Keep your Google Business Profile accurate
If your business is eligible, claim and verify its Google Business Profile. Use its real name and choose categories that describe what it does. Keep contact details, hours and the website address current.
Review special opening hours before public holidays and update photos when they no longer reflect the business. A customer should not have to compare several different phone numbers to work out which one is correct.
How local results are determined
Google describes relevance, distance and prominence as the main factors in local results. Relevance concerns the match to the search; distance concerns location; prominence concerns how well known a business is.
You cannot choose where a searcher is standing or guarantee a map position. Focus on accurate information and a helpful customer experience. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.
Give location pages a real purpose
A location page should help someone use that location. Include a genuine address where appropriate, directions, opening hours, available services and a clear contact option. For a service-area business, explain the actual areas covered and any travel conditions.
If you have several branches, show what is useful about each one. Replacing only a town name across otherwise identical pages gives visitors little help. One clear service-area page may be more useful than many thin location pages.
Handle customer reviews thoughtfully
Invite customers to share an honest account of their experience. Read the feedback and respond professionally, including when something has gone wrong. Avoid incentives, fabricated reviews or requests aimed only at customers you expect to praise you.
Use repeated feedback to improve the business itself. If people regularly mention confusing parking instructions or unanswered calls, fixing those issues is more helpful than adding another promotional paragraph to the website.
A local SEO check you can do today
Check your business name, contact number and opening hours on your website and profile. Try the phone link on mobile. Follow the directions as a first-time visitor would, or review whether the service-area information is clear.
Then ask a colleague to find one important detail, such as wheelchair access, collection times or booking requirements. Add accurate answers to the relevant page instead of making customers call for every basic question.
Before the next public holiday, update your opening hours wherever customers look for them. If you close early or change collection times, make that clear on the relevant page as well as your business profile.
