A local approach to being found online is the key for independent cleaning companies
Have you ever wondered why some cleaning companies show up first in Google searches while yours is hiding on page five? The secret isn't magic—it's local SEO! When someone spills red wine on their carpet or needs their office cleaned ASAP, they grab their phone and search for "cleaning services near me." If your business doesn't appear at the top of those results, you're missing out on customers who are ready to hire you right now.
The good news? With some simple strategies, you can boost your local search ranking and start attracting more clients in your area. Let's dive into how you can clean up your SEO and get your business noticed online!
Why Local SEO Matters for Your Cleaning Business
When you run a cleaning company, most of your customers come from nearby. They're not looking for cleaning services in another state—they want someone local who can help them today. Local SEO helps you connect with these people at exactly the right moment.
Here's why it matters:
- People searching for "cleaning services near me" have immediate needs
- 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information
- 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within 24 hours
- Your competitors are already using local SEO to steal potential customers
1. Create and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is like a free billboard on the internet's busiest highway. It's what appears in the "Map Pack"—those business listings with the map that show up at the top of local searches.
To optimize your profile:
- Claim and verify your business listing on Google
- Use your exact business name (don't stuff keywords here)
- Choose the most accurate primary category (like "House Cleaning Service")
- Add secondary categories that fit your services (carpet cleaning, window washing, etc.)
- Include a complete, accurate address and service area
- Add your phone number and website link
- Write a detailed business description that includes your key services
- Upload at least 10 high-quality photos of your team, equipment, and completed jobs
- Add your business hours and any special hours (holidays, etc.)
- Respond to every customer review—both positive and negative
Pro tip: Update your Google profile regularly with posts about promotions, tips, or company news. This shows Google your listing is active and up-to-date.
2. Master Your Local Keywords
Keywords are the terms people type into search engines. For local SEO, you need to focus on local keywords that include:
- Your city/neighborhood names
- "Near me" phrases
- Specific cleaning services + location
Good examples include:
- "house cleaning services in [Your City]"
- "office cleaning near me"
- "carpet cleaners in [Your Neighborhood]"
- "move-out cleaning [Your City] area"
- "eco-friendly maid service [Your Region]"
Use these keywords naturally throughout your website—in page titles, headings, service descriptions, blog posts, and image alt text. But don't overdo it! Content that's stuffed with keywords sounds unnatural and can actually hurt your rankings.
3. Create Location-Specific Website Pages
If you serve multiple areas, create separate pages for each location. This helps you rank better for searches in those specific areas.
For example, if you clean homes in Springfield, Shelbyville, and Capital City, create pages like:
- yourbusiness.com/springfield-house-cleaning
- yourbusiness.com/shelbyville-house-cleaning
- yourbusiness.com/capital-city-house-cleaning
On each page:
- Include specific information about serving that area
- Mention local landmarks or neighborhoods
- Add testimonials from customers in that location
- Include a map of your service area
- Add photos from jobs in that location
This strategy helps Google understand exactly where you provide services and shows customers you're familiar with their specific area.
4. Get Listed in Local Directories
Getting your business listed in online directories (called "citations") helps build your local SEO power. Make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are identical across all listings.
Important directories include:
- Yelp
- Yellow Pages
- Angie's List/HomeAdvisor
- Better Business Bureau
- Chamber of Commerce websites
- Thumbtack
- Nextdoor
Also look for cleaning-specific directories like:
- Cleaning Service Guide
- CleaningPros
- HouseCleaning-Services.com
The more consistent your information appears across the web, the more Google trusts your business as legitimate and established.
5. Earn and Manage Online Reviews
Reviews are gold for cleaning businesses! They build trust with potential customers and send strong signals to Google about your business quality.
To boost your reviews:
- Simply ask satisfied customers to leave a review
- Send a follow-up email after service with a direct link to your Google review page
- Consider offering a small discount on future services for customers who leave reviews
- Create a simple process for your team to request reviews
- Respond to every review—thank positive reviewers and professionally address any negative feedback
Important: Never buy fake reviews or offer large incentives for positive reviews. This violates Google's policies and can result in penalties.
6. Create Local Content That Matters
Content is a powerful way to improve your local SEO. Blog posts, articles, and videos that address local cleaning needs help you rank for relevant searches.
Effective local content ideas include:
- "How to Prepare Your [City] Home for Spring Cleaning"
- "The Ultimate Move-Out Cleaning Checklist for [City] Apartments"
- "Dealing with [Local Problem] in Your Home" (like hard water, local pollen, etc.)
- "Top 5 Cleaning Challenges for Businesses in [Your Area]"
- Local event sponsorships or community involvement
This type of content demonstrates your local expertise and gives you opportunities to naturally include local keywords.
7. Build Local Backlinks
Backlinks—links from other websites to yours—are powerful signals that tell Google your site is trustworthy. Local backlinks from websites in your community are especially valuable for local SEO.
Ways to earn local backlinks include:
- Join your local Chamber of Commerce (they usually link to member businesses)
- Sponsor local events, sports teams, or charities
- Get interviewed by local news websites or blogs
- Write guest posts for local business blogs
- Partner with complementary local businesses (like real estate agents or property managers)
- Get featured in "best of" local business roundups
Each quality local backlink acts like a vote of confidence for your business in Google's eyes.
8. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
More than half of all local searches happen on mobile devices. If your website isn't mobile-friendly, you're losing potential customers.
Key mobile-friendly features include:
- Responsive design that adjusts to any screen size
- Fast loading speed (under 3 seconds)
- Easy-to-click buttons and menu items
- Click-to-call phone numbers
- Simple contact forms
- Clear, readable text without zooming
- Easy access to your business hours and location
Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search results, especially for local "near me" searches.
9. Add Schema Markup to Your Website
Schema markup is a technical SEO tool that helps search engines understand your business information. It's invisible to users but helps Google display rich results for your business.
Local business schema should include:
- Business name, address, and phone number
- Business hours
- Services offered
- Service area
- Accepted payment methods
- Social media profiles
You can use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper or work with a web developer to add this code to your site.
10. Track and Improve Your Results
SEO isn't a "set it and forget it" task. You need to track your results and make improvements over time.
Useful metrics to track include:
- Your ranking position for key local terms
- Traffic from local searches
- Phone calls from your website
- Contact form submissions
- Direction requests from Google Business Profile
- Reviews and ratings growth
- Conversion rate (visitors who become customers)
Free tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker can help you monitor these metrics.
Start Small and Build Over Time
Don't feel overwhelmed! Even implementing a few of these strategies can significantly improve your local SEO. Start with these easy wins:
- Fully optimize your Google Business Profile
- Make sure your NAP information is consistent everywhere online
- Ask your happy customers for Google reviews
- Create location pages for each area you serve
Once you've tackled these basics, you can gradually implement the other strategies. Local SEO takes time, but the results are worth it—a steady stream of new customers finding you exactly when they need your cleaning services.
Remember, every improvement you make puts you one step ahead of competitors who aren't paying attention to their local SEO. Before long, you'll be the cleaning company that shows up when local customers are ready to hire!
