How to Get Your Business Found Online in Olympia, Washington
Olympia is a city of about 55,000 people, and its economy runs on a mix of state government jobs, local services, and small retail shops. If you own a business here—whether it’s a coffee shop near the Capitol, a plumbing company serving the Westside, or a boutique on Fourth Avenue—you’ve probably noticed something: your customers are searching for you on Google, but they aren't finding you.
Why do most small businesses in Olympia struggle to show up in local search results? It’s usually not because you’re doing a bad job. It’s because Google ranks businesses based on signals you might not know exist. You can have the best service in town, but if Google can’t easily confirm who you are, where you are, or what you do, your listing gets buried. And that means your customers end up calling your competitor instead.
Here are four things you can fix yourself to start showing up better.
1. Claim and fill out your Google Business Profile
This is the single most important step. Go to Google Business Profile and claim your listing. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are exactly the same everywhere online. Add your hours, a few photos of your shop or work, and a short description of what you do. If you skip this step, Google basically ignores you.
2. Ask for reviews (and respond to them)
Reviews are like a trust signal for Google. If you have 10 recent, genuine reviews and your competitor has none, you’ll show up higher. Ask happy customers to leave a review on Google. Keep it simple: “If you had a good experience, would you mind leaving a quick review?” And always reply—even a short “Thanks, Sarah!” helps.
3. Make sure your website works well on a phone
Most people in Olympia search for businesses on their phone while they’re out and about. If your website takes forever to load or the text is tiny, people leave and Google notices. You don’t need a fancy redesign. Just check that your site loads quickly and is easy to read on a small screen. Free tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can tell you if you’re okay.
4. Use local words on your website
When you write about your business, use specific Olympia language. Instead of saying “we serve the Pacific Northwest,” say “we serve customers in Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater.” If you’re a landscaper, mention “lawn care near Capitol Lake” or “yard maintenance in the South Capitol neighborhood.” This helps Google connect you to local searches.
What about backlinks?
You might hear the term “backlinks” and think it’s complicated. It’s not. A backlink is simply when another website links to yours. Think of it like a recommendation. If a local news site or a community blog 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 businesses like yours on high-authority websites so that Google sees those recommendations and moves you up in search results. If you’d like to learn more, you can visit BacklinkUSA.com and see how it works.