Boost Your Garage Business with Local Listings 

If you want your garage door dealer business to stand out online, you need your company's website to show up as a local listing when potential customers search “garage door services near me” or similar queries on Google, Bing, and Apple Maps. That's why Action Industries is here with the basics to help increase your reach online to generate quality leads. Whether you’re new to digital marketing or looking for a quick refresher, our guide will help put you on the map—literally! 

What is a Local Listing? 

Local Listings are profiles for local businesses that can be accessed easily on map platforms, search engines and local directories like Google Maps, Apple Maps or Google and Bing search. Search engines strive to offer their users results that match user intent, and when a user searches “garage repair near me” or similar queries, the search results will show relevant businesses and their contact information. This essentially points potential customers right to your business when they need a garage repair service or a new operator installed. 

How to Stand out on Google Search & Google Maps  

With roughly 90% percent of internet searches being on Google, optimizing your business for the platform is an absolute must. The best way to boost local listings in Google search and Maps is to create a business profile. This free listing contains essential information about your business that is displayed when a user types in a search relevant to your service. Click here to sign up and influence how your business appears in Google.   You might notice that your business doesn't initially show up for relevant searches in your region. Be patient and allow Google to process your information before you start to appear. Here are a few tips to increase your visibility:

Update Business Information 

Make sure that the information in your listing is complete, up to date, and matches what is on your website. Information such as your name, address and phone number can change, so don't neglect your business profile when changing your company info, or if your business moves to a new location. It's also crucial to make sure your listing information is identical to what's on your website. Having your business location be on “Mulberry St.” on your website but “Mulberry Street” on your business profile counts as an inaccuracy. 

Business Hours 

Keeping your business hours up to date is another way to increase your visibility. Keep track of holidays and update hours accordingly if your business is closed on those dates.  Google and Apple Maps will allow you to schedule holiday closures in advance for the entire calendar year. 

Flesh Out Your Profile 

Add high-quality photos of your building entrance, service trucks, or completed installations. Nothing is tackier than a low-resolution business profile taken at the dawn of the flip phone era. If you want to be seen as professional, you need quality images otherwise they will be rejected. Hire a professional for a day to take pictures of your building's exterior and ask customers to upload images of your installations. Having real examples from customers is a great way to complete your profile. 

Respond to Reviews 

Positive reviews from real customers will help others trust you before they call or submit a contact form. Ask customers via email, text, or a business card to leave a review on your business page. Be sure to respond to these reviews to show your company plays an active role in listening to customers. Also seek to remedy any negative reviews. If you need a detailed guide to getting and handling customer responses, check out our article on feedback! 

Add Your Business to Google Maps 

Adding your business to Google Maps ensures that customers can find your location efficiently. To add your business, enter your company’s name in the search bar on Google Maps. Click on your business and then click “Claim this Business and Manage Now.” Choose your business name. Select a verification option and follow the on-screen steps to officially add your business. 

Use Local Keywords on Your Website and Listings 

Search engines crawl your content for words that signal local relevance. Make sure your website and listings mention the neighborhoods, cities, and counties you serve. Instead of saying “Garage Door Repair,” say “Garage Door Repair in Strongsville, OH and Surrounding Areas.” 

Keep Your Content Fresh 

Posting business updates, photos, promotions, and service announcements keeps your listing active and signals that your business is open and engaged. 

Leverage Business Categories and Attributes 

Most platforms let you add business details like “Locally Owned,” “Veteran Owned,” “24/7 Service,” or “Free Estimates.” These can help your dealer business stand out and connect with customers who are searching for specific traits. 

Beyond Google 

While a Google business profile is the best way to boost your local search listing by far, you should also expand your business presence across other platforms to reach the widest possible audience. The aforementioned tips to stand out apply to these sites as well. 

• Yelp 
  • Yelp is a review site consumers place a high amount of trust in and will almost certainly consult if they want to read user feedback about their experiences with your business. You can also interact with customers to boost your online presence through Yelp. 
• Bing Places for Business 
  • Bing Places for Business is the alternative to a Google business profile for the Bing search engine. With many older individuals preferring to use Bing, having an active Bing listing will boost your exposure to homeowners in need of service. Once your locations are verified on Google, you can easily import them into Bing! 
• Apple Maps (Apple Business Connect) 
  • Apple Maps is heavily relied on by iPhone users for directions and business information. Having a presence on Apple Maps ensures you will be visible to iOS users and are compatible with Apple's Siri. 
• Facebook 
  • Facebook is an invaluable local business directory that offers high amounts of user engagement and the opportunity to post updates and promotions to show that your business remains active 
• Angi  
  • Angi is an American home services website that allows users to leave reviews on local companies and services, which is a must-have for local garage installers or dealers. 

Be Seen, Be Hired 

When customers need garage door services, you want yours to be the first listing that shows in their search results. On your path to dominate the rankings, make sure you are keeping your local listings accurate, consistent, and engaging to ensure you get positive reviews. If you want to dive further into digital marketing, check out our guide here!