If you run a local business in Michigan — whether you're in Port Huron, Sterling Heights, Troy, or a small town in St. Clair County — local SEO is how you get found when people search for what you offer. It's not rocket science, but it does require attention to detail.
Here's your actionable checklist.
Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the foundation of local visibility. For a detailed guide, see our Google Business Profile tips.
- [ ] Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
- [ ] Choose the most specific primary category for your business
- [ ] Add 3-5 relevant secondary categories
- [ ] Write a complete business description (750 characters) using natural keywords
- [ ] Set accurate business hours (including special hours for holidays)
- [ ] Add your service area if you travel to customers
- [ ] Upload at least 10 high-quality photos (exterior, interior, team, work examples)
- [ ] Add your products or services with descriptions
- [ ] Enable messaging if you can respond promptly
- [ ] Post an update at least weekly
Your Website
- [ ] Include your city and state in your homepage title tag (e.g., "Plumbing Services in Port Huron, MI")
- [ ] Create individual service pages for each major service you offer
- [ ] Create location pages if you serve multiple cities
- [ ] Add your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) to your website footer
- [ ] Add a Google Map embed on your contact page
- [ ] Include schema markup (LocalBusiness JSON-LD) on your homepage
- [ ] Make sure your site is mobile-friendly and loads under 3 seconds
- [ ] Install Google Analytics and Google Search Console
Citations and Directories
- [ ] Submit to major directories: Yelp, Yellow Pages, BBB, Angi
- [ ] Submit to Michigan-specific directories: Michigan.org, your local Chamber of Commerce
- [ ] Make sure your NAP is identical across every listing (same format, same abbreviations)
- [ ] Claim your Apple Maps listing via Apple Business Connect
- [ ] Claim your Bing Places listing
- [ ] Check for and fix any duplicate listings
Reviews
Reviews are a top local ranking factor. For a deeper dive, see How to Get More Online Reviews.
- [ ] Ask 5 happy customers for a Google review this week
- [ ] Create a direct review link (Google "Google review link generator")
- [ ] Respond to every review — positive and negative
- [ ] Never offer incentives for reviews (it violates Google's guidelines)
- [ ] Set up a process to ask for reviews consistently after every job or purchase
Content
- [ ] Publish blog posts related to your services and location at least monthly
- [ ] Include local references naturally (neighborhoods, landmarks, nearby cities)
- [ ] Answer common customer questions in your content
- [ ] Add before-and-after photos of your work where applicable
- [ ] Create a FAQ page addressing top customer questions
Technical SEO
- [ ] Enable SSL (HTTPS) — it's free with most hosts
- [ ] Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
- [ ] Fix any broken links (use a free tool like Screaming Frog)
- [ ] Optimize image file sizes (use WebP format)
- [ ] Add alt text to all images describing what's shown
How to Prioritize
If you're starting from scratch, focus on this order:
- Google Business Profile — biggest immediate impact on local visibility
- Website basics — title tags, NAP, mobile-friendliness
- Reviews — start building a review request process
- Citations — submit to the top 10 directories
- Content — start publishing monthly blog posts
Each of these builds on the one before it. Don't try to do everything at once — steady, consistent effort beats a one-time SEO sprint every time.
Want help working through this checklist? Contact us for a free local SEO audit. We'll show you exactly where you stand and what to prioritize.