For small businesses across the UK, optimising for local SEO is a powerful way to attract customers who are looking for products or services in your area.
Whether you're running a café in Bakewell or a florist in Manchester, local SEO makes sure you're visible to the people who matter most — those nearby and ready to engage with your business. Local SEO can help you:
Generate more local enquiries and drive sales
Increase your visibility in local search results, boosting website traffic
Make it easier for local customers to find you on their mobile devices
Build trust and credibility with customer reviews
In fact, research shows that 80% of consumers search online several times a week to find local businesses, with 32% doing so daily to locate services near them.
How Local SEO Differs from General SEO
Local SEO has unique ranking factors compared to broader SEO efforts. When a local search is made, Google takes various factors into account, including:
The searcher’s current location
Your business’s reviews and ratings
Consistency of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across platforms
Your Google Business Profile
Your star rating on Google Maps
Engagement on social media
By optimising these areas, you'll make it easier for potential customers in your locality to discover your business when they need it most.
Tips from Google to Improve Your Local SEO
To improve your chances of appearing in local search results, Google advises:
Verifying your business location: This ensures your business appears accurately in local searches. It's important to keep your address consistent across all online platforms, not just Google.
Keeping your opening hours up to date: Particularly during holidays or special occasions, so customers know when they can visit.
Managing reviews: Responding to both positive and negative reviews shows that you value customer feedback. This boosts trust and shows potential clients you’re engaged with their needs.
Adding business photos: Regularly updating images of your business helps customers get a clearer understanding of what you offer, making your listing more appealing.
Google also evaluates relevance, distance, and prominence when ranking businesses locally. Keeping your Google Business Profile current, interacting on social media, and acquiring backlinks from local directories will help improve your prominence.
Importance of Local Keyword Research
A solid local SEO strategy begins with keyword research. Here’s how to approach it:
Find Your Core Keywords: Start by thinking about the services or products your business offers. For instance, if you run a pet grooming service, your core keywords might include “dog grooming” or “pet grooming services.”
Use Keyword Modifiers: You can target specific searches by modifying your keywords. For example, instead of just "dog grooming," use more specific terms like "dog grooming for nervous dogs" or "dog grooming for puppies" to capture more targeted traffic.
Incorporate Location-Based Keywords: Local SEO thrives on geographic terms. Make sure to include your town, city, or even a specific neighbourhood in your keywords. If you're a plumber in Derby, you might want to use “plumbers in Derby” or “Derby emergency plumbers” to reach local customers.
Consider Search Intent: Think about what your potential customers are looking for when they search online. Are they seeking more information, or are they ready to make a purchase? Tailoring your keywords to match this intent can help increase conversions. For example, "buy garden furniture in Nottingham" targets customers who are ready to make a purchase.
Adapt to Voice Search: With more people in the UK using voice search, it's essential to think about how potential customers might verbally ask for your services. Incorporating conversational phrases into your SEO strategy can help optimise for voice searches, as these are often longer and more natural-sounding than traditional typed queries.
Competitor Analysis for Local SEO
Keeping an eye on your competition is a great way to uncover opportunities to refine your local SEO strategy. Here’s how to get started:
Analyse Search Results: Search for your main keywords and see who ranks at the top of the results. These businesses are your direct competitors.
Review Their Content and SEO Tactics: Look at their blog posts, service pages, and customer testimonials. Notice their keyword usage, content structure, and on-page SEO. What are they doing well, and what can you improve upon?
Identify Gaps in Their Strategy: Are they missing any crucial keywords or content types? Spotting these gaps can provide you with a strategic advantage, allowing you to target areas they’ve overlooked.
Best Tools for Local Keyword Research
There are lots of paid tools online to help refine your local SEO keyword strategy (which can have a tendency to be over complicated for small business owners!0 but the ones I use most are Google Keyword Planner and the auto suggest feature on Google's own search engine.
What Now?
For small businesses in the UK, local SEO is key to boosting your visibility and attracting more local customers. Focus on local keywords, manage your online presence through tools like Google Business Profile, and understand what your customers are searching for. This will help you significantly improve your local reach and ensure your business is well-positioned in local search results, bringing in more traffic and, ultimately, more sales.
Need Some Help?
by Nancy Detchon - Director at Peak Net Ltd.
Business Professional with 30+ Years Experience - Wix Web Design - 5* Wix Legend Partner - Female Business Owner - Micro Business Champion
A business professional and website designer with 30+ years of experience in Director level business management, project management and software implementation. A high level Wix Partner committed to providing creative web design solutions with excellent functionality, all without breaking the bank. I'm here to help you hit the ground running, allowing you to concentrate on your specialist subject – the business of running your business.
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