How to Get Your Business Found Online in De Soto, Kansas
If you run a small business in De Soto, you know the town is growing. With the Kansas Speedway just down the road and new housing developments popping up near the K-10 corridor, more people are moving into the area every year. That means more potential customers for your business—whether you run a coffee shop, a plumbing company, a landscaping service, or a boutique. But here’s the problem: if those new residents search for your service on Google and your business doesn’t show up, they’ll hire someone else.
Most small businesses in De Soto struggle to show up on Google for one simple reason: they haven’t told Google they exist. Google is like a giant phone book. If you don’t have a listing, you’re invisible. And even if you do have a listing, Google ranks businesses based on many small signals. If you ignore those signals, your competition—often a bigger company in Olathe or Lawrence—will appear before you do.
Here are four practical steps you can take yourself to fix this.
1. Claim and fill out your Google Business Profile
This is the single most important thing you can do. Go to google.com/business and claim your profile. Make sure your business name, address, and phone number are correct. Add your hours, your website, and a few photos of your storefront or your work. If you’re a plumber, show a photo of your truck. If you run a bakery, show your best cake. Google uses this information to decide when to show your business for local searches like “plumber near me” or “bakery in De Soto.”
2. Ask for reviews—and respond to them
Reviews act like votes of confidence. The more positive reviews you have, the more likely Google will trust you and show you higher. After a job or sale, simply ask your customer: “Would you mind leaving a quick Google review?” Hand them a link on a card or text it to them. And always respond to reviews—even the bad ones. A polite reply shows Google you’re active and care about your customers.
3. Make sure your website works on a phone
Most people in De Soto search for local businesses on their phones. If your website takes more than a few seconds to load or looks tiny and hard to read, they’ll leave. Google notices this and will rank you lower. You don’t need a fancy redesign. Just check your site on your own phone. If text is too small or buttons are hard to tap, fix those simple issues.
4. Use local words on your website
When you write about your services, mention De Soto. If you’re a roofer, write “roof repair in De Soto, Kansas” instead of just “roof repair.” Put your city name on your homepage, your contact page, and in descriptions of your work. This helps Google connect your business to the right location.
One more thing: backlinks
You’ll hear the term “backlinks” thrown around. Here’s what it means in plain English: a backlink is when another website links to your website. Think of it like a referral. If a well-known local site—like the De Soto Chamber of Commerce or a local news blog—links to your business, Google sees that as a sign that you’re trustworthy. The more quality referrals you have, the higher you can rank.
That’s where BacklinkUSA.com comes in. We publish articles about local businesses on high-authority websites, helping you earn those valuable referrals so your business shows up higher in Google searches. If you want more customers in De Soto to find you first, that’s a smart next step.