Local SEO is everything that helps a business appear when someone searches for its type of business in a given place: “florist Manchester”, “garage near me”, “pizza open now”. It mainly targets the block of results with the map and Google Maps, not only the classic list of links.
The three factors Google names
In its help pages, Google explains that local ranking mainly rests on three factors:
- relevance: does the profile match what the person is looking for (category, description, services)?
- distance: how far is the business from where the search happens?
- prominence: how well known is the business (reviews, rating, links, mentions elsewhere on the web)?
You can’t change distance. The work is on relevance (a complete, accurate profile) and prominence (regular reviews, a website, mentions in directories and local press).
A concrete example
Two hairdressers on the same street: one has a complete profile, recent photos, new reviews every week and a website showing the same hours; the other never updates its profile. For “hairdresser” searched from the next street, the first has a much better chance of showing at the top.
Common mistakes
- thinking a website is enough and ignoring the Google profile;
- leaving different addresses or phone numbers across directories;
- stopping asking for reviews once the rating looks fine.
To see where you stand, run the free visibility check.
Go further
Related terms
Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows a business in Google Search and on Google Maps: name, address, opening hours, phone number, photos and reviews.
Google Local Pack
The Local Pack is the block of Google results that shows a map and a few businesses (often three) for a search with a nearby intent, such as “bakery near me”.
NAP (name, address, phone)
NAP (Name, Address, Phone) means a business’s name, address and phone number, which should be written the same way on its Google profile, website and directories.