Local SEO is improving your visibility for searches with local intent. Think of “bike repair Zwolle”, “hairdresser near me” or “emergency plumber Amersfoort”. For such searches, Google often shows a map with business profiles alongside the regular results. Local SEO therefore covers three things together: your Google Business Profile, your website and your business details elsewhere.
How does Google decide the local order?
Google names three factors:
- Relevance: how well your profile matches what someone is searching for.
- Distance: how far your business is from the searcher or from the place mentioned.
- Prominence: how well known your business is, reflected among other things in links from other websites and in the number and rating of reviews.
You cannot change distance. You can work on relevance and prominence. Google writes that businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to appear in local results.
Example
Say a painting company in Ede also works in Wageningen and Barneveld. A well-completed business profile with a service area, a page per service with real projects from the region and the same NAP details everywhere give Google a clear picture.
Common mistake
Creating a near-identical page for every town in the wider area, with only the place name changed. Such pages help no visitor and can fall under scaled content abuse.