27 October 2026
The Local SEO Checklist for Small Businesses
A straightforward checklist to work through if you want to improve how your business shows up in local search results.
Google Business Profile
Claimed and verified, with the correct category, complete services list, accurate opening hours, real photos and a written description. Posted to at least occasionally, not left untouched for months.
Website
A dedicated page for each main service, and for each town or area genuinely served, rather than one page trying to cover everything. Works properly on a phone, loads quickly, and has clear ways to call or enquire on every page.
Consistency across the web
Business name, address and phone number match exactly across your website, your Google profile and any directory listings. Old or duplicate listings from a previous address or phone number are found and corrected.
Reviews
Every customer asked for a review, not just the ones expected to leave a good one. Replies given to both good and bad reviews. No bought, incentivised or written-for-you reviews, which risk breaking Google's policies and UK rules on fake reviews.
Ongoing attention
Local SEO is not a one-off job. Competitors keep publishing, reviews keep accumulating, and Google's own results shift over time. Checking the basics on this list every few months catches problems, like an out-of-date opening time or a lapsed listing, before they cost you enquiries.
Ready to talk about getting found on Google?
Call me for a short chat, no pitch. If it makes sense to work together, we can take it from there.