The local keywords your Duncan or Nanaimo business should be targeting

The problem with how most businesses think about keywords

Most small business websites target the same mistake: they optimise for what they do, not what their customers search for. A Victoria plumber might write their homepage entirely around the word "plumbing services" — but nobody types "plumbing services" into Google. They type "emergency plumber Victoria BC" or "hot water tank replacement Victoria."

Local keyword research is about finding the exact phrases real people in your area type when they need what you offer. Once you know those phrases, you can use them in the right places on your site and dramatically improve your chances of appearing in search results.

This guide shows you how to find those phrases for your Vancouver Island business — without paying for expensive tools.

Start with what your customers say, not what you say

Think about the last five times a customer contacted you. How did they describe what they needed? What words did they use? Your customers' language is often different from industry language. A roofer says "torch-on membrane." Their customer says "flat roof repair Nanaimo." The customer's version is the keyword you want.

Make a list of every service you offer, written the way a customer would ask for it. "Deck building Duncan BC." "Dog grooming Cobble Hill." "Wedding photographer Vancouver Island." These become your starting points.

Use Google autocomplete — it's free and real

Open an incognito window in your browser (so your search history doesn't influence results) and start typing one of your starting phrases into Google. Don't press Enter — just watch the autocomplete suggestions drop down. Those suggestions are what real people are searching for, right now, in volume high enough for Google to suggest them.

Try variations: "plumber Duncan," "plumber Duncan BC," "emergency plumber Duncan," "plumber near Duncan." Each variation surfaces different suggestions. Screenshot and save the ones that are relevant to your business.

Check "People Also Ask"

When you do run a search on Google, look for the "People Also Ask" box in the results. This shows questions real searchers have asked related to your topic. For a landscaping business in Nanaimo, you might see "How much does landscaping cost in BC?" or "What is the best time to plant in BC?"

These questions are opportunities. If you write a page or blog post that clearly answers one of them, you have a real shot at appearing in that featured snippet box — which gets you visibility even if you don't rank #1 in regular results.

Understand search intent

Not all keywords mean the same thing. "Electrician Nanaimo" is a commercial keyword — someone looking to hire. "How to wire a light switch" is an informational keyword — someone wanting to do it themselves (probably not your customer). Focus your homepage and service pages on commercial keywords. Save informational keywords for blog posts that build your authority.

The most valuable keywords for most local businesses combine a service with a location: [service] + [city/area]. "House painter Victoria BC." "HVAC repair Comox Valley." "Dog trainer Duncan." These are the phrases where someone is actively looking for a business to hire.

Vancouver Island — specific patterns to know

People searching on Vancouver Island often use multiple location terms. "Victoria BC" is common. So is "Greater Victoria," "Saanich," "Oak Bay," "Langford." In the Cowichan Valley, you'll see "Duncan BC," "Cowichan Valley," and individual community names like "Cobble Hill" or "Shawnigan Lake."

If you serve multiple communities, don't try to cram them all into one page. Create a separate service area page for each major location — optimised for that specific place. A Duncan HVAC company might have pages for Duncan, Cobble Hill, Mill Bay, Chemainus, and Ladysmith. Each page targets local searchers in that community and has a real shot at ranking for "[service] [town]" searches.

Where to put your keywords

Once you have your target keyword for a page, use it in these places — naturally, without forcing it:

• Page title tag — the most important SEO signal on the page (more on this in the page titles article)
• H1 heading — the main headline visible on the page
• First paragraph — establish what the page is about early
• At least one subheading (H2 or H3)
• Image alt text — describe images with relevant terms
• URL slug — /plumber-duncan-bc/ is better than /services/

One keyword per page. Don't try to rank one page for ten different things. Give each service its own page, each with a focused keyword and supporting content.

How often should you revisit your keywords?

Search behaviour shifts over time. New services emerge, local events create new search patterns, and competitors adjust their strategies. A keyword review once or twice a year — refreshing your target phrases and checking your rankings — keeps your site from drifting. If you're on the Care or Priority plan at Design Menu, this is part of what the annual and quarterly SEO check-ins cover.