By Brett Thomas, Owner of Rhino Web Studios, New Orleans, LA
If you’re running a local business and you’re not paying attention to “near me” searches, it’s kind of like trying to win a boxing match with one hand tied behind your back. And not your dominant hand either — I’m talking the one you actually know how to throw a punch with.
“Near me” searches have exploded in the last few years. And it’s not just people looking for the nearest taco stand (although, let’s be honest, that’s a worthy search). It’s everything now — “plumber near me,” “wedding photographer near me,” even “tattoo removal near me” (which says a lot about Saturday nights in New Orleans, but that’s another blog).
Here’s the thing: When someone types “near me” into Google, they aren’t browsing. They’re hunting. They’re ready to spend money, and they want someone close, convenient, and trustworthy. If a business isn’t showing up in those search results, it’s basically invisible to the modern customer with a smartphone in one hand and decision fatigue in the other.
So how do you make sure your business pops up when it matters? Grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger, depending on how your day’s going), and let’s break it down.
Step One: Google Business Profile — The Cornerstone
First, if you haven’t claimed and optimized your Google Business Profile yet, congratulations: you’re doing SEO on hard mode. Your Google Business Profile is your digital storefront. It tells the world — and more importantly, the search engine robots — exactly who you are, where you are, and why you’re worth finding.
Make sure your name, address, and phone number (that’s NAP, for the cool kids) are consistent everywhere. Choose the right categories. Upload some good photos — preferably not blurry ones from a flip phone. (It’s 2025. We can do better.) And get those customer reviews rolling in. Nobody trusts a business with one review from 2017 that says, “It was okay.”
Step Two: Local Content — Talk About Your Town
If your website doesn’t mention your city, your neighborhood, or even the nearest intersection, you’re leaving money on the table. Google isn’t going to magically know you’re the king of beignets in the French Quarter unless you say so.
Local content is your chance to plant your digital flag in your community. Write blogs about local events. Create landing pages for the neighborhoods you serve. If there’s a crawfish festival going on, mention it. If a pothole the size of Lake Pontchartrain just opened up outside your shop, hey — that’s newsworthy. (Just don’t fall in.)
The point is, talk about what’s happening around you. It helps search engines and real humans alike see you as part of the local fabric, not just another nameless blip on the internet.
Step Three: Directory Listings — More Than Just Yellow Pages 2.0
Remember phone books? (Kids, ask your parents.) Well, directory listings are the modern version, except now they live online and people actually use them. Yelp, TripAdvisor, Angi, niche industry directories — get listed. And again, keep that NAP information consistent.
When your business info matches across dozens of reputable directories, Google starts to think, “Hey, maybe this business is legit.” And Google doesn’t hand out compliments easily.
Step Four: Technical SEO — The Stuff Nobody Wants to Talk About
I get it. When someone says “technical SEO,” most people’s eyes glaze over faster than a hot Krispy Kreme donut. But the truth is, it matters.
Your website needs to load fast. It needs to look good on mobile (because let’s face it, nobody’s pulling out a desktop computer to find a late-night pizza place). It needs clean code, structured data, and all that behind-the-scenes magic that makes the search engine bots nod approvingly as they crawl through your site.
Think of technical SEO like plumbing — nobody wants to look at it, but when it’s done right, everything flows the way it’s supposed to.
Step Five: Local Links — Get Those Community Shoutouts
If a national website links to you, that’s great. But if the local newspaper, the chamber of commerce, or the neighborhood blogger with a surprising cult following links to you, that’s even better.
Local backlinks are like personal recommendations. It’s the digital equivalent of someone leaning over a fence and saying, “Hey, you should call these guys.” And Google listens.
Step Six: Voice Search — Talk Like a Human
With more people using Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to find things, websites need to start sounding a little less like robots and a little more like people.
Instead of stuffing your pages with “best dentist in New Orleans cavity filling root canal” (which sounds like a ransom note), focus on natural, conversational language. Think about how someone would actually ask the question out loud, then answer it like a normal human being.
Step Seven: Social Media — Not Just for Memes Anymore
Posting about community events, local wins, or even just celebrating local culture on social media sends good signals to both your audience and search engines. Plus, it’s a great way to remind people you exist — because if you’re not posting and engaging locally, it’s a little like throwing a party and forgetting to send out invites.
Final Thought: Domination Isn’t Accidental
If a business wants to dominate “near me” searches, it takes strategy, consistency, and maybe a little stubbornness. (Which, speaking as someone from New Orleans, stubbornness is practically a survival skill here.)
Local SEO isn’t a one-and-done thing. It’s a living, breathing part of a business’s growth. And if done right, it can turn a trickle of customers into a steady, delicious flood — kind of like standing under a second-line parade and catching all the beads.
So go out there, claim your spot, talk about your town, clean up your technical messes, and make some noise. After all, if you’re not showing up when people are looking “near me”… someone else is.
