Quick Answer:

Most local business owners think that having a website means they’re “doing SEO.”
They assume that just by being online, Google will reward them with visibility.

But here's the hard truth: Google doesn’t rank websites. It ranks trust, clarity, and local authority.
And if your website isn’t built to signal those things — you’re invisible.

In this guide, we’ll break down the most common (and costly) SEO mistakes we see every week from local businesses — and how to fix them.

The Website ≠ SEO Fallacy

The Myth:

“I have a website. Why am I not on Google?”

Most local businesses stop after their site goes live.
But in 2025, Google expects much more:

• Schema markup

• Mobile Core Web Vitals

• Proximity-based map signals

• Trust indicators like reviews, reputation, and consistency

Without those, your site is just a digital flyer floating in space.

✅ Fix:
Ensure your website is more than just design. It must:

• Load in under 2.5s (especially on mobile)

• Use LocalBusiness schema

• Show consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across site, footer, and GMB

Ignoring Google Business Profile (GMB)

The Mistake:

Businesses assume their website is their storefront.

But for local intent, Google Business Profiles dominate the map pack.
If you’re not optimizing your GMB — your site is buried under 3 local competitors who are.

✅ Fix:

• Claim & verify your GMB

• Use local keywords in your description

• Upload geotagged photos monthly

• Encourage keyword-rich reviews (ex: “best plumber in Tacoma”)

No Local Landing Pages or City Targeting

Your homepage shouldn’t be doing all the work.

If you're a roofer in Dallas and serve 5 suburbs, you need individual pages for each.

💡 Example:

• /roofing-frisco

• /roofing-plano

• /roofing-richardson

Why it matters: Google matches local queries (like “Frisco roofer”) to location-specific relevance.

✅ Fix:
Create dedicated, optimized landing pages for every area you serve — each with:

• Keyword in URL

• Location in H1

• Testimonials from that area

• Driving directions or service radius if applicable

SEO Is Not “Set It and Forget It”

A lot of local business websites haven’t changed in 2+ years.

Common signs:

• No new content

• Blog hasn’t been updated since 2022

• Dead links or old plugins

• No analytics tracking installed

✅ Fix:

• Use tools like Google Search Console to track what keywords you’re showing up for

• Publish fresh blog content (FAQs, how-to guides, comparisons)

• Add new reviews and photos monthly

• Set a quarterly SEO update checklist

No Reviews = No Trust = No Rankings

Reviews now directly influence local search.

Google’s algorithm uses review velocity, sentiment, keyword matching, and consistency across sites like:

• Google

• Yelp

• Facebook

• Angi/HomeAdvisor

✅ Fix:

• Ask every happy customer to leave a review on Google

• Use an automated follow-up system (Amplify offers this with every website)

• Respond to all reviews — even the bad ones

You Deserve Better Than “Hope Marketing”

If you’ve got a beautiful website but no traffic, no calls, and no idea why — you’re not alone.

We’ve helped hundreds of local businesses go from invisible to unstoppable on Google by building their websites with SEO built-in — not bolted on.

👉 Let us build your SEO-ready website for free.
You only pay for the hosting — and we handle the rest.

🔗 See how it works →