Want to attract more customers this year? SEO is evolving fast, and there are exciting new opportunities you can leverage to increase your online visibility and grow your business.
Let’s explore how to boost your online visibility by blending proven SEO strategies with emerging opportunities. We’ll use a landscaping business as an example, but these tactics can be adapted for any local service industry.
Building on Your SEO Foundation
Your existing SEO efforts—like optimizing meta descriptions, creating quality content, and building backlinks—continue to be valuable. However, today’s customers are finding businesses in new ways, particularly through AI-powered search tools and video content. Here’s how to expand your digital footprint while maintaining your SEO foundation.
The Rise of AI-Enhanced Search
Modern search engines are becoming smarter, using AI to understand exactly what users need. For local service businesses, this means being crystal clear about your services and value proposition. Let’s look at how a landscaping company might implement these principles, which you can adapt for your own business:
What This Means for Your Website
- Replace vague statements like “Professional landscaping services” with specific ones:
- “Custom landscape design and weekly lawn maintenance for homes in Eugene, Oregon and surrounding communities like Springfield and Junction City.”
- Clearly outline your service areas and specialties:
- “Specializing in rain-garden design and year-round lawn care, serving Eugene’s South Hills, Friendly, River Road, and Cal Young neighborhoods.”
- Highlight specific results:
- “Help Willamette Valley homeowners create low-maintenance landscapes that look beautiful from the rainy season through our dry summers.”
Video: The New Frontend of Search
YouTube has evolved into a primary search engine for people seeking service providers. Potential customers want to see your work and get to know you before making contact. The best part? Quality video content can help you rank both on YouTube and Google.
Creating Effective Video Content
- Answer Common Customer Questions
- “Best Native Plants for Gardens in Lane County.”
- “How to Keep Your Lawn Healthy Through Eugene’s Wet Winters.”
- “Creating Year-Round Color in Your Garden: Tips for the South Hills Area.”
- Showcase Your Expertise
- Before and after project transformations near local landmarks like Hendricks Park.
- Day-in-the-life videos showing your team working in different Eugene neighborhoods.
- Seasonal maintenance tips for managing moss growth in shady Fairmount properties.
Local SEO: Your Geographic Advantage
Local search remains crucial for service businesses, but it’s evolving with new ranking factors and user behaviors.
Optimizing Your Local Presence
Google Business Profile Enhancement
- Upload high-quality photos of your actual work, especially near recognizable locations like Alton Baker Park or the University of Oregon campus.
- Add detailed service descriptions:
- “Custom rain garden design for sloped South Hills properties, native plant installation, weekly lawn maintenance from River Road to Springfield.”
- Keep your hours and service area information current, including whether you service campus-area properties during student move-in/out periods.
Building Local Authority
- Get featured in local publications like Eugene Weekly and The Register-Guard.
- Join and engage with organizations like the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, Eugene Area Realtors, and Lane County Home Builders Association.
- Create content specifically about local landscaping challenges along Amazon Creek or in the College Hill area.
- Partner with local garden centers like Down to Earth and Gray’s Garden Centers.
Review Strategy
- Encourage customers to mention specific services and locations in their reviews:
- “Transformed our sloped backyard in the Friendly neighborhood.”
- Ask them to reference nearby landmarks:
- “Near Spencer Butte,” “Close to Valley River Center.”
- Respond thoughtfully to all reviews, showing your familiarity with different neighborhood characteristics.
Trust Signals Across the Web
Today’s AI-powered search tools look beyond your website to understand your business’s reputation. Building trust signals across the internet is crucial.
Building Digital Trust
- Maintain active profiles on home service platforms.
- Participate in local community forums like Eugene Neighborhood Groups and Lane County Gardeners.
- Share your expertise on Eugene-specific Facebook groups and NextDoor communities.
- Engage authentically in discussions about local challenges like:
- Dealing with clay soil in the Willamette Valley.
- Managing drainage in hillside properties.
- Protecting gardens from deer in the South Hills.
- Moss control in shaded areas near Hendricks Park.
- Creating pollinator-friendly gardens that support local wildlife.
Your Roadmap to More Customers in 2025
1. Website Updates
- Clarify your service descriptions with neighborhood-specific details.
- Add specific, measurable results relevant to Eugene’s microclimate zones.
- Create location-specific service pages for Eugene’s distinct areas:
- South Hills, River Road, Whiteaker, Cal Young, and Bethel.
2. Video Content
- Film 2-3 how-to videos addressing common Pacific Northwest gardening questions.
- Create a showcase video of your best year-round landscape designs.
- Set up and optimize your YouTube channel with content focused on managing wet weather challenges.
3. Local Presence
- Update your Google Business Profile weekly with new photos.
- Engage with local online communities.
- Consistently gather and respond to reviews.
Take Action to Grow Your Online Presence
The key to success in 2025’s digital landscape isn’t about abandoning traditional SEO—it’s about building upon it with new strategies. By combining proven SEO practices with video content and AI-optimized messaging, while maintaining a strong local presence, you’ll create multiple pathways for customers to find and trust your business.
Remember, these changes don’t happen overnight. Start with the basics, then gradually implement new strategies as you build momentum. The businesses that thrive will be those that embrace both the fundamentals and the future of search.
Need help implementing these strategies? Contact us today to create a customized plan that fits your business and helps you stand out in your local market.
