“How I Helped a Local Cleaning Business Rank on Google Using Semrush (Case Study + Step-by-Step)”
🧠 Intro: Small Business, Big SEO Win
Most small business owners assume SEO is too complicated or expensive to bother with. But in 2025, with AI-powered tools like Semrush, even a one-person cleaning service can outrank big franchises.
In this post, I’ll show you how I used Semrush to help a local cleaning business go from page 5 to page 1 of Google in just 6 weeks — without paying a dime to an SEO agency.
👤 Client Snapshot: “Fresh Shine Cleaning”
- Local business serving a single city (Raleigh, NC)
- One owner/operator, no website traffic
- No SEO knowledge, basic website built on WordPress
- Goal: Get more local calls from people searching “house cleaners near me”
🚧 The Problem
Their site wasn’t optimized for keywords, had no blog content, and didn’t appear in the top 50 results for any relevant search term.
✅ The Solution: Semrush AI Tools
Step 1: Keyword Research for Local Intent
Using the Keyword Magic Tool, we found low-competition phrases people actually search for in their area:
- house cleaning Raleigh NC
- weekly maid service Raleigh
- move-out cleaning service near me
We built a keyword list and clustered them using Semrush’s AI keyword grouping feature.
Step 2: AI Content Creation
We used Semrush’s Content Template + SEO Writing Assistant to create:
- A new service page: “Weekly Maid Service in Raleigh”
- A blog post: “5 Signs You Need a Deep Clean Before Moving Out”
- Meta title and description optimized with keywords + AI suggestions
The built-in readability and tone checker helped us make it friendly, clear, and persuasive.
Step 3: Technical Fixes & Local SEO Boost
Semrush’s Site Audit Tool identified:
- Missing alt tags
- Slow page speed
- No Google Business Profile link
We fixed each issue (with WordPress plugins) and followed Semrush’s Local SEO Checklist to update their Google listing.
Step 4: Tracking Progress
We added the keywords to the Position Tracker in Semrush and monitored weekly changes. Within 2 weeks, the blog post hit page 2. By week 6, the “weekly maid service” page ranked #4 in local search.
📈 The Results
| Metric | Before | After (6 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| Google Rankings | Not ranked | Top 5 for 3 local keywords |
| Monthly Website Visitors | ~18 | 300+ |
| Contact Form Submissions | 0 | 12 |
| ROI | 0 | $1,000+ bookings |
💰 Want to Try This on Your Own Site?
You can replicate this exact process using Semrush’s free trial.
👉 Start your 7-day FREE trial of Semrush here (affiliate link)
No SEO experience needed. Just follow the AI-powered roadmap.
🧠 Takeaway for Local Businesses
You don’t need a big budget or tech skills to start ranking on Google. With the right tools and strategy, even solo businesses can dominate local search results.