Make a splash: A guide to local SEO for pool services businesses

For your pool services business to be successful, you must have a strong digital presence. Competition with other pool services businesses in your area can be fierce, and in order to attract more customers, you need to better your chances of appearing first when locals search. In fact, since 46% of all Google searches seek local information, this means you are likely to be missing out on a lot of business if you don’t have a strong local SEO strategy. This is because local SEO ensures your business appears in searches when potential clients are looking for pool cleaning, maintenance, repairs, or installations in your area. This targeted approach helps attract traffic that is more likely to convert, as these customers are often in immediate need of services. But if you’re not an expert in local SEO services for pool services businesses, how can you guarantee you’re creating a strategy that will help you get listed on the first page of the search engine results page (SERP)?

This article will cover all of the essentials pool services business owners need to know about local SEO, as well as how to create a strategy that strengthens your business’s position on SERPs. Strategies that will get you found by more of the customers searching for "pool cleaning near me," "pool repair near Houston, TX” or similar queries. But first, let's cover some of the key challenges that pool service providers often face, and how you can tackle them with tactics that strengthen your local SEO practices. 

A good local SEO strategy can help ensure your business comes up in the results of your area. 

The challenges of local SEO for pool services businesses

You will encounter several obstacles when running a pool services business. Recognizing these hurdles is always the first step for devising effective approaches that will help you overcome them. Two main challenges can be tackled with tactics that will also strengthen your local SEO efforts.
 

A well-known challenge for many pool services businesses is seasonality. Effective planning for maximizing your online visibility during peak seasons is crucial (i.e. summer and holidays). For pool service companies, this involves crafting tailored content that incorporates relevant local keywords with the right seasonal themes,  enhances local SEO strategies, and ensures robust visibility at the times when potential customers are most actively seeking services.  

PRO TIP: Keeping track of your keyword performance is important to assess your local SEO strategy and benchmark it against competitors. Advanced SEO tools, such as Semrush's Map Rank Tracker, can provide a competitive edge. 

Another challenge is the intense competition that this sector can have during peak seasons, where customers are likely to choose the first service with good reviews that appear in their local search query. In other words, not embracing a thorough, hyper-local review management approach tailored to the exact neighborhoods or communities you serve is likely to lead to substantial losses in business.

PRO TIP: Review management is a core pillar of a local SEO strategy. Semrush Local can help businesses streamline this process for optimal performance with its cutting edge AI-powered review monitoring tool. 

To tackle these challenges effectively, it is important to create the right content and employ the right review management practices to position yourself for a surge in demand at any time. Remember that local SEO efforts can take time to improve rankings, so it's best to continuously optimize your online presence and always create material in advance to allow for ample discovery time. This is also the case when seeking reviews from satisfied customers, which requires continuous nurturing. 

Screenshot of a content plan for marketing efforts at the beginning of summer

For example, blogs can all be tailored to seasonal demands with a local twist. For example, you could publish articles on “preparing your pool for a Miami summer” or “end-of-season pool musts for anyone living in Dallas.” This content should be informative and timely, and be accompanied by other local SEO best practices (more on these in the next section) to draw in local search traffic. Local keywords should also be used in your Google Business Profile (GBP) description to ensure maximum visibility. You can use Semrush’s free AI Google Business Profile Description Generator to help you with this task. 

Visual depiction of a blog post for a local pool services business

Asking for reviews via email or SMS from satisfied customers, and responding to them in popular platforms is also likely to better your chances of receiving the social proof necessary to place your business high in local search and map rankings. Good reviews are a powerful weapon, and can help you land more local customers who need your services. 

A detailed positive review for a local pool service business in Barcelona, Spain.

Another tactic that could prove useful is designing special promotions that align with customer needs and publishing them in your GBP. A complete and active profile that features promotions like package deals for regular summer maintenance, as well as before and after pictures, will attract customers by strengthening the online visibility of the business. Pool services businesses should also promote these deals and visuals prominently on their website, local advertisements, Google posts, and social media for maximum exposure. Optimizing your GBP profile with the right information and content is a core part of a comprehensive local SEO strategy. 

Google Business Profile for a pool services and cleaning business with a promotional discount

These tactics can assist pool service businesses in handling common challenges and to improve aspects of their local SEO performance. However, to achieve lasting success, they must be integrated into a comprehensive local SEO plan. Businesses in the pool services sector must address all key factors influencing local SEO, such as relevance, distance, and prominence, to attain results. Overcoming these factors requires effective management of listings, reviews, and map rankings, topics we will delve into in the remaining sections of this article.

The essential components of your local SEO strategy

For pool service businesses aiming to claim the top position in local search and map results, a well-rounded local SEO strategy should focus on several core components that collectively enhance online visibility and attract more local customers. 

Component 1: Your free listings audit

Listings are foundational in a solid local SEO for pool services strategy. They provide your business with visibility and help search engines verify legitimacy. However, distributing accurate and consistent business information across multiple platforms can be overwhelming. Thankfully, there are tools designed to simplify this process, like Semrush's Free Listings Audit, which helps you identify where your information is listed, checks for consistency and accuracy of your information, and uncovers gaps in your online presence. 

Component 2: Google Business Profile (GBP) optimization

Did you know? Customers are 2.7x more likely to consider your business “reputable” if they see a complete Business Profile when browsing Search and Google Maps. Since your Google Business Profile (GBP) profile is often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers, ensure it’s carefully filled out, including your business NAP (name, address, and phone number), along with operating hours and a precise location. As stated previously, regularly updating your profile with new photos, special offers, and posts can also go a long way to keeping your listing active and engaging.

PRO TIP: Leverage the Listing Management tool to increase your SEO reach! It distributes your business information (like the NAP we mentioned earlier) consistently across the most authoritative directories in your market, including your Google Business Profile. It also bridges the gaps identified by your free Listings Audit. 

Component 3: Relevant keywords

Identify and use keywords that potential customers will likely enter when searching for your services. These include general terms related to pool services and more specific terms like local identifiers, such as your city or neighborhood. Implement these keywords naturally in your website’s content, meta descriptions, titles, and even in your Google Business profile to improve your relevance in local search queries.

Component 4: A 5-star reputation and review management

Online reviews are a significant trust signal for potential customers and for search engines. In fact, 94% of local businesses that use reputation management tools (like Semrush Local’s Review Management) see a return on investment, according to Trust Pulse. It’s a good idea to encourage your satisfied customers to leave positive reviews–in fact, why not make it easy for them by providing links directly to your review platforms via email or SMS? Equally important is how you respond to those reviews—address any negative feedback quickly and professionally, and thank customers for positive reviews. This shows you value customer feedback and are engaged with your clientele. A good review management strategy also generally helps with the overall perception of your business, and overall star score. 

Component 5: Local link building

Backlinks from well-regarded local websites and directories can give a huge boost to your pool services' local SEO because they show search engines that your business is recognized and respected within the community. This can include links from local news sites, blogs, local business directories and other relevant businesses from your community. The best way to increase your chances of earning these valuable links is to engage with local communities, use a local listings tool and participate in events.

Component 6: Mobile friendly

It’s estimated that 76% of people who run a local search on their cell phone will visit a physical store within 24 hours. And 28% of those result in a purchase (Think with Google). Whether you have a physical storefront or only offer your services via phone or online booking, that statistic should tell you a lot about how your potential buyers use their mobile devices for local searches. A responsive website design can go a long way to ensuring your site is accessible and navigable on all devices, improving the experience of using it and supporting your SEO efforts.