Focus on Local SEO
Part one in this two-part blog series was a bummer. It sucks, for sure. Being found online by the people most likely to be interested in your work is harder in 2026 than it was even a few years ago. Still, a good defense is a good offense. There are real ways you can set your website up for success.
If you’re a small business owner offering goods and/or services in a specific geographic area, focus on local SEO. Make sure the content on your website showcases the area where you do business as well as your specialty. You want the people more likely to be actually interested in your business to find you in search engine results.
Initial Local SEO Steps
The thing to remember about local SEO is that while it’s related to more than the content on your website, that content absolutely matters. Let’s say users find their way to your website through social media posts. If they get there and your site’s content is word salad, the navigation is trash, and your design looks like crap, they’re going to write you off in their brain…and they should. Now, if they get to your website and the content clearly tells them what you do, finding what they’re looking for is easy, and it’s wrapped up in a pretty package, they’re going to take you seriously…and they should. There are three initial local SEO steps I always recommend to new clients.
1. Prioritize Listings
Get online business listings in order. This includes creating a Google Business profile. It also includes choosing the social media platform(s) you’ll be using and creating profiles there. Make sure there’s consistency in all of your listings, too. Remember to add holiday or otherwise special hours as needed. The information there should match the information on your website (special, one-off hours excluded).
2. Encourage Reviews
Positive reviews can go a long way and it’s more than okay to ask your customers and clients to leave a review. I’ll admit, I don’t have a ton of reviews because I work with a lot of small business owners who simply forget or maybe can’t find time to sit down and leave a review, and I don’t push like I should. So this is admittedly something I need to work on, too!
3. Choose Social Media Platforms Wisely
Just because there are a ton of social media platforms out there, doesn’t mean your business should be on all of them. Choose the one or two (at first, at least) where you’re sure your audience will be. We all know Meta is Meta, but go with me here. Facebook is often nice if you have an older audience. Instagram serves a wider audience and might be the move if you have more Millennials as customers. There’s also YouTube, which is great if adding long-form content related to your business makes sense. If you want to add a podcast, like one of my favorite bookstores, Dog-Eared, has done, do it! Bluesky is a great spot for those who miss the old Twitter and want a fun place to write short updates. Whatever you choose, remember to be consistent.
Keyword Ranking
One of the biggest reasons keyword ranking is tough to nail down is that search engines rely on things like the search history and online behavior of the person performing the search, as well as the location of the person at the time of the search and the device they’re using.
There are, of course, a bunch of software companies claiming to show your true rankings. I’ve yet to find one that offers a comprehensive view of those rankings. I’ve used Spyfu, Moz, and Google’s Keyword Planner in the past. The way I used Keyword Planner years ago is basically gone now and I don’t bother with Spyfu or Moz anymore because they now rely so much on generative AI.
A quick way to get a good idea of a keyword rank is to use a private/incognito window. People often misunderstand these windows, though. It’s not a totally pure way of viewing rankings, but it’s a good way to check without having cookies and browsing history skew them.
Quick Local & Regional SEO Ranking Case Studies
I often remind clients that SEO has never been an exact science. So much goes into it outside of what’s happening on your website. Your social media presence, reviews, and more tell your story to the internet and hopefully, when you (or a pro you trust) put in the work, you’ll see some positive results. The following are a few local SEO ranking case studies for websites I wrote content and handled the local SEO strategy for, as well as designed.
Prism Therapy Solutions
This counseling group, located in Des Moines, is owned and operated by people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or QTBIPOC communities. Their goal is to provide evidence-based mental health support in a safe, affirming, and inclusive environment. That’s why our goal for local SEO was to make sure the folks specifically looking for a therapy office like theirs could find them easily, learn what kind of support they offer, and how to reach out. You know, the classics.
The founder, Hilary, and her team are also committed to doing the work on the social media side. This is a big deal! And a big shout out goes to their social media manager, Avery, for doing an awesome job. Their role in this is huge!
The Results
As of September 9, 2026, Prism Therapy Solutions ranks #1 for:
- “lgbtq+ counseling des moines”
- “queer therapy des moines”
- “queer therapists des moines”
- “bipoc therapists des moines”
- “2slgbtqia+ counseling des moines”
- “2slgbtqia+ therapy des moines”
They also rank #2 for “2slgbtqia+ therapists des moines,” behind Psychology Today.
Baby Whisperer Lactation Consultants
Anne Cassens was an registered nurse for over forty years and has been a lactation consultant for over 15. She needed a new website that gave new parents a place to find more information about her services, which also include bottle feeding consults. She’s based in Prior Lake, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is semi-retired, so she’s no longer traveling long distances. That means that ensuring her local SEO is up to snuff is a top priority. This is achieved thanks to a solid navigation structure and, obviously, content writing.
The Results
Baby Whisperer Lactation Consultants is ranking #1 in Google search results as of September 10, 2026 for the following:
- prior lake lactation consultant
- prior lake breastfeeding consultant
- prior lake prenatal lactation consultant
- prior lake postpartum lactation consultant
- prior lake prenatal lactation consultant
- prior lake bottle feeding consultant
Adams Sales Group
Adams Sales Group is an independent sales agency that works closely with architectural firms, interior designers, lumber yards, and others in the home building industry to handle kitchen and bath cabinet sales. They needed a website that explained what they offer, while giving vendors and partners a place to find sales resources. While I don’t manage the site consistently, I’ve been brought in when updates are needed since the site launched in early 2021.
The Results
Since this client serves the Midwest, I focused on regional SEO. The foundation I created with my content and SEO strategy nearly six years ago, is clearly sound. As of September 9, 2026, they’re ranking #1 on Google for “independent cabinet sales,” which is exactly what they provide.
Cognizant Counseling
Last, but not least on this list is Cognizant Counseling. This was the first website I designed as a fully fledged small business owner. This private therapy practice in Des Moines works with kids, teens, and adults. I’ve managed the website since its launch, which has included content and SEO strategy. The founder, Andrea, is a lifelong athlete and has coached volleyball for years. Sports and the mental health aspect of sports are close to her heart. She’s a Certified Mental Performance Coach and also offers sports and mental health performance counseling.
The therapy field is saturated, which means that even in local search, it’s quite the uphill battle. While there’s a focus on every service that Cognizant Counseling offers, I lean a bit more into the sports and mental performance side when it comes to SEO priorities, since it’s such a unique added service.
The Results
As of September 9, 2026, Cognizant Counseling ranks #1 for “mental health performance des moines” and #3 for “sports counseling des moines.”
SEO Takes Consistency & Patience
Plenty of small businesses, nonprofits, and artists are doing the work to ensure their websites are created by humans, with humans in mind. Their site navigation makes sense, and the people most likely to do business with them are able to find what they’re looking for easily. It’s so much better than letting a robot steal work for every single reason, but if the fact that it works better when done correctly is your priority, then look at this as a good news day.