I'll show you how Local SEO works. From your Google Business Profile and review management to the right keywords - everything you need to be found regionally.
You do excellent work. Your customers are thrilled. Nevertheless, the phone rings too rarely? The problem is not your performance - it's your visibility. While you are working, interested parties are searching online for exactly your service. Unfortunately, they only find your competition.
That doesn't have to be the case. Local SEO is your key to more regional customers. Without a huge advertising budget, without complicated technology. I'll show you how it works.
What Local SEO really means
Local SEO makes you visible to people who are looking for your service in your area. When someone googles "electrician near me", Local SEO decides who appears at the top.
The numbers speak for themselves: 46% of all Google searches have local intent - Google confirmed this at an official conference. Even more impressive: 76% of smartphone users who search locally visit a store within a day. Your potential customers are searching online - the only question is whether they find you or your competition.
The best part? Most local businesses don't use Local SEO correctly. They may have a website, but it's invisible to Google. Or they have a Google profile that hasn't been updated in years. This gap is your opportunity.
Google Business Profile: Your digital shop window
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the heart of your Local SEO strategy. It's free and the most important lever for local visibility.
Getting the basics right
The devil is in the details. Google loves complete profiles. Name, address and phone number (NAP) must be identical everywhere on the internet. "Main St. 15" here and "Main Street 15" there confuses Google. The result: poorer rankings.
The choice of category is crucial. Choose your main category precisely. The difference between "electrician" and "electrical installer" can decide your visibility. Google knows the search habits and prefers to show the appropriate categories.
Photos that convince
People buy from people. Show your team at work, your workshop, completed projects. Authentic pictures always beat stock photos. Before and after pictures? Your strongest sales helper. Current photos of the team? Build trust.
Profiles with photos receive 42% more inquiries - that's Google's own data. Upload at least 10 photos and update them regularly.
Use Google Posts
Google Posts are your chance to communicate actively. New offers, special opening hours, completed projects - all material for posts.
The key: regularity. A simple post every week is better than a masterpiece once a year. Google registers activity and rewards it with better visibility.
Keywords: Understanding the language of your customers
Keywords are the terms your customers type into Google. The most common mistake: you think from your specialist perspective, not from your target group's point of view.
The decisive change of perspective
You offer "plumbing installation"? Your customers google "emergency plumber". You do "building cleaning"? They search for "office cleaning service". You have to close this gap.
Ask your existing customers: "What did you search for when you found me?" The answers are revealing. Often they are combinations like "cheap painter old building" or "electrician emergency service weekend".
Using local keywords strategically
The magic lies in the combination: your service plus geographical terms. Think broader than just your city. Districts, counties, regions - you have potential customers everywhere.
"Roofer Pinneberg district" reaches more people than just "roofer Elmshorn". But be careful: only name areas that you actually serve. Honesty pays off.
Content that gets found
Just slapping keywords on the website? That was yesterday. Google understands context. Write about local projects: "Roof renovation on the market square - this is how we did it". You show expertise and local connection at the same time.
Seasonal topics work great: "Heating maintenance before winter - what you should pay attention to" or "Gardening in spring - the most important steps". Useful content that gets found.
Reviews: The social proof
Reviews are the new word of mouth. 87% of people read online reviews before contacting service providers. Without reviews, you are invisible to them.
Building reviews systematically
The perfect time to ask for a review? Right after a successful project completion, when the customer is satisfied. "I'm glad you're satisfied! A Google review would really help me to be found by others."
Make it easy: a QR code on the invoice that leads directly to the review page. A friendly reminder by email after a few days. Don't beg, just remind.
Dealing with criticism professionally
Negative reviews happen. How you react shows your character. A professional response often impresses more than ten five-star reviews.
"Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry you weren't satisfied. I would like to clarify this with you personally - please contact me." Factual, solution-oriented, professional.
The technical basics
Over 60% of all Google searches already come from smartphones. For local searches, the proportion is even higher. Your website must work perfectly on mobile. Large buttons to call, clickable address with map connection, clearly visible opening hours.
Mobile First is a must
Test your website on your smartphone. Does it load quickly? Is all information legible without zooming? Can you call with one click? These details decide whether visitors become customers.
NAP consistency everywhere
Name, Address, Phone (NAP) - these three pieces of information must be exactly the same everywhere on the internet. This is part of a consistent brand identity. In every business directory, on your website, in social media. Inconsistencies cost rankings.
A systematic check is worthwhile: Where are you listed everywhere? Is the data correct? Old phone numbers or addresses are poison for your Local SEO.
Build local links
Links from other local websites strengthen your position. The sports club you sponsor. The chamber of crafts where you are a member. The local business directory. Each of these links is a signal of trust for Google.
Measure and optimize success
Local SEO is not a one-time project. It is a continuous process. The good news: success is measurable.
The most important key figures
Look at your Google Business Profile monthly. How often were you displayed in the search? How many called? How many had the route calculated? These numbers show you whether your measures are working.
Even more important: track your real business figures. More calls? More email inquiries? More walk-in customers? These are the metrics that really count.
Realistic timeframes
Local SEO takes time. Expect three to six months before you see significant improvements. But initial successes come faster: an optimized Google profile can bring more calls after just two weeks.
Time for more local visibility
Local SEO is not rocket science - it is systematic work with measurable results. While your competition is still asleep, you can now set the course for more regional customers. The tools are there, you now have the knowledge too.
Immediate measures for a quick start
You want to get started right away? Here is your action list for the first week:
Day 1: Create or update your Google Business Profile. Enter all basic data correctly.
Day 2: Upload five meaningful photos. Team, workplace, projects.
Day 3: Create your first Google Post. A current offer or a news item.
Day 4: Perform a NAP check. Where are you listed everywhere? Is the data correct?
Day 5: Ask three satisfied customers for a review. Personally, not by mass mail.
Day 6: Website check on your smartphone. Does everything work? Can you be contacted easily?
Day 7: Create a keyword list. What are your customers really looking for?
These seven steps will take you further than 90% of your local competition. No joke - most of them do nothing at all.
The decisive advantage
Local SEO gives you as a small or medium-sized company a fair fight against the big ones. You don't have to have the biggest advertising budget. You just have to do the right things right.
Your local connection is your ace up your sleeve. Use it. Show that you are on site, know the region and are accessible to your customers. No supra-regional chain can offer that.
While others are still thinking, you can start today. Every day without Local SEO is a day when potential customers go to the competition. That doesn't have to be the case.