When someone searches for “dentist near me” or “car repair Heraklion”, Google first shows a map with three businesses, then the rest of the results. Local SEO is everything you do to make sure your business is in those spots.

For a business serving customers in a specific town or area, these searches are often the most valuable: the person searching wants a solution now, and nearby. Here is what matters most.

Google Business Profile: the foundation of local SEO

Your free business profile on Google (formerly Google My Business) is what appears on the map and beside the search results. To make it work:

  • Choose the right primary category — it is one of Google’s strongest signals. Add secondary categories only if they truly apply.
  • Fill in everything: opening hours (including holidays), phone, website, services or products, description.
  • Upload real photos of your premises, team and work, and keep them fresh.
  • Use posts for news, offers or events. They show the business is active.

Consistent details everywhere

Google cross-checks information from many sources. If one directory lists an old phone number and another a different address, it creates confusion. Make sure your name, address and phone number are written the same way:

  • on your website,
  • on your Google Business Profile,
  • on social media,
  • on business directories and industry platforms.

Reviews: for Google and for customers

Reviews influence local rankings and, even more, a customer’s decision to choose you. A few practical tips:

  1. Ask for a review right after a good experience, with a direct link (you’ll find it inside your profile).
  2. Reply to all of them, positive and negative, politely and specifically.
  3. Never buy or write fake reviews. They break Google’s rules and can lead to removals or penalties on your profile.

Your website’s role in local SEO

Your profile links to your website, and Google uses the site to understand what you do and where. These help:

  • your town or area in the title of the homepage and key pages, where it reads naturally,
  • a separate page for each main service,
  • address, map and phone on the contact page and in the footer,
  • structured data (schema) for your business, so Google reads your details correctly,
  • fast loading and a flawless mobile experience, since most local searches happen on phones.

If you serve several areas

If you cover several towns, you can have pages for the main areas — as long as each one has genuinely useful, different content. Pages that only swap the town name don’t help and may be seen as low quality.

Measure what works

Google Business Profile shows how many people saw your profile and how many tapped “call”, “directions” or “website”. Together with Google Search Console and your website analytics, you’ll see which searches bring you customers and where to invest.

A simple plan to get started

  1. Claim or create your Google Business Profile and complete verification.
  2. Fill in every field and upload at least ten real photos.
  3. Check that your details match on your website and in directories.
  4. Send recent happy customers the review link.
  5. Make sure your website has a page for each main service.

Local SEO isn’t a one-off task; it’s consistency. If you’d like help with the website and the technical side, M. Dimopoulos provides SEO and website services for businesses that want to stand out in their area.