You’ve built a solid local business. You’ve got loyal customers. Good reviews. A decent website.
But when someone in your area searches for what you offer, you’re nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, your competitors are showing up in the map pack. They’re getting the calls. The foot traffic. The enquiries.
It’s frustrating. And it’s costing you money every single day.
Here’s the thing: local SEO isn’t rocket science. You don’t need a massive budget or technical wizardry. You just need to understand how Google decides which local businesses to show and then take consistent action on the fundamentals.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know to get your small business found online.
What Actually Is Local SEO?
Local SEO is about making your business visible when people search for products or services near them.
When someone searches “coffee shop near me” or “plumber in Leeds,” Google shows local results. That’s the map with three business listings at the top, followed by organic results.
Getting into that map pack is gold. Research shows that 46% of all Google searches have local intent. And 76% of people who search for something nearby visit a business within 24 hours.
That’s your potential customer base. Right there. Searching for exactly what you sell.
But local SEO isn’t just about the map pack. It’s about showing up in regular search results too. And it’s about making sure when people do find you, they actually click through and contact you.
The fundamentals haven’t changed much over the years. But the competition has increased. Every local business is fighting for visibility now.
That’s why many businesses choose to work with a local SEO agency for local search support and practical guidance.
But if you’re doing it yourself? Start here.
Step 1: Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the most important thing for local SEO. Full stop.
If you haven’t claimed yours yet, do it now. Go to google.com/business. Search for your business. If it exists, claim it. If it doesn’t, create it.
Google will verify your business by sending a postcard with a code to your address. This usually takes 5-7 days. Once you’ve got the code, you’re in.
Now here’s where most businesses mess up. They claim the profile but don’t fill it out properly.
Here’s what you need to do:
Business name: Use your actual business name. Don’t stuff keywords in here. Google can penalise you for it.
Address: Make sure it matches exactly what’s on your website and other directories. Even small differences like “St” versus “Street” confuse Google.
Phone number: Use a local number if possible. Consistency across all platforms matters.
Categories: Choose your primary category carefully. This tells Google what you do. Then add relevant secondary categories. Be specific. “Italian restaurant” is better than just “restaurant.”
Business hours: Keep these updated. Nothing frustrates potential customers more than showing up to a closed door because your hours were wrong online.
Description: You’ve got 750 characters. Use them. Explain what you do, what makes you different, and include your location naturally. Write for humans, not just search engines.
Photos: Upload lots of them. Businesses with photos get 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35% more clicks to their websites. Show your premises, your products, your team. Make it real.
Services: If you’re a service business, list everything you offer. Each service can rank for different searches.
Keep your profile updated. Post regularly. Add new photos. Respond to questions. An active profile signals to Google that you’re a legitimate, ongoing business.
Step 2: Get Feedbacks (And Actually Respond)
Reviews are massive for local SEO.
Google uses them as a ranking signal. But more importantly, potential customers trust them. 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends.
You need reviews. Lots of them. And they need to be recent.
Ask happy customers to leave reviews. Not in a pushy way. Just a simple request works. “If you enjoyed your experience, we’d love a Google review.”
Put a QR code on your receipts or at your till that links directly to your review page. Make it as easy as possible.
Some businesses worry about asking for reviews. Don’t. Your competitors are asking. If you’re not, you’re falling behind.
Now here’s the crucial part: respond to every single review.
Thank people for positive reviews. Keep it personal. Mention something specific they said. It shows you care.
For negative reviews, stay professional. Apologise if something went wrong. Offer to fix it offline. Don’t get defensive or argue. Other people reading that exchange judge you on how you respond, not on the complaint itself.
Regular, recent reviews tell Google you’re an active business. They also improve your click-through rate because people trust businesses with dozens of recent reviews over ones with three from 2020.
Step 3: Make Sure Your Website Signals Location
Your website needs to clearly tell Google and visitors where you are and what areas you serve.
Put your address in the footer of every page. Include a contact page with your full address, phone number, and a map. If you serve multiple areas, mention them by name throughout your site.
Your homepage should make your location obvious within seconds. Don’t bury it.
If you serve multiple locations, create dedicated pages for each one. Not just thin pages with “We serve Manchester” copy-pasted with different city names. Actual useful content about each area you serve.
Include location mentions naturally in your content. Blog posts about local events, local guides, area-specific tips. This signals relevance to Google.
Add schema markup to your site. This is code that helps Google understand your business information better. It can make your search results show reviews, opening hours, and other rich information. Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper if you’re doing it yourself.
Make sure your site loads quickly, especially on mobile. Google cares about page speed. Compress images. Minimise code. A slow site hurts your rankings and loses potential customers.
Step 4: Build Local Citations
A citation is any online mention of your business name, address, and phone number.
These help Google verify that you’re a real, legitimate business. They also create more opportunities for people to find you.
Start with the major directories: Yelp, Yell, Scoot, Thomson Local, Bing Places. Make sure your business information is identical across all of them.
Consistency is crucial. If your address is “123 High Street” on Google but “123 High St” on Yelp, that inconsistency can hurt you.
Then look for local directories. Every area has them. Local business associations, chamber of commerce websites, local news sites that list businesses, community directories.
You don’t need hundreds of citations. You need accurate ones on quality sites. According to Moz’s Local Search Ranking Factors study, citations are still a significant factor in local pack rankings.
Step 5: Create Content That Helps Local Customers
Content marketing isn’t just for big brands. Local businesses can benefit massively from useful content.
Write blog posts that help your local customers. Answer the questions they actually ask you. Create guides relevant to your area.
A café could write about the best walking routes nearby. A plumber could explain how to prevent common issues in older homes in your area. A gym could create workout guides for people training for a local charity run.
Include local references naturally. Mention landmarks, neighbourhoods, local events. This signals relevance to Google and resonates with your local audience.
Regular content also gives you reasons to update your Google Business Profile with posts and keeps your website fresh.
Step 6: Get Links from Local Websites
Links from other websites to yours tell Google you’re trustworthy and relevant.
But not all links are equal. One link from a respected local news site is worth more than a hundred links from random spam directories.
How do you get good local links?
Sponsor local events or sports teams. You usually get a link from their website.
Get featured in local media. Send press releases about interesting things happening at your business. Local journalists need stories.
Partner with other local businesses. Maybe you can collaborate on content or events. Guest post on local blogs.
Join local business organisations. Many list members on their websites with links.
Offer your expertise. If there’s a local forum or Facebook group where people ask questions related to your industry, be genuinely helpful. Include your website in your profile.
Quality beats quantity every time.
Step 7: Use Social Media to Build Local Presence
Social media doesn’t directly affect your Google rankings. But it matters for local visibility.
Post regularly on platforms where your customers hang out. Show what makes your business unique. Behind-the-scenes content works well. So do customer stories and local references.
Use location tags in your posts. Tag your city or specific areas. This helps locals find you.
Engage with other local accounts. Comment on posts from local businesses, community pages, and local influencers. Build genuine relationships.
For most local businesses, Facebook and Instagram work best. LinkedIn too if you’re B2B.
You don’t need to be everywhere. Pick one or two platforms and focus there.
Step 8: Track Your Progress
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
Set up Google Analytics on your website. It’s free and shows you where traffic comes from, what pages people visit, and whether they convert.
Check your Google Business Profile insights regularly. You’ll see how many people found you, what they searched for, and what actions they took.
Monitor your rankings for key search terms. Search “your service + your city” and see where you appear. Track this monthly.
Look at which content gets engagement. Which blog posts get shared? Which social posts get comments? Do more of what works.
Pay attention to conversions, not just traffic. 50 visitors who enquire are better than 500 who bounce immediately.
Common Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t stuff keywords into your business name on Google Business Profile. It can get you penalised.
Don’t buy fake reviews. Google can detect them and will remove them. Worse, they might suspend your profile.
Don’t ignore negative reviews. Respond professionally to every one.
Don’t create multiple listings for the same location. It confuses Google and can get you penalised.
Don’t use a PO box as your address if you have a physical location. Use your actual address.
Don’t neglect mobile. Over 60% of local searches happen on mobile devices.
How Long Does Local SEO Take?
Be realistic about timings. Local SEO isn’t instant.
You’ll typically see initial movement in 4-8 weeks. Significant results usually take 3-6 months. Sometimes longer in competitive industries.
But here’s the good news: your competitors face the same timeline. If you start now and they don’t, you’re ahead in six months.
Small, consistent actions compound over time. Update your Google Business Profile weekly. Publish one blog post a month. Get two new reviews. Build three local citations.
Do that for a year and you’ll be in a completely different position.
Final Thoughts
Local SEO isn’t complicated. But it does require consistent effort.
The businesses that win aren’t necessarily doing anything clever. They’re just doing the fundamentals consistently well.
Claim your Google Business Profile. Get reviews. Make sure your website clearly signals where you are. Build citations. Create useful content. Get local links.
Do these things month after month and you’ll show up when local customers search for what you offer.
Your product or service is already good enough. You’ve already built a business worth finding.
Now make sure people can actually find it.