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When someone nearby searches Google for the service you offer, your business should have a chance to show up.

But that’s not always what happens.

Your competitor might appear in Google Maps while your business is nowhere in sight. Maybe their profile is more complete, or their reviews are more recent.

That’s where local SEO comes in. It gives Google the information it needs to understand your business and match it to relevant local searches.

The question is, how can you get your business to show up when nearby customers search? We’ll break it down step by step. You’ll learn how local search works, what to focus on in your Google Business Profile, and which other factors influence your local rankings.

How Local SEO Helps Nearby Customers Find You

46% of Google searches carry local intent. Someone searching for a plumber in Brisbane, for example, probably wants a professional who can come to their home and not one hundreds of miles away.

Local SEO helps your business appear in these searches through two main channels: Google Maps and the regular search results. The Map Pack is the group of local business listings that often appears near the top of the results, alongside a map. Getting your business into those listings can put it in front of people who are already looking for your services.

But you can’t improve your local rankings simply by creating a business listing. You need to optimise it for the factors Google uses to rank local businesses: relevance, distance and prominence.

• Relevance: How well your business matches what someone searches for.
• Distance: How far your business is from the person searching, or the location they specify.
• Prominence: How well-known your business is, based on information Google has about it, including links and reviews.

Sure, you can’t control where someone searches from. But you can help Google understand what your business does, keep your details accurate, and build a stronger online reputation.

Setting Up Your Google Business Profile the Right Way

Your Google Business Profile is the listing people see when they look up your business on Google Search or Maps. It shows details such as your address, phone number, opening hours, photos and customer reviews.

A complete profile gives potential customers the information they need to decide whether to contact you. It also helps Google understand your business and match it to relevant searches.

If you don’t have a profile yet, follow these three steps to get started.

1. Claiming and Verifying Your Google Business Profile

First, search for your business name on Google. You might find a profile already exists, even if you never created one yourself.

If it does, look for ‘Own this business?’ in Google Search or ‘Claim this business’ in Google Maps. Select the link and follow Google’s instructions to claim the profile. Otherwise, create a new profile and enter your business details.

Google will then ask you to verify that you’re authorised to manage the business. The available verification method varies, so follow the instructions shown in your account.

After your profile is verified, you can manage its information and respond to customer reviews. Keep your login details somewhere safe so you can access the profile when your business details change.

2. Filling In the Business Information Google Checks First

Once you’ve claimed your profile, start by telling Google what your business does and where customers can find you. Enter your business name, primary category, address and phone number.

Choose a category that best describes your main service. For example, if you’re a plumber who mainly handles residential repairs, choose a category that reflects that work rather than one that’s too broad. You can add secondary categories for other services you offer.

Next, fill in the practical details customers need before they contact you, including your opening hours, website and services. If you travel to customers instead of serving them at your premises, add your service areas and set up your address details accordingly.

Finally, don’t leave important fields blank. If customers can’t find your phone number or check when you’re open, they may contact another business instead.

3. Photos, Posts and Opening Hours That Build Trust

With the basic details covered, now it’s time to add photos that show customers what your business looks like. A shopfront helps them recognise your premises, while photos of your team, completed projects or products give them a better idea of what you offer.

You can use your profile to share updates, too. Announce a new service, promote a seasonal offer or let customers know about holiday opening hours. That way, people can check your listing for current information before they visit or get in touch.

And pay special attention to your opening hours. Update them before public holidays and whenever your usual schedule changes. There’s little point in helping someone find your business if they turn up to a locked door.

How Reviews and Local Content Improve Local Visibility

Think about the last time you compared two local businesses online. If one had plenty of positive reviews and the other had none, you might have felt more comfortable contacting the first.

Your customers make similar comparisons. Reviews help them judge the quality of your service before they spend any money, while useful local content helps them find information relevant to their needs.

Three habits can help you build both.

1. Ask Customers for Reviews: Don’t wait for people to leave feedback on their own. After completing a job or serving a customer, invite them to share an honest review. Make it easy by providing a direct link, but never offer rewards in exchange for positive feedback.
2. Reply to Reviews: Thank customers for positive feedback and respond calmly when someone raises a problem. A thoughtful reply shows potential customers that you take feedback seriously. Google also recommends replying to reviews as a way to engage with customers.
3. Publish Useful Local Content. If you serve several suburbs, explain the services you offer in those areas. You could also share local projects, answer common questions or write about issues that affect customers in your area. Give each page a clear purpose rather than publishing near-identical pages with different suburb names.

You don’t need to do everything at once. Start by asking satisfied customers for honest reviews, then build useful local content as you learn what your audience searches for.

Four Local SEO Steps to Take After Setting Up Your Profile

Your Google Business Profile helps people find your business on Google, but local SEO doesn’t stop there. Your website needs to support those listings, and other relevant websites can help people discover your business, too.

So, once your profile is in place, focus on four areas: finding the right search terms, creating useful location pages, earning local links and checking your results. The table below summarises what to do and why each step helps.

Step	What to do	Why it helps
Keyword research	Find the services and locations people search for.	Shows you which search terms to target.
Location pages	Create useful pages for the areas you genuinely serve.	Helps customers find relevant local services on your website.
Local link building	Earn links or mentions from relevant local organisations, suppliers and publications.	Can strengthen your website’s authority and local prominence.
Monthly checks	Review calls, direction requests, website visits and search performance.	Shows what’s working and where you may need to make changes.

Let’s look at how to put these steps into practice.

Step 1: Keyword Research

Start with keyword research. Think about what a customer would type when looking for your service. A search for *”emergency plumber Brisbane”* has a different intent from *”how to fix a leaking tap”*. Both may be relevant to your business, but they serve different needs.

Step 2: Location Pages

Use the keywords from Step 1 to plan your location pages. If you serve several suburbs, look at the searches people make in each area. Then create pages that explain which services you offer there. Include useful local details rather than copying the same content and swapping suburb names.

Step 3: Local Links

Now that you have relevant pages on your website, look for local organisations, suppliers or publications that might find them useful. You could sponsor a community event, partner with a local organisation, or contribute expert advice to an industry publication. Focus on genuine relationships and relevant links, not paid links designed to manipulate rankings.

Step 4: Track Performance

With the pieces in place, it is time to see how they are performing. Google Business Profile performance data shows how people find and interact with your listing. Google Search Console reveals which searches bring visitors to your website. Use both to spot what is working and where you might need to make changes.

Alongside these four steps, keep your website’s on-page SEO in good shape. Write page titles and meta descriptions that accurately describe each service and location. You can also add LocalBusiness structured data to help search engines understand details such as your business address and opening hours

Ready to Get Found by Local Customers?

By now, you know how to set up your Google Business Profile, improve your local visibility and track your progress. Put what you’ve learned into action by choosing one step to work on this week. As you build the habit, you can gradually improve how your business appears in local search results.

Need help improving your local search visibility? Reach out to FedThread. We’ll help you strengthen your local SEO, attract more relevant visitors and connect with customers looking for the services you offer.