How to Get Your Business Found Online in Laguna Beach, California
If you run a business in Laguna Beach, you already know the town has a unique mix of art galleries, boutique hotels, surf shops, and high-end restaurants. The population is around 23,000, but the number of visitors each year is in the millions. That means your potential customers are a mix of locals and tourists searching for everything from “best tacos near Main Beach” to “Laguna Beach wedding photographer.”
But here’s the problem: most small businesses in Laguna Beach don’t show up on Google when people search for those things. Why? Because Google ranks businesses based on three things: relevance, distance, and authority. Many local owners nail the first two but miss the third. And authority is what makes Google trust your business enough to put it at the top of the results.
Let’s fix that. Here are four things you can do yourself to get found.
1. Set up your Google Business Profile completely This is your free listing that shows up on Google Maps and in local search results. Fill out every field: your address, phone number, hours, website, and category (like “Art Gallery” or “Mexican Restaurant”). Add photos of your storefront, your food, or your work. If you don’t have a profile, Google won’t show you. If you have one but it’s half-empty, Google assumes you’re not serious.
2. Ask for reviews (and respond to them) Reviews are like word-of-mouth for Google. The more positive reviews you have, the more Google trusts you. Ask happy customers to leave a review. Don’t offer discounts for it—just ask. Then respond to every review, even the negative ones. Keep it short and polite. This tells Google you’re active and care about customers.
3. Make sure your website works on phones Most people in Laguna Beach search on their phones—while walking down Forest Avenue or sitting on the beach. If your site takes more than three seconds to load or the text is too small to read, people leave. Google notices this and drops your ranking. Use Google’s free Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check.
4. Use local keywords on your website When you write about your business, use the words your customers actually search for. Instead of saying “we sell art,” say “original paintings for sale in Laguna Beach.” Instead of “surf lessons,” say “surf lessons for beginners in Laguna Beach.” Put these phrases in your page titles, headings, and image descriptions.
What about backlinks? Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. Think of them like referrals. If a well-known local blog or news site links to your business, Google sees that as a sign that you’re trustworthy. The more quality backlinks you have, the higher you rank. But getting them is hard—you can’t just ask.
That’s where BacklinkUSA.com comes in. We publish articles about local businesses on high-authority websites, helping you earn those valuable backlinks and climb the rankings. If you want to get found in Laguna Beach without spending weeks learning SEO, we can help.