Can I do local SEO myself?

What parts of local SEO can I do myself?

You can do most of the basic work. Google shows local results on Google Maps and Search. It bases them mainly on relevance, distance, and prominence. You control much of relevance and prominence.

You cannot control distance. Distance is how far your business is from the person who searches.

What are the steps?

1. Create your Google Business Profile, or claim the one that exists.
2. Verify the profile. Verification tells Google that you may represent the business.
3. Fill in every field that applies to you. Add your address, hours, category, and other details.
4. Add real photos of your work, your team, and your location.
5. Ask happy customers for reviews. Reply to every review.
6. Open the Performance report each month. Look at searches, calls, directions, and website clicks.

Do these steps in order. Do not skip verification. Performance data is only available for verified profiles.

What does Google want to see on my profile?

Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up. Use the name your customers know. Use the same name on your sign, your website, and your invoices.

Follow these rules from Google’s guidelines:

• Do not add taglines, phone numbers, or website addresses to your business name.
• Choose the fewest categories that describe your core business.
• Keep one profile for each business.
• Do not put links in the business description.
• Do not use the description for sales and prices.

If you travel to customers, you can still have a profile. Set your service area so that it is accurate and precise.

How do I get reviews the right way?

Ask real customers after you finish the job. Make the request easy. Send one clear message with the link to your review page.

Follow these rules in Ontario:

• Ask for honest reviews. Do not ask for only positive ones.
• Do not write reviews for yourself. Do not pay for fake reviews. The Competition Bureau enforces Canadian law on misleading claims.
• Check CASL before you send a review request by email or text. A review request can count as a commercial message. You need the right consent.

Google says that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. Replying to reviews shows that you value feedback.

What about my website?

Google says that prominence also depends on how many websites link to your business. Your website must say plainly what you do and where you work. Put your name, address, and phone number on the site. Write them the same way as on your profile.

Use the same details on the directory sites that list your business. Fix any listing that is wrong or old.

How do I know if it is working?

Use the Performance report in your profile. Choose a date range and compare it to an earlier range. The searches metric updates at the start of each month.

Watch the actions that bring you work: calls, direction requests, and website clicks. Rankings alone do not pay your bills. Enquiries do.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Do not create a second profile for the same business.
• Do not stuff keywords into your business name. Google can suspend a profile for this.
• Do not buy a ranking. Google says there is no way to pay for a better local ranking.
• Do not leave old hours or an old address on your profile.

When should I get help?

Get help if your profile is suspended and you do not know why. Get help if you have many locations. Get help if you have no time to keep the work going. Local SEO is steady upkeep, not a one-time job.

If you hire an agency, ask for plain answers. Ask what they will change. Ask how they will report. Do not accept a promise of a ranking.

Where Georgian Bay SEO fits

Georgian Bay SEO is a local SEO agency in Collingwood, Ontario, and it runs this site. Judge any agency, including us, by the checks on this page. Ask whether the agency follows Google’s guidelines, asks for reviews within CASL, and reports on real actions.