Local SEO.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is the work of improving a business's visibility in searches with local intent, such as 'accountant near me' or 'emergency plumber Cardiff'. It covers your Google Business Profile, the map results, location and service pages on your website, reviews, and consistent business details across directories. Google ranks local results on three broad factors: relevance, distance and prominence.

Why it matters

For any business serving a defined area, local search is where buyers with urgent, high-intent needs find you. Someone searching for a solicitor in their town or a boiler engineer today is ready to pick up the phone. The map results and the first few listings take most of that attention, so the gap between third and eighth place can be the gap between a busy week and a quiet one.

The parts that matter

• Google Business Profile The most visible local asset. Categories, services, hours, photos and reviews all feed into it.
• Location and service pages Pages that genuinely describe your work in each area you serve, with real local detail.
• Reviews and replies Volume, recency and your replies influence both rankings and whether people choose you.
• Consistent citations Your name, address and phone number should match across your site, directories and social profiles.
• Local links and mentions Coverage in local press, sponsorships and chamber of commerce listings build prominence.

What to do about it

Search for your three main services plus your town on a phone, in a private browsing window, and note where you appear in the map results and below them. Check your Google Business Profile is complete and accurate. Make sure your address and phone number match exactly on your website and main directory listings. Then build a review request into your process, sent the same day a job finishes.