📪 HH #114: Junk Removal SEO: 5 Mistakes Making Your Website Invisible (and How to Fix Them)
- Justin Hubbard
- Nov 8
- 6 min read
Stop chasing algorithms and start building trust in your junk removal business — the real key to getting found online.
We launched SXO on this site just a few weeks ago — and traffic shot up nearly 40%. Below, I’ll explain what we did — and how SXO bridges the gap between what people search for and how AI engines find you.
TL;DR
I’ve hated SEO for over a decade — never paid for it, never believed in it, and still grew my business to $2M a year through paid ads. But the internet has changed. Search is now AI-driven, and SEO isn’t about gaming Google anymore — it’s about teaching AI who you are and why you matter.
Forget keyword stuffing and “near me” gimmicks.
Focus on:
Writing like a human, not a robot.
Building pages that actually answer what people search for.
Creating local, real-world proof that you exist and deliver.
That’s the future — AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and SXO (Search Experience Optimization).It’s not about ranking high. It’s about being found by the right person, at the right time, with the right intent.
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We all hate junk removal SEO.
I’ve never EVER been a believer in it — and in fact, I’ve never once paid for or done any junk removal SEO work on my website in over 10 years.
And yet, during that time, I grew my company from $250K to over $2 million a year, all through the power of paid ads.
But this newsletter isn’t about paid ads, so let’s table that for now.
Because something has changed.
I said I hadn’t invested in SEO for 10 years — but I’ve been in business for over 11. And what’s changed in that time is massive.
The entire internet — and search as we once knew it — is being rebuilt in real time.
Google’s still here, but the rules have changed. Algorithms are changing. AI is rewriting how people find answers.
So now?
I’m going all in on AI search (SEO/AEO/SXO).
It feels like this invisible game some agency is always pitching, promising “Rank #1 on Google” or “Get more leads organically.”
But after a decade running service businesses, here’s what I’ve learned:
SEO is truly about earning trust with the right people who are already looking for you.
The problem?
Most haulers — and most agencies — keep repeating the same basic mistakes that make their websites invisible.
So, let’s fix that right here and right now.
Lessons / Insights
1. Using the words “near me” on your website
When someone types “junk removal near me,” Google already knows where they are.You don’t need to write those words — it makes your site sound unnatural.
Use your real locations instead. That’s how you show up locally — by proving you’re real, not by repeating what everyone else says.
2. Chasing high-difficulty keywords you can’t rank for
Trying to rank for “junk removal” or “dumpster rental” nationwide is a waste of time for local businesses.
You’re competing with real companies and lead farms spending millions on SEO and backlinks.
Start local. Create content around towns, neighborhoods, and specific services. That’s where the quick wins are. Big keywords feed your ego. Local ones feed your business.
3. Ignoring keyword variations
Most haulers pick one keyword — “junk removal” — and stop there. But real customers type it a hundred different ways:
“Junk hauling,” “trash pickup,” “garage cleanout,” “old couch removal.”
Every variation captures another slice of the market. If your pages don’t reflect how people actually talk, Google assumes you’re not relevant.
Pro tip: At Grizzly Junk Pros, our admin team literally writes down exactly how customers ask for services — all the different words and phrases.
At the end of each month, we plug that data into ChatGPT to organize and rank the importance of each term (since some are duplicates).
We start there and work our way down, creating content that specifically answers those questions. That’s AEO — Answer Engine Optimization.
4. Not matching search intent
This one’s huge. (that's what she said!) Good thing I don't have an HR team yet lol
If someone searches “dumpster rental prices,” they’re not looking for a company bio — they want pricing, sizes, and examples.
If they search “junk removal company,” they want proof — reviews, photos, and credibility.
Most people miss this part: matching search intent isn’t about more words — it’s about better answers.
If someone searches “dumpster rental prices,” put the prices at the top.
If they search “junk removal company,” lead with reviews, photos, and proof.
Give people exactly what they came for the moment they land on the page — that’s how you win both the human and the algorithm.
Your content should answer the question people meant to ask, not just the one they typed. Match the intent, and you’ll outrank anyone still keyword-stuffing.
5. Focusing on referring domains instead of quality backlinks
A lot of people brag about how many “referring domains” they have. But most are low-quality sites that don’t move the search-ability needle.
Google cares more about who links to you, not how many.
One backlink from a local news outlet or a Chamber of Commerce page beats a hundred spammy blog links.
Build relationships in your community — sponsor a cleanup, collaborate with local blogs, or get featured in your town’s directory. Those links prove you exist for crying out loud!
SEO used to be about keywords. Now it’s about context.
And soon, AI-driven search will judge your content by quality, trust, and real-world proof.
That’s why I’m all in on AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and SXO (Search Experience Optimization).
It’s really not about feeding what you think Google wants. It’s about teaching AI who you are and why you matter.
Because when someone asks an AI, “Who’s the best junk removal company near me?" You want your name to show up not because you gamed the algorithm — but because you’ve built authority that the system recognizes as earned.
This isn’t magic — it’s clarity. And the same goes for advertising in general, clarity wins over cleverness every single time.
It’s about speaking the language your customer types into Google and proving you’re the real deal when they find you.
You don’t need fancy tactics or fifty blog posts a month — you just need to stop making the rookie mistakes that confuse both people and algorithms.
At the end of the day, SEO isn’t about ranking high; it’s about being found by the right person, at the right time, with the right intent.
So I leave you with this...
If you’re running your own ads or working with an agency, spend an hour this week looking at your site like a customer would.
Ask yourself:
Does this page sound human?
Would I trust this company?
Am I answering the question someone actually searched for?
Fix that, and your SEO/AEO/SXO will start working — because you’ve made your site useful again.
That’s the Hauler’s Edge. ✌️
P.S. “Google doesn’t buy from you — people do.” The better you write for humans, the more both Google and AI reward you for it. And if you ever forget that, check your own search history. (No, not that search history! Okay, enough with the double entendres.) You don’t click the flashiest site — you click the one that answers your question fastest. That’s what wins now and in the future.
Also, my team’s currently helping a few haulers get their websites and online presence dialed in — and the results have been excellent so far. If you need help, just hit reply. We’re able to take on two more companies at this time. 👊
Justin Hubbard
And whenever you’re ready, here are a few ways I can help grow your business:
1. Get a Free Google Ads Review with AdimizeWe’ve tested everything on my own business and know what works. No contracts. No pressure. Just a free review to see what’s working and what’s not. Schedule your review here.
2. Tap Into The Hauler’s Edge AIMy custom-built AI assistant for haulers—trained on everything I’ve learned running and scaling hauling businesses. It’s like having me on call 24/7. Try it here.
3. Organize & Automate with Service Hubb AI CRMAn AI-powered CRM built for service businesses. Track leads, follow up automatically, and close more jobs without drowning in admin work. See how it works here.
4. Book a Free Strategy CallLet’s talk one-on-one about your business. You've invested in experts for your golf game and your finances—now let’s do the same for your business. Book your call here.
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