Local SEO for Small Businesses: A Checklist That Still Works
Local SEO has not changed as much as the discourse suggests. Be findable, be consistent, be specific about what you do and where, and answer people quickly. Here is the checklist in priority order.
1. Google Business Profile, properly filled in
Complete every field: categories, services, hours including holidays, attributes, photos and a real description. Post updates occasionally. This single asset outperforms most website work for local queries.
2. One page per service, per location
A single 'Services' page listing twelve things ranks for none of them. Give each significant service its own page with its own title, description and honest pricing guidance.
3. Consistent NAP everywhere
Name, address and phone identical across your site, Google, directories and social profiles. Inconsistency is a slow, invisible tax on your visibility.
4. Reviews, asked for systematically
Ask every satisfied customer, at the moment they are happiest, with a direct link. Reply to all of them. Volume and recency both matter.
5. Structured data
Add LocalBusiness schema with your hours, address and phone, plus FAQPage markup where relevant. It costs nothing and makes your details machine-readable for search and AI assistants.
6. Answer speed
Google measures engagement, and customers measure patience. A site that answers 'how much' and 'when are you open' immediately — on the page and in chat — converts the traffic your other work earns.
- Prices or ranges visible without a form
- Hours in text, not an image
- A way to ask a question and get an instant answer
Frequently asked questions
How long does local SEO take?
Profile improvements can show within weeks; new service pages typically take a few months to settle. Consistency matters more than intensity.
Do I need a blog for local SEO?
Only if you answer real customer questions. Ten useful pages beat fifty generic posts.