Local SEO: getting into the three businesses Google shows on the map

When someone searches "dentist near me" or "holiday cottage this weekend" on Google, 3 businesses show up on the map.

Local SEO is the work that gets your business into those results. You don't need to be a marketing expert, but you do need the basics in place: your Google profile, your website, reviews, content and consistent details, in that order.

Before we start: many Google searches have local intent ("near me", "in [your town]"), and people who search that way are usually close to deciding, so a visit from one of those searches can end with someone walking through your door.

Why local SEO matters

Google gives priority to local results when it detects nearby intent. If someone searches "emergency vet" on their phone at 10 pm, Google shows the nearest vets with a good online presence.

You don't need to be the biggest business in town to rank well. You need the setup in this guide, and any business willing to work on it can get there.

Step 1: Google Business Profile (start here)

Your Google Business Profile is your card on Google Maps. If it isn't set up properly, you won't appear on the map.

Basic checklist:

• Use your real business name (don't add keywords like "Dentist Valencia Centre Clinic")
• Choose the right primary category and secondary categories. Google uses them to decide which searches show you
• Enter your exact address and phone number, the same as on your website
• Write a clear description of your services and area, with the words your customers would use
• Upload at least 10 real, good-quality photos: inside, outside, team, products or services
• Set your full opening hours, including holidays and special days
• Post at least one update a month: offers, news, events
• Turn on chat if you can answer messages quickly

The most common mistake: creating the profile, filling in the basics and never touching it again. An active, up-to-date profile stands a better chance than one that hasn't changed in two years.

A very common case: a profile created years ago, with 3 photos, incomplete hours and no description. Completing it is one of the first things worth doing, and the checklist above lets you do it yourself. If you want a second pair of eyes, I'll check your Google profile for free and tell you what's missing. If you want me to leave it ready, the one-off optimisation is from €99.

Step 2: prepare your website for local search

With only a Google profile, customers can't see which services you offer, what they cost or what the place looks like inside, and that is what your website is for.

The technical side that matters:

• Your address and phone number in the footer of every page, as text (Google can't read text inside an image)
• LocalBusiness structured data in JSON-LD: code that tells Google what type of business you are, where you are and how to contact you
• Page titles written for local searches: "Dental clinic in Gijón | Clinic name" works better than "Home"
• Meta descriptions that include your town or service area
• Fast loading: Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking signal
• A layout that works on mobile, where most local searches happen
• A page for each main service, instead of everything on one generic page

I set up these foundations on every website I build, at no extra cost. What isn't included by default is the ongoing monthly work (posts on your Google profile, replies to reviews, reports): that's part of the Website + Google Pack.

Step 3: recent reviews, all answered

Google takes reviews into account when deciding who to show first, and so do customers. A business with plenty of recent reviews and a good rating usually has an edge over one with 3 reviews, even if the second has been open longer.

How to get reviews:

1. Get the direct link to leave a review (from your Google Business Profile, "Ask for reviews")
2. Save it on your phone as a shortcut
3. Right after a job well done, send it by WhatsApp: "Glad you were happy. If you have a minute, a review would help us a lot: [link]"
4. Reply to every review, good and bad. The bad ones calmly and politely
5. Never buy fake reviews. Google can remove them and suspend your profile

If you don't have time for this: with the Website + Google Pack (from €59/month) I set up your review kit (a QR code for the counter and a ready-to-send WhatsApp message), reply to every review and send you a report each month.

If you're looking for something specific to your sector, I have pages with prices for dental clinics, physiotherapists and rural accommodation.

Step 4: articles that answer what your customers ask

A well-written article can bring you visits for years at no extra cost.

Examples by sector:

If you run rural accommodation: an article on "best walks near [your area]" reaches people planning a getaway, who see your cottage on the way.

If you run a dental clinic: an article on "how much does a dental implant cost in [town]" reaches someone comparing options before booking.

If you're a physiotherapist: an article on "what to do when your back hurts (and when to see a physio)" shows up when someone searches for help with their pain.

The key: write for the real questions your customers ask, not for the technical terms of your trade. Far more people search "how long does orthodontic treatment take?" than "orthodontic treatment with invisible aligners in central Madrid".

Step 5: the same details everywhere (NAP)

Google cross-checks your information across sources. If your phone number is different on your website, your Google profile and a local directory, Google gets mixed signals and your ranking can suffer.

NAP = Name, Address, Phone

It must be identical on:

• Your website (header and footer)
• Your Google Business Profile
• Yellow Pages
• Facebook
• Yelp
• TripAdvisor (if it's relevant to your sector)
• Any trade directory

Small differences count: "C/ Real, 15", "Calle Real 15" and "Calle Real nº 15" look like three different addresses to a machine, so pick one format and copy it exactly everywhere.

Common mistakes that hurt local SEO

Mistake 1: stuffing keywords into your business name. "Dental Clinic Seville Dr. García" when the real name is "Dr. García Clinic". Google treats this as spam and can suspend your profile.

Mistake 2: ignoring negative reviews. Leaving a bad review unanswered is worse than the review itself. A calm reply shows you care and softens the impact for the next reader.

Mistake 3: inconsistent details. One phone number on your website and another on Google, or the address written differently in a directory. As in step 5, Google can't tell which one is right.

Mistake 4: not updating special hours. Christmas, Easter, bank holidays. If Google marks you as "possibly closed" when you're open, that customer goes elsewhere. If you're closed and Google doesn't show it, the customer finds the shutters down and a bad review often follows.

Mistake 5: a slow website or one that doesn't work on mobile. Google measures loading speed (Core Web Vitals). A site that takes 6 seconds to load on mobile will struggle, however well you set up everything else.

How long does it take?

Rough timelines, not sales promises (they depend on your sector, your area and your competition):

• A complete, well-kept Google profile: first improvements within a few weeks
• Website with proper on-page SEO: improvements in 1 to 3 months
• Solid results: 3 to 6 months of steady work

I can't promise a specific position on Google; what I do is leave the foundations right. Once you rank, visits come in without paying per click, and they don't depend on a social media algorithm.

What I include in every website I build

The local SEO foundations come with every website from day one, at no extra cost:

• Google Business Profile set up
• LocalBusiness structured data in JSON-LD
• Fast loading (Core Web Vitals)
• Page titles and descriptions written for local searches
• A layout designed for mobile first
• Clean, readable URLs

Your website is ready in 7 days.

What it costs:

If you already have a website and only want to work on your Google profile: one-off optimisation from €99, or monthly management from €39/month if you want me to look after it every month. Prices exclude VAT; they're all on the pricing page.