Tenants turn to Google to find storage facilities in their area. They may search for “self storage near me” or “self storage Vancouver” to find a nearby facility. If your self-storage website doesn’t appear among the top five or six results on Google for a relevant query, tenants are unlikely to see or visit it.
Tenants may also use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini to find self-storage facilities, compare options, and conduct further research. Although the percentage of users who use AI tools to search for self-storage facilities is small compared with Google, it’s still beneficial for facilities to improve their AI visibility and attract more website traffic through AI search.
Here are some self-storage SEO tips to improve your Google organic search rankings.
Create Location Pages and Include Relevant Keywords in SEO Titles
If your facility is in Calgary, create a “Self Storage Calgary” location page. If you have a facility in Burnaby, create a “Self Storage Burnaby” location page. Location pages can help your facility rank for local searches. Without a dedicated local facility page, it may be difficult for your location to rank highly in Google search results for local queries.
In addition to including “Self Storage” in the location page’s SEO title, you can include “Storage Units,” “Storage Locker,” or other relevant search terms that tenants use to find self-storage facilities.
To find relevant search terms, use the Google Ads Keyword Planner. You can select geographic locations (e.g., Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer) and enter a phrase. The Keyword Planner will then suggest related search terms. Once you’ve identified relevant keywords, you can add them to your location page SEO titles.Google Ads Keyword Planner Tool
Create Storage Unit Size Pages
Tenants may search for specific storage unit sizes, such as “5×5 storage unit” or “5×10 storage unit.” To rank for these queries, create dedicated landing pages for each storage unit size.
Gain Backlinks
The number of backlinks a website earns remains important for SEO. A backlink is a link to your website from an external website and can be seen as a vote of confidence. The more high-quality backlinks a website earns, the more authoritative it may appear to Google, potentially helping it rank higher in search results. There are several ways to earn backlinks. For example, you can obtain high-quality backlinks from trusted vendors, write guest blog posts, or join your local chamber of commerce and earn a backlink through your member profile.
Implement Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools on the Website
Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools are webmaster tools provided by Google and Microsoft, respectively. Both tools show your website’s search performance data, such as the number of clicks and impressions it receives from Google or Bing, the search queries it ranks for, and some search data from AI-powered platforms, such as Google AI Mode or Microsoft Copilot.
Example of Google Search Console data for Google’s generative AI platforms
Gain Positive Google Reviews Consistently
The number of positive Google reviews a business receives remains an important factor in local search. A steady stream of reviews may help a business, such as a self-storage facility, appear more prominently in the Google Local Pack and Google Maps. So, be sure to ask your tenants to leave a Google review!
Improve Page Speed
Fast page load times improve the user experience (UX) and can also benefit SEO. Several tools can help you assess your website’s page speed, including the popular PageSpeed Insights tool. Enter your website URL to see desktop and mobile performance scores out of 100, along with a list of actions you can take to improve your website’s page speed.PageSpeed Insights
Write Blog Posts That Answer Questions
Tenants search for answers to questions such as “Is it safe to put a bed in a storage unit?” or “What can you fit in a 5×5 storage unit?” To rank for these queries in Google search results and AI results, such as Google AI Overviews, write articles that address these questions. Although there’s no guarantee that these articles will reach the top of Google search results or appear in AI results, answering common questions can improve your chances of being featured in organic search results and AI-generated responses.
To find common questions tenants ask about self-storage, use https://alsoasked.com/.https://alsoasked.com/
Now that we’ve covered some tips for improving your rankings in Google’s organic search results, here are some tips for improving your AI visibility.
Get Featured in Listicles or Positive Brand Mentions
AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini may reference third-party reviews to learn about brands and make recommendations in AI-generated results. If you want AI tools to recommend your self-storage facility, build positive brand mentions and aim to be featured near the top of relevant blog listicles. These efforts may improve how AI tools perceive your brand and increase the likelihood that your facility will be featured in AI results.
Gain Positive Google Reviews or from Other Review Directories
As with brand mentions and listicles, positive Google reviews and reviews on other directories can help AI tools find favourable information about your self-storage facility, potentially increasing the likelihood that it will appear in AI results.
Gain High-Quality Backlinks
If an AI platform cannot find results directly in its database, it may use query fan-out, searching traditional search engines such as Google or Bing for information. As mentioned above, earning more high-quality backlinks can help your self-storage website appear authoritative to search engines. This may improve its traditional search rankings and, in turn, increase its visibility in AI results.
Write Content That Answers Questions
As with ranking in Google search results for question-based queries, writing content or blog posts that address tenants’ questions can help your articles get cited in AI results. This visibility can increase brand awareness and help turn prospects into leads.
