Local SEO is like plumbing. When it works, no one notices. When it doesn’t, you’re left standing in cold water, wondering why nobody’s calling your Swindon-based local SEO services.
People think it’s simple. Add your business to Google, throw in your postcode, and wait for the calls to roll in. And sometimes, for a brief and mysterious window of time, that actually works. But more often, you vanish. Your business is right there. You know it. Your mum knows it. But Google? Not a clue.
So if you’ve ever shouted “Why isn’t my business showing up?!” at your phone, this one’s for you.
It’s Not Just About Google
Let’s get this out of the way. Yes, Google is in charge. It decides whether your florist in Croydon shows up when someone types “flowers near me.” But it doesn’t do it out of kindness. It does it based on signals.
Think of it as a nosy neighbour who’s always watching. It needs proof. Are you who you say you are? Are you actually in Croydon? Do real people mention you? Or are you just another dodgy listing with no photos and an address that sounds made up?
This is where local SEO comes in. It’s the art (or admin) of sending Google all the right signs. And no, it’s not just about keywords and reviews—though those help.
It’s about structure. Relevance. Accuracy. And whether your phone number works when someone calls on a Sunday.
Your Google Business Profile Is Not a Set-and-Forget
You’d be surprised how many businesses list themselves once and never go back. That’s like planting a tomato plant and never watering it again.
Your Google profile needs regular feeding. Photos. Updates. Fresh opening hours. Maybe a post or two now and then. Google loves activity. If your competitor is posting about their new menu, and you haven’t touched your listing since 2021, guess who gets shown first? If you don’t have time to do it, hire someone like The SEO Consultant who will do it for you. It is worth the investment.
Also—check your category. If you’re a hairdresser but accidentally chose “beauty salon,” you might be showing up for the wrong searches entirely. Or worse, not at all.
NAP Consistency (No, Not That Kind of Nap)
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. You need to have the same details everywhere. And I mean exactly the same.
If your Facebook says:
Happy Paws Grooming – 2a Station Road, Swindon
And your website says:
Happy Paws – 2A Station Rd, Swindon
That counts as a mismatch.
To a person, it looks close enough. To Google, it looks like two different businesses pretending to be one. It starts to get nervous. Nervous Google doesn’t recommend your site. Nervous Google lets your rival get the clicks.
So fix your NAP. Match it across everything—your site, directories, social profiles, receipts if needed.
Reviews Matter (Even the Awkward Ones)
People trust people. Google trusts people, too. Especially when they leave reviews.
Now, I know. Asking for reviews feels like fishing for compliments. But here’s the thing—businesses with more reviews get more calls. Even if they’ve got a few one-stars mixed in.
A perfect score looks suspicious. A mix looks real. What matters more is that you reply. Thank the nice ones. Calmly address the bad ones.
It shows you exist. You care. And you’re not run by raccoons wearing human clothes.
Local SEO Isn’t Just for the Website
It’s not enough to have your town mentioned once on your homepage. You need proper signals, scattered like breadcrumbs through your site.
- Page titles with your location
- Meta descriptions with your area
- Headers that mention your town or region
- Internal links pointing to your location pages
- A contact page with a real map
If you serve more than one town, make a page for each. One that actually says something useful. Not just “We also work here.” That’s like writing “etc.” on a CV.
Citations: The Boring Bit That Works
Citations are just mentions of your business online. Not links. Just listings. Things like Yell, Thomson Local, Yelp, Facebook, and directories you forgot existed.
Having your business listed across several of these—with matching details—helps Google trust you’re real.
Think of it as a council tax bill for your business. Boring. Repetitive. But very useful when someone questions whether you exist.
And One More Thing: Check Your Own Website
All the Google profiles in the world won’t help if your own website is a mess.
- Does it load fast?
- Does it work on a phone?
- Does it actually say what you do, where you do it, and how people can contact you?
If your homepage has five paragraphs of waffle and the phone number is hidden in a tiny footer, you’re not making life easy for anyone. Least of all Google.
So, What’s the Big Secret?
The big secret is this: local SEO is mostly admin.
It’s making sure your listings match.
It’s keeping your opening hours updated.
It’s replying to reviews.
It’s making sure your phone number works.
No magic. No tricks. Just boring, necessary work that adds up.
