Local SEO
The local SEO checklist: Google Maps, listings and AI answers
Local search is won on details: the right category, a complete profile, a steady flow of reviews and the same address everywhere. Work through this list in order and tick each item off.
How does Google decide which local businesses to show?
Google names three factors for local results: relevance, distance and prominence (Google Business Profile Help). 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 judges partly from reviews and from what the rest of the web says about you.
You cannot move your building, so distance is fixed. The other two are where the work goes. A complete, accurate profile and a site that says clearly what you do build relevance. Reviews, mentions and consistent listings build prominence.
The same raw material feeds AI assistants when someone asks them for a clinic or a notary nearby. A business that is well described on Google Maps is usually well placed for those answers too.
Why is the primary category the first decision?
Your primary category tells Google what kind of business you are, and it shapes which searches you can appear for. A clinic that picks a vague category, or the wrong one, makes every other improvement work harder.
Pick the category that describes the business as a whole, in the words Google offers: Dentist, Orthodontist, Real estate developer. Then add secondary categories only for services you really provide and want to be found for. A short, accurate list is better than a long one that confuses both Google and the people reading your profile. To see what works in your area, look at which categories the businesses that already appear for your main searches have chosen.
Google Business Profile checklist
Do these first. Most take a few minutes each.
- Profile claimed and verified, with the owner holding primary access
- Business name exactly as on your signage, with no keywords added
- Address set to the place customers visit, or a service area if you go to them
- A phone number that is answered during opening hours
- Regular hours, plus special hours for public holidays, Ramadan or summer if they change
- Website link pointing to the matching location page, and a booking link if you take appointments
- Services listed with short descriptions, in the words customers use
- A description that says what you do, for whom and where, in plain words
- Attributes filled in where they apply, such as accessibility and payment options
- Real photos: the entrance as seen from the street, reception, rooms, the team with their consent, and no stock images
Reviews checklist
Reviews count for prominence and, more directly, for the person deciding between you and the clinic down the road. Our review generation service runs this as a routine.
- Ask every customer at the end of the visit, in person
- Send the review link the same day by WhatsApp or SMS, while the visit is fresh
- Ask all customers alike; Google’s policies forbid selectively asking for positive reviews
- Never pay for reviews, reward them with discounts, or post fake ones
- Reply to every review within a few days, good or bad
- Answer complaints calmly, with facts, and move the details to a private conversation
- In healthcare, never confirm in a public reply that the reviewer is a patient or mention their treatment
Website and listings checklist
Your site and your listings must tell the same story, word for word. Assistants and search engines both cross-check them.
- One page per location, with its own address, phone, hours, map and directions
- Each location page lists the services offered at that location
- Name, address and phone written as text in the footer, identical to your profile
- The same details on Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Facebook and the directories in your sector
- Old addresses and phone numbers corrected wherever they still appear
- Each Business Profile linked to its own location page
- Location pages that load fast on a phone, with a tap-to-call button
- Service-area pages only for places you really serve, each with real local detail
Local structured data checklist
Structured data restates in code what the page already says in text. Google documents the local business type in Search Central.
- LocalBusiness markup, or the most specific type available, such as Dentist or MedicalClinic
- Name, address, phone, URL, coordinates and opening hours filled in
- Hours in the markup matching the page and the Business Profile
- One block per location page, describing that location only
- No star ratings marked up for reviews of your own business, which Google does not support
- Markup tested with Google’s Rich Results Test after every change
What do people ask Maps and AI assistants about local businesses?
Practical things. Is there parking? Are you open on Friday? Do you speak English? How much is a first consultation? Do you see children? Can I pay by card or in instalments? These questions come before the booking, and people now put them to Google Maps and to assistants such as ChatGPT and Gemini, as well as to your receptionist.
The answers come from what is written down: your profile, your reviews, your site. If a fact is not written anywhere, the assistant guesses, or names a competitor whose page does answer. So write the answers out on each location page, in short question-and-answer form, and repeat the key ones in your profile description and attributes.
Then check. Ask two or three assistants the same practical questions about your business by name and see what comes back. Anything wrong points to a source to correct. Our guide on appearing in ChatGPT answers explains how to run that check every month.
- Parking, public transport and how to find the entrance
- Opening days, including Friday, weekends and holidays
- Languages spoken by the team
- Price of a first visit, or what the price depends on
- Payment methods, instalments and insurance accepted
- Who you treat or serve, and who you do not
Frequently asked questions
How long does local SEO take to show results?
Fixes to your Business Profile, such as the category, hours and photos, can show within weeks. Reviews and consistent listings build prominence over months. Distance never changes, so in a dense city expect to appear for searches close to you first.
Do I need a separate Business Profile for each location?
Yes. Each location that customers visit during staffed hours gets its own profile, with its own phone number if possible and its own page on your website. Our local SEO service handles multi-location setups.
Can I list a virtual office or a mailbox?
No. Google’s guidelines expect a real place where you meet customers, or a service area if you travel to them. A mailbox or an unstaffed virtual office can get the profile suspended, which costs far more than it saves.
Should I add keywords to my business name on Google?
No. Use your real-world name, as on your signage and documents. Adding keywords breaks Google’s guidelines and can lead to suspension. Put the keywords in your categories, services and description instead.
How much does local SEO cost?
It depends on the number of locations, the state of your listings and how competitive your area is. Our local SEO pricing guide explains each factor, and we quote after looking at your profile.
Last updated · By the Napexy team