How to optimise a website for a local business

When you have a business in a certain city or area, it is better for local residents to find you. And for this, local SEO optimization is needed. In simple words, you need to make sure that your site appears in Google when people nearby search for your products or services.

1. Understand what keywords your customers are searching for

It all starts with understanding what people in your city are looking for . For example:

• "pizzeria Lviv"

• "shoe repair Cherkassy"

• "massage Kyiv left bank"

Such phrases are called local keywords . They should be used on the site: in headings, service descriptions, meta tags, photo captions.

How to find your keywords?

• Google your service + city.

• See what autocomplete shows.

• Try free services: Ubersuggest, Serpstat or Google Trends.

2. Fill and update Google Business Profile

This is a free map of your business that appears on Google and on maps. Now (2025) Google actively promotes local results, and it is the Google Business profile that is often the first thing a customer sees.

Your profile should include:

• the exact name of the company;

• correct address;

• current phone number;

• working hours;

• photos of the establishment, products, employees;

• link to the website;

• answers to user questions;

• customer reviews.

Tip: Be sure to verify your business by email or phone, otherwise the card will not be valid.

3. Add live local content to your site

Search engines love unique, useful content. If you are targeting a specific city, indicate this on your site.

What can be added:

• Pages for individual areas.

• Blog about city life (events, news, tips).

• Reviews from local customers.

• Description of how to get to you from different parts of the city.

• Photos of your store or office against the backdrop of local buildings.

More flooring ideas:

• "How to choose the best beauty salon in [city]"

• "TOP 5 coffee shops in [district]"

• "Why clients from [city] choose us"

These types of texts help you appear in Google for local queries and inspire trust.

4. Create service pages with geography

If you provide services in several areas or cities, create a separate page for each region.

For example:

• /pryklad/posluhy-remont-lviv

• /pryklad/posluhy-remont-truskavets

Each page should have unique texts with local words, reviews, photos.

5. Ask customers to leave reviews

In 2025, reviews are one of the main reasons why people choose a particular business . Google also takes into account the quantity and quality of responses in ranking.

Where to ask for reviews:

• In Google Business.

• On your website.

• On Facebook, Instagram.

• On Prom.ua or other platforms, if you exist.

How to ask for feedback?

Simply put, humanly:

"We would be grateful if you leave a review - it really helps us and new clients!"

6. Make sure your contact details are correct everywhere.

The company name, address, phone number, and business hours should be the same everywhere: on the website, in Google, in social networks, on third-party sites. This is called NAP consistency , and Google values it very much.

7. Place links on local sites

If other sites link to you, that's good. If these are also local sites , that's great!

Where to look for opportunities:

• Catalogs of companies in your city.

• News portals.

• Local events sites.

• Bulletin boards.

• Public organization sites.

Tip: Suggest a partnership or comment as an expert - this may lead to a link to you.

8. Don't forget about the mobile version of the site

More than 80% of people are already searching for local services by phone. Therefore, your website has:

• open quickly;

• be convenient to use with a phone;

• have large buttons;

• clearly show the address and call button.

9. Optimize your site for speed

Even if the site is good but slow, people will leave. And Google also lowers the positions of such sites.

What to check:

• or the images are not too heavy;

• do you use caching;

• are there any unnecessary scripts;

• is the site adapted for 4G/5G.

Use Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to show you what you can improve.

10. Manage social media for a local audience

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook – it’s not just about photos. It’s a way to show that you’re “alive,” real, and nearby. Share:

• behind-the-scenes work;

• participation in events;

• customer comments;

• promotions for residents of a particular area.

Table: Examples of local keywords

This data helps you choose the words that customers in your city are most often searching for.

Conclusion: Local optimization is about trust

Local SEO is not just about technical settings. It is about trusting the people around you. If you show that you are there, that you understand their needs, that someone has already chosen you - they are more likely to choose you too.

Update your website, add local texts, be active in Google Business, ask for reviews and maintain pages on social networks - all this works together.

And the main thing is that all this can be done without large budgets. Simply, consistently and honestly.