Insights · Get found · Local SEO
Local SEO for small businesses: the checklist we use
By Stacey G, Senior SEO and Account Manager
Published · 3 minute read
The short answer
Local SEO for a small business comes down to five jobs done well: a complete Google Business Profile with the right category, a steady flow of genuine reviews, the same business details everywhere online, a page on your website for each service and area, and tracking of calls and enquiries from Google Maps. Work through them in that order.
When I take on a new local SEO client, I work through the same checklist every time. Most small businesses can do much of it themselves in an afternoon, and it usually makes a visible difference to how often they appear in Google Maps.
Part 1: your Google Business Profile
- Verified, and owned by you rather than a former employee or agency.
- Your real business name, with no added keywords or towns.
- The most specific primary category that fits.
- Secondary categories for your other main services.
- Correct address, or a service area if clients do not visit you.
- A local phone number that is answered.
- Accurate opening hours, including bank holidays.
- Every service listed with a short description.
- At least ten real photos, with new ones each month.
- A post every week.
Part 2: reviews
- Ask every happy client, within a day of finishing the work.
- Send a direct link by text or email, automatically.
- Reply to every review within two working days.
- Never offer an incentive or ask only happy clients. Google does not allow it.
Part 3: your details everywhere else
- The same name, address and phone number on your website, Google, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect.
- The directories that matter in your sector, claimed and correct.
- Old addresses and phone numbers corrected wherever they appear.
- Duplicate listings removed.
Part 4: your website
- A page for each main service.
- A page for each office, and for key towns you serve, with real local detail.
- Your name, address and phone number on every page, matching your profile.
- LocalBusiness structured data on your location pages.
- Fast loading on a phone.
Part 5: tracking
- Tracked links on your Google Business Profile, so you can see website visits from Maps.
- Calls from your profile and website counted.
- A monthly check of calls, direction requests and enquiries.
About the author
Stacey G, Senior SEO and Account Manager. Stacey leads organic growth: SEO, local SEO, AEO and GEO. She gets clients found and chosen on Google, in Google Maps and in AI answers from ChatGPT and Google.
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