46% of all Google searches have local intent. When someone searches “web developer near me” or “best café in Birmingham,” Google serves results based on proximity, relevance, and prominence. Here’s how to make sure your business appears.
Google Business Profile
This is the single most important factor for local SEO. If you haven’t claimed and optimised your Google Business Profile, do it today. It’s free and takes 15 minutes.
- Complete every section — business name, address, phone, website, hours, description
- Choose the most specific category available
- Add high-quality photos (businesses with photos get 42% more direction requests)
- Post updates regularly (Google favours active profiles)
- Respond to every review, positive or negative
Local Keywords on Your Website
Your website needs to include the locations you serve. Not stuffed unnaturally, but woven into page titles, headings, and content. Examples:
- “Web development agency in London”
- “Affordable website design for Manchester businesses”
- “E-commerce development across the UK and US”
Create dedicated landing pages for each major area you serve if your business covers multiple locations.
Citations and Directories
Your business Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) should be identical everywhere it appears online. Key directories for UK businesses:
- Google Business Profile
- Bing Places
- Apple Maps
- Yell.com
- Thomson Local
- Yelp
- Industry-specific directories
Reviews
Quantity and quality of Google reviews directly impact local rankings. Ask satisfied clients to leave a review. Make it easy — send them a direct link to your Google review page.
Local Schema Markup
Add LocalBusiness schema to your website with your address, phone number, opening hours, and service area. This helps Google understand exactly where you operate and what you do.
Need help with local SEO? We’ll audit your local presence and create a plan to get you ranking.