Let’s clear something up right away:
If your website doesn’t say where you work, Google has no reason to show it to people searching nearby.
It seems obvious—but this is one of the most common things we see small businesses get wrong.
Whether you serve a specific city, county, or multi-town region, Google relies on your content to connect the dots. If you’re not using location keywords the right way, you’re missing out on local visibility—and handing business to someone who is.
In this blog, I’m going to show you:
Why location keywords are critical for local SEO
Where and how to use them naturally
What to avoid (so Google doesn’t penalize you)
Real examples from our work inside the Performance Marketing Program
And how to update your existing site without rewriting everything
Let’s get into it.
When someone searches for a service—say “plumber”—Google doesn’t just show the best plumber in the world. It shows the best plumber near them.
And it does that by reading signals like:
Your Google Business Profile
Your website copy
Your page titles and meta descriptions
Your service area and location pages
If you’re not giving Google those location clues, you’re invisible in local search—even if you’re the perfect fit.
If your competitors are showing up when someone types “[your service] in [your town]” and you’re not… this is likely why.
Location keywords are phrases that combine your service with a geographic identifier—like your:
City
Town
County
Region
Neighborhood (for metro areas)
State (if it makes sense for your audience)
Examples:
“Lake Ozark realtor”
“Heating and cooling in Osage Beach”
“Custom cakes in Camden County”
“Family law attorney in Mid-Missouri”
These aren’t just for your homepage—they belong throughout your website.
Here’s how we approach this inside the Performance Marketing Program at MSW. These are the high-impact places to add local terms without sounding repetitive or robotic:
This is the clickable blue link that shows up in search results.
Example:
“Lawn Care Services | Lake of the Ozarks Residential Landscaping”
Keep it under 60 characters, and include both the service and location.
This is the short paragraph under your page title in Google results.
Example:
“Looking for expert HVAC repair in Osage Beach? We provide fast, affordable service with 20+ years of experience.”
Make it natural, not stuffed. Just include where you are and what you do.
Don’t be afraid to include your city right in the hero section of your homepage.
Example:
“Trusted Legal Services for Lake of the Ozarks Families and Businesses”
Or on a service page:
“Lake Ozark Divorce and Custody Representation You Can Count On”
You can naturally mention where you serve when introducing yourself:
“At Smith Roofing, we’ve helped homeowners in Camden County protect and improve their homes for over 15 years.”
This tells Google your regional focus, and tells your reader they’re in the right place.
Google can’t “see” images—it reads the file name and alt text.
Instead of: IMG_2334.jpg
Use: lake-ozark-landscaping-before-after.jpg
Alt Text: “Before and after photos of landscaping project in Lake Ozark, MO”
Include your address, phone number, and service area clearly. This reinforces trust and helps Google verify your local presence.
We worked with a small business that served four different towns across central Missouri—but their website never mentioned any of them.
The homepage just said:
“We offer professional home cleaning services.”
We updated it to say:
“Serving Jefferson City, Fulton, Eldon, and Osage Beach with professional, affordable home cleaning.”
Then we added those towns to service pages, testimonials, and alt text—without overdoing it.
Within 60 days, they started ranking on page 1 for all four towns.
The traffic didn’t just grow. The right traffic grew.
Don’t keyword stuff.
Saying “Lake Ozark roofing company” 17 times on the same page doesn’t help. Google will penalize you, and it sounds awful to your visitors.
Don’t create a dozen near-identical pages just swapping the city name.
This used to work. It doesn’t now. Focus on quality content that includes your service area in a natural, helpful way.
Don’t forget mobile users.
Mobile searchers often type “near me”—so your Google Business Profile needs to reinforce your website with matching local info.
We don’t just sprinkle in keywords and hope for the best.
Inside the Performance Marketing Program, we:
✅ Identify your top local search opportunities (by town, city, or zip)
✅ Build localized service pages or a location section
✅ Optimize titles, meta, copy, and images
✅ Connect your location keywords to your Google Business Profile
✅ Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is consistent across the web
This isn’t guesswork—it’s proven, strategic SEO with local results in mind.
Here are 3 simple updates you can make this week:
Add your city/state to the homepage headline
Update 1–2 top service pages with a local paragraph (“Serving homeowners in [city]”)
Rename a few images and add location-based alt text
Small tweaks. Big impact.
If your website doesn’t tell Google where you’re located, it has no reason to show you to the people looking nearby.
This isn’t about tricking the algorithm—it’s about speaking clearly.
When you use the right language, in the right places, you don’t just rank higher—you connect faster.
Let’s get your business showing up where it matters most: right in your neighborhood.
We’ll scan your site for location keyword gaps and give you quick wins to improve your visibility.
📞 Call us at 573-552-8403
Or schedule a free strategy call at:
https://mswinteractivedesigns.com/pages/request-a-quote
We’ll help Google—and your future clients—find you faster.
Related Reading:
→ Why Consistent NAP Info Is Critical for Local SEO
Learn why name, address, and phone number consistency is the foundation of every strong local strategy.
Sandy Wardenburg Waggett is the Founder & CEO of MSW Interactive Designs, a premier digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, AI-powered content strategies, and website optimization. With over a quarter century of experience (eek!), Sandy has helped thousands of business owners increase visibility, generate leads, and dominate their local markets through strategic online marketing.
As a Certified High-Performance Coach, Certified Maxwell Leadership Coach, and LXCouncil Moderator, Sandy is not just a marketing expert—she’s a trusted mentor and business strategist who equips entrepreneurs with data-driven insights and future-proof tactics. She leads AI & Marketing Mastery Training and exclusive CEO mastermind groups, helping business leaders stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Sandy is also the author of the upcoming book, The Future-Proof SEO Blueprint: AI, AEO, and SEO Tactics for Small Business Dominance—a must-read for business owners looking to outsmart competitors and win in the new era of search marketing. The book provides cutting-edge strategies on AI-driven SEO, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and how to leverage AI tools to future-proof your digital presence.
When she’s not crafting game-changing marketing strategies, Sandy enjoys coaching entrepreneurs, speaking at business conferences, and empowering leaders to make bold moves in their industries.
🚀 Want to take your digital marketing to the next level? Connect with Sandy at MSWInteractiveDesigns.com or call 573-552-8403.
