When someone in your area searches for the service you provide, do they find you - or your competitors? Local SEO is how you influence that outcome.
The good news: local SEO is more accessible than competing nationally. You're not up against the entire internet - just other businesses in your area.
Google Business Profile: Your Most Important Asset
Google Business Profile (GBP) - formerly Google My Business - is the free listing that appears when someone searches for your business or for services like yours in your area.
It's the panel on the right when you search a business name. It's the three listings with the map when you search "plumber near me."
For local businesses, GBP is frequently more important than your website.
Setting Up Your Profile
If you haven't claimed your listing:
- Go to google.com/business
- Search for your business name
- Click "Claim this business" if it exists, or "Add your business" if not
- Complete verification (usually postcard, call, or email)
Verification proves you own the business. Without it, your profile has limited features.
Essential GBP Elements
Business Name Use your real name exactly as it appears on signage and documents. Don't add keywords like "Best Exeter Plumber" - this violates guidelines and can get you suspended.
Primary Category This is crucial. It tells Google what type of business you are. Be specific ("Plumber" not "Contractor") and accurate (what you primarily do, not everything you might do).
Address Use your full address if customers visit. If you go to customers, you can hide your address while showing your service area.
Phone Number Use a local number if possible. Make sure someone actually answers it.
Opening Hours Keep accurate and update for holidays. Wrong hours frustrate customers and hurt rankings.
Business Description 750 characters to describe what you do, who you serve, what makes you different, and where you operate.
What Most Businesses Miss
Products and Services List your specific services with descriptions and prices. This helps Google understand what you offer and helps customers too.
Photos Profiles with photos get more engagement. Add: logo, cover photo, interior/exterior (if applicable), team photos, work examples, before and after.
Add new photos regularly - it shows you're active.
Google Posts Weekly updates that appear in your profile. Post about offers, recent work, seasonal reminders. Posts expire after 7 days, so regular posting keeps your profile fresh.
Questions and Answers Monitor and answer questions. You can also seed common FAQs yourself.
Reviews: The Deciding Factor
Reviews affect both your rankings AND whether people choose to contact you.
Getting More Reviews
Just ask. The main reason businesses don't have reviews is they don't ask. Most satisfied customers are happy to leave a review if prompted.
Make it easy. Send a direct link to your Google review page. GBP provides a short link you can share.
Time it right. Ask when customers are happiest - right after you've solved their problem, completed good work, or received positive feedback.
Follow up. A friendly reminder a day or two after the work can prompt action.
What to Avoid
- Don't offer incentives - "Leave a review for 10% off" violates guidelines
- Don't ask only happy customers - Though naturally they're more likely to respond
- Don't fake reviews - Google is increasingly good at detecting these
- Don't bulk-request - A sudden flood of reviews looks suspicious
Responding to Reviews
Respond to every review - positive and negative.
For positive reviews: Thank them, be personal, mention something specific about their experience.
For negative reviews: Stay professional, acknowledge the issue, apologise if appropriate, offer to resolve it offline. Never be defensive or argumentative.
Potential customers read how you handle criticism. A thoughtful response can actually improve your reputation.
NAP Consistency: The Foundation
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. Having consistent NAP information across the web is a fundamental local SEO signal.
The problem: Over time, your business might be listed differently in various places. "John's Plumbing" vs "Johns Plumbing Ltd" vs "John's Plumbing Services". Different phone numbers. Old addresses.
The fix: Audit your main listings and correct inconsistencies.
Key Places to Check
- Google Business Profile
- Bing Places
- Apple Maps
- Facebook business page
- Yell.com
- Thomson Local
- Industry-specific directories
- Your own website
Use exactly the same format everywhere. Consistency builds trust with Google.
Citations: Quality Over Quantity
Citations are mentions of your business on other websites - typically directories. They used to be heavily emphasised in local SEO. They still matter, but quality beats quantity.
Priorities
Tier 1 - Essential:
- Google Business Profile
- Bing Places
- Apple Maps
Tier 2 - Important:
- Yell.com
- Thomson Local
- Yelp
- Industry-specific directories (Checkatrade, TrustATrader, etc.)
Tier 3 - Helpful:
- Local business directories
- Chamber of Commerce
- Trade associations
Focus on accuracy in Tier 1 and 2 before worrying about dozens of minor directories.
Your Website Still Matters
While GBP is crucial, your website supports your local SEO:
Location Pages
If you serve multiple areas, have dedicated pages for each. "Plumber in Exeter" as a page targeting that area, with relevant content about serving Exeter.
NAP on Every Page
Your name, address, and phone number should be consistent and ideally in your footer on every page.
Local Structured Data
Schema markup tells Google explicitly about your business. LocalBusiness schema includes your address, service area, hours, and more.
Mobile-Friendly and Fast
Most local searches happen on mobile. A slow, mobile-unfriendly site hurts your chances.
Clear Service Pages
Pages that clearly describe what you do and where you do it. Natural inclusion of location terms without keyword stuffing.
Common Local SEO Mistakes
Ignoring Google Business Profile Many businesses claim it and never touch it again. Regular activity matters.
Not asking for reviews Your competitors are asking. If you don't, you fall behind.
Inconsistent information Different addresses or phone numbers across the web confuse Google.
Keyword stuffing business name "Best Exeter Plumber 24/7 Emergency" as your business name violates guidelines.
Fake address for service area Using a fake address to appear in a different location can get you suspended.
Set and forget Local SEO requires ongoing attention - updating hours, adding photos, getting reviews, responding to questions.
What You Can Do This Week
- Claim or update your Google Business Profile - Make sure every section is complete
- Check your NAP consistency - Search your business name and verify information matches
- Ask 3 recent customers for reviews - Send them the direct link
- Add fresh photos - Recent work, team, anything relevant
- Write a Google Post - A simple update showing you're active
What Typically Requires Professional Help
- Suspended profile recovery
- Complex multi-location setups
- Advanced citation building and cleanup
- Technical website optimisation
- Structured data implementation
- Ongoing SEO strategy and monitoring
The Bottom Line
Local SEO is fundamentally about:
- Making sure Google knows what you do and where you do it
- Proving that real customers trust you (reviews)
- Being consistent and accurate everywhere you appear online
- Having a website that supports and reinforces all of this
You don't need to be an SEO expert to succeed locally. You need to be thorough, consistent, and actively engaged with your online presence.
Start with Google Business Profile. Get reviews. Fix inconsistencies. These basics will put you ahead of most local competitors who neglect them.