Local SEO

Google Business Profile (GBP)

Setup Checklist

• Claim and verify listing
• Correct business name (no keyword stuffing)
• Primary + secondary categories (most specific first)
• Complete address (or service area for mobile businesses)
• Phone number (local, not toll-free)
• Website URL (to location-specific page if multi-location)
• Business hours (keep updated, mark holidays)
• Business description (750 chars, natural keywords)
• 10+ high-quality photos (exterior, interior, team, products)
• Enable messaging and booking if applicable

Ongoing Optimization

• Post weekly (offers, events, updates, products)
• Respond to ALL reviews within 24 hours
• Add new photos monthly
• Update seasonal hours
• Use Google Posts for promotions
• Answer Q&A section proactively

NAP Consistency

NAP = Name, Address, Phone. Must be IDENTICAL everywhere:

• Google Business Profile
• Website footer and contact page
• All directory listings
• Social media profiles
• Schema markup

Even small variations hurt ("St." vs "Street", "Suite" vs "Ste.").

Local Citations

Submit to top directories: references/citation-sources.md

Local Schema

Add LocalBusiness schema to every location page: references/local-schema.md

Review Management

• Ask happy customers for reviews (email 1 week after purchase/service)
• Respond to negative reviews: acknowledge, apologize, offer resolution offline
• Never buy fake reviews (Google penalizes heavily)
• Display reviews on your website (with Review schema)
• Target: 4.0+ average, 50+ reviews for competitive niches

Geo-Targeted Content

For each location:

• Unique location page (not boilerplate with city swapped)
• Local landmarks, events, community references
• Local testimonials from that area
• Embedded Google Map
• Location-specific schema markup

References

• references/gbp-optimization.md — Detailed GBP guide
• references/citation-sources.md — Top directory sites
• references/local-schema.md — LocalBusiness JSON-LD