When someone searches for a service near them, Google shows a map and a short list of businesses first. Most small businesses can improve their chances with a handful of checks they can run themselves this week.
Give each service its own page
A site with one page listing every service cannot match a specific search. Create a page for each main service, and for each location if you have more than one. Put the service and the place in the page title and the main heading, for example "Balayage in Farmington Hills" rather than "Our services".
Write a main heading that says what and where
The business name is not a search. Make the H1 on the home page and on each service page state what you do and where you do it, in the words a customer would type.
Keep your name, address and phone number identical everywhere
Use exactly the same business name, address and phone number on your website, your Google Business Profile and every directory. Small differences, such as "Street" in one place and "St." in another, make it harder for search engines to treat them as one business.
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile
Choose the most accurate primary category, add secondary categories that truly apply, list your services, set accurate opening hours and add real photos. Make sure the website address on the profile points to the most relevant page, not always the home page.
Add local business structured data
Structured data tells search engines your business type, address, opening hours and services in a format they can read directly. Use the most specific type that fits, such as a salon, restaurant or dental clinic, rather than a generic one, and test it with Google's Rich Results Test.
Describe your images
Add short, plain descriptions to photos of your work, your team and your premises. They help people who use screen readers, and they give search engines context about what the page shows.
Ask for reviews and reply to them
Ask happy customers for a review soon after the visit, with a direct link to make it easy. Reply to every review in a few friendly, specific sentences. Never buy reviews or offer rewards for positive ones, as platforms can remove them and penalise the profile.
List the business in a few trusted directories
Choose the directories people in your industry and city actually use, plus the major map and search platforms. Quality and consistency matter more than the number of listings.
Make the site fast and easy on a phone
Most local searches happen on a phone. Put the phone number, address and booking link where a visitor can tap them without scrolling, and test the site on mobile data.
Check what Google sees
Verify your site in Google Search Console, submit your sitemap and look at which searches already bring visitors. It is free, and it shows you which pages are working before you change anything.
The checklist
- A separate page for each main service, and for each location.
- Titles and main headings that say what you do and where.
- Identical name, address and phone number on the site and in every listing.
- Google Business Profile complete, with accurate categories, services, hours and photos.
- Local business structured data added and tested.
- Descriptions added to images.
- A simple process for asking for reviews, and replies to the ones you receive.
- Listings in a few trusted directories.
- Phone number, address and booking link easy to tap on a phone.
- Search Console verified and sitemap submitted.
Local SEO rewards steady, accurate work more than clever tricks, and most of this only needs doing once. If you would like us to check your site against this list, get in touch and we will send back a short written list of what we find.