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What is the biggest mistake businesses make with SEO?
Ignoring the “local” part.
Skipping out on local SEO means missing potential customers searching right around the corner. It’s like setting up a lemonade stand but never putting up a sign in your neighborhood. I learned this hard with my first venture, assuming “SEO is SEO.” The result? Lots of traffic from all over—and zero local conversions. Many people make the same mistake, chasing global exposure while missing the local goldmine.
Don’t repeat it. Instead, focus on making yourself known right where it counts.
46% of All Google Searches Are Looking for Local Information
If that number doesn’t hit you, consider it this way: nearly half of all Google searches have a local focus. That’s a massive chunk of potential clients or customers in your backyard. Missing out on this traffic means that a good portion of your target audience isn’t even finding you. This data points to an often-overlooked truth—users are actively looking for businesses they can reach today, not three cities away.
When you align your strategy to cater to local searchers, you’re boosting your online presence and building a local client base. Start with local SEO today, and you’re setting up your business for neighborhood-level success.
How to Get Started with Local SEO to Grow Your Customer Base
Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
Your Google My Business profile is a powerful tool that tells local customers where to find you.
If you haven’t claimed and optimized your Google My Business (GMB) profile, you’re missing out on one of the easiest ways to show up in local search results. Without a GMB profile, your business may as well be invisible to local customers relying on Google to find services nearby.
When James worked with a local restaurant struggling to get foot traffic, they first tackled their GMB listing. They hadn’t claimed it, so Google users saw basic, often inaccurate information—and the profile lacked appealing photos or recent reviews. They updated their hours, added a catchy description, and uploaded quality photos highlighting their unique decor and dishes. Within a month, not only did they appear at the top of local search results, but customers began mentioning their photos and new menu items in reviews. Suddenly, they were no longer just “another restaurant” but a memorable choice in the community’s eyes.
Think of your GMB profile as the online handshake introducing your business to your local area. Optimize it, and you make a powerful, positive first impression.
Claiming your GMB profile is one of the quickest ways to make an impact in local searches.
Optimize Your Website with Local Keywords
Using the right local keywords makes it easier for nearby customers to find you online.
Local keywords work like a magnet for people searching for services in your area, and they directly target customers who are ready to buy or visit. Without them, your site competes with countless other sites that don’t cater to the needs of nearby customers.
A landscaper wasn’t seeing much website traffic. When we took a closer look, he hadn’t mentioned any local keywords, like “landscaping in Portland” or “Portland backyard design.” We reviewed his site and replaced generic phrases with Portland-specific ones, optimized his meta tags, and added a blog section covering local landscaping trends. Soon after, his website began appearing for relevant local searches, and he was getting calls and emails from customers right in his area. By targeting his specific location, he turned online browsers into paying clients.
Adding local keywords to your site isn’t just about SEO; it’s about connecting directly with nearby clients. This focused approach ensures you’re visible to people already looking for what you offer.
Start tailoring your site with location-based terms for an authentic local SEO boost.
Gather Local Reviews
Local reviews build trust, showcase customer experiences, and improve search rankings.
Positive reviews act as social proof, making it easy for new customers to trust you before they even meet you. Without a collection of reviews, potential customers may hesitate to reach out or may choose a competitor with a stronger online presence.
When a gym owner I know started requesting reviews, the feedback he received brought in a wave of new memberships. Initially, he was shy about asking, unsure how clients would respond. But after making it a habit to ask happy members for reviews, he saw a noticeable increase in online visibility and foot traffic. New clients often mentioned that they’d read the reviews and felt confident that this was the place for them. Reviews weren’t just words but personal endorsements that led to real, measurable growth.
Encouraging satisfied clients to leave reviews takes minimal effort but delivers ongoing benefits by showcasing your business to local searchers.
Make it a habit to ask every satisfied customer for feedback, and watch your reputation grow.
Optimize for Mobile
If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re likely turning away a huge number of potential customers.
Over 60% of searches come from mobile devices, meaning a mobile-optimized site isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential. Sites that don’t work well on phones are hard to navigate, leading users to leave quickly and look for alternatives.
A small café I worked with struggled because its site loaded slowly on mobile and was hard to navigate. They were unknowingly pushing away mobile users—most of whom were local and on the go. We revamped the site, simplifying the design, compressing images, and ensuring buttons and menus were thumb-friendly. Once the changes were live, their mobile bounce rate dropped significantly, and they saw a spike in online orders for pick-up. A mobile-friendly site helped them retain local customers who’d otherwise moved on.
By optimizing for mobile, you’re removing barriers that could stop people from discovering and choosing your business.
Don’t overlook mobile; it’s the bridge connecting you to customers wherever they are.
Keep Track of Local SEO Results
Measuring your local SEO efforts ensures you’re on the right track.
If you don’t monitor your local SEO performance, you won’t know if the time and effort you’re investing are paying off. Tracking your local SEO results helps you identify what’s working and where you need to improve.
One service business I consulted started to see a dip in calls but didn’t know why. When we dug into their local SEO metrics, we noticed their Google ranking had dropped. We adjusted their GMB profile, updated local keywords, and refreshed their reviews. Within a few weeks, their ranking improved, and calls increased. Keeping an eye on these metrics had helped us pinpoint the issue before it caused lasting damage.
Tracking lets you make informed decisions based on data, not guesswork, so you can refine your approach and grow your results.
Monitor your progress and adapt—local SEO is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix.
Why You Should Start Local SEO Today
Here’s the truth: local SEO is essential for growing your business within your community.
Local SEO gets you in front of motivated, nearby customers. It builds trust within your community, making customers feel like they “know” you. And it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to stand out, without competing with larger brands on a global scale.
For example, a local bakery started showing up for “fresh bread near me” searches after optimizing for local keywords. Within weeks, their walk-in traffic doubled, and they were receiving phone orders daily. By fine-tuning their focus to serve locals, they established a loyal customer base that now drives steady revenue.
The takeaway? When you make it easy for nearby customers to find you, you’re not just a business—they see you as their go-to.
Get started today, and let your neighborhood know you’re open for business.
The local search spotlight is waiting for you.
Why It’s Crucial to Use a Comprehensive SEO Checklist Like a 102-Point Guide
Most businesses dive into SEO without a comprehensive plan and miss essential steps that could make or break their results.
Trying to optimize without a checklist is like building a house with no blueprint: it might seem manageable at first, but it leaves you exposed to unseen pitfalls. SEO is complex, with hundreds of moving parts, and each detail plays a unique role in securing high rankings and visibility. I learned this the hard way when I thought I could simply focus on keywords and content alone, only to find my site lagging in rankings. When I finally adopted a structured, checklist-based approach, my results took off—and it became clear just how many details I’d been overlooking.
Using the 102-point SEO checklist is the difference between guesswork and a well-structured strategy. It ensures you cover every aspect that impacts search rankings.
SEO is Complex—There’s No Room for Guesswork
SEO has hundreds of components, from keywords and backlinks to mobile-friendliness and site speed.
Each puzzle piece influences your overall rankings, so overlooking even one critical aspect can derail your strategy. Think of it like baking—if you skip baking soda, the cake falls flat. I once worked with a local bakery that initially ignored technical SEO elements like site speed. Despite their great content and keywords, customers were leaving the page because it loaded too slowly. Once we revisited each item on the SEO checklist, updated their site, and made technical adjustments, their bounce rate dropped, and engagement shot up.
With a checklist in hand, you won’t miss any detail, setting your site up for success across all SEO components.
Using a checklist takes the guesswork out of SEO and brings clarity to the process.
Consistency is Key, and a Checklist Keeps You on Track
SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy; it requires regular updates and attention.
Search algorithms, competitors, and customer needs are constantly evolving. With a checklist as your roadmap, you can revisit your SEO strategy regularly and ensure it stays aligned with best practices. One realtor I worked with kept a checklist on hand and updated her keywords, content, and local listings quarterly. Month by month, her site stayed on the first page, consistently generating leads in her target area. The checklist kept her from overlooking small but important tasks, which kept her ranking high.
Consistency drives long-term SEO success, and a checklist makes it easy to stick to the routine.
With a checklist, you have a built-in system for staying on top of your SEO strategy.
A comprehensive local SEO strategy is the key to reaching customers who are actively searching nearby.
Without a solid local SEO plan, many businesses are invisible to people right around the corner. Skipping local SEO is like missing the chance to engage with potential clients in your own backyard. By implementing local keywords, gathering reviews, and optimizing a Google My Business profile, you can significantly increase your local visibility. For instance, one bakery saw walk-in traffic double within weeks by simply focusing on local keywords, proving the power of a targeted strategy. When you prioritize local SEO, you don’t just boost online presence; you make a real impact within your community, building trust and loyalty.
Local SEO isn’t just an option—it’s essential for sustainable, local growth.
In the next section, we’ll cover actionable ways to apply local SEO to your business.
Here are the five key steps you need to know:
- Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
- Target Local Keywords on Your Website
- Gather and Leverage Customer Reviews
- Ensure Mobile Optimization
- Track and Adjust Local SEO Results
