How to Get Your Business Found Online in Walla Walla, Washington
If you run a business in Walla Walla, you already know the town has a lot going for it. Wine tourism, agriculture, and a growing downtown scene bring in visitors and locals alike. But if someone pulls out their phone to search for your service—say, “best coffee shop near me” or “plumber in Walla Walla”—do they actually find you? For many small business owners here, the answer is no. Here’s why, and what you can do about it.
Why Most Local Businesses Don’t Show Up on Google
The problem isn’t that you’re not good at what you do. It’s that Google doesn’t know you exist. When someone searches for a service in Walla Walla, Google looks for signals: Does your business have a complete profile? Do customers leave reviews? Is your website easy to use on a phone? Without these signals, Google assumes other businesses are a better fit—even if they’re not. The good news? Fixing this doesn’t require a marketing degree. Here are four things you can do yourself.
1. Claim and Complete Your Google Business Profile
This is the single most important step. Go to Google Business Profile (it’s free) and claim your listing. Fill out every field: your exact address, phone number, hours, website, and a short description of what you do. Add photos of your storefront, your team, and your products. When someone searches for your business type, this profile is what shows up in the map pack at the top of the results.
2. Ask for Reviews—and Respond to Them
Google pays attention to reviews. After a customer has a good experience, politely ask if they’d leave a quick review. You can email them a direct link. And when you get a review—good or bad—reply to it. A simple “Thanks, glad you enjoyed your visit!” shows Google you’re active and care about customers.
3. Make Sure Your Website Works on a Phone
Most searches in Walla Walla happen on phones. If your site takes forever to load or the text is too small to read, people leave—and Google notices. You can test this yourself: open your site on your phone. If it’s hard to use, ask your web host or a local developer to switch to a “responsive” design. It’s often a simple fix.
4. Use Local Keywords on Your Website
Think about what someone in Walla Walla would type into Google. Instead of “wine tour company,” write “wine tour in Walla Walla, Washington.” Use phrases like “plumber serving Walla Walla” or “best pizza in downtown Walla Walla” in your page titles, headings, and text. This helps Google connect your business to local searches.
What Are Backlinks—and Why Do They Matter?
A backlink is simply a link from another website to yours. Think of it like a referral. If a trusted website—like a local news site or a chamber of commerce directory—links to your business, Google sees that as a sign you’re worth showing. The more quality backlinks you have, the higher you can rank. But getting them on your own takes time.
That’s where a service like BacklinkUSA.com comes in. They publish articles about businesses like yours on high-authority websites, helping you earn those valuable backlinks and improve your Google rankings. If you’d like to learn more, just visit their site.