A Simple SEO Tip for Service Providers in Ottawa (That Almost No One Is Doing)

You have a small business, and you know your offer is helpful. You know it’s needed. You’ve put your heart into it. But no one is booking. No one is showing up to classes. No inquiries are landing in your inbox.

So what’s going on?

Often, it’s not your offer. It’s online visibility. No one knows you’re out here with your awesome business! Today, I want to show you one very simple Image SEO for beginners strategy that can increase your online visibility almost immediately.

Step 1: Rename Your Image Files

Yes. That’s it. Rename your photo files. Most business owners upload images to their website and social media like this:

❌ 1234.jpg

❌ IMG_9485.png

❌ final-version-2.jpg

Search engines have no idea what that means.

Instead, rename your files like this:

✅ ottawa-doula-support.jpg

✅ chelsea-lactation-support.jpg

✅ ottawa-portraits-women.jpg

✅ ottawa-yoga-classes-beginners.jpg

Use this format:

location-service-detail.jpg

For example:

ottawa-family-photographer.jpg

gatineau-nutrition-coach.jpg

ottawa-therapist-anxiety-support.jpg

This helps Google understand: What you do, Who you serve, Where you are located - and that matters.

Why This Works (SEO Made Simple)

People use image search far more than you might think. They search:

“Ottawa doula”

“Lactation support Chelsea”

“Women’s Portraits Ottawa”

“Beginner yoga Ottawa”

When your image file names include those keywords, you increase the chances that: Your website shows up in Google search, your images show up in Google image results, and your business becomes easier to find.

And here’s the side effect:

Optimizing your images also optimizes your entire website for search engines.

That means better SEO overall.

More visibility.

More traffic.

More chances for someone to book.

Step 2: Start With Your Most Important Pages

Be chill. Start with your homepage images and your service page images.

Rename the files before uploading, or if they’re already uploaded, replace them with newly named files, or update the image title and alt text in your website backend.

Keep it simple. Every little thing you do (that I suggest all over my Instagram page!!) will have an impact, and it will add up to more people finding you online!

Some people prefer to work through their SEO and website visibility in a focused VIP day together.

Step 3: Do This for Social Media Too

When you upload to Instagram, your file name still exists behind the scenes. Rename your image before posting. It’s one more small signal to search engines about what you do and where you work.

If you are a service provider in the Ottawa-Gatineau region, this matters even more. Local SEO is powerful. People are likely searching for what you offer right now. Make it easier for them to find you. If you’re not booking, it’s often an Online Visibility Problem - most folks go to search engines to find what they are looking for, so let’s get you out there!

SEO can be simple and step-by-step. Sometimes it’s as simple as renaming a file - for real!

Want to Fix Your Online Visibility Step by Step?

I’m hosting an in-person event in March in the Ottawa-Gatineau region, where we'll walk through SEO for beginners, Website optimization, and how to increase your online visibility in one day.

Clear. Grounded. Practical. If you’re a service provider in Ottawa or Gatineau and you want more clients booking your services, come join us.

You can find the details here.

Let’s make it easier for the right people to find you so you can get to work!

Join the Next Workshop!