Learning Hub

DIY Durango is a self-paced course that walks you through getting your business found on Google — one short, practical lesson at a time.

Every lesson is a small, real task for your business: claiming your Google listing, fixing your business details across directories, improving your website, earning reviews, and more. You do the work; the app explains why it matters, shows you exactly how, and checks it for you where it can.

You earn points, unlock new stages, and collect badges as you go, so it is easy to see how far you have come.

Related: Your first 15 minutes, How the course is organized

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The bar at the top of every page has six tabs:

• Home — your next lesson, your numbers at a glance, and anything that needs a quick refresh.
• Course — every course, track, module, and lesson, with your progress through each.
• My Business — your website, your Google connection, and your business details ready to copy.
• Local SEO — where you show up on Google, how you compare with competitors, and your real Google numbers.
• Achievements — your points, stage, badges, and recent wins.
• Help — this Learning Hub.
• In the top corner you will also find your day streak (the flame), your stage and points, the Tips button, and the light/dark switch.

Related: Using page tips

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Page tips add a small ? button next to cards and sections across the app. Press one to see what that part of the screen means and what to do with it — handy when something looks unfamiliar.

Tips stay on until you turn them off, and they are saved on this device only.

1. Press Tips at the top of any page (the light-bulb button) to turn tips on or off.
2. Press any ? to open its explanation. Press it again, press Escape, or click away to close it.
3. Many tips end with a Learn more link that opens the full article here in the Help Center.

Related: Finding your way around

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Everything in DIY Durango is organized into four levels, from big to small:

• Course — a complete topic, such as Online Visibility (the main local SEO course) or Reputation & Reviews.
• Track — a stage of a course. The main course has three: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
• Module — a group of related lessons, such as getting your business on Google.
• Lesson — one small task with a short checklist. Most take 5 to 20 minutes.

Work in order where you can — each module builds on the one before it. The Continue card on Home always picks a sensible next lesson for you.

Related: Switching between courses, Why is a track locked?, How to complete a lesson

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Besides the main Online Visibility course, DIY Durango includes shorter courses on Reputation & Reviews, Marketing Compliance Essentials, and Email Marketing. Your points, streak, and badges are shared across all of them.

To switch, open Course and pick a course from the course cards at the top of the page.

Related: How the course is organized

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1. Read the short explanation and the "Why this matters" box so you know what you are doing and why.
2. Do each step for your business. Steps that happen on another website (like Google or a directory) include a link that opens it in a new tab.
3. Tick each step as you finish it. Your progress is saved as you go, so you can stop and come back anytime.
4. Check your work with the button at the bottom once every step is ticked. Depending on the lesson, you either confirm it yourself or the app runs an automatic check.
5. Collect your points — finishing a lesson adds its points, keeps your streak going, and may earn a badge.

Once a lesson is complete it stays complete — you cannot accidentally lose points by un-ticking a step.

Related: How lessons get checked, How points work

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Every lesson ends with one of two kinds of check:

• Automatic check — the app looks at your connected Google account or your website to confirm the work is really done (for example, that your Google Business Profile is claimed). These need your website added and/or Google connected on My Business.
• Confirm when done — for work the app cannot see (like printing a review card), you confirm it yourself once every step is ticked.

If an automatic check does not pass yet, it tells you what it found. Some changes (especially on Google) can take a few hours or days to show up — try again later. The app also re-checks your completed work in the background about once a day and marks lessons done when they pass.

Related: Connecting Google, My lesson will not verify, "Needs a quick refresh"

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Tracks unlock as your stage goes up, so you build the basics before the advanced work. By default the Intermediate track unlocks when you reach the Intermediate stage (500 points) and the Advanced track unlocks at the Advanced stage (1,500 points).

The quickest way to unlock the next track is to keep finishing lessons in the track you are on. The shorter courses (Reviews, Compliance, Email) are open from day one.

Related: Stages, How points work

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Things change online — a listing gets edited, a page is removed, hours go out of date. When the app's regular re-check finds that something you completed has drifted, the lesson shows up on Home under Things change — these need a quick refresh.

Open the lesson, fix what changed, and run the check again. You keep the points you already earned, and fixing it earns extra maintenance points.

Related: How lessons get checked, How points work

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Each lesson shows how many points it is worth. You earn them once, when the lesson is complete — ticking individual steps saves your place but does not add points on its own.

Bigger, more valuable tasks are worth more points. Fixing completed work that has drifted earns a smaller bonus (about a quarter of the lesson's points) as maintenance points.

Points add up across every course and move you up through the stages.

Related: Stages, Badges

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Your stage shows how far along you are. Everyone starts at Beginner. By default you reach Intermediate at 500 points and Advanced at 1,500 points.

The progress bar next to your stage shows how many points you need to reach the next one. Reaching a new stage also unlocks the matching track in the main course.

Related: Why is a track locked?, How points work

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Your day streak counts how many days in a row you have made progress. Finishing a lesson (or fixing one that needs a refresh) on a new day adds one to your streak. Days follow your local time.

Miss a day and the streak normally starts over — but once your streak is at least 3 days, the app automatically forgives one missed day (a streak freeze). After a freeze is used, another one becomes available 7 days later.

A 7-day streak earns the 7-Day Streak badge.

Related: Badges, Reminders & emails

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Badges celebrate milestones. You earn them automatically — there is nothing to claim. A few examples:

• First Lesson Complete — finish any lesson.
• On the Map — finish the module that gets your business onto Google Search and Maps.
• Consistent Listings — get your business details matching across the directories that matter.
• Data Connected — connect Google Analytics and Search Console.
• Track Complete badges — finish every lesson in a track or short course.
• 7-Day Streak and 1,000 Points — keep showing up.

Locked badges show a padlock until you earn them. See them all on Achievements.

Related: How points work, Day streaks

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1. Open My Business.
2. In the Website card, start typing your business name to find it, or type your web address (for example, mybusiness.com).
3. Press Save. The app takes a quick first look at your site so it can check website lessons later.

No website yet? That is fine — skip this. Lessons that depend on a website will simply wait until you add one.

Related: Connecting Google

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Connecting Google lets the app check many lessons automatically and show your real visitor and search numbers. It is optional — every lesson can still be completed without it.

One connection covers three Google tools: Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and your Google Business Profile. The app reads your data to check lessons and show your numbers. It changes nothing on Google by itself: a review reply or Business Profile post goes out only when you press Post or schedule it (DIY Plus and Pro). You can disconnect anytime.

1. Open My Business and press Connect with Google.
2. Sign in with the Google account that manages your business's website and Business Profile.
3. Review the permissions and approve. You will come straight back to the app.

Seeing "Google hasn't verified this app"? That screen appears while our app's review with Google is still in progress — it does not mean anything is wrong. Choose Advanced, then Go to … (unsafe), and approve. Either way, nothing is posted to Google unless you ask.

If your Business Profile card asks you to reconnect, your earlier connection was made before Business Profile access was added. Reconnecting once lets the app check your hours, photos, and posts.

Related: Analytics, Search Console & Business Profile — what are they?, Google connection problems, Privacy & disconnecting Google

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• Google Business Profile — your free listing on Google Search and Maps (hours, phone, photos, reviews). For a local business, it is often the first thing customers see.
• Google Search Console — shows how people find your website on Google: which searches you appear for and how often people click.
• Google Analytics (GA4) — counts visitors to your website and what they do there.

Do not have one of these yet? Several lessons walk you through setting each one up from scratch.

Related: Connecting Google

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Search engines trust a business more when its name, address, and phone number (often called NAP) are exactly the same everywhere online. Even small differences, like "St." versus "Street", can cause confusion.

The business details card shows your details in one place with a copy button next to each line. When a lesson asks you to fill in a directory or your Google listing, copy and paste from the card instead of retyping — that is the easiest way to keep everything identical.

Related: Adding or changing your website

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The app reads your Google data to check lessons and show your numbers, and only you can see your data in the app. It changes nothing on Google by itself: a review reply or Business Profile post goes out only when you press Post or schedule it (DIY Plus and Pro).

To disconnect, open My Business and press Disconnect Google on the Google connected card. You can also remove access anytime from your Google Account's security settings. Lessons that were already completed stay completed.

Related: Connecting Google

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When you sign up, we email you a one-time link to set your password. Use it once, then sign in with your email and password from then on.

Lost the email or the link expired? On the sign-in page, use Resend my setup link and enter the email you signed up with. Forgot your password later? Use the password reset option on the sign-in page.

Related: Contacting support

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Press the moon/sun button at the top of any page to switch between light and dark mode. Your choice is remembered on this device.

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We may email you about your progress, such as a weekly digest. Every email includes an unsubscribe link if you would rather not receive them.

Related: Day streaks

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Use Sign out at the top right of any page on a larger screen, or the Sign out button at the bottom of this Help Center on any screen size.

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DIY Durango is free to start. DIY Plus and DIY Pro are optional monthly plans that add tools on top of the free course. Compare them on the Pricing page. Plans renew automatically each month (or each year, if you choose yearly) until you cancel.

Tracked searches are the Google searches we keep an eye on for you. Your full list of Google searches on Local SEO always stays visible on every plan; a plan decides how many of them are tracked with weekly updates and alerts.

1. Pick a plan on the Pricing page. Choose monthly or yearly (yearly is 2 months free). If you have never had a paid plan, the button says Start free trial and no card is needed.
2. Read the terms shown above the button and tick the box to agree. You confirm on Stripe's secure page, so we never see your card.
3. Come back to your Account page. It shows your plan, your next renewal date and, during a free trial, how many days are left. To keep your plan after the trial, press Add a card. With no card on file you go back to the free plan when the trial ends, and your progress stays.
4. Change or cancel online in Account → Manage plan. It takes one step and happens right away. You keep what you paid for until the end of the period.

Related: Signing in & your password, Contacting support

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These tools are under Local SEO. Everyone can read their Google reviews. DIY Plus adds replies drafted for you. DIY Pro adds review requests, a reviews box for your website, Google posts and a monthly PDF report.

Nothing is sent or posted on its own. A reply, a post and a batch of review requests each end with a confirm step that tells you who will see it.

1. Reply to a review. Open Reviews, press Draft a reply, change the words so they sound like you, then press Post to Google and confirm. A reply is public. For a review of 3 stars or fewer you also tick that you have read it.
2. Ask customers for reviews (Pro). Open Ask for reviews, add your mailing address, tick the box that these customers did business with you and gave you their email, add them, preview the email and send. Ask every customer, not just the happy ones, and never offer a reward.
3. Show reviews on your site (Pro). Open Website widget, turn it on, choose the lowest star rating to show, and paste the two-line code where you want the reviews.
4. Schedule a Google post (Pro). Open Posts, pick a type, add your facts, press Draft caption, edit it, then choose a time. Times use your business's time zone.
5. Download a report (Pro). Open Reports and press Download PDF on any month.

Related: Plans, billing & cancelling, Contacting support

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To close your account and remove your data, email support@animasmarketing.com from the address you signed up with and we will take care of it.

Related: Contacting support

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• Make sure every step is ticked — the check button only works once the whole checklist is done.
• Check your connections — automatic checks need your website added and/or Google connected on My Business.
• Give it time — changes on Google (a new listing, a verified site, new photos) can take a few hours to a few days to appear. Try the check again later; the app also re-checks in the background about once a day.
• Read the message under the button — it says what the check found, which usually points to the step that needs another look.
• Still stuck? Email support@animasmarketing.com with the lesson name and we will take a look.

Related: How lessons get checked, Connecting Google

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This usually means the connection dropped for a moment. Check your internet connection and try again — your earlier progress is safe.

If you were signed out (for example, after leaving the app open overnight), sign back in and you will return to where you were.

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• "Connection was cancelled" — the Google screen was closed before approving. Nothing was shared; just connect again from My Business.
• "Didn't finish" — something went wrong on the way back from Google. Try again; if it keeps happening, try a different browser or turn off private browsing.
• Wrong Google account — disconnect on My Business, then reconnect and pick the account that manages your business.
• Business Profile not showing — make sure the Google account you connected is an owner or manager of the Business Profile.

Related: Connecting Google, Privacy & disconnecting Google

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Email support@animasmarketing.com. Include the email you signed up with, what you were trying to do, and a screenshot if you can — that is usually everything we need to fix it on the first reply.

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Local SEO shows how easy it is for people nearby to find your business on Google — and how that changes as you work through the course.

Everything is about your business, compared with similar businesses in DIY Durango's area. You do not need to understand SEO to use it: every card says what the number means and, where it helps, which lesson moves it.

• Visibility score — one 0-100 number that sums up how findable you are.
• Map rankings — where you show up on Google Maps for the searches customers actually type.
• Competitors — who shows up above you, and how your reviews and rating compare.
• Website searches — which Google searches your website appears for.
• Google numbers — real clicks, visitors, calls, and direction requests once Google is connected.

Related: Your visibility score, Map rankings, How you compare with competitors, Your Google numbers

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Your score adds up a few things Google looks at for local businesses: whether your Business Profile is claimed, how many reviews you have, your star rating, where you rank on the map, your website, and how many other sites link to you.

Each part shows how many points you have out of the most you can get, with one sentence on why. The parts with the most points still available are your best places to start.

The trend line under the score tracks your map ranking over time, so you can see lessons paying off week by week.

• A (85+) — excellent; you are one of the easiest businesses to find
• B (70-84) — good, with clear room to grow
• C (55-69) — fair; customers can find you, but competitors are easier to find
• D (40-54) and F (under 40) — the course will make a big difference quickly

Related: What Local SEO shows, How to raise your visibility

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When someone searches for what you offer, Google shows a map with a short list of businesses. Your ranking is your place in that list — #1 is the top spot. The top 3 get most of the calls and direction requests.

We check the searches customers really use for your type of business, about once a week, looking at the top 20 results. Not in top 20 means we did not find you in those results yet.

Monthly searches is roughly how many times a month people in the area type that search. A high number with a low ranking is a big opportunity.

Related: What Local SEO shows, How you compare with competitors, How to raise your visibility

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Competitors are the businesses that show up most often in the same map results as you.

Share of top 3 is how many of the top-3 map spots each business holds across the searches we track. Average position is their typical place in the list.

Reviews and rating are usually the clearest difference. If the businesses above you have many more reviews, a steady review habit is often the fastest way to catch up.

Website authority is a 0-1,000 estimate of how trusted a website is, based on the other websites that link to it. Higher is better; local links (your chamber, local news, partners) help most.

Searches they win that you don't lists Google searches where a competitor's website shows up and yours doesn't (or sits far below). Each one is a page or a paragraph you could add to your own site.

Reviews over time compares how fast you and your top competitors are collecting Google reviews. A steady pace matters more than one big burst.

Related: Map rankings, How to raise your visibility

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These are searches where your website (not your map listing) shows up in Google's regular results, with your position for each one.

Estimated visits is a rough monthly guess based on the search's popularity and your position. Almost there lists searches where you are just off the top spots (positions 4-20) — small improvements to the page that ranks often move these up.

Related: Your Google numbers, How to raise your visibility

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When Google is connected, the Local SEO page's Google numbers section shows real numbers from your own Google tools for the last 28 or 90 days, compared with the period before. They refresh about every 30 minutes.

• Search Console — impressions (how often your site appeared in Google search), clicks (how often someone clicked), click rate (clicks ÷ impressions), and average position.
• Analytics — visits to your website and where they came from. From Google search counts visits that started with a search.
• Business Profile — how often your listing was viewed on Search and Maps, and how many people called, asked for directions, or tapped through to your website.
• Not connected yet? Connect Google on My Business — one Google sign-in turns these cards on.

Related: Connecting Google, Analytics, Search Console & Business Profile — what are they?

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Local rankings mostly come down to three things: how relevant your listing is to the search, how close you are to the person searching, and how prominent (well-known and well-reviewed) your business is. You cannot move your shop, but you can improve the other two.

1. Complete your Business Profile — categories, hours, photos, and a description that says what you do and where.
2. Ask every happy customer for a review and reply to every review you get.
3. Post to your profile weekly — offers, events, new products.
4. Keep your name, address, and phone identical on every directory.
5. Give each service its own clear page on your website, with your town in the page title.

Related: Your visibility score, Map rankings

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Some of the best things you can do for your business are local: joining the right network, talking to a free advisor, getting listed by a trusted local website, or showing up at the event that fills your town. The Business Resource Center puts those local options in one place, next to the course.

Everything on the page is specific to your area. The course lessons link here whenever a local connection is the next step.

• Your local business network — membership groups, alliances, and give-back organizations that list your business.
• Free advice and coaching — advisors and mentors who help owners at no cost.
• Loans and grants — local lenders, state programs, and financing for upgrades.
• Licenses, taxes, and registration — the offices that handle your paperwork.
• Workspace, hiring, and training — coworking, a makerspace, and help finding and training staff.
• Local media — newspapers, radio, and calendars that cover local businesses.
• Events and seasons — the festivals, markets, and gatherings your customers attend, with when each one usually happens.
• Tourism and outdoor partners — attractions, public lands, and outdoor groups that bring visitors.
• Get listed beyond Google — Apple Maps, Bing, Nextdoor, and the Better Business Bureau.
• Free tools from Google — help for your Business Profile, Search Console, and Analytics.
• Marketing rules to know — official guidance on reviews, advertising, and customer data.
• Save energy and go green — rebates, free assessments, and green-business recognition.
• Food, farm, and makers — food licensing, home-kitchen sales, and the local food network.
• Neighboring towns and the Four Corners — chambers and programs in the surrounding towns.

Every link was opened and checked when it was added, and each one opens in a new tab so you do not lose your place. Use the search box to narrow the list by name, topic, or type, such as a grant or a free tool.

Know a local resource we missed, or find a link that no longer works? Email support@animasmarketing.com and we will check it.

Related: How to put the Resource Center to work

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You do not need to use everything on the page. A few well-chosen connections do more for your business than a long list you never open.

1. Pick three. Skim the categories and choose three resources that fit where your business is today.
2. Join one network. A membership group such as a chamber of commerce lists your business on its website, and that is one of the most trusted local links you can earn.
3. Book the free advisor. A Small Business Development Center (SBDC) gives one-on-one advice at no cost. Bring one question, such as how to get found online.
4. Plan around events. Add two or three local events to your calendar and decide how your business will show up, whether with a booth, a sponsorship, or a post.

Related: What the Business Resource Center is

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