3 Simple Ways to Boost Your Local Business Visibility & Get More Leads

If you’re a local business and you’re wondering what you can do to get more sales and more leads, you aren't alone. It’s the number one question we get asked. The good news is, you don’t always need a massive ad budget to see results.

Here are three very simple tips to increase your visibility and increase your customers right now.

1. Update Your Google Business Profile - Yes, again!

The first thing you can do is update your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)--and even if you've already optimized it, it's probably time to update it again.

If you are an established business, you probably already have a profile claimed. But simply having it isn't enough—you need to actively manage it.

Ask yourself: Have you been adding more reviews? Are you updating photos? Are you adding posts and filling out the Frequently Asked Questions section?

If not, you’re missing out on visibility. Google favors profiles that look "alive." When you actively manage your profile, you signal to the search engine that you are open for business and engaged with your customers.

Quick Action Items:

• Post Updates: Treat this like a mini social media feed. Share updates about offers or new products.

• Upload Photos: Real photos of your team and recent projects build trust faster than stock images.

• Manage Reviews: Don't just collect them—reply to them! It shows potential customers that you care.

• Add FAQs: If you've been hearing the same question from multiple customers, put it up here.

• Reminder: Remember to add your special/holiday business hours on a regular basis.

2. Claim Your Profiles on Yelp and Apple

Number two, you should absolutely claim, optimize, and manage your Yelp profile and your Apple Business profile.

Don't Ignore Yelp

I know what you're thinking—a lot of customers don't actively use Yelp anymore. However, most search engines consider Yelp highly reliable and very important in determining organic rankings.

Even if your customers aren't hanging out there, the search algorithms are. A verified Yelp profile acts as a trust signal to Google, helping validate that your business is legitimate and active.

The Importance of Apple Business Connect

The next profile that every local business should claim and optimize is the Apple Business profile.

The Apple Business profile is critically important because it gets referenced when someone uses the native Maps app on their iPhone or iOS device. You absolutely need to make sure that your business is showing up correctly through that Apple listing. If your hours or address are wrong on Apple Maps, you are losing every customer who tries to navigate to you using an iPhone.

3. Optimize Local Community and Industry-Specific Listings

The third thing that you can do to get more customers and leads is to set up and optimize any local community listings or industry-specific listings.

For example, if you’re in the construction industry here in Rochester, you might have a Rochester Area Builders profile. This is a great spot to make sure your key details are accurate:

• Name

• Address

• Phone Number

• Website URL

Once the basics are there, you can also build out your description and your services on that profile.

Where else should you look?

Some other great examples would be your local Chamber of Commerce or the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You should also look at sites like Angie.com or any other industry-specific niche listing sites.

These are places that can get your business name, your services, your location, and your website more visibility for free. These websites are ultimately trying to provide helpful information to customers. If you are a relevant business, you want to make sure you’re getting a fair chance to show up.

Why This Matters for SEO

These are just free ways that you can get more visibility. By claiming these listings, you get more keywords, backlinks, and citations pointing to your website.

What is a Citation? A citation is any place online where your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) appear together. Consistency here is key—make sure your info looks the same on your Chamber of Commerce listing as it does on your website.

These citations ultimately increase your SEO and help you show up in more places for your customers.

Recap: Your To-Do List

To review, here are your three steps to success:

1. Update and expand your Google Business Profile. Add more photos, add FAQs, add posts, and make sure you’re constantly getting and managing reviews.

2. Claim and optimize the big directories. Specifically, ensure you have control of your Apple Business profile and your Yelp profile.

3. Claim local and niche listings. Find the associations relevant to your industry (like the BBB or local builders' associations) and make sure your data is accurate.