The Two Ways to Get Found on Google (And Why Utah Businesses Need Both)
If you run a business in Utah, you're not just competing for local customers. You're competing for attention from 13.7 million visitors who come through the state every year—skiers in the winter, national park visitors in the summer, and business travelers year-round.
Here's the thing: locals and visitors search differently. And if your marketing only captures one type of search, you're leaving money on the table.
There are two distinct ways people find businesses on Google: Local SEO (Google Maps and the local pack) and Web Search (traditional organic results). Most Utah businesses focus on one or the other. The smart ones do both.
Let's break down how each works and why you need a strategy for both.
Local SEO: How You Show Up on Google Maps
When someone searches "med spa near me" or "auto repair Salt Lake City," Google shows a map with three business listings, this is called the Local Pack or Map Pack. Below that, you'll see the traditional website results.
That map section? That's Local SEO. Here's what drives Local SEO rankings:
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the foundation. This is the listing that appears when someone searches your business name or finds you on Maps. It includes your hours, address, phone number, photos, reviews, and services. Most businesses set up their GBP once and never touch it again. That's a mistake. Google looks at dozens of signals to decide who shows up in the Map Pack:
- Completeness: Have you filled out every section? Services, attributes, business description, Q&A?
- Categories: Is your primary category accurate? Have you added relevant secondary categories?
- Reviews: How many do you have? What's your average rating? Do you respond to them?
- Photos: Businesses with photos get significantly more engagement. Google knows this.
- Activity: Are you posting updates? Responding to questions? Keeping hours current?
Citations and directories also matter. When your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) appear consistently across Yelp, industry directories, and local listings, it signals legitimacy to Google. Inconsistencies—like a different phone number on Yelp than on your website—confuse the algorithm and hurt your rankings.
Proximity plays a role too. Google shows results based on where the searcher is located. Someone searching from downtown Salt Lake will see different results than someone searching from Lehi.
The bottom line: Local SEO is how you capture people who are ready to buy, right now, near you. These are high-intent searches. Someone typing "emergency plumber near me" isn't doing research—they need help today.
Web Search: How Your Website Ranks in Organic Results
Below the Map Pack, you'll see the traditional "10 blue links"—these are organic search results. This is what most people think of as SEO.
Ranking here depends on your website, not your Google Business Profile. Here's what drives organic rankings:
Content depth and relevance. Google wants to show searchers the most helpful result. If someone searches "how to choose a med spa in Utah," they want a detailed answer, not a homepage with three sentences about your services. This is where content marketing matters. Blog posts, service pages, guides, FAQs, all of this helps Google understand what your business does and who you help.
Technical health. Your site needs to load fast, work on mobile, and be structured in a way Google can read. Broken links, slow pages, and poor mobile experiences hurt rankings.
Backlinks. When other websites link to yours, Google sees it as a vote of confidence. A link from a local news site or industry publication carries more weight than a link from a random directory.
Keywords. Google matches search queries to page content. If you're a med spa in Park City but your website never mentions "Park City med spa," you're invisible for that search.
The bottom line: Organic SEO is how you capture people who are researching, comparing, or looking for information. These searches are earlier in the buying journey, but they're often higher-value customers—people doing their homework before making a decision.
Why Utah Businesses Need Both SEO Strategies
Here's where it gets interesting for Utah specifically.
Utah's population hit 3.55 million this year, with Utah County alone adding nearly 16,000 new residents—36% of the state's growth. These are people who don't know the local businesses yet. They're searching.
But the bigger opportunity? Visitors.
Utah welcomed 13.7 million visitors in 2024. Over 11 million people visited just the Mighty Five national parks. Salt Lake City's airport hit a record 28.3 million passengers. These visitors spend an average of 3.7 nights in the state and collectively generated $13.3 billion in spending.
Visitors and locals search differently:
A local searching for a restaurant might type "best sushi near me." They'll see the Map Pack, check reviews, and pick a spot.
A visitor planning a trip to Park City might type "best restaurants in Park City Utah" or "where to eat after skiing Park City." That's a web search and they're looking for articles, guides, and recommendations. If your website doesn't have content targeting those searches, you won't show up. Think about it this way:
- Local SEO captures the person already in your area, searching on their phone, ready to act
- Web Search captures the person planning their trip, comparing options, doing research before they arrive
If you only do Local SEO, you miss the 13.7 million visitors researching Utah businesses before they get here.
If you only do organic SEO, you miss the high-intent local searches that convert immediately.
You need both.
What About AI Search for Utah Businesses and SEO?
Here's what's coming: AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews are changing how people find businesses.
Instead of scrolling through results, people are asking AI questions like "What's the best med spa in Salt Lake City?" or "Where should I get my car serviced in Lehi?"
The businesses that show up in these AI recommendations? They're the ones with strong Local SEO (complete GBP, lots of reviews, consistent citations) AND strong web presence (helpful content, proper technical structure, clear information about what they do).
AI pulls from both signals to form its recommendations. If you're invisible in traditional search, you'll be invisible in AI search too.
We're still in the early days, but AI-powered search is growing fast. The foundation you build now—strong Local SEO plus solid website content—positions you for both today's Google searches and tomorrow's AI recommendations.
Getting Started: Where to Focus First
If you're starting from scratch, here's the priority order:
1. Fix your Google Business Profile first.
This is the highest-impact, fastest-win opportunity for most local businesses. Make sure:
- Every section is complete
- Your categories are accurate
- You have 20+ photos
- You're responding to reviews
- Your hours and contact info are current
2. Audit your citations.
Search your business name on Google. Are you listed on Yelp, industry directories, and local sites? Is your information consistent everywhere? Inconsistent NAP data hurts both Local SEO and AI visibility.
3. Evaluate your website content.
Does your website clearly explain what you do, who you serve, and where you're located? Do you have content that answers the questions your potential customers are asking?
For a med spa, that might mean pages about specific services, a page for each location you serve, and blog posts answering common questions.
4. Build a content plan.
What are visitors to Utah searching for related to your business? What questions do locals have? Create content that answers those searches, and you'll start showing up in organic results.
For Established Businesses: Finding New Angles
If you've been operating for years and your brand has grown stale, the approach is different. Brayden looks at the history: who are your returning customers, what do they say about you, why do they choose you over competitors?
"I've seen a lot of businesses where they're growing and they push hard on growth, but as far as brand image, they're just coasting," Brayden notes. "They've got enough revenue but aren't doing anything to grow the brand."
The opportunity is often right in front of you. Maybe it's finally putting the founder on camera. Maybe it's showcasing that new piece of equipment or expanded service offering that your existing customers don't even know about.
"There's nothing more frustrating than when people say, 'I didn't even know you did that,'" Brayden adds. "That's a sign you need to do better at making sure people understand who you are and what you offer."
Need Help Getting Found?
If your Google Business Profile needs work, our Local SEO Tune-Up is a fast, one-time fix. We optimize your profile, audit your citations, and give you a roadmap to keep improving.
Want to understand your full visibility picture—including how you show up in AI search? Book a call with our team.
FAQ: Utah Small Business Content
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What's the difference between Local SEO and regular SEO?
Local SEO focuses on Google Maps and local pack rankings, driven primarily by your Google Business Profile, reviews, and citations. Regular SEO (organic search) focuses on website rankings, driven by content, technical health, and backlinks. Most local businesses need both.
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How long does it take to rank on Google Maps?
It depends on your competition and starting point, but most businesses see improvement within 1-3 months of optimizing their Google Business Profile and building consistent citations. Highly competitive markets take longer.
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Do I need a website to show up on Google Maps?
Technically, no—your Google Business Profile can rank without a website. But having a website significantly improves your credibility, gives you more content to rank for in organic search, and helps with AI search visibility.
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Why do visitors matter for my local business?
Utah welcomes nearly 14 million visitors annually. Many of these visitors research businesses online before arriving. If you only optimize for "near me" searches, you miss the visitors searching "best [your service] in [your city]" from their homes in California or Texas.
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How does AI search affect local businesses?
AI search engines like ChatGPT pull from your Google Business Profile data, website content, reviews, and directory listings to make recommendations. Strong Local SEO and web presence make you more likely to be recommended by AI—weak signals mean you're invisible.
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