A ferry or a cruise ship pulls in. Within minutes, dozens of people are standing on your dock typing "things to do in [your town]" or "best halibut near me" into their phones. Whoever shows up first gets the afternoon. Often that's not the best business in town — it's the one that did its homework.
Here's the homework. None of it costs money.
Own your Google Business Profile. This is the single highest-leverage thing a local business can do, and most do it halfway. Claim it. Fill in *everything* — hours, categories, services, a real description, your booking link. Add good photos and keep them current. An empty or wrong profile quietly sends customers to your competitor.
Get your name, address, and phone identical everywhere. Google trusts consistency. If your business is listed three different ways across Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and your own site, that confusion drags your ranking down. Pick one exact format and make every listing match.
Say where you are, in plain words. Your website and profile should name your town and region the way a visitor would search it. "Halibut charter in Petersburg, Southeast Alaska" beats a clever slogan that mentions no place at all.
Feed the reviews. Reviews aren't just social proof — they're a ranking signal. The businesses that consistently earn fresh reviews tend to rise in the local results. (See the flywheel post for how.)
Post like it's a bulletin board. Google lets you post updates, specials, and events right on your profile. Most businesses never do. A few minutes a week keeps you looking active and current, which both travelers and the algorithm notice.
The beautiful thing about local SEO in a small town is that the field is wide open. In a big city you're fighting thousands of businesses for the same search. In a harbor town, a little consistent effort can put you at the top and keep you there.
If you'd rather have someone just set this up correctly once, that's exactly the kind of thing I handle for owners — no jargon, no monthly runaround.
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