Your Local Small Business Checklist: Boost Your Online Visibility
Running a local small business whether your a wedding pro working from your at home studio, or any other creative business will always come with its own unique challenges and rewards (more rewards hopefully) You’re building a business: something special, something personal. But no matter how incredible your work is, people need to be able to find you either online or through the shop door.
The good news? You don’t need a complex website or a massive marketing budget to get more visibility. You just need a solid foundation. Here’s your checklist to make sure your business is showing up where it needs to be.
1. A Website That Works for You (and Your Customers)
Your website doesn’t need to be fancy - I made the mistake of investing (heavily!) in an all singing all dancing Showit website at the beginning of my florist career. It was beautiful, the web designer delivered exactly what I’d asked for but I hadn’t quite figured out my side of things - my flower offerings! Anyway, my point being you don’t necessarily need an all singing, all dancing fancy website when you’re just starting out.
Your website needs to be straighforward to navigate. Think of your website as your digital storefront. Whether people land on your homepage, services page, or a blog post, they should immediately know: Google and other search engines need this info too - otherwise when they crawl your website they may find it tricky to figure out what type of business you are and, importantly, for a local business where you are.
✅ Who you are (heading 1 or H1)
✅ What you do (heading 2 or H2)
✅ Where you’re located (heading 3 or H3)
A few non-negotiables for your website:
Easy navigation – Keep it simple. If people have to hunt for information, they’ll leave.
Strong imagery – Showcase your work with high-quality photos.
Keyword-rich copy – Sprinkle in relevant terms people are searching for (e.g., “Los Angeles wedding florist” or “custom calligraphy for events”).
Testimonials – Social proof is powerful. Share what past clients have said about you and sprinkle these throughout your website - people don’t always land on your home-page first.
Clear calls to action (CTAs) – Tell people what to do next: Book a consultation, call you, visit your shop, etc.
A simple, easy-to-use contact form – Don’t make people jump through hoops to get in touch.
2. Build a Solid SEO Foundation
SEO (search engine optimization) doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but it does have to be intentional. A few must-dos:
Make sure your homepage and service pages include your city/location (if you serve a specific area).
Optimize your meta descriptions and title tags so they’re clear and inviting.
Use alt text on images to help Google understand what they’re about.
Start blogging (even occasionally!) to keep your site fresh and offer value to potential customers.
3. Create a Google Business Profile (Even If You Work from Home)
A Google Business Profile (GBP) is completely free and helps you show up in local searches. Even if you don’t have a storefront, you can still create a profile and hide your exact address.
Start gathering reviews – Ask past clients or people you’ve worked with to leave you a Google review. It makes a huge difference.
Post images and updates – Treat it like a mini social media page, keep it simple by re-purposing content from Instagram. Share new products, behind-the-scenes shots, or promotions.
Keep your business hours and info updated – If you’re changing anything, update it on your profile.
4. Start an Email List (Yes, Even If It’s Just Friends & Family Right Now)
Email marketing is one of the most overlooked ways to build customer relationships, and it’s far more effective than social media alone.
Use Flodesk (or another email platform) to make it easy to send beautiful, professional emails.
Create a pop-up on your website to encourage people to sign up.
Start sending newsletters – Your community wants to hear from you! Share updates, new offerings, and behind-the-scenes stories. And if someone isn’t interested? There’s an unsubscribe button. No hard feelings.
Your local audience is already rooting for you. Give them a way to stay connected.
5. Show Up & Stay Active
This doesn’t mean you need to be online 24/7, but a little consistency goes a long way.
Post regularly on Instagram & Facebook – Show up where your audience hangs out.
Engage with local businesses and community groups – Collaborations and word-of-mouth go a long way.
Keep your website and Google Business Profile updated – Fresh content signals to search engines that your business is active.
Need help getting this all set up? That’s what I do. If you’re ready to get more eyes on your business, let’s chat.
