The Importance of Service Area Content

If your business depends on serving local clients and customers for its income, including service area information in your content is essential. Service area is important for both website optimization and for potential customers/clients who visit your website or Google My Business. If they cannot instantly determine what area you serve, they are likely to leave you in the dust. This would apply to most blue collar businesses: plumbers, roofers, home builders and so on, brick and mortar businesses and stores, and photographers as well as real estate agents. If you depend on meeting clients or customers in person, they need to know what area you serve.

Service Area Content on Websites

On the homepage of your website, your service area should be prominently displayed, preferably towards the top of the page. If customers need to scroll to see it, they are likely to miss it. There should be no doubt, when the page opens, where you are located and what area you serve. 

On other pages of your website or on blogs, add your service area frequently without sounding redundant. If you have web pages dedicated to your services, input your area somewhere. I find it easiest to insert it towards the end of a page on a blog. Not only do your customers need to know that you serve them, but Google does too since it directs most web traffic. Make all of your content relevant to your potential customer. You’re writing for Google as well, but it can’t sound that way. Google gives kudos to quality content that a customer will find valuable.

Google My Business

Make sure you break down the specific area you serve in Google My Business as well. Google allows you to insert 20 distinct service areas so you can specify every specific place your business caters to. Avoid putting broad service areas like your state or the United States. Why? Think about it. When people search for a product or service, they want something close to them. The United States or even your state isn’t providing them the information they want, and it won’t come up if they put in their search “near me”.

What If You’re Not Exclusive to One Service Area?

These days, there’s a lot of businesses, like mine, that work with local folks, but, because of the internet and all of the technology that goes with it, can also cater to a much larger clientele wherever they happen to be…..and that’s great! Go for it! Regardless, still keep your service area on your website and Google My Business geared towards local business. I handle it by stating my local service area with the phrase, “and anywhere online.” In most cases, the local folks are your best source for business, so treat them as such.

Think of it this way. If you are catering to clientele all over the United States, you are probably competing against several thousand competitors. If you are competing on a local level, you could easily have less than 100 direct competitors. In some cases, you may even have less than 10. Which sounds like better odds to you? Yes, you have a lot fewer potential clients/customers if  you’re looking at just the locals, but your odds of showing up when they search is much better as well. Just because your local service area is on your website or on Google My Business doesn’t mean you can’t take clients/customers based anywhere. By all means, do it! But many people prefer to shop locally, so you need to let those folks know you can help them.

Socialwrites LLC is a solopreneur writing, editing, and marketing business in Nampa, Idaho, and serves the small businesses and growing business community in Boise, Nampa, Eagle, Meridian, Kuna, Star, Caldwell, and Middleton. If you need help with content, wish to write a book, or need to optimize your website or Google My Business, we’d love to help. Not in the area? That’s okay. We serve all small businesses, regardless of location, online. Check out our website at socialwrites.llc or email me at tina@socialwrites.llc. We look forward to helping you.