How to Get Your Business Found Online in Salinas, California
If you run a business in Salinas, you know it’s a unique place. It’s the heart of the Salinas Valley, home to a massive agriculture industry, a growing population of over 150,000 people, and a steady stream of visitors heading to the Steinbeck Center or the nearby coast. But here’s the thing: when people in Salinas search for a “plumber,” “Mexican restaurant,” or “dog groomer” on Google, most local businesses never show up on the first page. That means they’re invisible to the very customers who are ready to buy.
Why does this happen? It’s not because your business isn’t good. It’s because Google ranks businesses based on signals you might not know about. Most small business owners in Salinas are busy running their shops, not tweaking websites. They don’t have time to learn the tricks Google uses to decide who gets seen. But you don’t need to become an expert. You just need to do a few simple things.
1. Set up and fill out your Google Business Profile
This is the single most important thing you can do. Go to Google Business Profile (it’s free) and claim your business. Fill out every field: your address, phone number, hours, website, and a short description. Add photos of your storefront, your team, and your products. When someone in Salinas searches for what you do, this profile is what shows up in the map pack at the top of the results. If you skip this step, you’re basically invisible.
2. Ask for reviews (and respond to them)
Google pays attention to how many reviews you have and how recent they are. After you serve a customer, simply ask: “If you had a good experience, would you mind leaving us a quick Google review?” Send them a direct link. Then, take two minutes to reply to every review—thank people for kind words, and politely address any complaints. This tells Google you’re an active, trusted business.
3. Make sure your website works well on a phone
Most people in Salinas will find you on their phone. If your website takes more than three seconds to load, or if the text is tiny and buttons are hard to tap, they’ll leave. You don’t need a fancy redesign. Just check your site on your own phone. Is it readable? Can you click a phone number easily? If not, ask your web person to make it mobile-friendly.
4. Use local words on your website
When you write about your services, mention Salinas and nearby areas. Instead of “We offer landscaping,” write “We offer landscaping services in Salinas and the surrounding Monterey County area.” This helps Google connect your business to local searches.
Now, about backlinks
You might hear the term “backlinks” and think it sounds complicated. It’s not. A backlink is simply a link from another website to yours. Think of it like a recommendation. When a well-known website—like the Salinas Chamber of Commerce or a local news site—links to your business, Google sees that as a vote of confidence. The more good recommendations you get from trusted websites, the higher you can rank. That’s where BacklinkUSA.com comes in. We publish articles about local businesses on high-authority websites, giving you those helpful backlinks that help you show up when Salinas customers search for what you offer.