When someone nearby searches “plumber near me” or “best tacos in town,” Google shows a map with three businesses, then a list of websites. Local SEO is the work of getting your business into those results. The good news: the basics are free, and most of your competitors haven’t done them all.
1. Claim and complete your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the single most important local SEO tool. It powers your listing in Google Maps and the map results in search.
- Claim and verify your business.
- Choose the most accurate primary category, then add secondary ones.
- Fill in every field: hours, phone, website, service area, services or menu, and a description.
- Add real photos of your storefront, team and work, and keep adding them.
- Update holiday hours so customers don’t show up to a locked door.
2. Keep your name, address and phone consistent
Google cross-checks your business details across the web. Make sure your name, address and phone number match exactly on your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, Apple Business Connect, Facebook and industry directories. “Suite 4” in one place and “#4” in another is fine. A wrong phone number or an old address is not.
3. Get the website basics right
Your website backs up your listing. It should:
- Work well on phones and load quickly.
- Say where you are and what you do in plain words, including the city or area you serve.
- Have a page for each main service, so “bathroom remodel” and “water heater repair” each have a page Google can match to a search.
- Use clear page titles and descriptions, like “Water Heater Repair in Fresno | Smith Plumbing,” not “Home.”
- Show your address and phone number in the footer of every page, with a link to your map listing.
- Include structured data (LocalBusiness schema), a bit of code that tells search engines your hours, location and contact details directly.
4. Earn reviews, and answer them
Reviews influence both rankings and whether people choose you. Ask happy customers for a review right after a job well done, and make it easy with a direct link. Respond to every review, positive or negative, politely and promptly. Never buy reviews or offer rewards for them, which violates Google’s policies.
5. Publish helpful content
Answer the questions your customers actually ask. A landscaper might write about when to plant in your climate; a dentist, what to expect at a first visit. Helpful articles give Google more reasons to show your site, and give customers more reasons to trust you.
6. Get mentioned locally
Links and mentions from local sources such as your chamber of commerce, local news, sponsors, partner businesses and community events help Google see you as a real, established local business.
7. Measure what’s working
Set up Google Search Console to see which searches show your site, and check your Business Profile’s performance page for calls, direction requests and website clicks. Small, steady improvements add up over months.
A quick checklist
- Google Business Profile claimed, verified and complete
- Name, address and phone consistent everywhere
- Mobile-friendly site with a page per service
- Clear titles, descriptions and LocalBusiness schema
- A simple system for asking for reviews
- One helpful article a month
- Search Console set up and checked monthly
Want help getting found?
Through Atkinson Web Consulting, we build fast, search-friendly websites and help small businesses get the technical details right. If you’d like a second set of eyes on your site or listing, reach out.
Frequently asked questions
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is the work of helping nearby customers find your business in Google Maps and local search results.
What is the most important local SEO step?
Claiming and fully completing your Google Business Profile, including your category, hours, photos and services.
Do reviews help local SEO?
Yes. Reviews influence both your ranking and whether people choose you. Ask happy customers for reviews and reply to every one.