Local SEO for UK small businesses: a practical checklist
If your customers are nearby, these are the jobs that get you on the map.
For businesses that serve a local area, showing up in the map results and local searches matters more than it did five years ago, and can matter more than anything else you do. Here's a checklist you can work through in an afternoon.
Google Business Profile
- Claim and verify your profile
- Choose the most accurate primary category, then add relevant secondary ones
- Write a clear description of what you do and where
- Add real photos of your premises, team and work
- Keep opening hours up to date, including bank holidays
- Post updates and offers regularly
Consistent business details
Your name, address and phone number should match exactly everywhere they appear: your website, social profiles and directories. Inconsistencies make it harder for search engines to trust your details.
Reviews
Ask happy customers for reviews as part of your normal process, not as an afterthought. Reply to every review, good or bad, politely and promptly. How you respond to criticism is visible to everyone.
Your website
- Mention the towns and areas you serve naturally in your copy
- Create a page for each main location if you serve several
- Embed a map and show your address on the contact page
- Make sure the site works well on a phone, where most local searches happen
Local links and mentions
Local press, business associations, sponsorships and partner businesses are all good sources of links and mentions. They help search engines understand where you belong.
Founder of oXo Creatives, founded 2013. Roles at Meta, Google, PlayStation, King and NatWest.
Want help with SEO?
Get found on Google, and in AI search, when customers look for what you do. Typically a few weeks for the audit and first fixes, then ongoing work as content and links build.
