If your business depends on local clients, your website needs to be visible in local search results. That means showing up when someone types “accountant near me” or “bookkeeping in Berkshire.” It means appearing on Google Maps, in local packs, and in organic search when potential customers look for the services you offer. This is where local SEO matters. For service businesses, it is one of the most valuable and often most overlooked parts of digital marketing. In this blog, we explain what local SEO actually involves, how it affects your visibility, and how AFG helps service-based businesses rank where it counts.
Local SEO is the process of optimising your online presence so that your business appears in search results tied to a specific location. It focuses on searches that include terms like “near me,” “in [town],” or specific service and location combinations. It also includes your visibility on Google Maps and other local directories.
For service businesses—such as accountants, consultants, tradespeople, and agencies—local SEO is not optional. It directly affects how easily new clients can find you. If you are not showing up for local searches, you are losing out to competitors who are.
Standard SEO focuses on broad visibility. Local SEO narrows the focus to a geographic area. This changes the rules slightly. Search engines prioritise relevance, distance, and prominence. That means:
Relevance: Does your business match what the person is looking for?
Distance: How close are you to the searcher’s location?
Prominence: How well-known and trusted is your business online?
To rank well in local searches, you must signal these elements clearly across your site, your Google Business Profile, and other online platforms.
If you run a local business, you need a Google Business Profile. It is free, and it is one of the most important assets for local SEO. It allows your business to appear in Google Maps, local packs, and the sidebar results for branded searches. But just creating the profile is not enough. You must:
Claim and verify your listing
Fill out every field with accurate details
Choose the right business categories
Add high-quality photos
Include a strong business description
Keep your hours and contact details updated
Consistent updates and active management send signals to Google that your business is legitimate and relevant. AFG helps clients set up and optimise their profiles so that they are fully aligned with local search intent.
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. These three elements should appear consistently across your website, directories, and citations. Even small inconsistencies—like writing “St” instead of “Street”—can weaken your local signals. Google wants to see a strong, uniform presence. That means:
Displaying your NAP on every page, often in the footer
Matching the format exactly across directories
Keeping all listings up to date when you change address or number
We perform NAP audits for our clients to ensure accuracy across all listings and help clean up outdated or conflicting entries.
If you serve multiple areas, each one should have its own page. Do not cram every town you serve into one block of text on your homepage. Instead, create structured, useful pages that speak directly to clients in each location. For example, if you offer payroll services in Reading and Maidenhead, you should have a separate page for each. These pages should:
Include the service and location in the page title
Use natural, location-specific language in the content
Feature testimonials or case studies from clients in that area
Include a map or directions if relevant
Local landing pages are not about repeating the same content with different town names. They are about showing genuine relevance to each area you serve.
A citation is any mention of your business name, address, and phone number online. Local SEO benefits from strong citations on trusted directories such as:
Yell
Thomson Local
Yelp
Checkatrade
Local chambers of commerce
Industry-specific directories
These citations should be accurate, complete, and consistent. In addition to citations, local links can boost your prominence. These might come from:
Sponsoring a local event
Partnering with local organisations
Getting featured in local press
Submitting content to a relevant local blog
AFG helps clients identify and manage these opportunities, building a natural link profile that supports local rankings.
Reviews are a major part of local SEO. Google uses reviews as a ranking signal, and potential clients use them to make decisions. A strong review profile builds trust and improves visibility. To do it right:
Ask satisfied clients to leave a Google review
Respond to all reviews, good or bad
Use specific, helpful responses rather than generic replies
Avoid fake or incentivised reviews
Consistent, positive reviews tell Google that your business is active, trusted, and relevant to local searches. We help clients set up review strategies that feel natural and respectful, not pushy.
Most local searches happen on mobile devices. That means your site must be designed to perform well on phones. It should:
Load quickly
Display clearly on small screens
Include click-to-call buttons
Show location details prominently
Be easy to navigate without zooming or scrolling sideways
If your site is hard to use on a mobile, you will lose local customers before they even read what you offer. Every AFG website is built mobile-first, ensuring you are ready for real users in real locations.
Schema markup is a type of code that helps search engines understand your site better. Local businesses can use schema to highlight key details such as:
Business name
Address
Phone number
Opening hours
Location coordinates
This extra layer of information supports your presence in local search results and can lead to enhanced listings with more detail. We add local schema to every site we build, giving you a technical edge in visibility.
Local SEO is not a one-time job. It requires regular updates, monitoring, and strategy. You should be tracking:
Rankings for your key services and locations
Google Business Profile views and interactions
Website traffic from local searches
Number and quality of local reviews
Directory accuracy and profile views
AFG provides local SEO reporting as part of our ongoing support. We do not just launch and leave. We help you measure what matters and refine your strategy based on real results.
At Allied Financial Group, we work with service-based businesses that want to be found by the right people in the right places. Our local SEO support includes:
Google Business Profile setup and optimisation
Directory submissions and NAP consistency checks
Local landing page strategy and content writing
Review collection and response planning
Link building and citation management
Mobile optimisation and schema implementation
Ongoing reporting and performance review
Whether you are a single-location business or serving multiple towns, we help you build a strong local presence that connects with the people who matter.
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