To get ahead of the competition, every dry cleaner needs to know how to navigate local search algorithms. This means understanding the ins and outs of local search engine optimization (SEO), which determines the order in which businesses are listed when someone searches for “dry cleaners near me” or “dry cleaners in [city]”.

In this post, you’ll learn how to optimize your SEO and attract customers to your business. Written by Tony Hadad, SMRT Marketing Customer Success Associate, and Google Business Certified.

1. Understand the Basics of Local SEO

Before diving into specific strategies, it’s crucial to grasp the basics of local SEO and especially on Google, which gets more than 90% of search traffic. Of the highest importance is optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP), which is the storefront of your business on Google. 

Here are a few simple tips for optimizing your business profile:

  • Claim your listing. If you haven’t already, create and claim your Google Business Profile to take control of your business’s online presence. Do this for every location you operate. You can use the same account to manage all of your locations.
  • Provide accurate information. Include all the vital details like your business name, address, phone number, website, and operating hours. Ensure that you fill out and answer every question, even if the answer is no. Google even has their own measurement of a complete profile, follow the guides to ensure that you have a complete profile. 
  • Add high-quality images. A picture is worth a thousand words. Include high-resolution images of your storefront, services, before/after shots, or even your staff members to give potential customers a visual insight into what you offer. Hiring a professional photographer help ensure you get eye-catching photos, however it’s not necessary as long as your photos are bright and not blurry.
  • Add all of your service areas. Whether you are counter only, or offer a wide range of pickup and delivery services, adding the areas that you service is key to ensure that your services show within that service area. 
  • Incorporate relevant keywords in your GBP description that potential customers might use when searching for dry cleaning services in the area, such as “Dallas Dry Cleaners”, “Alterations” or “Best Dallas Dry Cleaner”.

  • Stay active. Post to Google, link to your social media accounts, keep your information up to date, and respond to reviews and questions. All of this shows that you are an active business and makes you easier to find and connect with.

2. Craft Compelling and Localized Content

Content is king, even for local businesses like dry cleaners. Creating high-quality, localized content not only helps in engaging customers but also improves search engine rankings. Blog posts, articles, or even video content about fabric care tips, eco-friendly practices, or community events can make a dry cleaner’s website more appealing to both search engines and potential clients. 

SMRT tip: Subscribe to SMRT Social to maintain a thriving social media presence. Staying active on social media helps your SEO because every mention of your business online is helpful. You want to make it as easy as possible for customers and potential customers to find your business.

3. Leverage Online Reviews

Positive reviews can significantly impact a local business’s reputation and search rankings. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Responding promptly and professionally to both positive and negative reviews demonstrates excellent customer service and can boost the credibility of the dry cleaner in the eyes of potential customers.  

SMRT tip: SMRT Reviews automates the process of requesting customer feedback and results in a 500% average increase in the number of reviews on search sites like Google.

4. Implement Local Schema Markup

Schema markup is a powerful tool that helps search engines better understand the content on a website. Dry cleaners can use local schema markup to provide search engines with specific information about their business, such as operating hours, services offered, and customer reviews. This makes it easier for search engines to display relevant information in search results. Ask your web designer or developer for help.

5. Optimize For Mobile

With the increasing use of smartphones, it’s essential for local dry cleaners to have a mobile-friendly website. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search rankings, so ensuring that the website is responsive and easy to navigate on various devices is crucial for local SEO success.

SMRT tip: Websites designed by SMRT are mobile-responsive and operate as well on a cell phone as on a desktop. Contact us for more information and examples of our work.

6. Incorporate Links

Backlinks are links from other websites to your website, and they are an important factor in local search rankings. To improve your local search visibility, you should focus on building high-quality backlinks, both local and otherwise. This can include links to associations you’re a member of, local news articles that you’ve been mentioned in, local commerce directories that list your business, etc.

Conclusion

In the competitive landscape of local businesses, you can gain a significant advantage by implementing effective local SEO strategies. By optimizing your online presence, engaging with the local community through content and reviews, and staying ahead of the technological curve, dry cleaners can press their way to success in the digital era. 

SMRT Marketing can help you achieve digital marketing success and ensure your business stays ahead of the curve and ahead of your competition. Contact us and we’ll get you started right away.