Struggling to Get Local Customers? The Secret Is Showing Up in Google Searches
Why doesn’t your business show up in local Google searches when HSJ shoppers need you most?
Are you a local business owner in Hemet or San Jacinto having the hardest time getting shoppers to your doors? Do you get the funny feeling that your low sales are because most locals don’t even know you exist because you’re not showing up in Google searches?
In this post, you’ll learn how listing your business in local directories can help you rank higher on Google when nearby shoppers search for what you provide, even when the listing is free.
We’ll break down how local business listings help your Google rankings.
You’ll learn why this matters even more for small, community-focused mom-and-pops, brick-and-mortars, on and off-site service providers, even delivery-only and mobile businesses trying to compete with big corporations, franchises, chain stores, national brands, retail giants, and corporate chains doing business in the community.
5 More Ways Local Listings Boost You Showing Up in Google Searches (And Why It Matters)
Your local listings do more than just put your business name “out there.” They help Google understand your business better and increase your chances of showing up when local shoppers search for the products and services you offer right here in your community.
This puts you in front of them right when they need you most!
Below are five more key ways your listing helps you show up and stand out in local Google searches:
Read About the First 5 Ways Local Listings Boost You Showing Up in Google Searches (And Why It Matters)
1. Google Sees You In More Places
Google doesn’t just rely on your website to decide if your business is real and trustworthy. It checks for matching information—like your name, address, and phone number—on other sites across the internet. When that info is consistent on trusted directories like Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, and Valley Local Pages, it tells Google your business is active and legitimate.
This boosts your authority and helps your business show up more often and more accurately in local search results.
Even better, each of your listings can show up in search results on its own. Instead of relying on just one link—like your website—you could have multiple spots on the first page: your various listings. That gives local customers more chances to find you before they find someone else who sells what you sell.
2. You Show Up In More Relevant Searches
A lot of local business owners assume people only search for them by name—but most don’t. The majority of local searches on Google are Discover Searches, where people search for a product, service, or solution (like “AC repair near me” or “best breakfast in Hemet”) without knowing which business they want.
When your local listings include complete and accurate business details—especially keywords like your products, services, and business categories—Google can match you to more of those searches. That means you have more chances to appear when local shoppers are actively looking for what you sell, not just when they already know your name.
The more clearly you describe what you offer in your listings and other online content, the more likely nearby customers will discover you as the solution to what they’re already trying to find.
3. You Look Active and Open to Google
Google doesn’t want to send people to businesses that might be closed or outdated, so it constantly checks for signs that your business is still open and active. One of the easiest ways to signal that is by keeping your local listings updated—especially with your current hours, photos, services, and promotions.
When Google sees that your listings, including free listings, are being maintained and match what’s on other trusted sites like Yelp, it’s a strong sign that your business is legit and serving customers right now. That helps your listing stay visible in local search results instead of slipping behind big name competitors who are more active online.
Fresh info = stronger trust = better chances of showing up when locals search.
4. You Can Add Photos to Listings
Listings with photos get more attention… plain and simple. When people see real pictures of your storefront, menu, products, or services, they’re more likely to click, call, or visit. Google notices that engagement and rewards listings that perform well by showing them more often.
Photos also help your products appear in visual search results like Google Images or even Google Shopping, depending on what you offer. This gives you another way to get discovered by local customers searching for exactly what you sell.
When your listings include up-to-date photos and clear business hours, you don’t just look more professional, you look more trustworthy and ready for business.
5. You Get Backlinks to Your Website
When your business is listed in local directories, your listing typically includes a link back, also known as a backlink, to your website, social media page, or a specific landing page.
These backlinks are valuable because they signal to Google that your website is connected to trustworthy sources who recommend their content, which helps improve your site’s authority and ranking in search results.
Paid listings often provide even more backlink opportunities, linking to special content such as press releases, promotions, announcements, or blog posts about your business. These additional links give Google more reasons to trust your website, boost your rankings for specific searches, and differentiate you from competitors.
In short, backlinks from local listings strengthen your online presence, help your site rank higher, and attract more visitors and potential customers… all because when they search for what you sell, you’re Showing Up in Google.
8 Ways Backlinks Help Local Business Owners
Backlinks are one of the most overlooked ways to help your local business show up in Google. But they matter—big time. Each time your business is mentioned on another trusted website and links back to yours, it sends a signal to Google that you’re a real, active business serving your community.
And the more Google trusts you, the more likely you are to show up when locals search for exactly what you offer. Here are 8 ways backlinks help local businesses like yours get found—and bring in more local customers.
- Make your business easier to find in local Google searches. Backlinks signal to Google that your website is trusted, which helps it rank higher when locals search for the products or services you offer.
- Drive more foot traffic by boosting your visibility online. When you rank higher in search results, more local customers see you in mobile searches, making it more likely they’ll visit your storefront while they’re out shopping for what you sell.
- Send real customers to your site from directory clicks. Links from business listings, community websites, or local blogs bring visitors directly to your website and right in front of locals ready to take action.
- Strengthen your presence across the web. Backlinks from multiple websites give Google more signals that your business is active, local, and worth showing in search results.
- Support your local SEO strategy without running ads. Backlinks do long-term work in the background, helping you show up in local searches more and more over time, even when you’re not paying for ads.
- Build trust and credibility with both search engines and locals. When trusted sites link to your business, it shows that you’re legitimate, something both Google and real consumers care about.
- Build brand recognition in your local area. When your business is linked across multiple trusted local sites, directories, and community pages, people in your area start to recognize your name. These repeated mentions help establish your business as a familiar and reliable option—making customers more likely to choose you when they’re ready to buy.
- Help Google understand what you offer and where you’re located. Backlinks from local directories and region-specific sites give Google more context about your business location. These listings can include more detailed info than just your city—like your zip code, neighborhood, or even nearby landmarks. This helps Google match your business to searches like “emergency plumber near Park Hill Mobile Estates” or “bbq chicken delivery in Valle Vista”—the kinds of super local searches real people make when they want something as close to home as possible.
Local customers are already searching for exactly what you sell using search engines. on Google. Backlinks help make sure your name shows up when and where it matters.
Whether they’re clicking through from a community directory, a neighborhood blog, or a local spotlight article, those links add up to better rankings, more foot traffic, and greater trust from both search engines and real people.
And the best part? You don’t need a big marketing budget to start getting them.
Boost Your Google Rankings with a Free Local Listing
We are dedicated to helping HSJ Shop Local & Recycle Valley Dollars. That’s why we encourage every local entrepreneur and small business manager to take advantage of their free business listings.
And… it’s free for life! All we ask is that you update it every six months to ensure our directory stays as accurate as possible. Here are just some of the benefits of listing your business with VLP:
- Adds a trusted backlink to your website
- Increases your visibility in local search results
- Sends real traffic from local directory clicks
- Strengthens your presence across the web
- Supports your local SEO efforts
- Builds trust with Google and customers
- Helps locals recognize your business name
- Gives Google more details about your location
We’re committed to helping our community Shop Local & Recycle Valley Dollars. To do this, we actively work in the background, building this network… created just for us… HSJ entrepreneurs and small business owners.
So go ahead. What do you have to lose? We challenge you: claim your free business listing today!
[Claim Now]
