SEO Company & Digital Marketing Agency in St. Louis
Reach customers on both sides of the river, and see which marketing actually brings them in.
Looking for a marketing agency in St. Louis? Softscotch helps businesses across the Missouri and Illinois sides of the metro get found on Google, run ads that bring calls and follow up fast. We work with St. Louis businesses remotely, by video call and shared dashboards, and we do not have a St. Louis office.
A marketing agency in St. Louis for both sides of the river
A Chesterfield dentist, a Belleville roofer and a restaurant on The Hill need different things. We pick the few services that match how your customers search.
SEO for the St. Louis metro
SEO (search engine optimization) helps your site show up in unpaid Google results for your service plus a town, county or 'near me'. It builds over months.
See how we can help ↗Google ads by county and state
Search ads charge per click, so they are also called PPC (pay-per-click). We aim them at the Missouri and Illinois areas you actually serve.
See how we can help ↗A website that answers questions
A fast, phone-friendly site that says what you do, which side of the river you cover and how to reach you. You own it.
See how we can help ↗Real photos and licenses
Plain words, real photos and the licenses you really hold, so customers can trust you quickly.
See how we can help ↗Fast replies
Missed-call text back, reminders and quote follow-up, so storm weeks and busy seasons don't cost you leads.
See how we can help ↗Reports you can check remotely
A shared dashboard and a short monthly call on calls, forms, bookings and cost per lead (what each inquiry costs you).
See how we can help ↗Healthcare, bioscience, brewing and the businesses around them
St. Louis has large hospital and medical school systems, a growing plant and bioscience scene, a famous brewery, aerospace work and several big financial firms. Around them are thousands of local businesses.
Healthcare and dental
Major hospital systems and private practices compete for patients across the metro. HIPAA (patient privacy law) limits tracking.
Healthcare marketing ↗B2B, aerospace and bioscience
Suppliers and research firms sell to other businesses with long research and quote requests.
B2B marketing ↗Restaurants and nightlife
From The Hill to Soulard and the Delmar Loop, diners search by area, cuisine and 'open now'.
Restaurant marketing ↗Home services and roofing
Hot summers, ice and spring hail keep HVAC, roofing and repair firms busy. Licensing differs between the states.
Roofing marketing ↗Law firms
Many firms serve clients in both states. Lawyer ads must follow the advertising rules in each state where you practice.
Law firm marketing ↗Real estate
Buyers compare city, county and Metro East homes. Housing ads follow Fair Housing rules.
Real estate marketing ↗Three things that shape marketing in St. Louis
St. Louis sits on the Mississippi River, where Missouri meets Illinois. A few local facts change how search, ads and service areas work.
Two states, one metro
Customers cross the river daily, but licenses, taxes and some ad rules differ by state. Your pages and ads need to say clearly where you work.
City and county are separate
The City of St. Louis is not part of St. Louis County. Locals know the difference, so area pages and targeting should too.
Same town names
There is an O'Fallon on each side of the river. Vague location details send leads and ad clicks to the wrong place.
Answer what St. Louis customers ask
People want to know if you serve their side of the river, their county or their town, how soon you can help and whether you're licensed where they live. We build pages and ads around those questions.
roof repair Edwardsville
Someone searching for "roof repair Edwardsville" should land on a page that answers that need. The page can show real photos of your work, team and place and explain how to call, book or ask for a quote.
- What the page explains
- Real photos of your work, team and place, plus your offer and a clear next step.
- What you may need to ask
- What they need, plus the best way to reach them.
- What to check next
- New inquiries.
family dentist Chesterfield
Someone searching for "family dentist Chesterfield" should land on a page that answers that need. The page can show the state licenses you really hold and explain how to call, book or ask for a quote.
- What the page explains
- The state licenses you really hold, plus your offer and a clear next step.
- What you may need to ask
- Which town and state they are in, plus the best way to reach them.
- What to check next
- Quotes or bookings.
Italian restaurant The Hill
Someone searching for "Italian restaurant The Hill" should land on a page that answers that need. The page can show reviews from real St. Louis-area customers and explain how to call, book or ask for a quote.
- What the page explains
- Reviews from real St. Louis-area customers, plus your offer and a clear next step.
- What you may need to ask
- When they need it, plus the best way to reach them.
- What to check next
- New customers.
These are example searches. We check what people search for in your market before choosing the pages and ads to work on.
What the St. Louis search results tell you
We checked the top Google results for 'seo company st louis'. Here is what we found and what it means.
Local agencies near the top
Local firms rank with focused service pages. Clear, specific pages still win here.
Lists and directories
Several results were 'top companies' lists and directories. Your own listings on the right directories matter too.
Facebook recommendation threads
A Facebook page of local recommendations ranked. Word of mouth in local groups clearly counts in St. Louis.
Old pages still rank
An article from 2020 was still on page one. Fresh, useful pages for your own service may face little real competition.
SEO company services for St. Louis businesses
Local SEO means improving your website and Google listing so nearby customers find you without paying for every click. In St. Louis, it often means separate pages for the Missouri and Illinois areas you serve. It takes months, and no one can honestly promise a ranking.
Start with the questions people actually ask.
Ask what they need, which town they are in and when they need it. Asking for the town and state matters here: there is an O'Fallon in Missouri and another in Illinois.
- roof repair Edwardsville
- family dentist Chesterfield
- Italian restaurant The Hill
What we do to help you get found
We explain the work, make the agreed changes and check what happens after they go live.
Find your real searches
We check what people search for in Clayton, St. Charles or Belleville for your service, who ranks now and which pages would help most.
Google Business Profile
Your free listing for Search and Maps, with correct categories, services, hours, photos and a service area that can cross the state line.
Pages for each side
Useful pages for the Missouri counties and Metro East towns you serve, with real details such as licenses and travel times.
Honest reviews
A simple way to ask every customer for a review. Buying reviews or filtering out unhappy customers breaks Google's and the FTC's (Federal Trade Commission) rules.
Matching listings
Your name, address and phone the same on Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing and local directories.
Technical fixes
Slow pages, broken forms and phone problems fixed first, plus a check on how AI tools describe you.
St. Louis neighborhoods, counties and Metro East towns
The metro covers the City of St. Louis, several Missouri counties and the Illinois side known as the Metro East. We help you choose areas by where your customers are and where you're licensed.
City neighborhoods
Downtown, the Central West End, Soulard, The Hill, Tower Grove and Lafayette Square: dense, varied and loyal.
St. Louis County
Clayton, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield and Florissant: offices, families and many professional services.
St. Charles County
St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon and Wentzville: fast-growing suburbs west of the Missouri River.
The Metro East
Belleville, Edwardsville, Collinsville, Alton and O'Fallon on the Illinois side, with Illinois rules.
South and Jefferson County
South County and towns like Arnold and Festus, where customers often drive further.
More than one location?
Each location needs its own Google Business Profile, page and reviews, with ads split by area and state.
Ads aimed at the right side of the river
Ads can bring calls in weeks while SEO builds. We focus them on your best services and the counties you serve, in one state or both. Ad spend is paid to Google or Meta and is separate from our fee.
What should happen after someone clicks?
The page should explain your offer and make it easy to call, book or ask for a quote. A click alone does not tell us whether the ad helped your business.
We check results such as new inquiries and quotes or bookings. We also check whether the requests match what your team can provide.
What we do with your ads
The ad, the page it opens and the next step need to work together.
Target by county and state
St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and the Illinois counties can each be included or left out.
Separate campaigns per state
If rules or prices differ between Missouri and Illinois, separate campaigns keep the message and the reporting clear.
Storm-ready budgets
After hail and wind storms, roofing and repair searches jump. Budgets can rise fast and fall back when demand settles.
Local Services Ads, where they fit
For some trades and professional services, Google charges per lead instead of per click. Not every business qualifies.
Meta ads for events and offers
Facebook and Instagram can suit restaurants and events around baseball season and festivals.
Judge ads by customers
We track calls, forms and bookings from each ad and, where your records allow, which became customers.
Examples of ads we could plan with you
These show how different searches can need different pages. We choose the actual ads after checking your offer, budget and the rules for your account.
roof repair Edwardsville
What the page shows: the advertised offer, plus real photos of your work, team and place.
What to ask: what they need, plus the best way to reach them.
What to check: ad costs and new inquiries.
family dentist Chesterfield
What the page shows: the advertised offer, plus the state licenses you really hold.
What to ask: which town and state they are in, plus the best way to reach them.
What to check: ad costs and quotes or bookings.
Italian restaurant The Hill
What the page shows: the advertised offer, plus reviews from real St. Louis-area customers.
What to ask: when they need it, plus the best way to reach them.
What to check: ad costs and new customers.
Pages that turn St. Louis clicks into calls
Often you only need a clearer headline, the towns and states you serve near the top, a phone number people can tap and a short form. If a rebuild would help, we explain why, and you own the site and domain.
What a useful page should do
Tell people what you offer, answer their main questions and make it easy to call, book or ask for a quote. We check that the next step works and reaches the right person or system.
- Explain what you offer
Show what is included, who it is for and what someone can expect next. Keep different services or products clear.
- Help people make a choice
Put useful details, such as real photos of your work, team and place or the state licenses you really hold, beside the questions they answer.
- Give the practical details
Ask what they need, which town they are in and when they need it. Asking for the town and state matters here: there is an O'Fallon in Missouri and another in Illinois.
- Ask only for what you need
A useful request may include what they need, which town and state they are in, when they need it and the best way to reach them. We help you keep the form short and relevant.
- Make it work on a phone
We check reading size, loading, phone links, forms and buttons. People should be able to finish the task without zooming in or guessing what to tap.
- Make sure the request arrives
We test where forms, calls or bookings go. Your team should receive the details it needs to reply, and the visitor should know whether the request went through.
Show St. Louis customers why to choose you
Real photos of jobs in recognizable places, honest reviews and simple facts about your team help people choose a local business. You approve every claim before it goes live.
Ads that explain one useful offer
We write each ad around a clear offer and the question it answers. We choose words and images that fit the place the ad will appear. The page it opens should carry the same message.
- A clear message for the people you want to reach
- Images and words that fit the ad format
- A small test with a result we agree to check
Real details that help people decide
We help you choose what to show, such as real photos of your work, team and place, the state licenses you really hold and reviews from real St. Louis-area customers. You provide accurate details and permission to use the material. We place it where it answers a visitor's question.
- Photos or examples that match the work you offer
- Checks that the facts are right and the material can be used
- Simple captions that explain what someone is seeing
What moves demand in St. Louis through the year
Weather and the sports calendar shape St. Louis searches. The rules below are general information, not legal advice; we work with your legal or compliance team.
Spring storms
Hail and high winds bring sudden spikes in roofing, siding, tree and auto glass searches.
Hot, humid summers
Air conditioning repair, pools and lawn care peak. Outdoor events and patios get busy.
Baseball and events
Cardinals home games from spring to fall, Mardi Gras in Soulard and Fourth of July events bring crowds downtown.
Winter ice
Ice and snow lift searches for furnace repair, burst pipes and towing.
Different state rules
Licensing, taxes and some privacy laws differ. For example, Illinois has a biometric privacy law (BIPA). Check each state with your adviser.
Call and text consent
Texting leads needs their consent under the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act). Forms should ask for it.
Follow one St. Louis customer from search to quote
Picture a homeowner in Edwardsville, Illinois, whose roof was damaged in a spring hailstorm. Here is how good marketing brings them to a roofer who works on both sides of the river.
They search after the storm
They search for roof repair near Edwardsville and see a Google listing with recent reviews and a Metro East service area.
They check the page
The roofer's Illinois page explains the inspection, the insurance claim steps and the Illinois license they hold.
They ask for an inspection
They fill in a short form. A text confirms within minutes, and a reminder goes out the day before the visit.
Reply to St. Louis leads quickly
After a storm or in peak season, people call several firms. The first to reply often wins the work.
Missed-call text back
If you can't answer, the caller gets a short text within minutes. Texts follow TCPA (US call and text consent) rules.
Confirmations and reminders
Booking confirmations and reminders cut no-shows across a spread-out metro.
A simple CRM
A CRM (a simple customer list with notes and reminders) so every lead has a next step and the right state noted.
Which Softscotch services suit St. Louis businesses
Most start with one or two.
Local SEO
Maps and town searches on either side of the river.
Local SEO ↗SEO
Wider visibility for firms that sell regionally or nationally.
SEO services ↗Google Ads
Calls from people searching now, aimed by county and state.
Google Ads ↗PPC management
Ongoing care for paid search accounts, including storm-season changes.
PPC management ↗Website design
A clear site that shows where you work and turns visits into calls.
Website design ↗Lead generation
A steady flow of qualified inquiries for services and B2B.
Lead generation ↗Clear work you can see
A written plan and only the work we agree to do.
An area priority list
Which counties and towns to target first, on which side of the river.
Google listing and reviews
Your Google Business Profile fixed and a simple review request process.
Website fixes or pages
The pages agreed in your plan, tested on a phone.
An ad plan with a set budget
Which searches, which counties and how much to spend, if ads are in the plan.
Follow-up set-up
Text back, reminders and quote follow-up, tested with real calls.
A monthly report and call
What we did, what you spent and what came in, in plain English.
Start with a review, then improve
About an hour on a video call in week one, then a short monthly check-in.
Month 1: review and track
We review your site, listing, reviews and ads, check your service areas in both states and set up call and form tracking.
- A review of what you have
- The first jobs and who handles them
- Checks that requests are recorded
Month 2: first changes
We fix key pages, finish your listing, start review requests and, if agreed, launch a small county-targeted ad campaign.
- Changes to the first pages
- A small ad test where agreed
- Checks that replies reach the right team
Month 3: review and decide
We look at calls, forms, bookings and costs by area and state, then agree what to keep, change or add.
- A review of results and costs
- Changes based on what we learned
- A clear plan for the next jobs
Start by sending your website and telling us what you want help with.
How pricing works for St. Louis businesses
We don't publish prices. Cost depends on the services you need, how many areas and states you cover, how competitive your searches are, how much website work is needed and whether it is a project or monthly work. Ad spend goes to Google or Meta and is separate from our fee. Ask for a free marketing review and we send a scoped quote.
What we agree with you
Our work: the pages, writing, ads, fixes and reports included in your plan.
Your part: accurate details about your St. Louis business, the materials we need and someone to approve the work.
The cost: our fees, any ad budget and any extra tool or website costs are listed separately.
Approvals: your team checks prices, claims, permissions and any sensitive information before it is used.
See what changed each month
Each month you see calls, forms and bookings, split by county or state where possible, and what each new customer cost. If something can't be measured yet, we say so.
What we explain in your report
- How people found you
We show which searches and sources brought people to your website. We also explain which pages we changed and what happened after those changes.
- What you spent and received
We show ad costs alongside useful results such as new inquiries. Where records allow, we work out the cost of each result and compare different ads or offers.
- What happened after the first step
We look at quotes or bookings and new customers where your records allow. A click, a request and a completed sale or visit are different things, so we report them separately.
We point out missing information and results based on only a few people. If a result cannot be checked, we explain what information is missing.
Make the basics work before adding more
Before adding anything new, we check three things.
Can customers reach you?
Phone links, forms and booking work on a phone, and every request reaches you.
Is your area clear?
Your site, listing and ads all say which towns and which state or states you serve.
Can you see what's working?
Calls and forms are tracked to their source and area.
How to choose a marketing agency in St. Louis
Ask any agency these questions, including us.
Where is the team?
Some agencies are in St. Louis; we work remotely. Either can work if you know who you'll talk to and how often.
Can you handle two states?
Ask how they set up pages, listings and ads for Missouri and Illinois.
Who owns the accounts?
Your website, Google listing and ad accounts should stay yours.
What will the report show?
Calls, forms, bookings and customers, not just clicks.
How is pricing worked out?
Ask what drives cost and whether ad spend is separate. We send a scoped quote after a free review.
How SEO pricing works ↗Across all our client work: 2,140+ keywords on page one, $12M+ in ad spend managed, $28M+ in revenue for clients and 87,200+ leads. These are not St. Louis-only figures, and we don't promise rankings or lead numbers.
St. Louis marketing questions
Straight answers to what St. Louis business owners ask about agencies, cost and local search.
Do you have an office in St. Louis?
No. We work with St. Louis businesses remotely, by video call, email and shared dashboards. We don't have a St. Louis address or local phone number. You get a named contact and a regular monthly call.
Can you market my business in both Missouri and Illinois?
Yes. We can set up pages, a Google listing service area and ads that cover both sides of the river, with separate reporting for each state. You make sure you hold the right licenses in each.
How long does SEO take in St. Louis?
Usually several months before steady changes show. Searches in one town or county often move sooner than broad metro-wide terms. Ads can bring calls while SEO builds.
Should I have separate pages for the Metro East?
If you serve Illinois customers, usually yes. A page about your Illinois work, with real details and the right license, helps both customers and Google.
How do I avoid mix-ups between towns with the same name?
Always use the town and state together, such as O'Fallon, Missouri, on your site, listings and ads, and ask for both on your forms.
How should a roofer or contractor plan for storm season?
Have storm pages, Google listing posts and ad budgets ready before spring. When hail hits, raise budgets in the affected areas and make sure every call is answered.
How does Google Business Profile work for a service-area business?
If you work at customers' homes, you can hide your address and list the areas you serve, including towns across the state line. You still need a real address to verify it.
How much does a marketing agency in St. Louis cost?
It depends on your services, how many areas and states you cover, how competitive your searches are and how much website work is needed. Ad spend is separate. We don't publish prices; get a free review and a scoped quote.
Is ad spend included in your fee?
No. Ad spend is paid to Google or Meta and shown separately. Our fee covers planning, building and managing the work.
Can you work with me without visiting?
Yes. SEO, ads and websites are done online. We ask for photos and facts only you have and walk through things together on video calls.
Can you guarantee top rankings in St. Louis?
No honest agency can. Google decides rankings. We promise clear work, honest reporting and changes based on what the numbers show.
What should a monthly marketing report include?
What was done, what you spent, and calls, forms, bookings and new customers, split by county or state where possible.
No questions match. Try a different word or choose all questions.
More ways we can help
Before you decide
Let’s look at your St. Louis business together.
Send your website and tell us what you would like to improve. We will explain what we find and talk through the next useful steps with you.