Local SEO: how to get found (and recommended) near youLocal SEO: how to get found (and recommended) near you

When someone types “plumber near me” or asks their phone for an electrician open tonight, Google doesn't show the best websites in the country. It shows nearby businesses, on a map, with their reviews. Local SEO is the work that gets you into that list. Good news: it's the most accessible kind of SEO for a tradesperson or small business, as long as you do things in the right order.When someonesomeone types “plumber near me”me” or asks their phonephone for an electrician openopen tonight, Google doesn't showshow the best websites inin the country. It showsshows nearby businesses, on aa map, with their reviews.reviews. Local SEO is thethe work that gets youyou into that list. GoodGood news: it's the mostmost accessible kind of SEOSEO for a tradesperson oror small business, as longlong as you do thingsthings in the right order.order.

Google says it in its own help page on local ranking: three factors matter. Relevance (does your profile match the search?), distance (are you near the person or the place typed?) and prominence (is your business known, mentioned, well rated?). You can't choose distance. Everything else can be worked on.Google sayssays it in its ownown help page on local ranking: three factorsfactors matter. Relevance (does youryour profile match the search?),search?), distance (are you nearnear the person or thethe place typed?) and prominenceprominence (is your business known,known, mentioned, well rated?). YouYou can't choose distance. EverythingEverything else can be workedworked on.

Before anything else: your name, address, phone number and opening hours must be identical on your Google profile, your site, Facebook, Instagram, PagesJaunes (the French Yellow Pages) and every directory you appear in. When sources contradict each other, Google and AI tools no longer know what to believe, and recommend someone else. The most common case: an old number or address left on an old directory.Before anythinganything else: your name, address,address, phone number and openingopening hours must be identicalidentical on your Google profile,profile, your site, Facebook, Instagram,Instagram, PagesJaunes (the French YellowYellow Pages) and every directorydirectory you appear in. WhenWhen sources contradict each other,other, Google and AI toolstools no longer know whatwhat to believe, and recommendrecommend someone else. The mostmost common case: an oldold number or address leftleft on an old directory.directory.

The primary category of your Google Business Profile is the first setting I check, and almost nobody reopens it after setup. Don't guess: open Google Maps, type the search you want to win, and look at the category of the top three businesses. Take the same one if it truly describes your trade. Then add your services one by one, in your customers' words.The primaryprimary category of your GoogleGoogle Business Profile is thethe first setting I check,check, and almost nobody reopensreopens it after setup. Don'tDon't guess: open Google Maps,Maps, type the search youyou want to win, andand look at the categorycategory of the top threethree businesses. Take the samesame one if it trulytruly describes your trade. ThenThen add your services oneone by one, in youryour customers' words.

What I see when searching for local businesses: Google often highlights sentences from customer reviews, and AI tools rely on those reviews to describe a business. A “great, thanks” review helps nobody. A review that names the service, the town and the result (“leak fixed in Ambérieu the same afternoon”) is gold. Ask at the right moment, right after a happy customer, without ever dictating the text or offering anything.What II see when searching forfor local businesses: Google oftenoften highlights sentences from customercustomer reviews, and AI toolstools rely on those reviewsreviews to describe a business.business. A “great, thanks” reviewreview helps nobody. A reviewreview that names the service,service, the town and thethe result (“leak fixed inin Ambérieu the same afternoon”)afternoon”) is gold. Ask atat the right moment, rightright after a happy customer,customer, without ever dictating thethe text or offering anything.anything.

• Reply to every review, negative ones first: people read the reply as much as the rating.Reply toto every review, negative onesones first: people read thethe reply as much asas the rating.
• Don't slip keywords into your replies: it sounds fake to the next customer reading them.Don't slipslip keywords into your replies:replies: it sounds fake toto the next customer readingreading them.
• A fake review gets reported, not answered.A fakefake review gets reported, notnot answered.
• Never buy reviews: it's the shortest path to a suspended profile.Never buybuy reviews: it's the shortestshortest path to a suspendedsuspended profile.

Your Google profile can win one or two searches. The rest happens on your site: one page per service, and one page per city where you really work, with real projects, real reviews and local details. Beware the trap: dozens of pages where only the city name changes. Google treats them as doorway pages, which it penalises. Three true pages beat thirty copies. That's what I did with my page on website design in the Ain (in French), built around a real client in the Plaine de l'Ain.Your GoogleGoogle profile can win oneone or two searches. TheThe rest happens on youryour site: one page perper service, and one pagepage per city where youyou really work, with realreal projects, real reviews andand local details. Beware thethe trap: dozens of pagespages where only the citycity name changes. Google treatstreats them as doorway pages,, which it penalises. ThreeThree true pages beat thirtythirty copies. That's what II did with my pagepage on website design in the Ain (in French),French), built around a realreal client in the PlainePlaine de l'Ain.

Under almost every local search, Google shows a “People also ask” box. Those are your future customers' real questions: how much, how long, do you travel. Answer them on your service page, in one or two clear sentences, answer first. That's exactly the kind of passage Google and AI tools quote.Under almostalmost every local search, GoogleGoogle shows a “People alsoalso ask” box. Those areare your future customers' realreal questions: how much, howhow long, do you travel.travel. Answer them on youryour service page, in oneone or two clear sentences,sentences, answer first. That's exactlyexactly the kind of passagepassage Google and AI toolstools quote.

When you ask ChatGPT or Google's AI mode for “a good carpenter in town”, the AI has no secret list. It runs a few searches, reads your profile, your reviews, your site and other people's pages (directories, “best tradespeople in…” lists, forums), then summarises. So no magic: if your local SEO is clean and other sites talk about you, you stand a chance. List yourself on the directories that rank on page one for your search, and ask local list authors to add you.When youyou ask ChatGPT or Google'sGoogle's AI mode for “a“a good carpenter in town”,town”, the AI has nono secret list. It runsruns a few searches, readsreads your profile, your reviews,reviews, your site and otherother people's pages (directories, “best“best tradespeople in…” lists, forums),forums), then summarises. So nono magic: if your locallocal SEO is clean andand other sites talk aboutabout you, you stand aa chance. List yourself onon the directories that rankrank on page one forfor your search, and askask local list authors toto add you.

A well-set profile can move within weeks on a low-competition search. Pages and reviews take several months. I cover the real timelines in how long SEO takes and the basics in how organic search works. If you'd like me to handle it, it's all on the SEO optimisation page.A well-setwell-set profile can move withinwithin weeks on a low-competitionlow-competition search. Pages and reviewsreviews take several months. II cover the real timelinestimelines in how long SEO takes and thethe basics in how organic search works.. If you'd like meme to handle it, it'sit's all on the SEO optimisation page.