Imagine the scene: a potential customer is searching on their phone for: “best cafe near me”, “electrician in 11th district”, or “restaurant with terrace”. In these moments, it’s decided whether they will visit you or your competitor. Local Search Engine Optimization (Local SEO) is the weapon with which you can win these micro-battles.
The goal of local SEO is for your business to appear when and where people nearby searching with purchase intent are. This is not rocket science, and the good news is that you can take the most important steps yourself.
What is the “Local Pack” and why is it the Holy Grail?
When we start a local-type search, Google usually displays a map with three highlighted businesses above the normal results. This is called the “Local Pack”. The vast majority of clicks happen here. Our goal is to get into this top 3.
Step 1: The Absolute Basic – Google Business Profile
This is the most important free tool for local SEO. It’s your digital signpost and business premises on Google. If you don’t have one yet, create it. If you already have one, perfect it!
The perfect profile checklist:
- Accurate Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP): The most critical point. These data must match letter-for-letter what appears on your website and every other online platform. Inconsistency confuses Google.
- Choose the Correct Category: Be as specific as possible. Not just “restaurant”, but “Italian restaurant”. Choose relevant secondary categories too (e.g., “pizzeria”, “terrace”).
- Upload Quality Images: Show the store inside and out, the products, the team at work. High-quality, relevant images build trust.
- Write a Compelling Description: Briefly state what you do and use the most important keywords (e.g., “Handmade bakery in the heart of the 13th district…”).
- Encourage Reviews (and Respond to Them Too!): Reviews are the second most important ranking factor. Ask your satisfied customers to write a review. And more importantly: respond to every single review, the positive and the negative ones. This shows that you care about your customers.
Step 2: Optimizing Your Website for Local Searches
Google also scans your website to confirm local relevance.
- Local Keywords: Use the name of the city, district, or neighborhood in important places: in main titles (
<h1>), subtitles (<h2>), in the text and meta descriptions. E.g.: “Professional Air Conditioning Installation in the 3rd District”. - Availability on Every Page: The company name, address, and phone number (NAP) should be in a clearly visible place, ideally in the footer of the website on every subpage.
- Embedded Google Map: An embedded Google Map on the contact page is a clear signal to Google about your business’s exact location.
Step 3: Links and Citations
A “citation” is an online mention that contains the company’s name, address, and phone number. The more places these data appear (consistently!), the more certain Google will be that your business exists and is credible.
Where to get these?
- Local business directories (e.g., Yellow Pages, business catalogs)
- Professional organization sites
- Local news sites or blogs
Local SEO is a continuous work, but with the above steps, you can build such a solid foundation that is guaranteed to lead more local customers to your door.
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About the Author
Founder and lead developer of Prometheus Digital. I believe web development is not just about coding, but about creating value.