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Local SEO: how to show up when nearby customers search

What Google looks at when it decides which local businesses to show, and what you can do about each part.

Updated September 5, 2026 2 min read

When someone searches “dentist near me” or “movers in Portland”, Google shows two kinds of unpaid results: a map with three businesses, and a list of websites below it. Local SEO is the work of appearing in both.

The two places to rank

The map results come from your Google Business Profile. The website results come from your site. They influence each other, so you work on both.

Part 1: your Google Business Profile

This is the fastest win. Complete every field, choose accurate categories, add photos and collect reviews steadily. Our 12-point checklist covers it step by step.

Part 2: your website

  • One page per service. A single “Services” page listing ten things rarely ranks for any of them. Give each service its own page that explains it properly.
  • Pages for the places you serve. If you cover several towns, a useful page for each helps, provided it says something real about serving that area.
  • Titles and headings that say what and where. “Emergency Plumber in Tacoma” tells Google and customers more than “Welcome”.
  • Your name, address and phone on every page, matching your Google profile exactly.
  • Speed and mobile. Most local searches happen on phones. A slow site loses people before it loads.

Part 3: reviews

Reviews affect where you rank and whether people choose you once they see you. Build asking for them into your routine, and reply to each one.

Part 4: mentions and links

Listings in reputable directories, your chamber of commerce, local news and partner businesses all tell Google you are a real, established part of your area. Keep your details identical everywhere.

Part 5: helpful content

Answer the questions customers ask before they buy: cost, timing, what to expect, how you compare. These pages bring in searchers early and build trust before they ever call.

How long it takes

Profile fixes can show up within weeks. Ranking a website for competitive searches takes months of steady work. If you need customers sooner, run ads alongside. We compare the two in SEO vs paid ads.

Want a team on it? See our SEO service.

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