You know that feeling when you Google “best pizza near me” at 6 PM on a Tuesday and find exactly what you need in seconds? That’s local SEO working its magic. And here’s the thing – your potential customers are doing the same thing right now, searching for businesses just like yours.

Whether you’re running a boutique in downtown Iowa, managing properties across Central Iowa, or offering professional services in Urbandale, showing up in those local searches isn’t just nice to have anymore – it’s essential. The good news? You don’t need a massive marketing budget or a tech degree to make it happen. You just need the right strategy and a little elbow grease.

We’ve been helping local businesses get found online for years, and we’ve seen firsthand what works (and what’s just a waste of time). So grab your coffee, and let’s walk through exactly how to get your business showing up when your neighbors are searching.

Or schedule a call with us now to chat!

Why Local SEO Matters More Than Ever

Here’s a stat that might surprise you: 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information. That means nearly half of everyone searching is looking for something nearby – a service, a store, a solution to their problem that they can actually visit or work with today.

And if you’re not showing up in those searches? Well, your competitors are. And they’re getting the phone calls, the foot traffic, and the business that could be yours.

The best part about local SEO? It levels the playing field. You don’t have to outrank national corporations or e-commerce giants. You just need to show up for the people in your community who are actively looking for what you offer. And that’s totally doable.

Start with Your Google Business Profile (Seriously, This Is Huge)

If we could only give you one piece of advice, it would be this: claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. It’s free, it takes less than an hour, and it’s the single most important thing you can do for local SEO.

Think of your Google Business Profile as your storefront on the world’s busiest street. When someone searches for your type of business, your profile is often the first thing they see – complete with your hours, photos, reviews, and that all-important map location.

Here’s How to Make Your Profile Shine:

Fill Out Every Single Section – And we mean every section. Business name, address, phone number, website, hours, categories, services, attributes – all of it matters. Google rewards complete profiles with better visibility. Plus, customers want to know if you’re open on Sundays or if you offer free parking. Make it easy for them.

Choose the Right Categories – Your primary category is especially important. If you’re a property management company, don’t just pick “Real Estate Agency” – be specific. “Property Management Company” tells Google (and customers) exactly what you do. You can add secondary categories too, but make sure they’re genuinely relevant to your business.

Post Regular Updates – This is where a lot of businesses drop the ball, and honestly, we get it – you’re busy! But posting weekly updates (new blog posts, special offers, helpful tips, behind-the-scenes peeks) tells Google your business is active and engaged. Even a quick “Happy Friday from our team!” with a photo can make a difference.

Upload High-Quality Photos – Businesses with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their websites. Show off your space, your team, your work. People want to see who they’re working with. And here’s a pro tip from one busy mom to another: those “in action” shots of your team actually working? Those perform way better than stock photos.

Manage Your Reviews Like Your Business Depends On It (Because It Does) – We’ll be honest: asking for reviews can feel awkward. But reviews are absolute gold for local SEO. They build trust, they give Google fresh content about your business, and they influence rankings. Respond to every review – good or bad – with professionalism and gratitude. Even a simple “Thanks so much for your kind words, Jennifer!” shows you’re paying attention.

Use the Q&A Section – Did you know your Google Business Profile has a Q&A section? Most business owners don’t even know it exists! You can add your own questions and answers (smart move: answer the questions customers always ask you), and customers can ask questions too. Monitor this section and respond quickly.

Optimize Your Website for Local Search

Your website is your home base, and it needs to be crystal clear where you’re located and who you serve. Here’s how to make sure Google (and customers) know you’re a local business:

NAP Consistency Is Non-Negotiable

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. These three pieces of information need to be exactly the same everywhere they appear online – your website, your Google Business Profile, your social media, directory listings, everywhere.

We’re talking same format, same abbreviations (or lack thereof), same suite number. If your address is “123 Main Street” on your website but “123 Main St.” on your Facebook page, that creates confusion for Google. And a confused Google is less likely to rank you well.

Put your NAP information in the footer of every page on your website. Make it easy to find. Consider adding it to your contact page and About page too.

Create Location Pages If You Serve Multiple Areas

Here’s where local SEO gets really powerful. If you serve multiple cities or neighborhoods, create a dedicated page for each location. Not just one “Service Areas” page listing everywhere – actual individual pages optimized for each location.

For example, if you’re a property management company serving West Des Moines, Urbandale, Clive, and Ankeny, create four separate pages:

• “Property Management in West Des Moines, Iowa”
• “Property Management in Urbandale, Ohio”
• “Property Management in Clive, Ohio”
• “Property Management in Ankeny, Ohio”

Each page should have unique content about serving that specific area. Talk about neighborhoods, local regulations, what makes that community special. Include local landmarks in your content. Embed a map showing your location relative to that area.

This isn’t just about SEO – it shows customers you genuinely understand their community.

Optimize Your Titles and Meta Descriptions

Your page titles and meta descriptions are like little billboards in search results. Make them count.

Good title: “Property Management Services in Altoona, IA | Wasson Management” Bad title: “Services – Wasson Management”

Good meta description: “Full-service property management in Perrysburg, Ohio. We handle everything from tenant screening to maintenance so you can enjoy passive income without the headaches. Call (419) 555-0123.” Bad meta description: “Learn more about our services and what we can do for you.”

See the difference? The good examples tell people exactly what you do, where you do it, and give them a reason to click. They’re helpful, specific, and local.

Add Local Schema Markup

Okay, this one sounds technical, but stick with us. Schema markup is code that helps search engines understand your content better. For local businesses, it tells Google important details like your address, phone number, business hours, and service area.

If you’re using WordPress, plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math can add schema markup for you. If you have a web developer, ask them about adding LocalBusiness schema to your site. It’s a behind-the-scenes improvement that can have a big impact on your search visibility.

Embed Your Google Map

This is super simple but surprisingly effective. Go to Google Maps, search for your business, click “Share,” then “Embed a map,” and copy the code to your contact page. This reinforces your location to both visitors and search engines.

Build Local Citations and Directory Listings

Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on other websites – think directories, review sites, industry-specific platforms. They’re like votes of confidence that tell Google your business is legitimate and established.

Start with the Big Directories

Make sure you’re listed on these major platforms (with consistent NAP information, remember?):

• Google Business Profile (you’ve already got this!)
• Bing Places for Business
• Apple Maps
• Yelp
• Facebook Business Page
• Better Business Bureau
• Yellow Pages (yes, it still matters online!)

Don’t Forget Industry-Specific Directories

Every industry has its own directories and review sites. For property managers, that might be Zillow, Apartments.com, or local rental listing sites. It’s TripAdvisor and OpenTable for Resttaurants. For attorneys, it’s Avvo and FindLaw.

Find the directories that matter in your industry and make sure you’re represented. Quality matters more than quantity here – being on 100 random directories won’t help as much as being on the 10-15 that actually matter for your business.

Local Business Associations Matter

Are you a member of your local Chamber of Commerce? Most chamber websites include member directories with links to your website. Same goes for downtown associations, business improvement districts, and neighborhood groups. These local, authoritative links are SEO gold.

Audit Your Current Citations

Use tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, or Whitespark to see where you’re already listed and whether your information is consistent. You might be surprised to find listings you forgot about – or worse, listings with outdated information. Clean those up.

Build Relationships in Your Community (Online and Off)

Here’s where local SEO gets fun – and where being genuinely involved in your community pays off in multiple ways.

Local Link Building That Actually Works

Links from other local websites tell Google you’re an established part of the community. Here’s how to get them naturally:

Sponsor local events or organizations – Little league teams, charity runs, school fundraisers. These sponsorships often come with a mention (and link) on the organization’s website.

Partner with complementary businesses – If you’re a property manager, partner with local realtors, contractors, or moving companies. Feature each other on your websites. It’s good for business and good for SEO.

Get involved in local charities – Not just for the link (though that’s a nice side benefit), but because it’s the right thing to do. And when you genuinely support your community, the recognition follows.

Pitch stories to local media – Got expertise to share? Local news sites and blogs are always looking for sources. Offer to comment on local real estate trends, small business challenges, or community development. When they quote you, they’ll typically link to your website.

Host or speak at local events – Workshops, seminars, community meetings. These often get covered by local blogs and news sites.

Content That Connects Locally

Create content that’s genuinely useful to people in your community:

• Blog about local events or news related to your industry
• Create guides specific to your area (“First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide to Perrysburg”)
• Answer questions unique to your location (“Understanding Toledo’s Rental Laws”)
• Highlight customer success stories (with permission) that mention local neighborhoods

This content does double duty: it helps with SEO and it shows potential customers you’re embedded in the community.

Track What’s Working (Because What Gets Measured Gets Managed)

We’re all about working smarter, not harder. Here’s how to know if your local SEO efforts are paying off:

Google Business Profile Insights

Your Google Business Profile has a built-in analytics dashboard. Check it monthly to see:

• How many people found you through search vs. maps
• What search terms people used to find you
• How many people called, requested directions, or visited your website
• How your photos are performing

This data tells you what’s resonating with local searchers.

Google Search Console

This free tool shows you which search queries are bringing people to your website. Look for local search terms (ones that include city names or “near me”). If you’re ranking on page 2 for important local terms, that’s your opportunity to optimize those pages and climb higher.

Track Phone Calls

If phone calls are important for your business (and for most local businesses, they are), use call tracking. Services like CallRail let you see which marketing efforts are driving calls. When you know that your “Property Management in Perrysburg” page is generating 10 calls a month, that’s valuable data.

Monitor Your Rankings

Use tools like BrightLocal, Local Falcon, or even just manual Google searches (use incognito mode and add your city name) to see where you rank for important local search terms. Check monthly and track your progress.

Watch Your Competitors

See who’s ranking above you for local terms? Check out their Google Business Profiles and websites. What are they doing that you’re not? Sometimes the best ideas come from seeing what’s working for others (and then doing it better).

The Bottom Line (Let’s Bring It Home)

Local SEO isn’t about gaming the system or finding shortcuts. It’s about making it genuinely easy for people in your community to find you when they need what you offer. It’s about showing up, being helpful, and being consistent.

Yes, it takes effort. Yes, it’s ongoing (not a one-and-done deal). But here’s what we’ve seen over and over: businesses that commit to local SEO see real results. More website traffic from people who are ready to buy. And More phone calls, foot traffic, and customers who find you instead of your competitors.

And the best part? Once you’ve built that foundation – your optimized Google Business Profile, your location pages, your citations – it keeps working for you 24/7. Even while you’re sleeping or at your kid’s soccer game or finally taking that vacation you’ve been postponing.

Ready to Get Found Locally?

Look, we get it. You started your business to serve customers, not to become an SEO expert. And you shouldn’t have to be. That’s where we come in.

At Wasson Management Marketing, we help local businesses just like yours show up when your community is searching. We’re a team of marketing pros who happen to be moms who get that you need results without the jargon or the runaround. We keep it real, we keep it local, and we get results.

Want to see where your local SEO stands right now? Get a free local SEO audit – we’ll show you exactly what’s working, what’s not, and what opportunities you’re missing.

Or if you just want to chat about your specific situation? Give us a call or shoot us an email. We’re always happy to talk strategy, share ideas, and help you figure out the best next steps for your business.

Because at the end of the day, we’re all about helping local businesses thrive. Let’s get your business found by the people who need you most – the ones right here in your own backyard.