You’ve got a logo, a beautiful website, and a business you believe in.

But Google? Crickets.

If your site isn’t showing up when people search for what you do, don’t panic. You’re not invisible—you’re just not optimized yet. And that’s fixable.

Let’s break it down.

🔍 1. People Search Differently Than You Talk

You might describe your services as “artisan,” “boutique,” or “custom-crafted.” That’s great branding.

But your customers are typing:

• “Best local coffee shop Gatlinburg”

• “custom wood signs in Pigeon Forge”

• “affordable auto repair near Sevierville”

📍 2. Let Google Know You’re Local

If your site doesn’t clearly say:

• Who you are

• What you do

• Where you’re located

Google has nothing to work with.

✅ Mention your city and region on your homepage
✅ Set up a Google Business Profile
✅ Add your business to local directories (like this one!)
✅ Keep your name, address, and phone number consistent everywhere

If your website’s beautiful but vague, it won’t rank.

🖼 3. Your Images Need Words, Too

Google can’t “see” pictures—but it can read the file names and alt text.

Rename your photos before uploading:

• ❌ IMG_0142.jpg

• ✅ handmade-pottery-gatlinburg.jpg

Add clear, helpful alt text like:
“Local artist displaying pottery at Smoky Mountain craft fair.”

Compress your files for faster load times—slow sites fall in the rankings.

⚙️ 4. Fix the Nerdy Stuff (It Matters)

Some quick fixes that help a lot:

• Test site speed with Google PageSpeed Insights

• Make sure your site works well on mobile

• Use clean, readable URLs (/services not /page?id=7293)

• Enable HTTPS (secure connection)

You don’t need to be techy—you just need to check the basics.

🌐 5. Spread the Love (and Your Links)

Search engines want proof that people trust your business.

That means:

• Getting listed in trusted local directories

• Earning Google reviews

• Sharing posts and updates on social media

• Getting mentioned by others (even bloggers or community pages!)

A strong online presence isn’t just your website—it’s your whole reputation online.