Just getting a website doesn't mean you're done doing your marketing. Your work has ultimately just begun. We all want the "Field of Dreams" where you build it, and they come. That's not the case. Below is an outline of what you should do to get found and start seeing results. It may be work, but it's work that will pay off. Everything below is the "light version" of what we do every month and is something everyone can do. We've made this much less intensive so that it's not as overwhelming for you.
- Note 1: This is written specifically for our customers on the Website Design Essential Package, but does pertain to any business owner that is doing the marketing for themselves.
- Note 2: There's a lot of information below. It may seem overwhelming. We get that. We do it daily. This isn't your full-time job. Your business is your full-time job. These are steps we do and we know will move the needle for your business.
Am I Adding Value?
As you go into each section below you need to ask yourself these questions to determine if you're adding value to your customers or am I just adding noise. These are the questions I ask for everything that we do and you should as well in promoting your business.
- Would you buy from you?
- Would this content help me if I were the customer?
- Am I adding value or just adding noise to the already noisy Internet?
- Is this information useful, timely, or inspiring—or is it filler?
- Does this content reflect my brand personality and tone?
- Is this content easy to understand at a glance?
- Would I share this if I saw it online?
- Am I educating, solving a problem, or answering a real question?
- Is there a clear next step for my audience (call, book, learn, buy)?
- Does this showcase real results, experiences, or proof?
- Have I reviewed this for accuracy and freshness?
- Would I trust this business if I had never heard of them before?
The Importance of Posting to Facebook
Facebook remains a powerhouse for local visibility and social proof. Regular posting keeps your brand relevant and engaging.
- Benefits
- Boosts trust and awareness
- Drives traffic to your website
- Encourages interaction and shares
- Signals activity to search engines
- What To Post
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Client testimonials
- Educational tips or FAQs
- Promotions or seasonal services
- Before/after photos (see below)
- Frequency: 3–5 times per week. Use a scheduling tool to stay consistent.
- Question: Would you buy from you if your last Facebook post was 8 months ago?
The Importance of Posting to Your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Your GBP is what shows up when people Google your business name. Active posting here improves local SEO and trust.
- Benefits
- Enhances local pack visibility
- Boosts click-through rates
- Provides real-time updates to potential customers
- Shows Google you're an active, relevant business
- What To Post
- Updates and offers
- Event announcements
- Links to blog posts
- Holiday hours
- Before/after photos (see below)
- Frequency: 1–2 times per week. Posts expire after 7 days, so consistency is key.
- Question: Would you buy from you if your Google listing looked outdated?
The Importance of Asking for Reviews
Reviews are one of the strongest ranking factors for local SEO—and even stronger for conversion.
- Benefits
- Improves Google rankings
- Builds instant trust and credibility
- Increases conversion rates
- Helps you understand what customers love (or don't)
- Best Practices
- Ask after a great service experience
- Include a direct Google review link
- Respond to all reviews, good or bad
- Use snippets on your website
- Frequency: Ask weekly. Make review requests part of your customer follow-up routine.
- Question: Would you buy from you if your competitor has 200 glowing reviews and you have 4 from 2019?
Blogging for Organic SEO Success
Blogging adds valuable, keyword-rich content to your site. It tells Google you're an authority—and it keeps people on your site longer.
- Benefits
- Increases search visibility
- Targets long-tail keywords
- Positions you as an expert
- Supports internal linking and conversions
- What To Write
- How-to articles
- Service explainers
- Industry news
- Local trends
- Common client questions
- Frequency: At least 1–2 times per month.
- Question: Would you buy from you if your website never answers your customers' biggest questions?
Creating Service Area Pages That Drive Organic SEO
Google loves localized content. Service area pages help you rank in surrounding cities and neighborhoods.
- Benefits
- Dominates nearby search markets
- Captures traffic from areas outside your home city
- Increases leads without paid ads
- What To Include
- Unique content for each city
- Local landmarks or references
- Reviews from clients in that area
- Services offered in that location
- Frequency: Add 1–2 service area pages per month until your top target zones are covered.
- Question: Would you buy from you if you only rank in one zip code?
Continual Tweaking of Your Content to Show Change
Google loves freshness. Regular updates show your site is alive and active.
- Benefits
- Improves rankings
- Fixes outdated info
- Enhances clarity and user experience
- Adds value over time
- What To Do
- Edit old blog posts
- Refresh homepage or services copy
- Add new FAQs
- Rotate testimonials or images
- Frequency: Review your top pages quarterly.
- Question: Would you buy from you if your website still shows "2022 Holiday Hours"?
Add Before/After Photos
Visual proof builds trust. For service businesses, before/after photos are conversion gold.
- Benefits
- Shows real results
- Builds credibility
- Engages social media audiences
- Great content for GBP and blog posts
- Where To Post
- Google Business Profile (GBP)
- Website galleries
- Blog success stories
- Frequency: Add photos with each completed project or service.
- Question: Would you buy from you if there's no evidence of your work?
Getting Backlinks to Build Authority and Improve SEO
Backlinks—links from other websites to yours—are one of the most powerful ranking signals in Google's algorithm. When credible websites link to you, Google sees your site as more trustworthy and authoritative.
- Benefits
- Improves domain authority and search rankings
- Drives referral traffic from other sites
- Builds credibility and trust in your niche
- Helps Google index your content faster
- How to earn backlinks
- Get listed in local directories and chamber of commerce sites
- Guest post on related industry blogs
- Collaborate with influencers or local businesses
- Sponsor community events or charities that link back to your site
- Submit press releases to local media outlets
- Ask vendors, partners, or satisfied clients to link to you from their websites
- Create high-quality content like guides or how-tos that others want to reference
- Pro tip: Don't buy backlinks—Google can detect paid or spammy links and penalize your rankings. Instead, focus on building real relationships and offering valuable content others naturally want to share.
- Frequency: Ongoing. Even just one new backlink a month from a credible site can have a long-term SEO impact.
- Question: Would you buy from you if no one else online seems to be talking about or linking to your business?
Google Guarantee for Service Area Businesses
The Google Guarantee badge (for those in Google Local Services Ads) builds massive trust and increases lead volume.
- Benefits
- Boosts visibility in Google searches
- Builds instant credibility with "Google-backed" trust
- Qualified leads through verified channels
- Requirements
- Background check
- Proper licensing and insurance
- Verified business details
- Frequency: Apply if you qualify. Start at https://ads.google.com/local-services-ads/.
- Question: Would you buy from you if another business has Google's stamp of approval and you don't?
Other tools I should have at my disposal
One of the tools we use for our social media, website, etc. is a program called Paint.Net. It's free to use and is for Windows. I'm a Windows guy so I only know Windows products that work well. You can find this at https://getpaint.net/download.html -- this can also be downloaded through the Windows Store as well.
Conclusion: Your Website Is a Living Asset—Treat It Like One
Your website is more than a digital business card—it's the engine that drives leads, trust, and conversions. But a great design alone isn't enough. You need consistent activity, fresh content, and strategic visibility across platforms to turn visitors into customers. This article walks you through essential tasks to grow your reach and keep Google—and your audience—coming back for more.
The bottom line?
If you wouldn't buy from your own business based on your online presence, why should your customers?
Start with one thing from this list today. Then do another next week. Small, consistent actions lead to big growth.