If your customers are local, local SEO is often the fastest route to more enquiries. When someone searches "accountant near me" or "florist in Leeds", Google shows a map with a handful of businesses. Being in that group can be worth more than any other ranking you chase.

Claim and complete your Google Business Profile

Your free Google Business Profile is the foundation. Fill in every section:

• The right primary category, plus relevant secondary ones

• Accurate opening hours, including holiday hours

• Your services or products with short descriptions

• Real photos of your premises, team and work

Keep your details consistent

Your business name, address and phone number should match exactly everywhere they appear: your website, social profiles and directories. Inconsistent details make Google less confident about who you are and where you're based.

Ask for reviews, and reply to them

Reviews influence both rankings and decisions. Make asking part of your routine: send a short link after a job is finished. Reply to every review, good or bad, politely and promptly. Future customers read your responses as closely as the reviews themselves.

Build local pages on your website

If you serve several towns, create a genuinely useful page for each one. Mention local landmarks, show work you've done in the area and include your contact details. Avoid copying the same page and swapping the town name, as it rarely helps.

Post updates regularly

Google Business Profile lets you share offers, news and events. Regular posts signal that your business is active and give searchers another reason to choose you.

A simple rule: treat your Google Business Profile like a second homepage, because for many local customers it's the first thing they see.

The short version

Complete your profile, keep your details consistent, collect and answer reviews, build useful local pages and post updates. For a step up, rank tracking shows how you're performing in each area you serve.