It’s one of the most common complaints from local businesses: we’ve got happy customers and good reviews, yet we don’t show up on Google when someone searches for what we do. Reputation is one piece of local SEO, but not the only one, and sometimes not even the most decisive.
The factors that count in local SEO
- A complete, active Google Business Profile: the right category, opening hours and recent photos.
- Consistent name, address and phone number everywhere your business appears.
- Content on your website that answers what your customers actually search for.
- Links from other relevant websites in your sector or your area.
- Speed and experience of your website on mobile.
- Reviews: important, but just one factor among many.
The quick check you can run today
On your phone, in incognito mode, search Google for three phrases a real customer would use (not your business name). If you don’t appear in the top results or on the map, there’s room to improve. And it’s probably not a reputation problem: Google simply doesn’t have enough information about your business to decide to show you.
What isn’t local SEO, even if it looks like it
Posting on social media isn’t SEO. A nice-looking website isn’t SEO if it isn’t optimised for your customers’ searches. Paying for ads doesn’t improve your organic ranking, although it can sit alongside your SEO strategy.