You don’t need to understand how Google works to benefit from it. But knowing the basics will help you make better decisions about your online presence — and avoid wasting money on things that don’t matter.
What “local search” actually means
When someone types “plumber Swindon” or “roofer near me” into Google, they get two types of results: the map pack — three businesses shown with a map at the top — and website results — the regular blue links below. Ideally, you want to appear in both. A business that shows up in the map pack and has a website result looks significantly more established than a competitor who only appears once.
Your Google Business profile — the most important free thing you can do
A Google Business profile is the listing that appears when someone searches for your business by name, or when Google shows local results on a map. It’s separate from your website, it’s free, and it’s one of the most effective things you can do to get found locally. Go to business.google.com to set one up or claim an existing listing.
Once you have access, the key things to fill in are: your business name (exactly as it appears everywhere else), your category (be specific: Plumber, not Home Services), your service area, a short description, at least three to five photos of your work, and your website URL.
Keeping your name, address, and contact details consistent between your website and your Google Business profile is important. Google uses consistency as a trust signal.
How your website and Google Business profile work together
Your website and your Google Business profile aren’t in competition — they reinforce each other. Your Google Business profile helps you appear in map searches. Your website gives people somewhere to go to find out more and get in touch. The link between the two tells Google you’re a real, established local business.
Reviews — the ranking signal you can actually control
Google uses the number of your reviews, how recent they are, and your average rating as a factor in deciding where to rank you in local results. You don’t need hundreds of reviews — in most local searches, ten to twenty genuine recent reviews will put you ahead of most competitors. Ask directly at the end of a job you’re pleased with: “It would really help me out if you had two minutes to leave a Google review — I’ll send you the link.”
What takes time and what’s immediate
Your Google Business profile becomes visible within a few days of verification. Your website appearing for competitive searches like “plumber Swindon” takes weeks to months. This isn’t a reason not to start — it’s a reason to start now rather than later. The businesses ranking well in your area today started building their online presence months or years ago.
The short version
If you do nothing else, do these three things: claim and complete your Google Business profile; ask satisfied customers for a Google review after every good job; keep your business name and contact details consistent across your website and Google profile. None of this costs anything. It just needs doing.
We offer this as a one-off add-on — ask for details.