How to Get Your Business Found Online in Clarkston, Michigan
Clarkston is a tight-knit community with a historic downtown, a strong local economy, and a population just over 900. From the shops along Main Street to the service businesses serving families around Depot Park, most local companies rely on word-of-mouth. But here’s the problem: word-of-mouth doesn’t help when someone new moves into town or a customer pulls out their phone and searches for “best pizza near me” or “plumber in Clarkston.” If your business isn’t showing up in those search results, you’re invisible to people who are ready to buy.
Why Most Clarkston Businesses Don’t Show Up on Google
Google wants to show users the best, most trustworthy results. But many small businesses in Clarkston don’t give Google the information it needs to trust them. Maybe you set up a website years ago and forgot about it. Maybe you never claimed your Google Business Profile. Or you have a few reviews, but they’re old. Google sees this as a lack of activity and pushes your business further down the list. The good news is you can fix most of this yourself.
4 Practical Steps to Get Found
1. Claim and Complete Your Google Business Profile This is your free listing on Google Maps and Search. Go to google.com/business and claim your profile. Fill in every field: your exact address, phone number, business hours, services, and photos of your storefront or work. If you serve customers at their homes (like a plumber or landscaper), set your service area to Clarkston and nearby towns. Google uses this profile to decide if your business is relevant to a search.
2. Ask for Reviews — and Respond to Them Reviews are like a trust signal for Google. After you finish a job or make a sale, ask the customer to leave a review on your Google profile. Send them a direct link to make it easy. Then, reply to every review — even the negative ones. A simple “Thanks, we appreciate your business” shows Google you’re active and engaged.
3. Make Sure Your Website Works on a Phone Most searches happen on phones. If your website takes more than three seconds to load or the text is too small to read, people leave. Google notices this and ranks you lower. You can test your site on Google’s free Mobile-Friendly Test tool. If it fails, ask your web developer to update it.
4. Use Local Keywords on Your Website Think about what a customer would type into Google. “Plumber in Clarkston” or “coffee shop near Clarkston.” Use those exact phrases in your website’s headings, page titles, and descriptions. Don’t overdo it — just write naturally. If you serve Clarkston, say “serving Clarkston and the surrounding area” on your homepage.
What About Backlinks?
Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. Think of them as online referrals. If the local newspaper or a community site links to your business, Google sees that as a vote of confidence. The more high-quality, local links you have, the more Google trusts your site. That trust helps you rank higher.
That’s exactly what BacklinkUSA.com does. We publish articles about businesses like yours on high-authority websites. Those articles include links back to your site, which tells Google your business is worth showing to customers. If you want to get found in Clarkston, that’s a smart place to start.