How to Get Your Business Found Online in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is a busy place. With over 50,000 residents and thousands of people passing through the Mall of America every day, there’s no shortage of potential customers. The local economy runs on retail, hospitality, healthcare, and professional services. If you own a business here—whether it’s a restaurant, a plumber, or a dental practice—you want those people to find you when they search online.
But most small businesses in Bloomington have a problem. They don’t show up on Google.
Here’s why. Google looks at hundreds of signals to decide which businesses to show. Many local owners assume that having a website is enough. It’s not. Google needs proof that your business is real, active, and relevant to searchers. If you’re not doing a few simple things, your competitors—who are—will get the calls instead.
The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to fix this. Here are four practical steps you can take yourself.
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 listing. Fill in every field: your exact address, phone number, hours, website, and categories. Add photos of your storefront, your team, and your work. Google uses this information to decide if your business is legitimate. If your profile is empty or wrong, you won’t show up.
2. Ask for reviews—and respond to them
Reviews are like votes of trust. The more positive reviews you have, the higher Google ranks you. After you serve a customer, ask them to leave a review. Make it easy by sending a direct link. And always respond—even to negative ones. A quick, polite reply shows you care.
3. Make sure your website works on a phone
Most people in Bloomington search on their phones. If your site is slow, hard to read, or has buttons too small to tap, people leave immediately. Google notices that and drops your ranking. Test your site on your own phone. If it’s frustrating, fix it. A clean, fast mobile site is not optional.
4. Use local words on your website
When you write about your services, mention where you are. Instead of “we fix leaky pipes,” write “we fix leaky pipes in Bloomington and the surrounding area.” Use phrases like “Bloomington dentist” or “Mall of America area hair salon.” This helps Google connect your business to local searches.
What about backlinks?
You might hear the term “backlinks” and think it’s complicated. It’s not. A backlink is simply a link from another website to yours. Think of it like a referral. When a trusted site links to you, Google sees that as a sign that your business is credible. For example, if the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce links to your site, that’s a strong backlink. The more quality referrals you have, the higher you rank.
At BacklinkUSA.com, we help local businesses get those referrals. We publish articles about your business on high-authority websites, which creates backlinks that boost your Google rankings. It’s a straightforward way to get found by more customers in Bloomington.