5 Reasons SEO Isn’t Working for Your Local Business

Issues with Your Business Model 

This is usually the hardest one for business owners to swallow, so let’s get it out of the way first. Your SEO might be falling short of your expectations because there’s something wrong with your business model.   

I get it. “Business model” is pretty vague in this context. So, let’s ask the important question – Do your potential customers understand your product or service? 

This may seem like an odd question as it relates to SEO, but consider this: If your prospects can’t make sense of your product or service, even the best SEO in the world isn’t going to convert them into customers. 

SEO gets your name out there. It attracts people to your website and draws people to your social media channels. It helps you rank higher in search results.  But it can’t sell your product. If your prospects ultimately just don’t “get it,” then you won’t see the kind of conversions you’re expecting from your SEO efforts. 

You’re Not Skilled at SEO 

If search engine optimization were easy, then we’d all appear on Google’s front page! But seriously, SEO is not easy. It’s a lot more than just bloating your website copy with keywords. It’s a skill that often requires professional intervention. 

If you’re getting disappointing results from your SEO, it’s possible you (or the person handling your SEO) are not up to the task. Don't take it personally⁠—it's not an insult or a jab at anyone’s competence.  Simply put, SEO is best handled by someone who specializes in SEO. 

Search engine optimization is constantly changing. The rules, the techniques, the algorithms, these things are always evolving. And as a business owner, you’re probably busy actually running your business, not keeping up on the latest SEO news. 

Consider consulting an SEO expert if you feel you're in over your head. 

Customer Experience on Your Website is Poor 

If your SEO results look great on the front end but your conversions are low, take a look at your website. 

Too often we meet up with clients who are ranking on Google and getting plenty of hits on their home page, but their phones aren’t ringing and their inboxes are empty.  When we check out the client’s website, we can usually see why. 

Again, SEO can lead prospects to your website, but it can’t convert them. User experience (UX) on your website is of paramount importance. If your site is slow, hard to navigate, or looks outdated, your prospect is going to shop elsewhere. 

Close the loop with great SEO on the front and a fantastic website on the back end. 

You’re Impatient 

SEO is a marathon. It’s definitely not a sprint. Successful SEO requires patience, the knowledge to tweak things only when needed, and the ability to play the long game. 

There’s a good chance the number one complaint every marketing firm gets is, “I'm still not ranking! This is taking too long!” Unfortunately, there’s no solution to this problem. In fact, it’s not really a problem at all, it’s just the way SEO works. 

If you feel your SEO efforts are failing, pause for just a moment and consider how long you’ve actually been at it. Most experts agree you’ll start seeing results around the 4-to-6-month point.  Sure, it can happen much sooner than that, but those are exceptional cases.  For most businesses, results come after several months and then continue to grow from there.  Results at the 9-month mark should look better, and then better still at 12-months, and so on. 

Your Expectations are Unreasonable 

Our list culminates to this – If your SEO isn’t performing the way you want, the problem may actually be your expectations. 

As mentioned throughout this post, SEO can’t sell your product or service for you. SEO’s job is to get your name and your brand in front of more eyes, to help you rank in search results, to get more clicks to your website, and to prompt engagement. 

SEO is not a magic formula that alone will send your sales skyrocketing. It’s one piece (albeit, an important piece) of an overall marketing plan. 



Develop reasonable expectations by doing your part to understand the mechanics of SEO and its place in your own marketing strategy. Learn SEO best practices, be patient, and watch how SEO can help your business attract more prospects.