Ask the SEO Wizard
Great and Glorious Keeper of the Map Pack,
I only have a Facebook page. Website or Google profile first?
— an owner of a junk removal business in Vancouver, WA, adapted from a question on r/smallbusiness
Asked
I started a junk removal business and only have a Facebook page. Most jobs come from word of mouth, but I want people searching online to find me. Website first, or Google Business Profile and reviews?
The Wizard answers
Google Business Profile first. Easy call.
When someone searches “junk removal near me,” the map is what they see first. That’s where your calls come from. It’s free, and it doesn’t need a website to get started.
Set it up as a service-area business: hide your home address and list the towns you cover. Pick “Junk removal service” as your primary category. Add before-and-after photos of real jobs. People look at those before they call. Google may ask for a video to verify you, so have your truck and gear handy.
Then text every customer you’ve already had and ask for a review. Your word-of-mouth customers are your best first reviews, and they already like you.
After that, build a simple website. It doesn’t need to be fancy. One page can work at first:
- What you haul, and what you don’t.
- The towns you cover.
- How pricing works, even roughly. “Most jobs fall between $X and $Y” builds trust.
- Your phone number, big, at the top.
Link it from your Google profile. Keep the Facebook page too. It’s great for local groups and referrals. And try Nextdoor. Junk removal does really well there.