For local searches such as “plumber Tampere”, Google shows a map and three businesses first. Three things decide who gets in: an up-to-date business profile, reviews, and a website that says clearly what you do and where.
Get your Google Business Profile in order
The business profile is the single most important thing for local visibility, and it is free. Fill in everything: industry, services, opening hours, service area, photos and description.
Choose the primary category with care. It has the most influence on which searches the profile appears for.
Keep name, address and phone number the same everywhere
The company’s details must be exactly the same on the website, in the business profile, on Facebook and in directories. Conflicting details weaken Google’s confidence about which version is right.
Ask for reviews, and reply to them
Reviews affect both visibility and whether a customer clicks on you. Ask for a review straight after a successful job and send a direct link.
Reply to every review, critical ones included. Do not buy reviews or offer a discount for them. That is against Google’s rules.
Create service pages where the location belongs
Say on the page where you operate and what that means for the customer: how quickly you can be on site, whether you charge for travel, where your premises are.
Do not make ten nearly identical pages in which only the name of the town changes. Create a page of its own only for a place you really have something to say about.
Make contact easy on a phone
A local search is mostly made on a phone, often in a hurry. The phone number must be clickable and visible at once, and the form must work with a thumb.
Follow the right things
The business profile’s statistics show calls, direction requests and website clicks. On the website, follow enquiries by service page. Analytics and conversion tracking helps set this up.
If you operate in the Tampere region, see also SEO in Tampere. For producing the content, see SEO content.