5 Small Fixes That Make Google Love Your Local Business
If your business isn’t showing up on Google, you’re not alone. Most small business owners miss the mark on just a few details that can make or break their visibility. The good news? These are quick wins you can handle yourself.
Here are five small but powerful fixes that help Google find, trust, and rank your business.
Optimize Your Meta Title
Your meta title is the headline Google shows in search results. If it’s vague or says “Home,” you’re invisible.
Keep it under 60 characters.
Include your service and location (for example: “Red’s Heavy Repair | Midland TX Diesel Service”).
Make it readable for humans, not just search engines.
Write a Clear Meta Description
This short summary under your title helps users decide to click.
Stay under 160 characters.
Highlight what makes you different and add a call to action.
Example: “Serving West Texas businesses with honest, results-driven SEO — no gimmicks, just growth.”
Claim and Update Your Google Business Profile
If you’re not on Google Maps, you’re invisible to local searchers.
Verify your listing at google.com/business.
Add hours, photos, and services.
Post updates weekly to show activity and relevance.
Check Your Mobile Speed
Over 60% of searches happen on mobile. A slow site hurts rankings and conversions.
Test your site with PageSpeed Insights.
Compress images and remove unnecessary scripts.
Aim for a mobile score of 80+.
Add One Local Keyword to Your Homepage
Mention your location naturally in your homepage text.
Try: “Proudly serving Midland, Odessa, and West Texas communities.”
Sprinkle location terms in headers, paragraphs, and your footer.
Final Takeaway:
These small changes can make a big difference in how Google sees your business. When you’re ready to move from small fixes to a full SEO growth plan, we’re here to help.
Download the Free Google Business Profile Optimization Checklist and make sure every detail is working for you.