You've invested in a website. You're active on social media. You provide excellent service. So why aren't you showing up when people search for water damage restoration in your area?
After auditing hundreds of restoration company websites, we've identified 12 common problems that kill rankings. The good news? Most are fixable within 30-90 days once you know what to look for.
The 12 Reasons You're Not Ranking
Let's diagnose your ranking problems and fix them one by one. Each section includes a quick diagnostic test and specific solutions.
Your Google Business Profile is Incomplete or Unverified
Impact: Critical - This is the #1 reason restoration companies don't rank.
Quick Diagnostic:
- • Search for your business name on Google Maps
- • Is your listing claimed and verified?
- • Are all sections complete (description, hours, services, photos)?
- • Do you have at least 10 photos?
How to Fix It:
- Claim your Google Business Profile at business.google.com
- Verify ownership (usually via postcard to your address)
- Complete every single section - no blanks
- Choose "Water Damage Restoration Service" as primary category
- Add 10-20 high-quality photos (team, equipment, before/after, vehicles)
- Write a compelling 750-character description with keywords
- List all services you offer
- Set accurate hours (including 24/7 if applicable)
Timeline: 1-2 weeks to complete, rankings improve within 30 days
You Have Few or No Google Reviews
Impact: Critical - Reviews are the #1 ranking factor for local search.
Quick Diagnostic:
- • How many Google reviews do you have? (Need 50+ minimum)
- • What's your star rating? (Need 4.5+ to compete)
- • When was your last review? (Should be within last 30 days)
- • How many reviews do your top 3 competitors have?
How to Fix It:
- Create a review request system - ask every satisfied customer
- Send review requests 24-48 hours after job completion
- Make it easy - send direct link to your Google review page
- Target 3-5 new reviews per month consistently
- Respond to ALL reviews (positive and negative) within 24 hours
- Never buy fake reviews - Google will penalize you
Timeline: Start seeing ranking improvements after 10-15 new reviews (2-3 months)
Your Website is Slow or Not Mobile-Friendly
Impact: High - 70% of emergency searches happen on mobile.
Quick Diagnostic:
- • Test your site speed at PageSpeed Insights (google.com/pagespeed)
- • Does your site load in under 3 seconds on mobile?
- • Can you easily read text and tap buttons on a phone?
- • Do images load quickly without breaking layout?
How to Fix It:
- Compress all images (use tools like TinyPNG)
- Enable browser caching and use a CDN
- Minimize CSS and JavaScript files
- Use responsive design that adapts to all screen sizes
- Make buttons large enough to tap easily (44x44 pixels minimum)
- Consider rebuilding on a modern, fast platform if site is old
Timeline: Technical fixes 1-2 weeks, full rebuild 4-6 weeks
Inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) Information
Impact: High - Confuses Google about your business legitimacy.
Quick Diagnostic:
- • Google your business name + city
- • Check if your NAP is identical on: website, GBP, Yelp, BBB, Facebook
- • Look for variations like "St" vs "Street", different phone formats
- • Check for old addresses or phone numbers still listed online
How to Fix It:
- Choose one standard format for your NAP and use it everywhere
- Update your website footer and contact page
- Update Google Business Profile
- Update all directory listings (Yelp, BBB, Angi, HomeAdvisor, etc.)
- Update social media profiles
- Request removal of old/incorrect listings
Timeline: 2-4 weeks to update all listings, rankings improve within 60 days
No Location-Specific Content on Your Website
Impact: High - Google needs to know which cities you serve.
Quick Diagnostic:
- • Do you have dedicated pages for each city you serve?
- • Does your homepage mention specific cities?
- • Do your service pages include location keywords?
- • Do you have blog content about local issues?
How to Fix It:
- Create dedicated pages for each city you serve
- Include unique content about each location (not just city name swaps)
- Add local landmarks, neighborhoods, and area-specific information
- Include location keywords in page titles and headers
- Write blog posts about local issues (flooding zones, seasonal problems)
- Add location-specific testimonials and case studies
Timeline: 2-4 weeks to create content, rankings improve within 60-90 days
Wrong Primary Category on Google Business Profile
Fix: Change primary category to "Water Damage Restoration Service" - this is critical for ranking for restoration keywords.
No Backlinks from Authoritative Sites
Fix: Get featured on local news sites, join chamber of commerce, partner with local businesses, and get listed on industry directories.
Thin, Low-Quality Content
Fix: Create comprehensive service pages (1,500+ words) and publish 2-4 blog articles per month. Quality over quantity.
Not Responding to Reviews
Fix: Respond to ALL reviews within 24 hours. Thank positive reviewers and address negative reviews professionally.
No Schema Markup on Website
Fix: Add LocalBusiness schema markup to help Google understand your business details. Use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper.
Targeting the Wrong Keywords
Fix: Target "water damage restoration [city]" not just "water damage." Focus on commercial intent keywords that lead to calls.
Giving Up Too Soon
Fix: SEO takes 3-6 months to show significant results. Stay consistent with optimization efforts and don't expect overnight success.
Your 90-Day Ranking Recovery Plan
Here's a prioritized action plan to fix your ranking problems and start generating more leads:
Foundation Fixes
- • Claim and complete Google Business Profile
- • Fix NAP inconsistencies across all platforms
- • Set up review request system
- • Audit website speed and mobile-friendliness
Content & Reviews
- • Create location-specific pages for each city
- • Start collecting 3-5 reviews per month
- • Optimize website speed and mobile experience
- • Add schema markup to website
Authority Building
- • Build quality backlinks from local sources
- • Publish 2-4 blog articles per month
- • Continue review collection consistently
- • Post weekly updates to Google Business Profile
Expected Outcomes
- • 3-5 position improvement in Google Maps by month 2
- • Top 3 ranking by month 3 in most markets
- • 50-90% increase in phone calls by month 3
- • Consistent, predictable lead flow by month 4+
Need Help Fixing Your Rankings?
Diagnosing ranking problems is one thing—fixing them correctly is another. Most restoration companies know what they should do but lack the time, tools, and expertise to execute properly.
We've helped over 100 restoration companies fix their ranking problems and achieve top 3 positions. Our clients see an average 90% increase in phone calls within 3 months.
We'll audit your current situation, identify exactly what's holding you back, and create a custom plan to fix it. We only work with one restoration company per service area—don't let your competitor get there first.