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Local SEO is all about making sure your agency appears in top search results for businesses in your area. Placing well in local search results can be a game-changer for insurance agencies.

It’s a good idea to hire an SEO expert to give your website a comprehensive overhaul. But if your budget can’t support it right now, there are a few simple things anyone can do to improve local search rankings without expert help.

Your first move should be to claim a Google My Business listing. Once you’ve claimed your listing, you can fill it out with your updated business name, address, hours, contact information, and a link to your website. This single move can improve your agency’s chances of appearing in local search results.

Next, create pages and blog posts that specifically focus on locations you’re targeting. For instance, if you’re in the San Diego area and your clients come from a variety of regional suburbs, you might create web content that discusses insurance solutions for clients in the Del Mar, Coronado, La Mesa, or Carlsbad areas.

You could discuss specific issues faced by people in those areas, for instance—such as traffic issues, local business districts, residential neighborhoods, and so on. But you don’t need to get that specific. As long as the pages or posts are unique, informative and highlight your relevant keywords, you’ll be a step ahead.

Another idea for localized search content is to discuss local news events through the lens of insurance. For instance, what does increased flooding in your area mean for insurance premiums for commercial clients or homeowners?

Finally, it’s important to encourage people to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing. This will both help with your visibility and work to sell your agency when prospective customers are on the page.

There are lots of ways to encourage reviews—including in person. Ask new customers to leave your review at the conclusion of a sale; email happy customers soliciting a review; or include a request in your email signature with a link to your Google My Business account.

Bear in mind, however, that while Google is fine with business owners asking for reviews, Yelp prefers that you don’t.

Local search can play a big role in generating new business, and while professional help is always encouraged, you can do a lot for your local search performance by taking a few simple steps. Consider developing location-specific content, claim your Google My Business listing, and cultivate and encourage reviews, and you should be well on your way.