Seven local search basics every small business needs
Get found by customers searching near you. Here's what to fix first.
Local search is how customers find you when they search for what you do in their area. If your fence company, salon, or restaurant doesn't show up in those searches, you're losing work to competitors who do. The basics are simple enough that you can start this week.
Key facts
- Google Business Profile, on-page SEO, customer reviews, and local citations are the main factors that determine whether you appear in local search results.
- Customer reviews directly influence what AI-powered search tools say about your business and shape whether potential customers find you.
- Local business listings on major platforms need to be created and kept consistent across all of them.
- Schema markup—structured data that tells search engines what your business is—plays a role in how visible you are in search.
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile
This is the single most important step. Search engines use your Google Business Profile to show your business in local results, maps, and AI-powered search tools. If you haven't claimed yours, do it now. If you have one but it's incomplete, fill in every field: hours, phone number, address, photos, services you offer. Update it when anything changes. Customers see this profile before they visit your website, so treat it like your front door.
Get reviews and respond to them
Customer reviews are not optional. They influence both search rankings and what AI assistants tell people about your business. Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google and other platforms where your industry shows up. When someone leaves a review—good or bad—respond to it. This shows you pay attention and care what customers think. Respond to negative reviews professionally and briefly; don't argue. Respond to positive reviews with thanks. The volume, recency, and sentiment of reviews all matter.
Build consistent listings across platforms
Your business information needs to be identical everywhere it appears online: same name, same phone number, same address. Check Google, Yelp, Apple Maps, Facebook, industry directories, and any other platform where your type of business gets listed. If you find listings you didn't create, claim them. If information is wrong, fix it. Inconsistencies confuse search engines and cost you visibility. This takes an afternoon but pays off for months.
Write content about what your customers search for
Your website should answer the questions people in your area actually ask. If you're a roofer, write about roof damage from local weather. If you run a salon, write about styles popular in your town. If you own a restaurant, write about the neighborhood and what makes your place special. This content should be genuine and specific to your community, not generic. Search engines reward businesses that speak to their local audience.
Use schema markup on your website
Schema markup is code that tells search engines exactly what your business is, where it's located, and what services you offer. You don't need to write code yourself—most website builders and platforms have tools to add it. If your website was built by someone else, ask them to add schema markup for your business type. It's not a magic ranking boost, but it helps search engines understand and display your information correctly.
Keep your website information current
Your website should match your Google Business Profile. Same hours, same phone number, same address. If you move, change hours, or add a service, update both places. Outdated information sends customers to the wrong place or at the wrong time, and it hurts your search visibility.
Check your presence across platforms
Search for your business name online and see where it appears. Are there listings you don't recognize? Claim them or get them removed. Are there duplicate listings? Consolidate them. This cleanup work is tedious but necessary. Once you've done it, maintaining consistency becomes much easier.
Sources
- Local SEO - Moz
They did the reporting. The writing and the opinions here are ours.
Questions people ask about this
What is local SEO and why does it matter for my small business
Local SEO is how you get found by customers searching for your type of business in your area. When someone searches for a fence company near them or a salon in town, local SEO determines whether your business appears. If you're not showing up in those searches, you're losing customers to competitors who are.
How do customer reviews affect my search rankings
Reviews influence both where you appear in search results and what AI-powered search tools say about your business. The number of reviews, how recent they are, and what customers say all matter. Businesses with more positive reviews rank higher and get recommended more often.
What is Google Business Profile and do I need it
Google Business Profile is where your business information appears on Google Search and Google Maps. It's where customers see your hours, phone number, address, and photos before they visit your website. You need it, and it needs to be complete and accurate.
Why do my business listings need to be the same everywhere
Search engines use your business information to decide whether to show you in local results. If your name, phone, or address is different on different platforms, search engines get confused and you lose visibility. Consistency tells search engines you're a real, trustworthy business.
What is schema markup and do I need to understand it
Schema markup is code that tells search engines what your business is and where it's located. You don't need to write it yourself—most website platforms have tools to add it. It helps search engines display your information correctly in search results.
How often should I update my local business information
Update it whenever anything changes: hours, phone number, address, services, or photos. Beyond that, check your listings once a month to make sure nothing has been altered and that all your information is still correct across all platforms.
This piece is about Local SEO, published by Moz. Go read the original; the opinions here are ours and the reporting is theirs.
