7 Smart Ways to Connect with Michigan Customers on Google

Don’t Do Business in the Dark. You Need to Be Found on Google.

When you own your own business, you put everything into ensuring its success. Your money, talent, and a whole lot of time and effort. Running a small- or mid-sized business in Michigan is a grind, as all business is, but the work can’t stop at putting in the physical work.

Whether you’re selling lawn care services in Lansing, handmade soaps in Durand, or consulting services out of Bay City, chances are your next customer is starting on Google. In fact:

• Nearly half of all product searches start on Google
• 88% of people who search locally on their phone contact or visit a business within 24 hours.

If improving your visibility online isn’t a priority, you’re not probably missing out on customers, you are missing out.

So, if you’re not showing up high on Google searches, there’s good news and there’s great news.

The good news is that you can boost your ranking. The great news, you don’t have to be a tech wizard to make it happen.

In this quick guide, we’ll walk through seven steps to help Mid-Michigan business show up higher in Google results, and you don’t need to rename your company “Plumber Near Me.”

1.  Claim and Optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP)

This is step one because it’s the most important — and the easiest to overlook.

Even if you’ve seen your business pop up on Google before, that doesn’t mean your Google Business Profile is set up or optimized to help new customers find you.

Ask yourself:

• Did you search your exact business name?
• Or did you search something like “lawn service in Mid-Michigan”?
• When you searched, did your business show up in the top results? Or did someone else’s?

That’s the power of a well optimized GBP.

Here’s what to do:

• Claim your profile at google.com/business. It’s free to create, maintain and update.
• Add accurate business hours, a phone number, a website link, and a list of services.
• Use real photos, keep your information updated, and respond to reviews.

Pro tip: Post updates or offers weekly and Google will treat your profile as fresh content, which boosts your business in search results.

2.  Add Location-Specific Keywords to Your Website

Beyond your GBP, Google searches the content of your website to increase the relevance of its results. That means your website has to offer clues about what you do and where you do it.

That means your content needs to be specific. Instead of just saying “We groom dogs of all sizes,” say “We groom dogs of all sizes, serving the greater Flint, Michigan area.”

The more clearly you name your service area, the better Google can match you to the right customers. And it can prevent mix-ups, too—like the time I accidentally ordered from China King in Bad Axe instead of the one in Fenton. (Sorry, Bad Axe. Hope someone enjoyed my General Tso’s.)

Where to use local keywords:

• Page titles and meta descriptions (the short summary of your page’s content)
• In your headers (H1 and H2)
• Image alt text tags
• In your website’s footer (Proudly serving Saginaw and the surrounding area)

3.  Create Local Content that Answers Nearby Customers’ Questions

You’re an expert in your field, share some of that knowledge.

Adding a few simple blogs to your website can go a long way in building trust, good will, credibility, and improving your visibility in search engines.

Think small, helpful, local.

Consider creating some original content to your site with topics such as:

• How to Prepare Your Car for a Michigan Winter
• The Best Time to Seal Your Driveway in Mid-Michigan
• Tips and Tricks Every Michigan Knitter Should Know

These aren’t trade secrets—they’re ways to show up when people are searching for info. And when it’s time to replace that battery, seal that driveway, or buy that yarn, they’re already on your site.

As a bonus, Google sees your site as more relevant for that region and will boost your page in search results.

4.  Get Listed in Local Directories

Another way you can drive traffic to your website is to get connected with other important groups. If you can get your business listed with your local Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, or other industry-related directories. These links not only put you in front of more eyes, they also tell Google you’re a legitimate, verified business.

Pro tip: Make sure your name, address and phone number are consistent everywhere they appear!

5.  Collect and Respond to Google Reviews

Like it or not, reviews are part of the game, and they can’t be turned off. This means taking in the good and accepting the bad.

However, there are things you can do to build a good rating and maintain confidence even in the face of a one-star review.

1. Ask your happy customers to leave a review (just don’t offer a reward, because this violates Google’s policy).
2. Read your reviews and consider ways you can improve your customers’ experiences for future visits.
3. Respond to reviews (even the bad ones), because it shows you’re active, attentive, and working to do right by the customer.

Remember, more reviews = more trust = more clicks.

6.  Use Location Pages (If You Serve Multiple Areas)

This one’s for businesses that have expanded or serve multiple cities. If you’ve grown into new territory, your online footprint needs to expand with you.

If you started out in Midland, but now have an office in Ann Arbor, you’ll want to have at least one dedicated webpage per city or region.

• yoursite.com/midland
• yoursite.com/ann-arbor

This helps Google understand where you do business and helps local customers find a page that speaks directly to them.

These pages should include:

• City-specific headings and content
• Services and products you offer in that area
• Testimonials or reviews from customers in that region
• A Google Map embed or directions to your local office (if you have one)

Pro tip: Don’t just copy and paste. Speak directly to your local audience and highlight what makes that area (and your work there) unique.

7.  Add Structured Data (Schema Markup)

I saved this one for last on purpose. It sounds the most technical and honestly, if your eyes just glazed over, I understand.

Don’t lose me just yet! This is an important topic, so let’s talk about it in real terms, then figure out how to actually do it.

So, what the heck is a schema markup anyway?

It’s a way to embed keywords into your website in a way that Google can see it, but your customers won’t. Even if you’ve been diligent to say you’re “a dog groomer in Flint, Michigan, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Google may still not entirely register that you’re a local business, located in Michigan, open at specific times, or offering specific services. Adding structured data “talks” directly to Google — and it can make a big difference for drawing customers in.

One major benefit of adding structured data to your site is that it increases your chances of appearing in “rich results,” which are the fancier looking listings that include a business’s star ratings, hours, location, and more. Those are the listings that get the most clicks.

See? Not so bad. Maybe even a little exciting!

Let’s Get Your Business Boosted!

If any of this sounded good, but maybe you don’t feel like you have the time or patience to mess with it, don’t worry, you are far from alone. But remember, not doing it could be hurting your bottom line.

That’s where Queue Development can help! Queue Development is here to help create your Google Business Profile, update and add pages to include local information, help with writing or editing your local blogs, and getting that critical structured data put in place to boost your search ranking.

Find out how we can grow your digital footprint without the stress, start the conversation today by emailing Queue Development at [email protected]