Local SEO is how a service business gets found in Google's local results: the map and short list of businesses that appear when someone searches for a plumber, dentist or salon near them. Google says those results rest on three things, relevance, distance and prominence, and that you cannot pay for a better position. What you can do is give Google accurate information, earn real reviews and make your business easy to trust.
This guide is for owners in the US and UK, where Google's rules are the same. The consumer survey we cite is US-only and we found no comparable UK survey, so we say so. For the bigger picture, see how to get more customers for a service business; for paid search, what Google Ads cost.
What the map pack is and how Google ranks it
When someone searches for a service near them, Google often shows a map with a short list of businesses. The industry calls this the map pack; Google calls them local results. Each business comes from its free Google Business Profile. Google's help page says results are "mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity", then calls the third factor prominence.
Relevance
Relevance is how well a profile matches the search. A complete profile with the right category gives Google more to match.
Distance
Distance is how far each business is from the person searching. You cannot change it, so results differ street by street.
Prominence
Prominence means how well known a business is. Google says it is based on information like how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have. It also states that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.
Google is blunt about the rest: "There's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google." So the work is accuracy and credibility, not tricks.
What local SEO experts say matters
Google publishes no weighted list, so many marketers use Whitespark's annual survey. The 2026 edition (November 2025) had 47 local SEO experts score 187 factors from 0 to 5. Here are the top ten.
| Rank | Factor | Score | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary Google Business Profile category | 227 | Pick the category that best describes your core business |
| 2 | Proximity of address to the searcher | 225 | You cannot change it; keep your address accurate |
| 3 | Keywords in the business name | 223 | Avoid: Google requires your real-world name |
| 4 | Physical address in the city searched | 213 | Be accurate about where you really operate |
| 5 | Business is open at the time of search | 189 | Keep regular and special hours current |
| 6 | High numerical Google ratings | 181 | Ask every happy customer; fix causes of low ratings |
| 7 | Address shown on the profile (not hidden) | 176 | The report's author doubts this is a true factor |
| 8 | Additional categories | 173 | Add only the ones that genuinely apply |
| 9 | Quantity of Google reviews with text | 170 | Build a steady review habit |
| 10 | Correct placement of the map pin | 165 | Check the pin sits on your real entrance |
Limits: the report says none of the experts have special access to Google's algorithm, so this is informed opinion, not confirmed ranking data. The "what it means" column is our reading.
Two patterns stand out. The basics at the top (category, address, hours, ratings) can mostly be fixed in an afternoon. And links and citations score lower than categories and reviews, with citation consistency lowest of those we show. They are hygiene, not where most owners should start.
Set up your Google Business Profile
Google's guidelines are the rulebook; breaking them can lead to suspension. General guidance, not legal advice.
Verify the profile
Verification tells Google you are authorised to represent the business. Photos and videos only show once the business is verified.
Use your real name
Google says your name should reflect your business's real-world name and that unnecessary information is not permitted. Taglines, URLs and location or product details do not belong in it.
Use a real address, or hide it
Google does not accept P.O. boxes or mailboxes at remote locations, and a virtual office is not eligible. If you travel to customers without a storefront, create one profile for your base, set your service areas and hide the address. Google says service areas should not extend beyond about two hours of driving from your base.
Choose categories carefully
Google's instruction is to use as few categories as possible to describe your core business, and not to use them solely as keywords. Choose the primary one first: the experts score it highest.
Complete the profile: hours, services, photos, posts
Hours and details
Google says to keep your info as complete as possible. Add regular and special hours, phone, website and a clear description of each service. Experts also score "open at the time of search" highly.
Photos
Google accepts JPG or PNG files of 10 KB to 5 MB, recommends 720 by 720 pixels, and wants photos in focus, well lit and true to reality, without heavy filters or AI. It suggests at least three each of exterior, interior, work and team, where they apply.
Posts
You can publish updates, offers and events. Google archives posts older than six months unless you set a date range. We found no Google statement that posts raise your ranking, so treat them as a way to show customers you are active.
Citations and consistent business details
NAP stands for name, address and phone number. A citation is any mention of them on another site, such as a directory. Write your details the same way everywhere, including your own website.
Experts scored citations from industry-relevant sites at 121 and consistency across key sites such as Yelp at 80, well below reviews and categories. Our read: fix obvious mismatches and duplicates once, then spend your time on reviews.
Reviews
Google names reviews as part of prominence. BrightLocal's 2026 survey (1,002 US adults, February 2026) found 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, 74% look for reviews from the last three months, and 80% are likely to use a business that replies to all its reviews.
The survey is US-only, so treat it as a guide for the UK. And 71% of consumers used Google as a review source in 2026, down from 83% in 2025, so other platforms count too.
Google lets you ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code, but prohibits free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews. When you reply, stay professional and concise and avoid promotions. The practical process is in how to get more Google reviews.
Website pages and local links
Your website supports your profile. Create a page for each service you really offer and area you really serve, show your name, address and phone number, and link to it from your menu. In the Whitespark scores, internal links to the profile's landing page scored 123 and links from locally relevant sites 128.
Do not publish dozens of near-identical pages for towns you do not serve. That is our view, not a Google quote. Local links come from real relationships: suppliers, trade associations, sponsorships, local press. See what a small business website costs.
Track calls and bookings
Rankings differ by searcher location, so one "I'm number one" check tells you little. Count outcomes: calls, direction requests, form enquiries and bookings, split by source. Compare your cost per enquiry with our cost per lead benchmarks.
Speed matters once the enquiry arrives. If messages wait overnight, the ranking work is wasted. An instant reply and booking link catch those leads, which is what our Autopilot system does.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What Google says | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Keywords or a tagline in your business name | Name should reflect your real-world name; unnecessary information is not permitted. Profiles can be suspended. | Use your actual trading name. |
| A P.O. box, mailbox or virtual office as your address | Listed as not acceptable. A virtual office is only allowed for a service-area business if staffed during business hours. | Use a real location, or hide the address and set a service area. |
| Several profiles for one business | There should only be one profile per business. | Merge or remove duplicates. |
| Categories used as keywords | Use as few as possible; not solely as keywords. | One accurate primary, extras only if true. |
| Paying or rewarding people for reviews | Incentivised reviews are fake and misleading content, strictly prohibited. | Ask politely with a link or QR code. |
Limits: the table paraphrases Google's Business Profile guidelines and review policy. Rules change, so read the current versions linked in Sources before acting.
The name is the tempting one: experts rate keywords in it highly, yet Google's guidelines forbid it. A suspended profile costs more than any boost.
How long does it take?
Honestly, no one can say. Google publishes no timeline, and results depend on competitors, your starting point, your reviews and your website. Be wary of anyone guaranteeing a position or date. In our experience it is a months-long job.
Our own account
Manchester Aesthetics, a UK skin and laser clinic, reached the top 5 in Manchester through SEO. The result is owner-stated and not independently audited. Read the Manchester Aesthetics case study.
What it does not show
It does not show how long it took, how competitive the market was, or that another business would repeat it. That is why we do not promise positions.
Local SEO checklist
A quick self-check, not a Google score.
Local SEO checklist: how many have you done?
Tick each item you can honestly say is done. Your score and next step update as you go.
With JavaScript off the list still shows and ticks; only the live score does not update.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Google map pack?
It is the industry name for the map and short list of local businesses Google shows when someone searches for a service near them. Google itself calls these local results. Each business listed comes from a Google Business Profile.
How does Google decide who appears in local results?
Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. Prominence is how well known a business is, based on things like links from websites and the number of reviews. Google also says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.
Do I need a shop or office to rank in the map pack?
Not always. Businesses that travel to customers can have a profile as a service-area business, with the address hidden if there is no storefront. Google does not accept P.O. boxes, remote mailboxes or unstaffed virtual offices as addresses.
Do reviews help me rank in the map pack?
Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. Never offer a discount or gift in exchange for a review: Google treats incentivised reviews as fake and misleading content.
How long does local SEO take to work?
Nobody can honestly guarantee a position or a timeline, and Google publishes none. Results depend on your competitors, your starting point and how complete your profile and website are. Track enquiries rather than rankings, and be wary of fixed-date promises.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help: Improve your local ranking on Google. Primary source for relevance, distance, prominence and the no-paid-ranking statement. No publication date shown
- Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google. Primary source for rules on names, addresses, service areas, categories and suspension. No publication date shown
- Google Business Profile Help: reviews guidance. Primary source for asking for reviews, banned incentives and replying
- Google Business Profile Help: tips for business-specific photos (UK English). Primary source for photo formats, sizes and suggested minimums
- Google Business Profile Help: Create and manage posts. Primary source for post types and the six-month archive rule
- Whitespark: The 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors (6 November 2025). Source of all factor scores; expert opinion, not Google data. We read the web page, not the PDF
- BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (11 February 2026). 1,002 US adults; no UK data. Source of the review figures
- Our own account: Manchester Aesthetics case study. The top 5 result is stated by the clinic's owner and not independently audited