🎓

How to Rank in Local Searches

If you have a local business, Local SEO helps you rank higher in Google searches when people look for services near them. Whether you’re a restaurant, law firm, or plumber, optimizing for local searches can drive more customers to your business.

📌 Why Local SEO is Important

Local searches like “best pizza near me” or “plumber in Cardiff” bring high-intent customers who are ready to buy.
✅ 46% of all Google searches have local intent.
✅ 76% of people who search for a nearby business visit within 24 hours.
✅ 28% of local searches lead to a purchase.

👉 If your business isn’t optimized for local SEO, you’re losing potential customers!

🔹 1. Setting Up Google My Business (GMB) Correctly

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that lets businesses appear in Google Search & Google Maps.

✅ Steps to Set Up GMB Properly

1️⃣ Go to Google My Business and click “Manage Now.”
2️⃣ Enter your business name → Use your real brand name (avoid keyword stuffing).
3️⃣ Select your business category → Choose the best category for your industry.

E.g., A dentist should choose “Dental Clinic”, not “Medical Services”.
4️⃣ Add your address & service areas → If you have a physical location, enter your address.
If you offer services without a storefront, choose service areas instead.
5️⃣ Add business hours → Keep them accurate and update for holidays.
6️⃣ Add a website link → If you don’t have one, create a simple landing page.
7️⃣ Verify your listing → Google will send a postcard or phone verification.

📌 Pro Tip:
🔹 Use high-quality photos of your business, products, or team.
🔹 Add a business description (include relevant keywords).
🔹 Enable messaging to let customers contact you directly.

👉 Example of a Perfect GMB Listing:
✅ Name: “Bella’s Italian Restaurant” (not “Best Italian Restaurant Cardiff”)
✅ Category: “Italian Restaurant”
✅ Address: “123 High Street, Cardiff, CF24 2AA”
✅ Phone: “07585 456 665”
✅ Hours: “Monday-Saturday, 10 AM – 10 PM”
✅ Website: bellasitalian.co.uk
✅ Photos: High-quality images of food, restaurant, and menu.

🔹 2. Getting Reviews & Why They Matter

Google Reviews help build trust and improve local rankings.
✅ More reviews = Higher ranking in local search.
✅ Businesses with 4+ stars get more clicks & conversions.

✅ How to Get More Reviews?

1️⃣ Ask Happy Customers! → Politely request reviews via email or in person.
2️⃣ Make It Easy → Share a direct link to your Google Review page.

Example: https://g.page/yourbusiness/review?gm
3️⃣ Offer an Incentive (Without Violating Google’s Policies)
Example: “Leave a review and get 10% off your next order!”
4️⃣ Respond to All Reviews (Even Negative Ones!)
Example of a Good Response to a Positive Review:
“Thank you, Sarah! We’re so glad you enjoyed our Italian dishes. See you again soon!”
Example of a Good Response to a Negative Review:
“We’re sorry you had a bad experience. Please contact us so we can make it right!”

📌 Pro Tip:
🔹 Never buy fake reviews → Google can penalize you for fake or incentivized reviews.
🔹 Replying to reviews makes your business look trustworthy & active.

🔹 3. Local Citations & NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone)

Local citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites.

✅ Why NAP Consistency is Important?

❌ If your business details are inconsistent across the web, Google won’t trust your listing.
✅ Consistent NAP = Higher rankings & better local SEO.

📌 Example of Inconsistent NAP (BAD for SEO):
🔸 GMB Listing: “Bella’s Italian Restaurant” – 123 High St, Cardiff, CF24 2AA – 07585 456 665
🔸 Yelp: “Bella’s Pizza” – 123 High Street, Cardiff – (07585) 456-665
🔸 Facebook: “Bella’s Italian” – High St, Cardiff, CF24 2AA – 07585456665

📌 Example of Consistent NAP (GOOD for SEO):
🔹 Bella’s Italian Restaurant
🔹 123 High St, Cardiff, CF24 2AA
🔹 07585 456 665

✅ Where to List Your Business for Citations?

🔹 Google My Business (Mandatory)
🔹 Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, and TripAdvisor
🔹 Local directories (e.g., Yellow Pages, industry-specific sites)
🔹 Social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, etc.)

📌 Pro Tip: Use Moz Local or BrightLocal to check your citations and fix errors.

🔹 4. Optimizing for “Near Me” Searches

Many users search for “[service] near me”, and Google personalizes results based on location.

✅ How to Rank for “Near Me” Searches?

1️⃣ Use Location-Based Keywords → Add city/town names naturally in:

Page title: “Best Italian Restaurant in Cardiff”
Meta description: “Authentic Italian cuisine in Cardiff – Book a table today!”
Content: “We serve fresh pizza and pasta to customers across Cardiff and South Wales.”
H1 Tag: “Bella’s Italian Restaurant – Authentic Dining in Cardiff”

2️⃣ Optimize Google My Business for Local Search

Use categories & keywords related to your service.
Fill out the “Services” and “Products” sections in GMB.

3️⃣ Build Local Backlinks

Get mentioned in local blogs, newspapers, and event websites.
Sponsor local events or charities and get backlinks.

4️⃣ Add Schema Markup for Local Businesses

Use structured data to tell Google about your location.
Free tool: Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool

📌 Final Takeaways (Actionable Summary)

✔ Set up & optimize your Google My Business profile
✔ Get more reviews (ask happy customers & respond to all reviews)
✔ Ensure NAP consistency across all citations
✔ Use location-based keywords in your content
✔ Get listed in local directories & build local backlinks
✔ Use schema markup & structured data to help Google understand your business