SEO.
You’ve heard about it. You've asked about it. Maybe you’re up at night thinking about it?
Don't worry, that's why wer'e here! Self storage SEO may feel scary, but it really isn't that complicated.
Let’s take a look at some common questions self storage operators ask about SEO for storage facilities and how they can help your ranking!
SEO means Search Engine Optimization—it’s how you get your site to show up more on Google.
This encompasses everything from how your site is built on the back end to how the content is written. And it's a critical element of your self storage marketing efforts.
SEO is meant to help you show up better in two main places:
When it comes to self storage SEO, you should focus primarily on ranking in the Local Pack.
Pug Pro Tip: If you need to focus on one rank, focus on ranking in the top 3 Local Pack results. They get the most clicks for storage.
For organic results in very competitive markets, and especially with new sites, it’s best to focus on your progress versus yourself. As long as your site is improving on a regular basis and you’re getting enough rentals, that’s a win.
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One of the most common concerns from operators is that they don't rank #1 on Google.
There are many reasons why you may not show up at the #1 slot when you run a search. They include:
There are probably more reasons, too. Each has its own solution, ranging from just learning the right way to audit your Google search results to even running Google Ads for self storage.
Read on to the next section for some help solving these issues.
Not happy with your rank and want it to get better?
For most facilities, the work needs to begin with your local rank. Local Pack results rely heavily on Google Business Profile-related factors.
Here are some ways to improve your self storage SEO:
This is a bit tricky. The most obvious answer is Rank #1, of course.
But there’s more to it than that.
If your market is very slow and lacking competition, then aiming for #1 is reasonable. But if you’re in a very competitive market, you need to readjust your goals.
We know that storage units near me is the most common search term for storage customers. We also know that most customers only come from within a few miles.
Therefore, the best result is actually to show up for both the Local Pack and the first page organically when searching “storage units near me” within a couple of miles of your facility.
In competitive markets, a first-page organic result is actually very good so long as you’re also showing up in the Local Pack results.
Sometimes, people run a search, can’t see their website, and panic: “Why can’t I find my storage facility’s website on Google?”
Before you panic, check these things:
In a very slow market, you can reasonably expect to be on the first page. If you’re in a larger city with a more competitive market, you may need to check pages two, three, or even four.
If you are actually searching your business’s name in the city and can’t find your site, there’s a very strong possibility you aren’t indexed. Check Google Search Console immediately!
Pug Pro Tip: It’s important to search the right way before panicking about not showing up. We recommend being within two miles of your facility and searching “storage units near me.” If you aren’t near your facility, you can search “storage units CITY STATE” (filling in your facility’s city and state), but keep in mind that these results are skewed in larger markets.
As a best practice, consider tweaking your on-page content once every few months.
Thankfully, SEO for self storage doesn’t change all that much. We aren’t chasing SEO trends the way that bloggers or full-blown ecommerce sites are.
It doesn’t even need to be a big update. It can be just a few tweaks to the content on the most important pages. If there is no major problem with the content, don’t overhaul it.
If a competitor moves ahead of you after editing their page, though, it’s worth considering an update yourself to stay fresh in Google’s eyes.
The only way to understand a ranking difference is to investigate on a case-by-case basis.
Below are some reasons that may explain why. You should investigate each potential reason.
More than one of these may apply. Different factors add up and lead to Google’s decision on which site to rank higher.
Remember, ranking higher doesn't mean always mean someone is "better" – it can just mean they are a larger brand.
Try searching "restaurants near me", and see who appears. You'll probably see a lot of fast food chains because they are popular. Storage is the same. National brands like ExtraSpace or Public Storage are hard to compete with digitally, but plenty of customers will go looking for a local brand, even if you aren't ranked as high.
If your site (or major changes to your site) has only been live for a little while, give it time. We would generally recommend giving it at least 4 to 6 months before being concerned that there is a problem.
Take these two examples: The first is traffic for one of our blog posts, and the second is the traffic for a self storage website. Neither example had any updates. It just took Google a few months to catch on.
That’s great to hear! Ultimately, a self storage operator should really be focused on rentals.
If none of the above information solves your problem—or maybe if you find out SEO isn’t the problem at all—there are other ways you can get more rentals.
Check out our Small Business Guide to Increasing Occupancy for some ideas on how to get started. And if people are landing on your website but just not renting, you might need to work on improving your conversions with better self storage website design or a refined pricing strategy.
Here are some of my other favorite posts to check out!
At StoragePug, we build self storage websites that make it easy for new customers to find you and easy for them to rent from you.
