Local SEO Services for Churches
Local SEO is all about making yourself the most relevant choice to Google.
The first step to building relevance in your community is to partner with someone who shares the same mission and knows what Google wants/expects from your church.
Your mission is too important to leave it up the whims of Google and ChatGPT's robots.
Why Google Doesn't Show Your Church (Yet)
Your church isn't showing up locally, not because you have a bad kids' ministry or worship that's too loud.
It's because you're not sending Google the right signals to tell it, "Hey! We're the church you should recommend when people search 'church near me' or 'churches in {CITY}"
When you send the right signals, you make it easier for Google to want to put you in the local map pack. It makes it easier to show up in many local searches.
As a result, people are searching for and finding other churches. Not that those churches are bad, but you know that your church is better equipped to serve the people in your city.
The Content Pastor's Local SEO Services for Churches
Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization
Your GBP is the lifeblood of showing up in local searches. I optimize it for the correct denomination of church, showcase updated content, and effectively promote your events.
Campus/Ministry Pages & On-Site Local SEO
Having a website is only part of having an optimized online presence. You need the right on-site signals to optimize for local searches.
Citation & Directory Management
Your church's Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) must be consistent online. Whether it's in national citations or local directories, I find relevant local links to build your credibility.
Technical SEO Structured Data
Your technical SEO is what makes it easy for search engines like Google, ChatGPT, and Gemini to understand your website. This includes Schema, page speed, and other technical components.
Reporting & Local Rank Tracking
You measure what matters. You'll receive monthly reports with explanations and insights. These reports will include average position for relevant keywords, number of visitors, and other metrics to help you understand your online presence.
Church Local SEO Frequently Asked Questions
Why is The Content Pastor the best choice for Local SEO?
There are too many church marketing people trying to do it all for you (Website, Google Ad Grant, SEO, social media (ads and content), AI tech, etc.).
I am the only hyper-focused church SEO guy (that I know of) helping churches of all sizes improve their local visibility. I'll never sell you ads, unnecessary social media, or even a new website. (I'll tell you if you need a new website, and I can either build a simple one for you or refer you to people I trust).
When you work with me, Luke the Content Pastor, you're working with a person, not a company. I work 1-1 with all my clients, so you never feel like "just another customer." You feel valued and understood.
How long does Local SEO take for churches?
It can take anywhere from six weeks to three months to start seeing the positive impacts of Local SEO optimization.
Do I need to redesign my website to rank well locally?
Sometimes you may need a website redesign. Oftentimes, you won't.
Can I see results without running ads?
You can absolutely expect to see results without running ads.
Organic and paid search are different beasts.
Organic is about sending the best, most relevant signals to Google.
Paid is about paying Google the most.
What kind of results should I expect?
At first, success looks like more website visitors and an increase in map positioning.
But over time, those become vanity metrics.
The real success comes from people finding you online, becoming members, and then becoming disciples of Jesus.
In other cases, you could experience a "Summer Bump" instead of the typical Summer Slump. You could experience record-setting Easter and Christmas attendance, with more people returning the following weeks from those holidays.
Will this work for multi-campus churches?
Yes, you can optimize for multi–campus churches. The most important part is having separate GBPs that are all optimized for their specific city.
Do you guarantee #1 ranking for "church near me"?
I cannot guarantee #1 ranking for any particular keyword. If any agency guarantees they can get you to a specific ranking, be skeptical of them.
How much do I need to be involved?
You need to allow me access to your website and GBP so I can make the necessary changes. If it's anything significant, I'll ask before making it, but that's about the minimum involvement I need from you.
How to Get Started / Next Steps
Step 1: Free Local SEO Audit
Complete my free SEO audit. To receive the report, you will need to provide your information. I'll reach out if you have any questions about it.
Step 2: Strategy Call
Do you know your SEO is bad and you need to improve it? Schedule a free call with me to discuss it further. I'll explain more of my services, pricing, and if we'd be a good fit together.
Step 3: Implementation
When you decide to partner with me, all I need is access to your website and GBP, and then I'm off to the races. I'll set up and share access to Google Analytics and Google Search Console, too.
Step 4: Get found
Depending on the state of your online presence, you can expect results within 3 months. I've seen significant improvement as soon as 6 weeks, but often it's 3-4 months before you start to see/feel any improvement.