How Google ranks local results
Google says local results are based mainly on three things: relevance, meaning how well your business matches the search; distance, meaning how far you are from the searcher or the location they named; and prominence, meaning how well known and well reviewed your business is.
What you can control
You can't move your business closer to every searcher, but you can improve relevance and prominence. That means a complete Google Business Profile with the right categories and services, accurate details everywhere you're listed, steady reviews and pages on your site for each service and area you cover.
Local SEO vs regular SEO
Regular SEO focuses on ranking web pages in standard results. Local SEO adds the map results, your Business Profile, reviews and local listings. Most local businesses need both, but the map is often where calls and visits come from.
Why Local SEO matters
Searches with local intent, like 'near me' searches or a service plus a town, come from people ready to call, visit or book. Showing up in the map results for those searches is often the most direct path from search to a paying customer.
Fixing the category
A dental practice listed its primary Google Business Profile category as 'Dentist' but most of its revenue came from implants and cosmetic work. Adding the right secondary categories and services, plus a page for each treatment, helped it appear for those specific searches, not just general dentist searches.
Common mistakes
Inconsistent business details
Different names, addresses or phone numbers across directories confuse search engines about which details to trust.
Fake or incentivized reviews
Google's policies prohibit fake reviews and offering rewards for reviews. Getting caught can remove reviews or hurt your profile.
Thin location pages
Copying the same page and swapping the city name rarely ranks. Location pages need real local detail, like projects, staff and directions.
Set-and-forget profiles
Profiles with old hours, few photos and no recent activity look less trustworthy to both searchers and Google.