The UK Local SEO Checklist: 30 Steps to More Local Customers

Google Business Profile (Steps 1–10)

1. Claim and verify your profile.
2. Use your real trading name – no extra keywords.
3. Choose the most accurate primary category.
4. Add relevant secondary categories only.
5. Set the address correctly – or hide it and add service areas if customers do not visit you.
6. Add opening hours and holiday hours.
7. Write a 750-character description for customers, mentioning your main services and areas naturally.
8. List every service (and products, if relevant) with descriptions.
9. Upload real photos: exterior, interior, team, vehicles, work.
10. Publish a Google Post at least every week or two.

Reviews (Steps 11–15)

11. Create a short review link and QR code.
12. Ask every customer – not just the happy ones you choose.
13. Send the request within 24 hours of finishing the job.
14. Reply to every review, positive and negative.
15. Never buy reviews or offer incentives.

Citations (Steps 16–20)

16. Decide on one exact format for your name, address and phone (NAP).
17. Update your listings on Yell, Thomson Local, Bing Places and Apple Business Connect.
18. Add your business to relevant trade or professional directories.
19. Find and fix old listings with wrong details or old addresses.
20. Remove or merge duplicate listings.

Website (Steps 21–26)

21. Put your main service and town in your homepage title tag and H1.
22. Create a separate page for each main service.
23. Create location pages only for towns you genuinely serve – with unique content.
24. Add your NAP to the footer and a contact page, matching your profile exactly.
25. Add LocalBusiness (or Organization) schema and FAQ schema where relevant.
26. Check your site loads fast on mobile and every page is indexed in Google Search Console.

Authority and AI Search (Steps 27–28)

27. Earn a few local links each month – clubs, charities, suppliers, local news.
28. Make sure Bing Places and Apple Business Connect match Google – AI assistants use them.

Tracking (Steps 29–30)

29. Set up Google Search Console and Google Analytics 4, with UTM tracking on your profile’s website link.
30. Track Map Pack rankings with a rank grid every month and note calls, direction requests and enquiries.

How Long Should This Take?

Steps 1–20 can be done in a couple of weeks. Steps 21–30 are ongoing. Most businesses see progress within a few months if they stay consistent – the businesses that win are the ones that keep going.

Want us to check where you stand against this list? Request a free local SEO audit, or see how we handle it for you with our small business local SEO plan.

The Checklist in Order of Impact

If you only have an hour this week, spend it on your Google Business Profile. If you have an hour every week, add review requests and posts. That rhythm alone beats most competitors.