who search different than year-round residents. You’ve got neighborhoods that each have their own vibe and their own customer base.

A restaurant on St. Armands Circle needs different SEO than a restaurant in Southside Village. A contractor working in Lakewood Ranch is dealing with newer homes and different customer expectations than someone working in the historic neighborhoods near Laurel Park.

We understand this stuff because we live it. We’re not just looking at data – we’re talking to business owners at the Sarasota Chamber events, we’re seeing what’s happening in different neighborhoods, we’re paying attention to what people actually need.

And we’re honest about timelines. SEO isn’t instant. If someone promises you first page rankings in two weeks, their lying or their gonna do something that gets you penalized later. Real SEO takes 3-6 months to really kick in. But when it does, you’ve got a steady stream of customers finding you without having to pay for every single click.

What You Should Actually Expect

We’re gonna look at your website first and tell you the truth. Sometimes it’s fixable, sometimes you need to start over. We don’t sugarcoat it because wasting your money wastes our time too.

Then we fix your Google Business Profile and make sure all your information matches across the web. We’ll do keyword research to find what people in Sarasota actually search for when their looking for your service.

We’ll build content on your site that answers real questions. Not keyword-stuffed garbage that sounds like a robot wrote it – actual helpful information that makes people want to call you.

And we’ll track everything. You’ll know what’s working, what’s not, and where your leads are coming from. No smoke and mirrors, no confusing reports with metrics that don’t matter.

Most of our clients start seeing movement in 60-90 days. Better rankings, more calls, more foot traffic if you’ve got a storefront. The businesses that stick with it for six months or more – their the ones who end up dominating their market.

Real Talk About Results

We’ve got a pool cleaning company that went from 3-4 calls a week to getting 20+ inquiries a week. We’ve got a lawyer who fired his marketing agency and tripled his consults in four months working with us. We’ve got a med spa that’s booked solid for weeks because they finally show up when people search.

But we’ve also fired clients. If someone’s not responsive, if they’ve got terrible customer service, if their not actually good at what they do – we can’t fix that with SEO. We can get people to your door, but you gotta close the sale and deliver quality service.

The best SEO in the world won’t help if your business sucks. But if your good at what you do and you just need people to find you, that’s where we come in.

Call us if you’re serious about growing your business in Sarasota. We’ll tell you straight up if we can help or if you’d be better off spending your money somewhere else. No hard sell, no BS – just honest advice from people who actually know this market.

Here’s a Google meta description for the article:

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Sarasota SEO company helping local businesses rank higher on Google Maps. We specialize in Local SEO, Small Business SEO, and getting you found by customers in Sarasota. Real results, no BS.

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Here’s a shorter version that won’t get cut off:

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Sarasota SEO company helping local businesses rank on Google Maps. Local SEO experts getting you found by customers searching in Sarasota. Real results since 2015.

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The shorter version is better for mobile search results and ensures the full message displays without getting truncated.

Why Your Sarasota Business Isn’t Showing Up on Google (And How to Fix It)

You’ve got a website. You paid someone to build it, maybe even paid someone to “do SEO” on it. But when you search for your own business on Google, you’re nowhere. Your competitor down the street shows up first, and you’re stuck on page two wondering what the heck is going on.

This happens to Sarasota business owners all the time. And it’s usually not because your website is terrible or because Google hates you. It’s because nobody ever fixed the basics.

The Google Business Profile Problem

First thing – do you even have a Google Business Profile? Not just a website. I’m talking about that box that shows up on the right side when someone searches your business name. The thing with your hours, your address, your photos, and hopefully some reviews.

If you don’t have one, that’s problem number one. If you do have one but you set it up three years ago and never touched it again, that’s also a problem.

We had a bakery owner call us last month. She’d been in business for five years on Bahia Vista. Great pastries, loyal customers, but when people searched “bakery near me” she didn’t show up. Turned out her Google Business Profile said she was permanently closed. She had no idea. Google marked her closed because she never verified some update they asked for.

Your Google Business Profile needs attention. You gotta add photos regularly. You gotta respond to reviews – even the good ones. You gotta keep your hours updated, especially during holidays when everyone’s searching for what’s open.

And you need to pick the right categories. Google lets you choose one primary category and a few secondary ones. If you’re a dentist and you pick “Health Consultant” as your primary category, you’re screwed. You need to pick “Dentist” – the exact thing people search for.

This stuff matters for Sarasota SEO more than people think.

Your Website Probably Loads Too Slow

Nobody wants to hear this, but your website might be trash on mobile phones. It looks fine on your computer, so you think it’s good. But 80% of your customers are searching on their phone, and if your site takes more than 3 seconds to load, their gone.

I tested a client’s website last week – a contractor in Lakewood Ranch. On his phone, his homepage took 11 seconds to load. Eleven seconds! You think someone sitting at a red light waiting for your site is gonna stick around for 11 seconds? They’re calling your competitor before your site even shows up.

The problem is usually images. Somebody uploaded full-size photos straight from their camera, and now every page is trying to load files that are way too big. Or you’ve got some fancy slider thing that looks cool but kills your load time.

Google cares about speed. A lot. If your site is slow, you’re not ranking well. Period.

You can test your own site right now. Go to Google and search “PageSpeed Insights” and put in your website. If you’re scoring below 50 on mobile, you’ve got work to do.

Nobody Can Find Your Phone Number

This one drives me crazy. I’ll look at a business website and I gotta hunt around for 5 minutes to find a phone number. It’s in tiny text at the bottom, or hidden on some “Contact Us” page, or – and this is the worst – it’s embedded in an image so you can’t even click it on your phone.

Put your phone number at the top of every page. Big enough to read. Clickable on mobile so people can just tap it and call you.

Same with your address. Don’t just say “Sarasota, FL” – put your actual street address. Google needs to know exactly where you are for Local SEO to work.

And here’s the kicker – that phone number and address need to be exactly the same everywhere online. Same format, same everything. If your Google Business Profile says “123 Main Street” but your website says “123 Main St.” Google sees those as two different addresses. It confuses them, and confused Google doesn’t rank you well.

You’re Not Showing Up for The Right Searches

Let me tell you about a roofing company we worked with. Guy was spending $3,000 a month on ads trying to rank for “roofing contractor Sarasota.” Super competitive, expensive, hard to rank for.

Know what people actually search when their roof is leaking? “Roof repair near me” and “emergency roof leak Sarasota.” Nobody’s sitting there with water dripping through their ceiling searching for a “roofing contractor.” Their panicking and they need help NOW.

We shifted his whole strategy to focus on those emergency searches and repair searches. His leads went up, his costs went down, and he’s actually helping people who need him right away instead of people who are just browsing and comparing prices.

You gotta think about what your customers actually type into Google. Not what sounds professional or impressive. What do they actually say?

A med spa owner told me she wanted to rank for “aesthetic medical procedures.” I asked her when’s the last time someone called and said “Hi, I’d like to schedule an aesthetic medical procedure.” Never. They call asking about Botox, fillers, laser treatments – specific stuff.

That’s what you need to rank for. The actual words real people use.

Your Content Sounds Like a Robot Wrote It

I see this all the time. Someone hires a cheap SEO company or uses some AI tool, and their website ends up full of this garbage content that sounds like:

“Our company provides superior solutions for your service needs, leveraging cutting-edge methodologies to ensure optimal outcomes for all stakeholders in the greater Sarasota metropolitan area.”

What does that even mean? Nobody talks like that. Nobody searches for that. And Google’s getting better at spotting this keyword-stuffed nonsense.

Write like a human. Answer questions people actually have. If you’re a plumber, write about “Why is my water heater making that banging noise?” or “How much does it cost to fix a leaky faucet in Sarasota?” – real questions people ask.

The businesses that rank best now are the ones that sound helpful, not the ones trying to trick Google with a bunch of keywords.

You Don’t Have Any Reviews (Or You’re Ignoring Them)

Reviews are huge for Google Maps Ranking. Not just having them – responding to them too.

I worked with a restaurant owner who had 50+ five-star reviews but never responded to any of them. Meanwhile, his competitor had 30 reviews with a lower average rating, but the owner responded to every single one. Guess who ranked higher? The competitor.

Google wants to see that you’re engaged with your customers. Respond to reviews within 24-48 hours if you can. Thank people for good reviews. Address bad reviews professionally without getting defensive.

And stop being scared to ask for reviews. After you finish a job and the customer’s happy, just ask. “Hey, if you’ve got a minute, a Google review would really help us out.” Most people will do it if you make it easy.

Don’t offer discounts or freebies for reviews though – Google will penalize you for that. Just ask genuinely.

Your Competitors Are Doing Shady Stuff

Here’s something most people don’t know: your competitors might be actively sabotaging you. We’ve seen it happen.

Fake bad reviews from accounts that only leave one-star reviews. Duplicate Google Business listings for your business with wrong information. Spam links pointing to your website trying to get you penalized.

There’s a landscaping company in Siesta Key that kept getting fake one-star reviews saying they never showed up for jobs. All the reviews came from profiles with no other activity, all posted within a few days of each other. Obvious fake reviews from a competitor.

We got them removed, but it took time and effort. Google doesn’t make it easy.

You gotta monitor your Google Business Profile regularly. Check for duplicate listings. Watch for suspicious review activity. Keep an eye on what’s ranking above you and make sure nobody’s doing anything sketchy.

The Sarasota Market Is Competitive

Let’s be real – Sarasota’s not some tiny market where you can slap up a website and automatically rank. We’ve got big companies with big budgets competing here. We’ve got national chains with professional marketing teams. We’ve got snowbirds searching for services six months a year and then locals the rest of the time.

You can’t just wing it and hope for the best.

But you also don’t need a massive budget. You need to do the right things consistently. Fix your Google Business Profile. Make your website fast. Create helpful content. Get reviews. Make sure all your information matches everywhere online.

Small Business SEO isn’t about having the most money. It’s about doing the fundamentals right while your competitors are too lazy or too cheap to bother.

What To Do Next

Go check your Google Business Profile right now. Make sure it’s claimed, verified, and has current information. Add some photos if you haven’t in a while.

Test your website speed on your phone. If it’s slow, that needs to get fixed before you do anything else.

Search for your business on Google. Are you showing up? If not, search for what you do plus Sarasota and see who is showing up. Look at what their doing differently.

And if you’re completely lost or you’ve tried fixing this stuff yourself and it’s not working, maybe it’s time to get help from people who actually know the Sarasota market. Not some company in another state running your account from a call center. Someone local who understands that Gulf Gate customers search different than Lakewood Ranch customers.

Your business deserves to be found. You’re good at what you do. You just need people to actually see you when their searching. That’s fixable – but you gotta fix it.

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Meta Description:

Find out why your Sarasota business isn’t showing up on Google and how to fix it. Common Local SEO mistakes that keep you off Google Maps and what to do about them.

How to Get Your Website to Rank Locally (Without Wasting Money)

You’ve got a local business. You need local customers. But when people in your area search for what you do, you’re nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, some business three towns over is showing up in your local results, and you’re sitting there thinking “how is that even fair?”

Getting your website to rank locally isn’t some mysterious dark art. It’s a process. And yeah, it takes time. But if you do the right things, you’ll start seeing results in a couple months instead of spinning your wheels for a year.

Let me break down what actually works based on what we’ve seen helping local businesses get found.

Start With Your Google Business Profile (Seriously)

I know you’ve heard this before. Everyone talks about Google Business Profile. But most business owners set it up once and never touch it again. That’s the problem.

Your Google Business Profile is the single most important thing for local rankings. Not your website. Not your social media. Your GBP.

Here’s what you need to do:

Make sure every section is filled out completely. Business name, address, phone number, website, hours, categories, services, description – all of it. Google rewards complete profiles.

Pick the right primary category. This is huge. Your primary category tells Google what you are. If you’re a pizza restaurant, don’t pick “Restaurant” – pick “Pizza Restaurant.” Be as specific as possible because that’s what people search for.

Add photos every week. New photos signal to Google that you’re active. Take pics of your storefront, your team, your work, your products. Even basic iPhone photos work fine. Just keep adding them.

Post updates regularly. Google Posts disappear after 7 days, so you gotta keep adding new ones. Share special offers, business updates, helpful tips – whatever makes sense for your business.

The businesses that treat their Google Business Profile like it matters are the ones ranking in that map pack. The ones who set it up once in 2019 and forgot about it? They’re invisible.

Get Your NAP Consistent Everywhere

NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone Number. And it needs to be exactly the same format everywhere online.

If your Google Business Profile says “Main Street Auto Repair, 123 Main Street, Suite 5, Fort Myers, FL 33901, (239) 555-1234” then your website, your Facebook page, your Yelp listing, and every directory listing needs to say the exact same thing.

Not “Main St Auto Repair” on one site and “Main Street Auto Repair” on another. Not “(239) 555-1234” in one place and “239-555-1234” in another. Exact same format.

Google looks at all these citations across the web to verify your business is real and located where you say it is. If your information is different everywhere, it confuses them. Confused Google doesn’t rank you well.

Go search for your business name plus your city. See what comes up. Check every listing and make sure your NAP matches. If it doesn’t, fix it.

This is basic stuff, but so many local businesses mess it up. And it kills their rankings.

Create Location-Specific Pages If You Serve Multiple Areas

Let’s say you’re a pest control company and you serve three different cities. Don’t just have one “Services” page that mentions all three cities in a paragraph. Create separate pages for each location.

One page for “Pest Control in Venice FL” with content specific to Venice. Talk about common pest problems in Venice, neighborhoods you serve there, local landmarks people recognize. If you’ve been handling palmetto bugs in the Venice area for years, say that. This is exactly the kind of quick win strategy that gets results.

Another page for “Pest Control in Port Charlotte FL” with content specific to Port Charlotte. Different neighborhoods, different local references, different content.

Google wants to see that you’re genuinely connected to these communities, not just throwing location names on a page hoping to rank everywhere.

And don’t create fake location pages for cities you don’t actually serve. Google’s smart enough to figure that out, and you’ll get penalized for it.

Build Real Local Links

Links from other websites still matter for SEO. But not just any links – local links from other businesses and organizations in your area.

Join your local Chamber of Commerce. Most of them have member directories with links to your website. That’s a solid local link.

Sponsor a little league team or a local charity event. They’ll usually link to your sponsors on their website. That’s another local link.

Get listed in local business directories specific to your area. Not the national junk directories that don’t matter – actual local ones that people in your community use.

Partner with other local businesses that aren’t competitors. You’re a wedding photographer? Partner with local florists, venues, caterers. Link to each other. Recommend each other. That kind of genuine community connection is what Google wants to see.

The key word here is “real.” Don’t buy links from some sketchy SEO service. Don’t do link exchanges with random websites across the country. Build genuine relationships with other local businesses and organizations.

Get Reviews (And Respond To Them)

You need reviews. Lots of them. And they need to be recent.

A business with 100 reviews from 2018 isn’t as strong as a business with 30 reviews from the past few months. Google wants to see that you’re actively serving customers right now.

After you finish a job and the customer seems happy, ask for a review. Don’t be weird about it. Just say “Hey, if you’ve got a minute, a Google review would really help us out.”

Some people will do it right then. Some will forget. That’s fine. You’re playing a numbers game here.

And when you get reviews, respond to them. Every single one. Good reviews, thank them. Bad reviews, address them professionally without getting defensive.

Google looks at review velocity (how often you get new reviews) and engagement (whether you respond). Both matter for rankings.

Make Sure Your Website Has Location Info Everywhere

Your address should be in the footer of every page on your website. Your phone number should be clickable in the header so mobile users can tap to call.

Your homepage should clearly state what city or cities you serve. Don’t make Google guess.

Your title tags and meta descriptions should include your location. “Best Pizza in Naples FL” not just “Best Pizza.”

Create content that mentions local landmarks, neighborhoods, and area-specific information. If you’re an HVAC company in Sarasota, write about preparing for hurricane season in Sarasota. Talk about how salt air affects AC units near the beach. Show Google you actually know the area.

The more local signals you give Google, the better your chances of ranking for local searches.

Get Your Website Categories Right

Google looks at schema markup to understand what your business is. If you’re not using local business schema on your website, you’re missing out.

Schema is code that tells Google “this is a local business, here’s the exact type, here’s the address, here’s the phone number, here’s the hours.”

Most people don’t mess with this because it sounds technical. But if you’re using WordPress, there are plugins that do it for you. Or just hire someone to set it up once – it’s not expensive.

This helps Google understand exactly what you are and where you are, which helps them show you in relevant local searches.

Track What’s Actually Working

Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console if you haven’t already. Both are free.

Search Console shows you what searches you’re showing up for and where you rank. You might think you need to rank for one thing, but Search Console might show you’re already getting traffic for something else.

Pay attention to what’s working and do more of that. If you’re getting clicks for “emergency plumber near me” but not “residential plumbing services,” maybe focus your content more on emergency services.

And track your Google Business Profile insights. Google tells you how many people found you through search, how many clicked to your website, how many called, how many asked for directions. Use that data.

Be Patient But Consistent

Here’s the hard truth: local SEO takes time. If someone promises you first page rankings in two weeks, they’re lying.

You’re looking at 2-3 months minimum to start seeing real movement. Six months to really establish yourself. A year to dominate your market.

But you gotta be consistent. You can’t optimize your Google Business Profile once and never touch it again. You can’t add photos for two weeks and then stop. You can’t ask for reviews for a month and then forget about it.

The businesses that win at local SEO are the ones that do the right things consistently month after month. It’s not glamorous, but it works.

What Most Businesses Get Wrong

They focus on ranking for their business name. Who cares if you rank #1 for your business name? People who already know your business can find you anyway. You need to rank for what you do plus your location.

They ignore mobile. Most local searches happen on phones. If your website looks like garbage on mobile or takes forever to load, you’re losing customers before they even see what you offer.

They copy their competitors. Just because your competitor has a certain page or uses certain keywords doesn’t mean you should do the exact same thing. Figure out what makes your business different and lean into that.

They give up too soon. They try local SEO for six weeks, don’t see massive results, and quit. Then they’re back to paying for ads and wondering why their competitors are getting all the organic traffic.

The Bottom Line

Ranking locally isn’t about tricks or hacks. It’s about doing the fundamentals right and staying consistent.

Optimize your Google Business Profile completely. Get your NAP consistent everywhere. Create location-specific content that shows genuine local knowledge. Build real relationships with other local businesses. Get reviews and respond to them. Make your website clearly location-focused.

Do these things for six months and you’ll see results. Keep doing them for a year and you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

Most of your competitors won’t do this stuff. They’ll try for a few weeks, get frustrated, and give up. That’s your advantage. Be the business that actually follows through.

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Meta Description:

Learn how to get your website to rank locally with proven strategies that work. Complete guide to local SEO for small businesses that want to dominate their area.

How Local Businesses Beat Their Competition Online (Even With Smaller Budgets)

Your competitor down the street is getting all the calls. Their website shows up first on Google. Their Google Business Profile has a hundred reviews. And you’re sitting there wondering how they’re doing it, especially when you know your service is just as good – maybe even better.

Here’s the thing: they’re probably not smarter than you. They’re not spending a fortune. They just figured out a few things that you haven’t yet. And once you know what those things are, you can catch up fast.

Let me show you exactly how local businesses are beating their competition online, and how you can do the same thing.

They Actually Finished Setting Up Their Google Business Profile

Sounds basic, right? But go look at your competitor’s Google Business Profile and then look at yours. I bet theirs is completely filled out and yours has gaps.

They’ve got photos of their storefront, their team, their work. You’ve got the one photo you uploaded three years ago when you first claimed the listing.

They’ve got their services listed individually. You just wrote a paragraph in the description and called it a day.

They picked specific categories that match exactly what people search for. You picked something generic because you weren’t sure which one to choose.

These little details matter. Google ranks complete profiles higher than incomplete ones. It’s that simple.

And they’re adding new content regularly. New photos every week. Google Posts about specials or tips. Updated business hours during holidays. They treat their Google Business Profile like it’s their second website because, honestly, it basically is.

If you want to start gaining a competitive edge in your market, this is where you begin. Not with fancy marketing tactics. Just finish what you started.

They Ask For Reviews (And You Don’t)

Your competitor has 87 reviews. You have 11. That’s not because their customers love them more. It’s because they actually ask for reviews.

After every job, they send a follow-up text or email. “Hey, thanks for choosing us! If you’ve got a minute, we’d really appreciate a Google review.” That’s it. Simple.

Some businesses even have it printed on their receipts. Some mention it during the final walkthrough. Some train their employees to ask.

You? You finish the job, the customer seems happy, and you move on. You figure if they really loved your work, they’d leave a review on their own. But that’s not how people work. They’re busy. They forget. You gotta ask.

And here’s what separates good businesses from great ones: your competitor responds to every single review. Good ones and bad ones. They thank people for five-star reviews. They address concerns in one-star reviews without getting defensive.

Google sees that engagement. It tells them “this business cares about their customers.” And it helps their rankings.

Start asking for reviews today. Make it part of your process. You’ll be shocked how many people are happy to help – they just needed to be asked.

They Actually Know What People Are Searching For

You think people are searching for “professional residential and commercial HVAC services.” Your competitor knows people are actually searching “AC repair near me” and “emergency AC fix.”

Big difference.

They looked at the data. They used Google’s Keyword Planner or similar tools. They figured out the exact words people type when they need their service. Then they built their website and content around those exact phrases.

You used fancy business language that sounds professional but nobody actually searches for it.

Go to Google right now and start typing what you do. See what autocomplete suggests. Those are real searches from real people in your area. That’s what you should be ranking for.

Your competitor in Port Charlotte isn’t trying to rank for impressive-sounding keywords. They’re ranking for what actually beats the competition – the searches that lead to phone calls and appointments.

They Made Their Website Actually Work On Phones

Pull out your phone right now. Go to your website. How long does it take to load? Can you easily find the phone number? Is the text readable without zooming in?

Now go to your competitor’s site. Bet it loads faster. Bet the phone number is right there at the top, clickable so you can call with one tap. Bet it actually looks good on mobile.

Most of your customers are searching on their phones. They’re in their car, they’re at work on break, they’re standing in their kitchen with a leaking sink. They don’t have time to wait for a slow website to load.

Your competitor’s site loads in under three seconds. Yours takes eight. By the time your site shows up, they’ve already called someone else.

This isn’t optional anymore. If your website doesn’t work great on mobile, you’re losing customers every single day. Fix this before you do anything else.

They’re Actually Part Of The Local Community

Your competitor sponsors the little league team. They’re listed on the Chamber of Commerce website. They’ve got their logo on the fence at the high school baseball field. They show up to community events.

And all of that gets them local links and local visibility.

You might think “that’s just marketing, not SEO.” But Google looks at those local connections. When the Chamber of Commerce website links to them, that tells Google “this is a real, established local business.” When they’re mentioned in local news or blog posts, that builds authority.

Join the Chamber. Sponsor something local. Partner with other businesses that aren’t competitors. Get involved in your community in ways that get your business name out there with links back to your website.

This kind of genuine local connection is exactly what separates businesses that dominate their market from ones that struggle.

They Have Location Pages That Actually Mean Something

If your competitor serves three cities, they’ve got three separate pages on their website. Not one page that mentions all three cities in a sentence. Three detailed pages with real content about each location.

Their “Port Charlotte” page talks about neighborhoods in Port Charlotte, mentions local landmarks, discusses specific issues that Port Charlotte residents deal with, shows photos from jobs they’ve done in Port Charlotte.

Your page just says “We also serve Port Charlotte” at the bottom of your service area list.

Google can tell the difference. They know which businesses are genuinely connected to the communities they serve and which ones are just trying to rank everywhere.

Create real location pages with real content. Talk about the specific problems people in that area have. Show you actually work there and know the area.

They’re Consistent With Their Business Information

Here’s something you probably never checked: search for your business name plus your city. Look at all the different places you’re listed online. Yellow Pages, Yelp, Facebook, industry directories, whatever comes up.

Is your phone number the same everywhere? Is your address formatted the same way?

Your competitor checked this. They made sure every single listing has the exact same business name, address, and phone number. Same format, same everything.

You’ve got three different phone numbers floating around online because you changed numbers twice and never updated the old listings. You’ve got “Suite 100” in one place and “#100” in another. You abbreviated “Street” as “St.” on some listings but spelled it out on others.

Google sees all of that and gets confused. Is this the same business or different businesses? They don’t know, so they don’t rank you as well.

Clean up your listings. Make everything match exactly. It’s boring work but it makes a real difference.

They Post Content That Actually Helps People

Your competitor has a blog. You don’t. Or if you do, you posted three times in 2022 and gave up.

They’re writing articles answering real questions their customers ask. “How much does it cost to replace a water heater in Florida?” “Why does my AC smell weird?” “How often should I service my pool equipment?”

Real questions. Helpful answers. Not just sales pitches disguised as articles.

And Google rewards helpful content. When someone searches for those questions, who do you think shows up? The business with detailed, helpful answers or the business with just a basic services page?

You don’t need to write a novel. A few paragraphs answering a real question is fine. Do that once a week and you’re ahead of 90% of your competition.

They Track What’s Working And Do More Of It

Your competitor looks at their Google Analytics. They check their Google Search Console. They look at their Google Business Profile insights.

They know which searches are bringing in customers. They know what pages people visit before calling. They know where their traffic is coming from.

Then they do more of what’s working.

You’re flying blind. You’re guessing what might work instead of looking at data that tells you what is working.

Set up tracking if you haven’t. Actually look at it once a week. See what’s bringing in leads and double down on that. Stop wasting time on things that aren’t working.

They Don’t Give Up After Two Months

This is the big one. Your competitor started doing local SEO a year ago. They’re still doing it. Every week they add photos to their Google Business Profile. Every month they create new content. They consistently ask for reviews.

You tried it for six weeks, didn’t see immediate results, and quit.

SEO takes time. Three months minimum to see real movement. Six months to really establish yourself. But your competitor knows that. They’re patient. They’re consistent. And now they’re dominating while you’re still wondering how they did it.

The businesses that win are the ones that stick with it. Not the ones with the best strategy or the biggest budget. The ones that actually follow through month after month.

Stop Making Excuses And Start Catching Up

You can keep telling yourself your competitor got lucky or that they’re spending a fortune. Or you can accept that they’re just doing the work you’re not doing.

They finished their Google Business Profile. You didn’t. They ask for reviews. You don’t. They made their website mobile-friendly. Yours is slow. They create helpful content. You create excuses.

None of this is complicated. It’s not expensive. It just takes consistency.

Start today. Not Monday. Not next month. Today. Pick one thing from this list and fix it. Tomorrow, pick another thing.

In six months you’ll either be competing with them or still wondering how they’re doing it. Your choice.

The gap between you and your competitor isn’t some secret strategy. It’s just work they did that you didn’t. Close that gap and you’ll be shocked how fast things change.

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Learn how local businesses beat their competition online with proven SEO strategies. Stop losing customers to competitors and start dominating your local market today.

How to Actually Rank in Google Maps (The Stuff That Really Works)

You know that map pack at the top of Google search results? The one that shows three businesses when someone searches for what you do? That’s Google Maps ranking, and if you’re not in there, you’re basically invisible.

Someone searches “plumber near me” and three plumbers show up in that map section. Everyone else might as well not exist. Those three businesses get the calls. Everyone else gets nothing.

So how do you get into that top three? Let me break down exactly what works based on what we’ve seen with actual local businesses.

Google Cares About Three Main Things

Google ranks businesses in the map pack based on three factors: relevance, distance, and prominence. That’s straight from Google. Not some SEO theory – that’s what they actually say matters.

Relevance means how well your business matches what someone’s searching for. If you’re a pizza place and someone searches “pizza near me,” you’re relevant. If someone searches “Italian restaurant” you’re still relevant but maybe not as much.

Distance means how far you are from the person searching. You can’t change where your business is located, so this one’s pretty much fixed. But you can make sure Google knows exactly where you are.

Prominence means how well-known your business is. Reviews, links from other websites, mentions online, how much people engage with your listing – all of that affects prominence.

You can’t control distance. But you can absolutely improve relevance and prominence. That’s where the work is.

Your Google Business Profile Has To Be Perfect

Not just “good enough.” Perfect.

Claim your profile if you haven’t already. Verify it with the postcard Google sends or whatever method they give you. This is step one and you’d be surprised how many businesses never do it.

Fill out every single section. Business name, category, address, phone, website, hours, services, description, attributes – everything. Google rewards complete profiles.

Pick the right categories. This is huge for relevance. You get one primary category and you can add a few secondary ones.

Your primary category needs to be exactly what you are. If you’re a family law attorney, don’t pick “Lawyer” or “Attorney” – pick “Family Law Attorney” if that option exists. Be as specific as possible because that’s what people search for.

Secondary categories can be broader or related services, but your primary category is the most important one. Get this wrong and you’ll never rank well.

Write a real description. Don’t just stuff keywords in there. Write like a human. Explain what you do, what makes you different, what areas you serve. Include your main keywords naturally but don’t be weird about it.

List your services individually. Google Business Profile lets you add specific services. Don’t just write “we offer roofing services” – list out “roof repair,” “roof replacement,” “emergency roof leak repair,” “shingle installation,” etc. Each one as a separate service.

This helps with relevance when people search for those specific things.

You Need Reviews (Lots Of Them)

Reviews are massive for prominence. The more you have, the better. But it’s not just quantity – recency matters too.

A business with 50 reviews from the last six months is stronger than a business with 100 reviews from three years ago. Google wants to see you’re actively serving customers right now.

After you finish a job and the customer seems happy, ask for a review. Send them a text with a direct link to leave a review. Make it easy.

“Hey, thanks for choosing us! If you’ve got a minute, we’d really appreciate a Google review. Here’s the link: [link]”

Some people will do it right away. Some will forget. That’s fine. You’re playing a numbers game.

And here’s what a lot of businesses miss: respond to every review. Good ones and bad ones.

Thank people for five-star reviews. “Thanks so much, [name]! We’re glad we could help with your AC repair. Let us know if you need anything else.”

Address bad reviews professionally. Don’t argue. Don’t get defensive. Just acknowledge their concern and offer to make it right.

Google tracks engagement with your profile. Responding to reviews shows you’re active and you care about customers. It helps your prominence.

Your Website Needs Location Signals Everywhere

Google looks at your website to figure out where you’re located and what you do. Make it obvious.

Put your address in the footer of every page. Put your phone number in the header so it’s visible on every page.

Your homepage should clearly state what city or cities you serve. Don’t make Google guess.

If you serve multiple areas, create separate pages for each one. A detailed page for each location with real content about that area.

Don’t just say “We serve Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.” Create three pages:

• “Plumbing Services in Tampa”
• “Plumbing Services in Clearwater”
• “Plumbing Services in St. Petersburg”

Each page should have content specific to that area. Talk about neighborhoods you serve there. Mention local landmarks. Show you actually work in that community and know it well.

This is exactly the kind of strategy that helps you surpass your competition in local rankings.

NAP Consistency Is Non-Negotiable

NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone Number. It needs to be exactly the same everywhere online.

Google looks at your information across hundreds of websites to verify your business. Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook, industry directories, local blogs that mentioned you – everywhere.

If your Google Business Profile says “Joe’s Plumbing, 123 Main Street, Tampa, FL 33601, (813) 555-1234” then every other listing online needs to say the exact same thing.

Not “Joe’s Plumbing Inc.” on one site and “Joe’s Plumbing” on another. Not “123 Main St.” in one place and “123 Main Street” in another. Not “(813) 555-1234” here and “813-555-1234” there.

Exact. Same. Format.

Google sees inconsistencies and gets confused. Is this the same business or two different businesses? They don’t know, so they don’t rank you as high.

Search for your business name plus your city. Check every listing that comes up. Fix any inconsistencies.

Photos Make A Bigger Difference Than You Think

Add photos to your Google Business Profile regularly. New photos signal to Google that you’re active.

Take photos of:

• Your storefront or office exterior
• Your team
• Your work (before/after shots work great)
• Inside your business
• Your vehicles if you’re a service business
• Products you sell

You don’t need professional photography. Regular phone photos work fine. Just make sure they’re clear and relevant.

Add new photos at least once a week. It doesn’t have to be a ton of photos – even two or three new ones helps.

Businesses that regularly add photos rank better than businesses that haven’t added a photo in two years. It’s one of those small things that adds up.

Get Links From Other Local Businesses And Organizations

Links from other websites tell Google your business is legitimate and prominent. But not just any links – local links matter more for map rankings.

Join your Chamber of Commerce. Most have member directories that link to your website.

Sponsor a local event or organization. Youth sports, charity events, community festivals – they usually list sponsors with links.

Partner with complementary businesses. You’re a wedding photographer? Partner with local venues, florists, caterers. Link to each other’s websites.

Get listed in local directories specific to your area or industry. Not spammy national directories – actual directories that locals use.

Write guest posts for local blogs or get mentioned in local news. Any legitimate local website linking to you helps.

The key is “local.” A link from a national site doesn’t help your local rankings as much as a link from another business in your city.

Use Google Posts Regularly

Google Posts show up right in your Google Business Profile. They’re like mini updates that you can add.

Post at least once a week. Share:

• Special offers or promotions
• Helpful tips related to your industry
• Business updates or news
• Photos of recent projects

Posts only show up for 7 days, so you gotta keep adding new ones. But they show Google you’re active, and they give potential customers fresh content when they look at your profile.

Plus you can add a call-to-action button to each post – “Call now,” “Learn more,” “Book,” whatever makes sense.

Not enough businesses use Google Posts. It’s an easy way to beat competitors who aren’t doing it.

Answer Questions On Your Profile

Google Business Profile has a Q&A section where people can ask questions about your business. You can also add your own questions and answer them.

Add common questions you get and answer them. “What are your hours?” “Do you offer emergency services?” “What areas do you serve?” “Do you offer free estimates?”

When real people ask questions, answer them quickly. A business that responds to questions looks more active and engaged than one that ignores them.

And here’s a tip: if you’re not getting questions, have a friend or employee ask a few common ones so you can answer them. Gives potential customers helpful info right on your profile.

Track Your Rankings And Adjust

Use Google Search Console to see what searches you’re showing up for and where you rank. It’s free and it shows you exactly what’s working.

Search for your main keywords plus your city in an incognito browser window. See where you rank in the map pack. Check it once a week.

If you’re not in the top three, look at who is. What are they doing that you’re not? More reviews? More photos? Better website? More complete profile?

Don’t just copy them, but use it as a benchmark to see where you need to improve.

Be Patient But Consistent

Here’s the truth nobody wants to hear: ranking in Google Maps takes time. You’re not going to go from position 15 to position 1 in two weeks.

You’re looking at 2-3 months minimum to see real movement. Sometimes longer if it’s a competitive market.

But you gotta be consistent. You can’t optimize your profile, add photos for two weeks, then never touch it again. You can’t ask for reviews for a month then stop.

The businesses that dominate Google Maps are the ones that do this stuff week after week, month after month. It’s not glamorous, but it works.

Add photos every week. Ask for reviews after every job. Keep your profile updated. Create location-specific content on your website. Build local links.

Do it consistently and you’ll see results.

What If You’re Still Not Ranking?

If you’ve done all this for 3-4 months and you’re still not seeing movement, there might be technical issues holding you back.

Duplicate listings can kill your rankings. If there are multiple Google Business Profiles for your business, you need to get them merged.

Wrong categories will tank your rankings. Make sure your primary category is exactly right.

Negative reviews matter. If you’ve got several one-star reviews that you never responded to, that hurts. Start responding and work on getting more positive reviews to outweigh them.

Your website might have issues. If it’s slow, doesn’t work on mobile, or doesn’t have clear location information, that affects your rankings too.

Sometimes you need help figuring out what’s wrong. But most of the time, it’s just a matter of doing the basics consistently and giving it time to work.

Bottom Line

Ranking in Google Maps isn’t magic. It’s:

• Optimizing your Google Business Profile completely
• Getting reviews consistently
• Making sure your NAP is the same everywhere
• Adding photos regularly
• Building local links
• Creating location-specific content on your website
• Being patient and consistent

Most of your competitors won’t do this stuff. They’ll try for a few weeks and give up. That’s your advantage.

The businesses in that top three map pack aren’t there by accident. They earned it by doing the work. You can do the same thing.