“Why do my local competitors seem to have business rolling in all the time, and I never get any new clients?” This is incredibly frustrating, but it doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with your business.
Nowadays, if you want to compete with others in your industry, you need to rank highly on Google. This is most likely how potential customers are finding your competitors and not you. Your competition isn’t just using one strategy though. They are ranking high on local Google searches, aggregators like Yelp, and Map Packs. The good news is, your business can do this too with the help of careful research, hard work, and dedication to adjusting your strategies as the market changes.
Sound like a lot of work? Quality marketing usually is. But either you don’t act and continue to lose business, or you use the following steps to improve your local search rankings and become the one stealing clients from your competitors:
- Identify and analyze local competitors
- Optimize your Google Business Profile
- Perform local keyword research
- Keep name, address, and phone number consistent
- Engage in your local community
- Differentiate your product/services
Identify and Analyze Local Competitors
Every marketing campaign starts with learning about your business and your local competitors. It’s important to understand what others in your industry and area are doing so you can adjust your local marketing efforts to compete with them. First, you must identify your local competitors and look at their websites, Google Business Profiles, and social media platforms. When doing this, evaluate how your competitors’ offerings and marketing strategies are attracting customers. This can provide a great deal of information that you can then use to create a local SEO plan that can stand up against your local competition.
Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your business needs to rank high on the search results page for local searches, otherwise potential clients won’t be able to find you. To make this happen, you first need to create a Google Business Profile (GBP). This is a free listing that can appear in Google results and Google Maps. Then your profile needs to be kept up to date, and be active to show Google your business is legit. How do you do this? Well, first your Google Business Profile needs to have the following updated information:
- Contact information
- Hours of operation
- Product/service offerings
- High-quality photos
Don’t forget to treat your GBP like any other business social media profile. Regularly post relevant and high-quality content like updates on news, events, and offerings. This won’t just establish your business as an active GBP account, but also as an expert in your industry as you post helpful content. Your business’ GBP should also be used to respond to all Google reviews you receive, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. This shows Google and potential customers that you are an engaging business that cares about customer feedback. As a result, you will rank higher and build trust with anyone who sees your review responses.
Perform Local Keyword Research
A strong SEO keyword strategy is absolutely necessary to improve your rankings in local searches. This marketing tactic uses specific keywords your target audience searches when looking for a solution to their problem. By strategically placing these keywords throughout your site, you increase the chances of your ideal customers finding and doing business with you. For example, your target audience may look up phrases like “Olathe construction company” or “construction contractors in KC.” If you want local business, these key phrases must be used in your site’s content to get it to show up in online searches.
Keep Name, Address, and Phone Number Consistent
Your website isn’t the only online location where your business’ name, address, and phone number (NAP) should be listed. Keep this information up to date on:
- Business listings
- Local directories
- Social media profiles
- Every website where your business is listed
We bet this tedious-sounding task is already putting you to sleep, but don’t ignore your business’ NAP thinking it will save you time and energy. Google uses these NAP lists to verify your business’ information, to make sure it’s accurate and legitimate. Once Google confirms this, your business is likely to rank higher on search results pages. This is because Google has deemed your business trustworthy and will therefore prioritize showing it to people as an answer to their search.
Incorrect or inconsistent NAP information doesn’t just hurt your chances with Google. It also reduces user trust in your business. If they find different NAP information on your site, social media profiles, local directories, etc., they are immediately going to be suspicious. Either your business doesn’t care enough to keep this information updated or it isn’t legitimate. So how are you supposed to tackle this task? Follow these steps:
- Make a list of all the online platforms where your NAP information is listed
- Update these details on all platforms whenever your business moves or changes contact information
- Conduct an annual audit on your business’ NAP information to keep everything accurate
Engage in Your Local Community
Local businesses have a unique opportunity to build a strong, loyal, and local customer base. This can be very beneficial, but it does take more than optimizing local searches. Make sure your business is engaging in local community events, relevant subreddits/forums, and Chamber of Commerce meetings. This shows your local customers that you care about your customers and the community you all live in. Not to mention that this engagement improves brand awareness, making your business even more identifiable and trustworthy. As a result, local customers are far more likely to do business with you.
Differentiate Your Product/Services
Your business may sell the same products or services as your competitors, but this doesn’t mean you can’t stand out. Look at your competitors’ offerings and how they position themselves. What’s something you offer that they don’t? This doesn’t necessarily have to be a product or service. For example, if you can provide better customer service or faster delivery, that is enough to draw leads in. Whatever differentiator you discover, this will be known as your unique selling point. It should be used prominently on your website to show potential customers that you understand their problem and have the perfect solution. Specifically, using the following format for your homepage to get the best chance of converting leads that land there:
- Acknowledge your target audience’s problem
- Present yourself as the expert guide who can solve it
- Provide site visitors with a simple way to take the next step
When you’re trying to differentiate your product/service, you need to make it appear better than all the other alternatives available. Do this by applying Alex Hormozi’s value equation:
Essentially this means that you need to make your product or service seem amazing so you can maximize the dream outcome and how likely it is that customers will actually achieve it. Don’t forget to minimize the time it takes to deliver and how much it costs the user. For example, if you have faster delivery times than your competitors or 90% of your customers get what they want from your products/services, message about that. Don’t be afraid to brag here. Standing out isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about finding a way you can help your target audience and show them that you can do so.
How a Strong Marketing Agency Can Help
Let’s face it; these are a lot of steps that require a lot of work to make your business a local search powerhouse. And as someone already juggling clients, work, finances, and life in general, how are you going to find the time to do local marketing effectively? A strong marketing agency can take this load off your back and take care of it all for you. These marketing experts will perform all the steps necessary to dominate local searches, including:
- Identify and analyze local competitors’ websites, GBPs, and social platforms
- Build, update, and post from your Google Business Profile
- Respond to all your Google reviews through your GBP
- Research general and local keywords
- Create and implement a local SEO strategy that can stand up to the competition
- Keep your business’ NAP information updated on all platforms
- Perform regular audits of your business’ NAP information to keep it up to date
- Create and implement a brand awareness strategy
With a professional marketing agency handling all these steps and more, you can focus on running your business knowing that more work is on its way.
Local Search FAQs
Google uses three main factors: relevance, distance, and prominence. Relevance means how well your listing matches the search; distance measures how close you are to the searcher; and prominence comes from reviews, backlinks, and overall online reputation.
Yes, every local contractor should have a Google Business Profile (GBP). It’s what makes your business appear on Google Maps and in the “map pack.” A complete and active GBP with reviews, photos, and posts helps Google trust your business and show it to more searchers.
At least once a week. Post updates, add project photos, and reply to reviews. Regular updates signal to Google that your business is active, which can improve your ranking in local search results.
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. It needs to be identical everywhere your business is listed—on your website, social media, and directories. Inconsistent information confuses Google and can lower your ranking in local search results.
Reviews are one of the strongest local ranking factors. Consistent positive reviews not only help you rank higher but also build trust with potential clients. Even negative reviews, if handled professionally, can show that you value customer feedback.
Local keywords combine your service with your location, like “Olathe concrete patio” or “Kansas City stamped concrete.” You can find them using Google’s autocomplete, keyword research tools like SERanking, or by looking at the phrases competitors rank for.
Track measurable data. You should see increases in website traffic, map views, calls, and contact form submissions. Free tools like Google Analytics and Google Business Profile Insights can show how people are finding and engaging with your business.
Most contractors start seeing measurable improvements within 3 to 6 months, depending on competition, budget, and how consistent the strategy is. SEO is a long game; staying active and patient is key.
Local SEO builds organic visibility over time without paying for each click. Paid ads, like Google Ads, deliver instant visibility but require continuous spending. The best strategy usually includes both—ads for quick results and SEO for long-term growth.
Yes, but you’ll need separate location pages for each city or service area. Each page should have unique content, local project photos, and keywords tied to that location. Avoid copy-pasting the same text for multiple cities.
Learn How to Compete in Local Markets
When you lose business to local competitors, especially ones larger than you, it can feel like there’s nothing you can do about it. However, competing with them isn’t as difficult as you may think, and it definitely doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. It all starts with taking the time to understand your target audience and why they are choosing to do business with your competitors over you. From there, you can adjust your local marketing tactics and become the one stealing business from your competitors.
Just remember that strong marketing is a continuous process. It requires careful attention as well as a willingness to learn and adjust as needed. Sign up for our free marketing e-course to learn about the latest marketing tactics your competitors are using and how you can easily implement them to grow your business.
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