How to Fix Your Federal Visibility for 2025

Over 368,050 American businesses are registered to sell to the federal government. Only 150 are fully visible with comprehensive vendor profiles.

If your DSBS profile doesn't have the right keywords, you’re missing out on contracts—and leaving money on the table.

Federal buyers use Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) to find small businesses that can solve their challenges.

Your Federal Visibility Score is determined by your DSBS profile and measures your visibility to federal buyers and teammates.

A score below 70 means a company is basically invisible to buyers doing market research.

But here’s the good news:

You can get perfect visibility with just a few key updates. It is free and you can do this yourself, no 3rd party necessary.

STEP 1: Check Your Federal Visibility Score

• Go to GovCon in a Box and search for your company in the Company Browser
• Click on your company’s Federal Visibility Score to see exactly where you stand and what to fix.
• The score is calculated from your public information in DSBS and SAM.gov
• You’ll be invited to register as a Free Member to see the details within your score

?? PRO TIP: Get Neil’s expert guidance.? Just click on the video icons inside your score for specific tips to fix each element of your profile.

Use Strategic Keywords in Your Government Profiles

BEFORE you start updating your DSBS profile, capability narrative, websites and capability statements, ask yourself:

• What is my core offering for 2025? What is my 'niche'?
• What are my expert qualifications that government buyers might need?
• How can I use my past experience to differentiate myself from my competitors?

Keywords speak for you before you even meet federal buyers. They tell your story and begin conversations.

STEP 2: Create a 3-Tier Keyword Strategy

Identify the most important and relevant keywords related to what you sell, the solutions you offer and the expertise and certifications you bring.?Then divide those keywords into 3 distinct tiers.

?? Our free GovCon in a Box AI-Powered Keyword Generator can help you discover the keywords federal buyers use when searching for companies like yours. https://www.govconinabox.com/generate_keywords

STEP 3: Maximize the Value of Searchable Fields in DSBS

There are three separate searchable DSBS fields available that you can maximize to catch the attention of federal buyers and showcase your expertise and experience for government contracting.

• FIELD 1: Capabilities Narrative | 900-1000 characters allowed
• FIELD 2: Special Equipment and Materials (aka CapNarrative2 in your VIsibility Score) | 900-1000 characters allowed
• FIELD 3: Keywords Field | 25 unique keywords or phrases or 525 characters?

? What if you run out of ideas or keywords?

?? PRO TIPS

?? AI-Powered Keyword Generator helps you find keywords federal buyers actually use when searching for companies like yours.

?? AI-Powered NAICS tool helps you find additional NAICS codes that federal buyers use for contracts in your expertise.

STEP 4: Verify your Capability Statement and website links

Capability Statements

• Your Capability Statement should be linked to a pdf
• The PDF should be hosted on your company website – NOT to a?Google drive, Canva or certify.SBA
• Bring buyers to your website where they can learn more about your company
• We recommend a one page 6-second Capability Statement for government contracting.
• Get a free downloadable 2025 Capability Statement for Federal Government Contracting from GovCon Chamber, complete with tips and instructions.

?? Website Security:

• Your website must appear secure ie displays ‘httpS’? Watch the video inside your Visibility Score if this is an issue for your company.?

Remember that the purpose of your Capability Statement is to get a meeting, not to overwhelm them with data points.

STEP 5: Review your NAICS Codes

A complete DSBS profile should show at least 10 NAICS codes. It is important to review these periodically to be sure they are still in your 'niche' area of expertise and core competencies.

?? GovCon in a Box can help you identify additional NAICS codes that federal buyers actually use for contracts in your expertise.

Use our free AI NAICS Codes Generator here.

THE PRICE OF PROCRASTINATION

Federal buyers won’t wait—they’ll move on to your competitors with better Federal Visibility Scores.

Stop procrastinating. Join the 100 Club for 2025!

If you still need help after following the steps above, reach out to me.

We look forward to shouting out your company as the newest member of The ?? Club!

?? Please comment and share with others who might find value.