# Local SEO checklist: how do small businesses rank locally?

> Local SEO comes down to a complete, verified Google Business Profile, consistent contact details, a clear website, genuine reviews and a monthly routine.

By Sotirios Terzis, Ariston Studios — updated 2026-10-10 — https://aristonstudios.com/guides/local-seo

## Key takeaways
- Google says local results are ranked mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, and that you cannot pay for a better local ranking.
- Your business name on Google must match your real-world name; adding keywords, cities or taglines breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended.
- Use the same business name, address and phone number on your website, Google, Bing and every directory.
- Ask every customer for a review, but never pay, offer discounts for, or only ask happy customers for reviews: Google's policy prohibits all three.
- Add UTM tags to the website link in your Business Profile so visits from it show up separately in your analytics.

Local SEO is the work that makes your business show up when people nearby search for what you do, in the map results and in normal search. For most small businesses it comes down to five things: a complete and verified Google Business Profile, the same contact details everywhere, a website with a clear page for each service, a steady flow of genuine reviews, and a short monthly routine.

## How does Google decide which local businesses to show?

Google states that local results are based mainly on three factors:

- **Relevance:** how well your profile matches what someone searched for. Complete, detailed information helps Google understand what you do.
- **Distance:** how far your business is from the searcher, or from the location in their search.
- **Prominence:** how well known your business is. Google says this draws on information from across the web, such as links, articles and directories, and on your review count and ratings.

You cannot change distance, and Google says plainly that there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Everything else in this checklist improves relevance and prominence.

## How do you set up a Google Business Profile properly?

A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the free listing that appears in Google Maps and the local results. Claim it, verify it, and fill in every field that applies.

- **Name:** your real-world business name, exactly as on your shopfront, website and invoices. Google's guidelines do not allow extra words such as "Best Plumber Amsterdam" or a tagline. Adding keywords to the name breaks these guidelines and can get a profile suspended.
- **Categories:** choose one primary category that describes what your business is, plus as few secondary categories as needed. Categories are not a place for keywords.
- **Address or service area:** a real, staffed location. No P.O. boxes or virtual offices. If you visit customers rather than receive them, set a service area and hide your address.
- **Hours:** regular customer-facing hours, plus special hours for holidays.
- **Services and products:** list each service in the words customers use, with a short description.
- **Description:** what you do, for whom and where, in plain language.
- **Photos:** real photos of your premises, team and work. Add new ones over time.
- **Website and phone:** link to your site and use a local number that also appears on your site.

### What about posts and Q&A?

Posts let you share updates, offers and events on your profile. They are useful for showing the business is active, so post when you have something real to say.

Google has been moving customer questions away from the old public Questions and Answers section towards AI-generated answers in Maps, built from what it knows about your business. Either way, the practical lesson is the same: make sure your profile, website and reviews answer the questions customers actually ask, such as prices, areas served, parking and how bookings work.

## Why do name, address and phone number need to match everywhere?

Your name, address and phone number, often shortened to NAP, should be identical on your website, Google, Bing, social profiles and directories. Inconsistent details make it harder for search engines to be sure that all those mentions are the same business, and they confuse customers.

- Pick one format for the name and address and use it everywhere.
- When you move or change number, update every listing, not just Google.
- Search your business name once a year and fix old or duplicate listings.

## What does a local business website need?

Your Business Profile links to your site, and Google uses your site to understand what you offer. Check these essentials:

- **A page per service.** One page for each main service, explaining what it is, who it is for, the price range or how pricing works, and how to book.
- **Area pages only where genuine.** A page for a town you actually serve is fine if it has real local content: projects there, travel times, local details. Dozens of near-identical pages that only swap the city name are what Google's spam policies call doorway pages.
- **Clear page titles.** For example "Bathroom renovation in Utrecht | Company Name". Each page gets its own title and meta description.
- **LocalBusiness structured data.** Code in JSON-LD format that states your name, address, phone, opening hours and website in a machine-readable way. Google requires name and address and recommends telephone, opening hours, URL and coordinates. Use the most specific type that fits, such as Plumber or Dentist.
- **An embedded map and full address** on your contact page.
- **Click-to-call** phone numbers and an easy contact form on mobile.
- **Fast mobile pages.** Most local searches happen on phones. See our guide to [website speed](/guides/website-speed).

## How do you get more Google reviews without breaking the rules?

Reviews affect both prominence and whether people choose you. Google lets you ask for them and gives you a review link and QR code to share.

- Ask every customer, right after a job is done, by email, text or a card with the QR code.
- Make it easy: one link, one sentence.
- Reply to every review, positive and negative. Keep replies short, professional and specific. For criticism, stay calm, protect the reviewer's privacy and explain what you did or will do.

What Google prohibits, under its policy on fake engagement and rating manipulation:

- Paying for reviews, or offering discounts, freebies or other incentives in exchange for one.
- **Review gating:** only asking customers you expect to be happy, or discouraging negative reviews.
- Reviews written by you, your staff or anyone on your behalf.
- Pressuring customers to review on your premises or telling them what to write.

Violations can lead to reviews being removed and restrictions on your profile. Many countries also have consumer law against fake reviews, so the risk is not only with Google.

## Which local links and directories are worth it?

Links and mentions from other local websites contribute to prominence. Quality matters more than volume.

- Your industry or trade association's member directory.
- Your local chamber of commerce, business association or city portal.
- Suppliers, partners and manufacturers who list approved installers or stockists.
- Local sponsorships, events and press where you genuinely took part.
- A few well-known general directories in your country, including those based on the official business register where that applies.

Skip paid link packages and mass directory submissions. They rarely help and can hurt.

## Should you also set up Bing Places?

Yes, it takes a few minutes. Bing Places for Business is Microsoft's free equivalent for appearing in Bing search and Bing Maps. You can import your Google Business Profile instead of typing everything again, then verify the listing.

## How do you measure local SEO?

- **Google Search Console:** shows which searches your site appears for, clicks, and positions. Filter by queries that contain your town or services.
- **Business Profile performance:** shows searches, views, calls, direction requests and website clicks from your profile.
- **UTM tags on your profile link:** add parameters such as utm_source=google, utm_medium=organic and utm_campaign=gbp to your Business Profile website link. Visits from the profile then show up separately in GA4 or Plausible instead of blending into general Google traffic.
- **Real leads:** ask new customers how they found you. It is the simplest check of all.

## What should you do every month?

| Task | Time |
| --- | --- |
| Reply to all new reviews | 10 minutes |
| Send review requests to recent customers | 10 minutes |
| Add new photos and, if relevant, a post | 15 minutes |
| Check hours, special hours and services are correct | 5 minutes |
| Review Search Console and profile performance | 15 minutes |
| Improve one page on your site, or add one real project | 30 minutes |

Once a year, also check your NAP across directories, your categories and your structured data.

> Consistency beats bursts of activity. An hour a month, every month, does more for local visibility than a big push once a year.

## Where to start

Start with the Business Profile, then the website basics, then reviews. If you want to know where your site stands, our free [website audit](/audit) checks speed, technical SEO and content and emails you a report. For help with setup or ongoing upkeep, see our [services](/services) or [get in touch](/contact).

## Frequently asked questions
### Can I put keywords or my city in my Google Business Profile name?
No. Google's guidelines say the name must match your real-world business name. Adding keywords, locations or taglines is not allowed and can lead to suspension.

### Can I offer a discount in exchange for a Google review?
No. Google prohibits incentives of any kind for reviews, including discounts, free products and payment. You may ask every customer for an honest review.

### Do I need a Business Profile if I work from home and visit clients?
Yes. Set up a service-area business: add the areas you serve and hide your home address. Google allows this for businesses that serve customers at their location.

### Should I make a page for every town near me?
Only for places you genuinely serve and can say something specific about. Near-identical pages that only swap the city name count as doorway pages under Google's spam policies.

### How long does local SEO take to show results?
Fixing a profile or wrong details can help within weeks, but reviews, links and content build up over months. There is no fixed timeline, and no way to pay Google for a better local ranking.

## Sources
- [Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091)
- [Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177)
- [Google Maps user-generated content policy: Fake engagement](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114)
- [Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122)
- [Google Search Central: Local business structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/local-business)
- [Google Search Central: Spam policies for Google web search](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies)
- [Google Analytics Help: URL builders (UTM parameters)](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10917952)
- [Microsoft Bing: Bing Places for Business](https://www.bing.com/forbusiness/)