Understanding Local SEO Challenges for Small Businesses: A Case Study of a Spa’s Search Visibility
In the competitive world of local wellness services, ranking highly in Google’s search results is crucial for attracting new clients. However, many small business owners encounter significant challenges despite diligent efforts. Here, we explore a real-world case of a local massage spa aiming to improve its online visibility, analyze potential pitfalls, and suggest strategies to enhance search engine rankings.
Overview of the Business and Current Efforts
The business operates a physical spa specializing in massage and related services, with an emphasis on local SEO strategies. Their website features a dedicated “/massage” page optimized with specific headings and relevant keywords, such as “Massage in [Town]” and variations thereof. They have also filled out their Google My Business (GMB) profile comprehensively—adding photos, reviews, detailed descriptions, service listings, operating hours, categories, service areas, and links to their website.
Despite these efforts, the business has struggled to improve its search rankings, consistently appearing in positions 8–9 in Google Search Console (GSC) for the targeted “/massage” page over the past year. Their local pack rankings fluctuate between 3rd and 4th positions depending on activity, but their main website pages—including the “/massage” page—remain buried deeper in the search results.
Key Challenges and Observations
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Keyword Research and Search Volume Limitations
Using Google Ads Keyword Planner and other tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush, the owner identified minimal monthly search volumes (often fewer than 100 searches) for targeted keywords like “massage near me” in their locale. The maximum search volume observed was around 1,000, which is relatively low for competitive keywords. Their keywords primarily revolve around variations combining “massage” with the town name, but actual search interest is limited. -
Competitive Landscape
Nearby competitors, including a larger med spa offering similar services, rank higher consistently. Their websites are similarly structured but benefit from more backlinks, higher domain authority, and possibly more aggressive local SEO efforts. Notably, these competitors’ titles include phraseologies like “Massage in [Town]” and “Massage Therapy [Town]”—similar to the client’s approach but with varying degrees of optimization. -
Website On-Page and Technical SEO
The website’s on-page SEO appears thorough: - Well-structured headings with relevant keywords.
- Local SEO schema markup.
- Submission of XML