Google ranks local results on three things, and says so in its own help pages: relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot move your premises, so local SEO is about the other two: a complete Google Business Profile, a website that names the places you actually serve, consistent details across directories, and steady reviews. A Google Business Profile is free and takes about 15 minutes to claim. Here is the order we work in.
How does Google decide which local businesses to show?
h2By relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search. Distance is how far you are from the person searching. Prominence is how well known you are, which Google says is based on things like how many websites link to you and how many reviews you have, adding that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. Source: Google Business Profile Help, “Tips to improve your local ranking on Google”, checked 8 October 2026.
How do I set up my Google Business Profile properly?
h2Claim it, then complete every section. If you have not claimed and filled in your profile, do it today; it costs nothing.
- Business name, address or service area, phone, website, hours and description, all filled in
- The most specific category available, not a broad one
- Real photos of your work, premises and team
- Regular updates, so the profile looks active
- A reply to every review, positive or negative
Where should local keywords go on my website?
h2In page titles, headings and the opening lines of the pages that matter, woven in naturally rather than stuffed. Examples:
- “Electrician in Bromley, fixed-price quotes”
- “Affordable website design for Manchester businesses”
- “Wedding photographer covering Lancashire and the Lake District”
If you cover several areas, give a dedicated page only to the ones that genuinely bring you work, and write each one about that place. Pages that swap the town name and repeat everything else do not rank.
Which directories should a UK business be listed in?
h2Start with the big five, then your trade’s own. Your business name, address and phone number (NAP) should be identical everywhere it appears.
- Google Business Profile
- Bing Places, which also feeds Microsoft Copilot
- Apple Business Connect, for Apple Maps
- Yell.com
- Yelp
- Trade and industry directories, such as your trade body’s member search
Do Google reviews affect local rankings?
h2Yes. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. Ask happy customers straight after the job, and make it easy by sending a direct link to your review page. Never buy or fake reviews: it breaks Google’s rules, and in the UK submitting or commissioning a fake review, or hiding that a review was incentivised, is a banned practice under Schedule 20 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
What is local schema markup and do I need it?
h2It is a small block of code that tells search engines your business name, address or service area, phone, hours and what you do, in a format they read directly. It will not rank you on its own, but it removes guesswork, and AI answer engines lean on structured data when they summarise local businesses. We add LocalBusiness schema to every site we build.
Need help with local SEO? Our SEO Foundation plan (£299 a month) covers Google Business Profile, local SEO and schema, or ask us to audit your local presence first.
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