When shoppers in your neighborhood look for products or services, they’re most likely starting their search online. Whether they’re typing into Google, scrolling on Instagram, or asking voice assistants like Alexa or Siri, the words they use — known as keywords — play a major role in which businesses show up first.
For local pet stores, this is a powerful (and free!) opportunity. By understanding and using the right keywords, you can get your store seen — and chosen — by the people most likely to walk through your doors.
You don’t need fancy (and expensive) SEO tools to get started. Here are simple, free methods to uncover the keywords your community is already using:
Type in a word related to your business, like “pet food,” and see what suggestions pop up as you type. Those are real searches people in your area are making.
Scroll down a Google results page, and you’ll see related questions and search terms. For example, after searching “dog grooming,” you might see “How much does dog grooming cost?” or “Dog grooming near me.” These can inspire blog topics, social posts, or website updates.
Look at how other local shops (and even bigger competitors) describe themselves online. What words show up repeatedly in their website headlines, blog posts, or social media captions? That’s a clue to what works.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook work like mini search engines. Type in keywords relevant to your business to see hashtags, phrases, and trending content your local audience might be following.
Sometimes the best research comes directly from your shoppers! Ask them what they’d type into Google if they were looking for a business like yours. Their wording may surprise you — and guide your keyword list.
Keyword research doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. By paying attention to the exact words your community uses online, you can make sure your business shows up when it matters most — when local shoppers are looking to buy.