1) How local SEO works (simple)
When someone searches “service + city” (example: “shower door installation Bellevue”), Google tries to match the searcher with businesses that are: relevant (you offer it), nearby (service area), and trusted (proof).
You don’t “hack” this. You make it obvious.
2) Google Business Profile basics
If you serve a local area, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is a big deal.
- Choose the right primary category (this matters more than people think)
- Fill out services, hours, service area, and description clearly
- Add real photos (work, team, vehicles, before/after)
- Ask for reviews consistently (and respond to them)
Paying for “SEO” before your GBP + website structure is clean usually wastes money.
3) Service pages beat all-in-one pages
One-page sites can look nice, but they often underperform for SEO because everything is diluted. A better approach:
- Homepage = overview + credibility + routing
- Service pages = one page per main service (best for intent matching)
- Contact page = frictionless conversion
If budget is tight, start with the homepage, your main services, and contact. If you serve multiple cities, you can add location-targeted pages later, but service clarity usually comes first.
4) Internal links + headings
Your site should be easy to crawl and easy to understand:
- One clear H1 per page that matches the topic
- Use H2/H3 to break sections into scannable chunks
- Link from homepage → service pages → contact
- Use descriptive link text (“HVAC repair in Seattle”) instead of “click here”
5) Trust signals that help ranking
Trust signals help users convert, and they also support SEO indirectly:
- Consistent business info (name, phone, service area)
- Real project photos + short explanations
- Reviews (quality + consistency over time)
- Fast mobile experience (slow sites bleed leads)
6) Quick local SEO checklist
- GBP complete + correct category
- Homepage: service + area + CTA
- Dedicated pages for core services
- Clean headings + internal links
- Proof: photos + reviews + basics (licensed/insured if applicable)
- Mobile speed is “good enough” (no bloat)
Want a quick audit of your current setup?
Send your URL and your top 3 services + cities. I’ll tell you what to fix first, in order, for better local leads.