What is a bad website costing you?
Estimate the enquiries a weak website loses you every month, in pounds.
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Show up when locals search for you.
33 things that decide whether you appear in Google Maps and local search, in the order that matters. Tick them off as you go: your progress is saved in this browser.
Free tool
The local SEO checklist
How it works
How to use it
Start at the top
The sections run roughly in order of impact. For most local businesses, the Google Business Profile does more than anything else, so do that first.
Tick as you go
Each of the 33 steps says why it matters and how to do it. Your ticks are saved in this browser only, on this device. Nothing is sent to us.
Copy what is left
The copy button gives you a plain list of what you have not done yet, to paste into notes or send to whoever helps with your website.
Keep it going
The 6 sections include a few habits rather than one-off jobs: asking for reviews, adding photos, posting recent work. Those are what keep you ahead once the setup is done.
No shortcuts. Everything here is within Google’s guidelines and UK consumer law. Keyword-stuffed business names, fake or incentivised reviews, and bought links can get a profile suspended, and some are unlawful.
Questions
Common questions
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is everything that helps your business appear when people nearby search for what you do, especially in the Google Maps results. It covers your Google Business Profile, your reviews, your listings on other sites and your own website.
How long does local SEO take to work?
Fixing your Google Business Profile and website details can make a difference within weeks. Building reviews, local links and content takes months and never really finishes. Anyone promising top position by a date cannot control that, because Google decides.
Do I need a website for local SEO?
You can appear in Google Maps with just a Business Profile, but a good website makes a real difference: Google uses it to understand what you do and where, and customers use it to decide whether to call you or the next business on the list.
Can I put my town in my Google Business Profile name?
Only if it is genuinely part of your business name, as on your signs and paperwork. Adding towns or services to the name breaks Google’s guidelines, and profiles that do it can be suspended.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in this browser on this device, using local storage. Nothing is sent to Nerdsharks. If you clear your browser data or switch devices, the ticks will not follow you, so use the copy button if you want a record.
Want a website that helps you rank locally?
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