How to Get Your Business Found on Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant

Hi everyone, Ted Yeatts back with you here from Local Content Marketing in Tampa, Florida. We spend a lot of time talking about conquering the Search Engine Results Page and getting found on Google Maps. But the way people search is constantly changing. Today, an increasing number of your potential customers are looking for local services using only their voice, asking questions to smart speakers like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. If your Tampa business isn’t optimized for this kind of voice search, you are effectively invisible to a growing segment of our community.

Voice search is the ultimate form of local, immediate search. People aren't browsing the internet anymore. They’re intentionally searching for answers. They're asking, "Hey Google, where is the best pizza near me?" or "Siri, call a reliable plumber in South Tampa." The key challenge here is that voice assistants typically give the user only one definitive answer. To be that one answer, you have to nail the fundamentals of local content marketing with a voice-first approach.

If you want Google Assistant to recommend you, or even if you want Alexa (which often pulls local data from Yelp and Google) to find you, the absolute, non-negotiable starting point is your Google Business Profile. This is the single most important asset for voice search.

Voice assistants rely heavily on the data within your Google Business Profile to determine your location, category, hours, and phone number. To dominate this area, ensure every field is 100% complete and accurate. Critically, you must confirm your business categories are precise. If you are a coffee shop, list yourself as a "Coffee Shop," not just a "Restaurant." Voice assistants use this specific category data to filter results when a user asks for a business type. An incomplete Google Business Profile means you simply won't be considered as the one answer.

Next, you need to master the conversational answer. Voice search is conversational, and your website needs to be, too. People ask full questions, not two-word keywords. This means your website content needs to be structured to provide a clear, concise answer to a frequently asked question.

You can start by anticipating the exact questions your customers ask. A local auto repair shop should create content titled, "What is the average cost of an oil change in Tampa, FL?" or "How long does it take to replace brake pads?" Structure your content so the direct answer is provided in the first sentence of the paragraph under the question. This makes your content easily digestible for an answer engine, increasing the likelihood that your website is pulled for the Featured Snippet. That’s the snippet Google reads aloud for a voice search response.

This strategy requires using what we call long-tail, question-based keywords that include location modifiers. Basically, think in full sentences, just like your customers speak.

Another important thing to understand about voice assistants is that they are programmed to recommend the best option, not just any option. They use your online reputation and authority signals to make this choice. So, reviews are critical. The voice assistant will almost always prioritize a business with a high volume of positive reviews. A query like "Where's the best local dentist?" will default to the highest-rated practice. You must make collecting five-star reviews on your Google Business Profile and Yelp (which is used primarily by Siri and Alexa) a non-stop priority.

Finally, let’s talk about another important factor specific to voice search and that’s optimizing for “near me” and “open now” searches. The vast majority of voice searches are for immediate needs. Users often ask questions that include phrases like "near me," "open now," or "in the next hour." So, your website must include clear, structured data to address these needs including hours of operation and your specific service area. Ensure the hours listed on your Google Business Profile are always updated and use Schema Markup on your website to clearly label your opening times. This allows the assistants to confidently answer the question: "Are they open?"

Explicitly list the neighborhoods in Tampa and surrounding areas that you serve (for example: South Tampa, Seminole Heights, Indian Rocks Beach, Brandon, etc.). This reinforces your local relevance when a user includes a specific neighborhood in their query.

Ultimately, getting found on Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant is about recognizing that your website and your Google Business Profile are becoming conversational databases. By making your data clear, your answers concise, and your reputation strong, you ensure that when a local customer asks for help with their voice, your Tampa business is the trusted, immediate answer.

Until next time, this is Ted Yeatts reminding you that local content builds trust, and trust builds business.

Ted Yeatts 11/17/25 Ted Yeatts 11/17/25

How to Use Your Website to Attract Customers, Not Just Inform Them

Hi everyone, Ted Yeatts back with you here from Local Content Marketing in Tampa, Florida. You probably already know that your website is the most valuable digital asset your business owns. If you do it right, it has the power to be like a 24/7 sales representative. But, instead of leveraging that power, I see far too many local businesses treating their website like a digital brochure. For them, it’s just a place that lists their address and services and maybe has a few pretty pictures. To truly succeed, your website needs to do more than just inform people. It needs to actively attract and convert them into customers. So, how do you do that? Well, that’s exactly what we’re talking about in this episode. Let’s compare a simply “informative” website with an “attractive” website.

The shift from an informative website to an attractive one requires intentional design and strategic content placement that guides the user toward a specific action. The very first step is to ensure your website is engineered for conversion. This means prioritizing clarity and simplicity over elaborate design. When a potential customer in Tampa lands on your homepage, they need to know three things within three seconds: who you are, what you do, and what you want them to do next. Your Call to Action must be prominent and visually distinct. Don't hide your "Schedule Service" or "Request a Quote" buttons. Use contrasting colors, place them high up on every page, and make the words on those buttons action-oriented. An informative site lists services, but an attractive site prompts the user to access those services immediately. So, tell them exactly what to do!

Next, ensure your contact information is absolutely omnipresent. Your clickable phone number should be clearly visible on every page because, for a local business, the phone is often the fastest path to a sale. On mobile devices, your click-to-call button should be “sticky.” Meaning, it should always be on the page as the content scrolls behind it.

The content on an informative site often focuses on features, like "We have the best tools." An attractive website focuses on customer benefits. Your content should speak directly to the problems your local customers are facing and promise a clear benefit or solution.

Instead of writing "We offer comprehensive air conditioning maintenance," write "Avoid AC Breakdowns This Tampa Summer." Use headings that directly address pain points. This approach uses empathy to draw the customer in, assuring them that you understand their specific, local needs. Your content should answer their most pressing questions quickly and then provide a clear next step to solve the problem.

Be sure to leverage social proof heavily on your website. This is where your customer reviews, awards, and testimonials shine. Don't simply link to your Google Business Profile. Embed your best, most recent, and locally specific testimonials directly onto every page of your website. Seeing that a neighbor in Tampa had a positive experience is immensely persuasive and builds instant trust.

An attractive website uses different types of pages to guide the user down the funnel. Your Service Pages should be detailed and locally optimized. Don't just list a service. Explain to your prospect how your process works in local terms. For example, a roofer's service page should discuss shingle types best suited for the Florida climate. Use these pages for Lead Capture by offering something valuable in exchange for an email address. Offer a "Tampa Home Maintenance Checklist" or a "Local Guide to Real Estate," and place these opt-in forms strategically. Capturing a lead turns an anonymous visitor into a potential customer you can nurture. If you sell directly on your website, your Pricing or Booking Page is the final conversion point, and it must be completely straightforward. Ensure your booking or purchasing process is simple and requires minimal clicks to finalize the transaction.

Remember, your website is not a passive digital billboard or a digital brochure. It should be your most effective sales funnel. By designing it for clear action, focusing all content on customer solutions, and building defined conversion pathways, you can transform your site from simply informing visitors to actively turning them into loyal customers.

Until next time, this is Ted Yeatts reminding you that local content builds trust, and trust builds business.