Local search checklist
The practical steps that get a local business found — in the order that actually matters.
Local search is not mysterious. Google wants to show searchers a nearby business that's real, open, well-reviewed and clearly described. Every step below feeds one of those four signals — which is why the order matters more than the effort.
Work through it top to bottom. Most local businesses can finish the whole list in a couple of evenings, and the basics alone put you ahead of most competitors.
Claim the profile, match your details everywhere, ask for reviews. Judge it by the phone ringing, not rankings.
Your business profile on Google and Apple Maps drives more local enquiries than most websites do. Claim it before you optimise anything else — it's free and it works from day one.
Your website's job in local search is to confirm what your profile claims: where you are, what you do, and that you're a real business with a real address.
Reviews are the local ranking factor you can't fake and can't buy. A steady trickle of genuine reviews beats a one-off burst every time.
Rankings fluctuate and tools disagree, so judge local search by the only number that matters: whether the phone rings more.
Pick a stack that handles this well
Some platforms make local pages and schema easy, others fight you. Compare them honestly.
Compare platforms