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Local SEO for small business: the four things that help you rank

- Forget the 200-factor lists. Local search comes down to four things you can control, and they're all boring.

A neighbourhood shopping street with small storefronts in morning light

What local SEO covers

Local SEO helps nearby customers find your business in Google's map pack and the results below it. The work comes down to your Google Business Profile, reviews and website basics. Your name and address also need to match everywhere online.

1. Google Business Profile

For map pack rankings, your Google Business Profile matters more than your website. Get the categories, services and photos in place, then keep the profile active each week. Start with our 30-minute checklist before moving on.

2. Reviews over time

Google looks at how many reviews you have, your average rating, how recent they are and the words customers use. A steady five reviews a month beats a burst of fifty from a launch push two years ago. Ask for a review at checkout. Here's how to set it up.

3. Questions to answer on your website

Google sends "best hair salon for curly hair" searches to pages that talk about curly hair. A five-page site with little detail won't answer many of those searches. Write down the questions customers ask on the phone and answer them on your site. Add prices to your service pages and name the neighbourhoods you serve in plain text. Those pages also give AI assistants something to draw from when someone asks, "find me a good X nearby".

4. Matching business details

Your name, address and phone number should match exactly across Google, your site, Yelp, Facebook and the directories in your industry. When those details don't match, Google may not know which listing is accurate. Fix it once, then touch it only when something changes.

What to ignore

Keyword-stuffed city pages for cities you don't serve, directory spam, and anyone promising "#1 on Google in 30 days". Local SEO takes months of steady work. Small updates over time work better than an occasional burst of activity.

How Sundayable handles local SEO

Sundayable's Growth plan covers this work each month. We update your profile, keep review requests going, publish content based on customer searches and check that your business details match. The report shows the numbers. Book a free consultation to see where your business stands today.