Winning Search: The SEO Guide Every Lawn & Landscape Owner Needs

With a better understanding of local SEO, here's how I found more leads.

Dec 18, 2025

@ileezhun - stock.adobe.com

At its core, local SEO is about proving to Google that your business is real, trustworthy, and the best option for customers in your service area. Remember, the reason people go to Google is because it gets them the best results quickly. Full stop. When Google stops doing that and another search engine becomes easier to use or delivers better results, its competitors are only a click away.

Local SEO helps show Google, through the signals it understands, that you are the best business to serve that search. Unlike ads, which stop the second you stop spending, strong local rankings continue producing leads month after month. Let's take a look at local SEO, get a clear picture of how it works, and how you can take advantage of it.

Just out of college, with a family to feed and only a few thousand dollars in the bank, I started my first business (a painting company) after moving halfway across the country (okay, only 1,411 miles, but far enough). Not knowing anything about marketing or how to get found locally, I tried the crummy lead service companies. You know the ones. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was literally paying them so they could show up in front of me on Google. A terrible long-term business plan.

Somehow, after a lot of fumbling around, I finally discovered local SEO. I realized that the more time I invested into it, the more leads I got and the less I had to “sell.” Instead of me chasing leads, the leads were chasing me.

Now, after working with many lawn and landscape companies, I hear the same complaint: “How can I get more customers?” Most have no idea how Google works, and local SEO feels like 11^th grade algebra all over again.

The Three Core Ranking Factors

The next question: what are the things that Google is looking for to meet the criteria? From what we know, Google’s local algorithm is built on three pillars. Understanding them will help you see why certain competitors rank higher and what you can do to surpass them.

1. Proximity

This is how close your business is to the person searching. Google knows exactly where the searcher is located and naturally prioritizes companies nearby. The presumption is a business that is closer will probably do a better job and be able to serve the customer best. (Normally this is the case)

What this means for lawn and landscape companies:

Keep your business address consistent everywhere online
Set up your Google Business Profile correctly with the right service areas you are trying to serve
Avoid using an address that’s far from your primary market

Take this into account when you are crafting the text in your marketing and on your website.

2. Relevance

Relevance is how well your website and Google Business Profile match what someone is searching for. In simple terms, does Google believe you can serve the need behind the search?

Key ways to increase relevance:

Build separate service pages for mowing, weed control, fertilization, landscaping, hardscaping, and more (this way Google understands what services you offer.)
Use clear copy written for customers, not AI-generated filler (if you are using straight AI when you copy paste it carries with it code from the AI which Google can easily see)
Include strong H1s, meta titles, meta descriptions, and URLs that match real search phrases
Add descriptive alt text to images
Make sure your service area is mentioned naturally throughout your content especially in the H1 etc

Now, this being said we need to always remember that we are writing for the customer and not Google. If we are making content that is hard to read and keyword-stuffed, people can tell and will quickly run. Our ultimate goal is to help customers.

3. Prominence

Prominence is your online reputation and public footprint. Google wants to send searchers to the most trusted business. This is where many landscape companies fall behind. Many websites are clunky, slow loading, or don't have an ssl certificate (this is when you try to go on a site and it says "warning this site is not secure.) You don’t want your site to say this. Imagine if that was the first impression your customer gets!

Prominence comes from

High-quality reviews (think Google reviews on your Google Business profile)
Quantity, frequency, and recency of reviews
Backlinks from reputable sites (think Better Business Bureau and your local Chamber of Commerce)
Citations in online directories
Photos of real jobs
A business profile that is updated regularly

Prominence tells Google, “This business is active, legitimate, and respected.” Companies with strong prominence often outrank competitors even if they are slightly farther from the searcher. The great thing is that most lawn and landscape companies are so busy working in the field that they are not thinking about things like this, which means even a small amount of effort can help you rank well because very few are doing it.

Understanding Google’s E-E-A-T

This leads directly into another major factor Google uses to evaluate a business: E-E-A-T. This is a framework that Google uses to decide which companies are truly credible and who should rank #1.

Google uses a set of guidelines known as E-E-A-T to evaluate the credibility of a business. This stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Experience – Real-world proof of your work (think project pages, Google Business profile)
Expertise – Content that shows you know your craft (think on page content, BBB)
Authoritativeness – Strong reviews and credible backlinks
Trustworthiness – Accurate information, consistent citations, and transparent contact details

Local service companies who demonstrate E-E-A-T consistently rise to the top. You would be surprised how few businesses really take this into account. Most do a few things and then forget or get busy. This is an opportunity for your business to stand out to Google.

And the best place to showcase E-E-A-T is your Google Business Profile.

The Most Common Google Business Profile Mistakes

This was the part of marketing I fell in love with. In a town of 50,000 people, and as a newcomer with almost no network, I had to figure something out. While starting my business, I tried everything. Eventually, I discovered the Google Business Profile and started gathering reviews. Within six months, I was ranking number one. It lit a fire in me because I realized most people were sitting on a goldmine in their own backyard.

Not updating the profile regularly
Selecting the wrong primary category
Leaving services unlisted
Having no photos or old photos
Never posting updates
Inconsistent NAP (name, address, phone) information
Not collecting reviews consistently

Why Reviews Matter More Than Anything Else

If you want a quick win, it’s reviews. I always ask people one simple question, “Do you shop on Amazon?” Everyone says yes.

That's followed by, “Do you buy the item if it has zero reviews?” You’re probably shaking your head right now. Of course not. None of us want to be the guinea pig.

People treat Google reviews the exact same way. That is why reviews are one of Google’s strongest ranking signals. They build trust with customers before you ever speak to them. A company with 150 reviews will outperform a company with 30 reviews almost every time.

The best way to get more reviews:

Ask immediately after service
Text customers the direct review link
Use automation tools like NiceJob or Jobber to send review requests
Always respond to reviews, good or bad
Don’t fear negative reviews. They are rare if your service is solid and you handle mistakes with honesty. (And after sending out literally thousands of review requests, I can count on one hand how many bad reviews we have received.)

A steady flow of recent reviews impacts both ranking and how many people reach out to you.

Local SEO is a long-term strategy. In many markets, it can take six months to a year to reach the top. Once you get there, the leads are consistent and cost-effective.

You can speed up the timeline by: