How to Get Your Business Found Online in Akron, Ohio
If you run a business in Akron, you already know the city is more than just the Rubber Capital of the World. From the polymer and biomedical research happening near the University of Akron to the growing food and craft beverage scene in the Merriman Valley, there’s real opportunity here. But here’s the problem: even if you have the best pizza on Highland Square or the most reliable HVAC team in Kenmore, customers can’t buy from you if they can’t find you.
Most small businesses in Akron struggle to show up on Google because they’ve never set up the basics. Google doesn’t know you exist, or it sees your website as outdated and irrelevant. The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to fix this. Here are four things you can do yourself to get found.
1. Claim and complete your Google Business Profile This is free and it’s the single most important step. Go to Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and claim your listing. Fill in your address, phone number, hours, and category. Add photos of your storefront, your team, and your products. The more complete your profile, the more Google trusts you. If you don’t do this, you’re invisible.
2. Ask for reviews (and respond to them) Reviews are like word-of-mouth for the internet. After a sale, send a simple text or email asking customers to leave a review. Don’t offer discounts or freebies in exchange—that’s against Google’s rules. Just ask. And when you get a review, reply to it. Thank the person. If it’s negative, apologize and offer to make it right. This shows Google you’re active and care about your customers.
3. Make sure your website works on a phone More than half of local searches happen on a phone. If your site takes more than three seconds to load or the text is too small to read, people will leave. Use a tool like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check. If your site fails, talk to your web host or use a simple website builder like Squarespace or Wix. You don’t need a fancy site—just one that works.
4. Use local keywords on your site When you write about your services, mention Akron. Instead of “we offer plumbing repairs,” say “we offer plumbing repairs in Akron and the surrounding Summit County area.” Include your neighborhood or nearby landmarks. This helps Google connect your business to local searches.
What about backlinks? You might hear this term thrown around. Here’s what it means in plain English: a backlink is when another website links to yours. Think of it like a referral. If a trusted local news site or a business directory links to your site, Google sees that as a vote of confidence. The more quality referrals you have, the higher you can rank.
That’s where BacklinkUSA.com comes in. We publish articles about businesses like yours on high-authority websites. Those articles include a link back to your site, helping you earn the trust you need to climb in Google’s rankings. If you’d like to learn more, visit BacklinkUSA.com.