SEO for local businesses is a totally different ballgame than non-localized SEO. Its often very difficult to rank well locally on common phrases because there is so much national competition. The standard Google search rankings do not differentiate locally for phrases like “car wash.” This is why it is important to make sure that you are listed in Google’s local business results.

Make sure that you get your business listed. You can provide your customers with valuable information such as contact info, hours, directions, descriptions, and your website. And most importantly, you will appear on Google’s pages locally when someone searches for a “car wash.”

Want to rank higher on google local search? Check out David Mihm’s excellent article “Local Search Ranking Factors.”