Local SEO is the work that gets a business found by people searching in its area, such as "plumber in Wigan" or "accountant near me". It covers your Google Business Profile, your website, your reviews and your listings on other sites. Google decides who to show using three things: how relevant you are to the search, how close you are to the person searching, and how well known and trusted you are.
| Factor | What it means | What you can do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | How well your business matches what was searched | Choose the right categories and describe your services clearly |
| Distance | How far you are from the person searching | Nothing directly, but set an accurate address and service area |
| Prominence | How well known and trusted your business is | Collect reviews, keep listings consistent and build a useful website |
Any business whose customers come from a particular area: trades, clinics, salons, garages, solicitors, accountants, restaurants and shops. If people find you by searching for a service plus a place, local SEO decides whether they see you or a competitor.
A business that sells nationally online needs a different approach, because distance does not apply.
The map pack is the box of three businesses with a map that Google shows at the top of many local searches. Appearing there brings the most calls, because it is the first thing people see. Your Google Business Profile, your reviews and your distance from the searcher have the biggest effect on whether you appear.
The basics, yes. Claim your Google Business Profile, fill in every section, make sure your details match everywhere and ask customers for reviews. The ongoing work, such as writing new pages every month and fixing technical problems, is where most owners run out of time. That is what a monthly plan covers.
It is a part of it. Local SEO adds the things that only matter for nearby searches: your Google Business Profile, your address, your reviews and your distance from the person searching.
You can appear on Google Maps with only a Business Profile, but a website gives Google far more to go on and is where most customers check you out before calling.
At Mako Digital the Local plan is £225 a month on a 12-month plan, or £249 a month rolling, plus VAT.
Most local businesses see meaningful movement within 3 to 6 months. Fixes to your Google Business Profile can show sooner.
In the normal results, yes, with a good page for that town. In the map pack it is much harder, because Google favours businesses close to the person searching.
Tell us what you need and we will tell you honestly what it would take and what it would cost. Free, with no obligation.