[FAQ]

Right then,

I run a small bookshop and we’re just not showing up on Google Maps or in any local searches when people look for “bookshops near me” and that sort of thing. A bloke down the pub said I need to do “local SEO” but that’s all Greek to me.

I have a basic website with our address and opening times, but what else do I actually need to do? I see my competitors pop up with their reviews and all the rest of it, and I’m just nowhere. Feeling a bit out of my depth here.

Any pointers to get me started would be brilliant.

[Jeff Bullas]

Right, let’s focus squarely on how to tune up your website itself for local search.

Short Answer: You optimise your website for local search by creating location-specific text content and embedding structured data, known as local schema, into your pages.

This process proves to search engines that your site is the most relevant digital asset for local customers seeking your services.

To make your website a magnet for local customers, you need to embed location signals directly into its content and structure.

First, ensure your business name, address, and phone number are displayed consistently in the text of your website’s footer on every single page.

Second, create dedicated service pages on your site for your most important suburbs or towns; this allows you to create highly relevant text and image content for each specific area you serve.

Third, you should publish text-based content on your blog about local events, news, or guides, which positions your website as an active part of the local community.

Finally, a powerful technical step is to implement Local Business schema markup—this is a piece of code you add to your site’s text that explicitly tells search engines all of your key business details, leaving nothing to guesswork.

For a deeper dive into these website-specific strategies, the guide at https://www.jeffbullas.com/seo/#49-local-seo-strategies is a useful resource.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Author]

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