The First 3 Things a Local Business Should Do to Improve Their Online Presence

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Improving your online presence can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of things you could do - SEO, content marketing, social media, paid ads, reviews, email marketing, schema markup, AI optimization - and it is tempting to either try everything at once or do nothing at all.

Neither approach works. Instead, focus on the three foundational steps that deliver the most impact with the least complexity. These three steps create the base that everything else builds on.

Step 1: Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most important free asset for a local service business. It determines whether you show up in Google Maps results, the local pack at the top of search results, and voice search responses.

If you have not claimed your GBP, do it today. Go to business.google.com and search for your business. If it exists, claim it. If it does not, create it.

Complete Optimization Checklist

Once claimed, optimize every element:

Business Information:

• Accurate business name (exactly as it appears everywhere else)
• Complete address (or service area if you do not have a physical office)
• Phone number (local number, not an 800 number)
• Business hours (including holiday hours)
• Website URL

Categories:

• Select the most specific primary category (e.g., "Plumber" not "Home Services")
• Add relevant secondary categories
• Categories directly affect which searches you appear in

Description:

• Write a clear, 750-character description of your business
• Include your services, service area, and key differentiators
• Use natural language - do not stuff with keywords

Photos:

• Add at least 10 high-quality photos
• Include: your team, your work, your equipment, your service vehicles, your office
• Update photos regularly - businesses with photos receive 42 percent more requests for directions

Services:

• List every service you provide
• Add descriptions for each service
• Include pricing if appropriate

Posts:

• Publish Google Posts weekly or biweekly
• Share updates, offers, tips, and news
• Posts show activity and freshness

For a complete guide, read our detailed article on Google Business Profile optimization.

Step 2: Fix Your Website

Your website is the hub of your online presence. Your GBP links to it. Your social media links to it. Your reviews drive traffic to it. If your website is slow, outdated, or does not convert visitors into leads, everything else is undermined.

Minimum Website Requirements

At a minimum, your website needs:

Speed - Load time under 3 seconds on mobile. Test yours at PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev). If your score is below 50, your site is actively losing customers.

Mobile responsiveness - Over 60 percent of local searches happen on mobile. Your site must work perfectly on phones - readable text, tappable buttons, no horizontal scrolling.

Clear contact information - Phone number in the header (clickable on mobile), contact form accessible from every page, and a clear call to action above the fold.

Essential pages:

• Homepage with a clear value proposition
• Services page (or individual service pages)
• About page
• Contact page
• Complete page checklist here

Trust signals - Testimonials, reviews, certifications, years of experience, and any other proof that you are legitimate and capable.

When to Rebuild vs Optimize

If your website was built on WordPress with a cheap theme more than three years ago, it is likely worth rebuilding rather than optimizing. The cost of patching a slow, poorly structured site often exceeds the cost of building a modern one from scratch.

The custom websites from webIQ are built on Next.js for maximum speed, designed mobile-first, and include conversion-optimized CTAs and lead capture - all included in the $1,497 package.

Step 3: Start Building Content

Content is what differentiates a business with a basic online presence from one with a dominant online presence. Blog content drives organic traffic, builds topical authority, and demonstrates your expertise to potential customers.

Starting Small

If you are not ready for a comprehensive content strategy, start with these five blog post types:

1. "How much does [your service] cost?" - The most searched question in nearly every service industry
2. "Signs you need [your service]" - Attracts customers recognizing a problem
3. "How to choose a good [your profession]" - Positions you as the transparent expert
4. "[Your service] vs [alternative]" - Comparison content for decision-stage customers
5. "What to expect during [your service]" - Reduces anxiety and builds confidence

Even these five posts give you five additional pages that can rank for keywords your competitors might not be targeting.

Building a Foundation

For maximum impact, a comprehensive content foundation of 25 to 50 blog posts provides significant authority and keyword coverage from day one. This approach delivers results faster than publishing one post per month because it creates immediate authority signals.

The 50 blog posts included in the webIQ package are written, optimized, and ready to publish when your site launches - giving you a content advantage that would take years to build on your own.

What Comes Next

Once you have completed these three steps, you have a solid foundation. From there, you can build on it with:

• Review generation strategies
• Schema markup and structured data
• Local citation building
• Paid advertising (only after the foundation is set)
• Social media engagement
• Email marketing

But do not get ahead of yourself. The three foundational steps - Google Business Profile, website, and content - deliver 80 percent of the results. Everything else is optimization on top of a strong base.

Get started with a complete online presence package that handles all three steps and more - website, SEO, content, and lead capture - in one integrated system.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to see results from these three steps?

Google Business Profile optimization can show results within days for Google Maps visibility. Website improvements have immediate effects on visitor behavior. Content typically takes one to three months to start ranking. Together, most businesses see meaningful improvement within 60 to 90 days.

Can I do all three steps myself?

You can handle GBP optimization yourself. Basic website improvements may require a developer. Content creation requires time and writing ability. If you want all three handled professionally, a service like webIQ delivers everything in one package.

What if I only have time for one step?

Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. It is free, takes about an hour, and has the most immediate impact on local search visibility. Then prioritize your website, then content.

How much should I budget for these three steps?

GBP optimization is free. A professional website ranges from $1,500 to $8,000. Initial content creation ranges from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on volume. The webIQ package includes all three for $1,497.