Local SEO is how your business gets found for searches like "roofer Newtownabbey" or "café near me". Use this checklist to see where you stand. Work through it in order: the items at the top usually make the biggest difference.
Google Business Profile
- Profile claimed, verified and owned by you
- Correct primary category, plus relevant secondary categories
- Address shown, or hidden with service areas set, as appropriate
- Business name exactly as it appears in real life, with no added keywords
- Every service listed with a short description
- Accurate opening hours, including holiday hours
- Recent photos of real work, premises and team
- Regular posts
- Every review replied to
See our full Google Business Profile guide.
Your website
- Works well on a phone and loads quickly
- Business name, contact details and areas served clearly shown, and consistent with your Google profile
- A dedicated page for each main service, explaining it properly
- Clear information on the areas you serve, with useful detail rather than a list of town names
- Page titles and headings that describe each page in plain words
- A clear next step on every page: call, form or booking
- Google Search Console set up, so you can see how people find you
Listings and consistency
- Business details consistent across directories and social profiles
- Listed on the main UK and Irish directories relevant to your sector
- Old or duplicate listings corrected or removed
Reviews
- A simple routine for asking every happy customer
- A short, direct link to leave a review
- No incentives, filtering or fake reviews
- Replies to every review within a few days
Content and links
- Answers to the questions customers ask most, on your website
- Links from genuine local connections: suppliers, local organisations, sponsorships and press
- No bought links or link schemes
Measurement
- Calls and form enquiries tracked
- Monthly check of Google Business Profile performance and Search Console data
What to do next
If you've ticked everything, you're ahead of most local businesses. If not, start at the top. If you'd like help, our local SEO service works through this list for you, month by month.
