The Local SEO Checklist for Service Businesses

Complete your Google Business Profile

Choose the most accurate primary category, add every relevant secondary category, list services with descriptions, upload real photos and keep hours accurate including holidays.

Keep NAP consistent

Your business name, address and phone number should match exactly across your website, profile and major directories. Inconsistencies create doubt for both search engines and customers.

Create genuine location pages

If you serve multiple areas, build pages with unique, useful content for each — not copies with the city name swapped.

Build a review habit

Invite honest feedback consistently from customers, make it easy with a direct link, and respond professionally. Do not selectively solicit only positive feedback. Never buy or incentivise reviews.

• Send review requests while the experience is fresh
• Respond to negative reviews calmly and offline
• Thank positive reviewers specifically

Check eligibility before expanding your footprint

A business profile should represent a real, eligible business under the platform's rules. Do not create profiles for virtual locations that do not meet those rules or add keywords to a business name that are not part of the real name. Service-area businesses should review address visibility and service-area settings carefully. An inaccurate profile can confuse customers and put availability at risk.

For every genuine location, audit the phone number, opening hours, website destination and category selection. Location pages should answer practical questions: which services are available, which area is covered and how a customer can contact that location. Use original local information rather than swapping a city name into the same paragraph.

Ask for feedback without review gating

Invite feedback consistently from eligible customers rather than asking only people who have already indicated satisfaction. Do not offer rewards for positive reviews or route unhappy customers away from public review options. Respond without exposing private details, and move sensitive discussions to a direct channel. Track calls, direction requests and relevant website enquiries alongside visibility so reporting reflects customer actions, not just map positions.