Run five searches in incognito mode and write down what you see. This is your baseline. Run it again in 30 days and watch how far you've come!
Use alongsideRooted › Reach › The Google Test: Can People Find You?
Before you startOpen an incognito window (Cmd+Shift+N)
Auto-saving as you go
Do this in incognito mode. Your regular browser shows you personalized results. Incognito shows what a stranger actually sees. Run each search, jot down what appeared, and flag anything that looks off.
Step 1
Your church name
This is the baseline. If your church doesn't show up for its own name, that's the very first thing to fix.
Q1
Your exact church name
[Your church's full official name]
What do you see? A knowledge panel? Your website? Nothing?
What appeared:
Step 2
Denomination + city
This tells you whether people searching for your kind of church can actually find you. These are exactly the people you want to reach.
Q2
Denomination + city
[e.g. Episcopal church Nashville · Lutheran church Portland]
Do you appear in the local pack? In organic results? Are you in the top 3?
What appeared:
Step 3
Church near me
This one's all about proximity, and your Google Business Profile drives it. It's what someone searching from your neighborhood actually sees.
Q3
"Church near me"
church near me
Type this literally. Do you appear in the local pack?
What appeared:
Step 4
Neighborhood search
This one's hyperlocal. It shows how visible you are to the people right around you who search by neighborhood name.
Q4
Neighborhood + church
[e.g. Eastside church · Hyde Park church · Midtown church Nashville]
Use your actual neighborhood name. Do you show up?
What appeared:
Step 5
What you're known for
This is the long-tail search. It shows whether people with a specific need can find churches that serve them. Tailor it to what makes your church distinctive.
Q5
Distinctive attribute + church + city
[e.g. church with choir Nashville · Episcopal church with childcare Portland]
Use something genuinely distinctive about your church. Do you appear for it?
What appeared:
Wrap-up
My top 3 actions
Based on what you found, what are the few things that'll make the biggest difference?