top of page

Local SEO 101: The Basics Every Small Business Owner Should Know

Imagine you own a fantastic café with the best coffee in town, but no one can find you because there’s no sign outside. That’s what happens when your business isn’t optimised for local search—potential customers are looking, but they don’t know you exist!

Local SEO helps small businesses like yours appear in local search results, making it easier for nearby customers to find and choose you over competitors.


Definitions

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of optimising your online presence to attract more business from local searches on Google and other search engines.


Google Business Profile (GBP): Formerly called Google My Business (GMB), this free tool helps businesses manage their online presence and appear in local search results and Google Maps.



Magnifying glass on finance charts with colorful bar graphs. Background shows two laptops with line graphs, creating an analytical mood.
A magnifying glass rests on financial documents, highlighting detailed bar and pie charts, with fluctuating graphs displayed on computer screens in the background, indicating a thorough analysis of market trends.

Key Takeaways

  • Local SEO helps small businesses appear in Google’s local search results.


  • Google Business Profile (GBP) is a critical tool for improving local visibility.


  • Customer reviews, local citations, and NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) impact rankings.


  • Local SEO drives foot traffic, phone calls, and website visits from local customers.


  • Wix has built-in SEO tools to help optimise your site for local search.


Table of Contents



1. Why Local SEO Matters for Small Businesses


According to a recent study, 46% of all Google searches have local intent. That means nearly half of the people searching online are looking for nearby products or services!

Benefits of Local SEO:


  • Higher visibility in Google’s “Local Pack” (the top 3 business listings in search results)


  • Increased website traffic and store visits


  • More calls and inquiries from potential customers


Hand using smartphone with digital icons of a store, location pin, and star ratings. Blurred laptop in background, casual setting.
User engaging with local business reviews on a mobile device, highlighting the importance of customer feedback in online services.

2. Google Business Profile: The Foundation of Local SEO


Setting up and optimising your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing is the first step in any local SEO strategy.

How to optimise your GBP profile:


  1. Claim and verify your business listing.


  2. Add accurate business details (Name, Address, Phone Number – NAP consistency).


  3. Select the right categories for your business.


  4. Upload high-quality images of your products, team, or storefront.


  5. Encourage customer reviews and respond promptly.


3. Optimising Your Website for Local Search


  • Include local keywords in page titles, meta descriptions, and content.


  • Create a dedicated ‘Contact Us’ page with your NAP details.


  • Use structured data markup (schema) to help search engines understand your business details.


4. The Power of Online Reviews and Reputation Management


Why reviews matter:


  • 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.


  • Businesses with more 5-star reviews rank higher in local search results.


How to get more reviews:


  • Ask happy customers to leave a Google review.


  • Respond to all reviews (positive and negative) professionally.


  • Use Wix’s built-in review widgets to showcase testimonials on your website.


5. Local Citations and NAP Consistency


A citation is any mention of your business name, address, and phone number on the web.


  • List your business on directories like Yelp, Bing Places, and Facebook.


  • Ensure NAP details are consistent across all platforms.


Hand holding a smartphone, with heart and thumbs-up icons floating above. Blurred background. Social media engagement concept.
A person engages with social media on a smartphone, as digital icons representing likes and hearts float above the screen against a blurred background.

6. Leveraging Local Content for SEO Success


  • Create blog posts about local events, news, or industry trends.


  • Write city-specific service pages if you serve multiple locations.


  • Use location-based keywords naturally in your content.


7. Mobile Optimisation: Reaching Customers on the Go


Key stats:


  • 76% of people who search for a local business on their phone visit within 24 hours.


  • Mobile-friendly websites rank higher in Google’s mobile search results.


Make sure your website is responsive, fast-loading, and easy to navigate on mobile.


8. Tracking Your Local SEO Performance


  • Use Google Analytics to monitor website traffic.


  • Check your Google Business Profile insights for search visibility.


  • Track rankings using local SEO tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal.


Finger tapping tablet, digital storefront icons with social media notifications overlay. Blue shirt background creates tech-focused mood.
A person interacts with a digital storefront interface on a tablet, highlighting the integration of local business locations and social media connectivity in a global network.

9. Common Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid


Ignoring Google Business Profile updates ❌ Not responding to reviews ❌ Having inconsistent NAP details❌ Neglecting mobile optimisation


Conclusion


Local SEO is a powerful tool for small businesses to increase visibility, attract local customers, and boost sales. By optimising your Google Business Profile, gathering customer reviews, and ensuring NAP consistency, you’ll be ahead of the competition.

Ready to level up your local SEO? Web Revolutions transforms visions into reality ,get expert guidance for your Wix site today!


👉 Visit webrevolutions.co.uk to learn more!



SEO concept on chalkboard with words like ranking, backlinks, traffic, keywords, and site architecture. Colorful icons and diagrams.
SEO strategies visualised on a chalkboard, highlighting key components like ranking, backlinks, keywords, website, content, traffic, data analysis, and site architecture.

FAQs

Q: How long does it take to see results from Local SEO?

A: Typically, 3–6 months, depending on competition and consistency.

Q: Can I do Local SEO on Wix?

Q: What’s the best way to get more Google reviews?

Q: How do I know if my business appears in local search?



Comments

Have Questions?
We've Got Answers.

Here’s everything you might want to know before working with Web Revolutions from timelines to tech, support and results.

  • What types of businesses do you work with?
    We work with small businesses, service providers and digital-first brands across the UK from solo founders to growing teams. Whether you're starting fresh or need a redesign, we’ll meet you where you are.
  • Do I need a clear brief before I reach out?
    Not at all. Many clients come to us with just an idea or a goal. We’ll help shape it into a clear plan during the discovery process.
  • Do you only work locally?
    We're based in High Wycombe and proudly support businesses across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and beyond but we also work remotely with clients across the UK and internationally.
  • How do I get started?
    Simple just book a free discovery call. We’ll talk through your goals, timeline and next steps with no pressure and no jargon.
  • Can you really build a website in one day?
    Yes. Our One Day Website is a focused, fast-build service that delivers a one-page site in a single day. It’s perfect for launches, campaigns or getting online quickly with everything planned in advance.
  • What’s included in a One Day Website?
    You get a fully designed and launched one-page site including your content, branding, contact form, social links and basic SEO setup. Optional add-ons can be discussed during the discovery call.
  • What if I need a more advanced site?
    For multi-page sites or advanced features, we offer a bespoke web design service. These typically take 2 to 4 weeks and include collaborative planning, custom layouts, third-party integrations and tailored content structure.
  • Do I need to provide content and images?
    For One Day builds, yes we’ll send you a prep checklist. For custom sites, we can assist with content strategy, copywriting or finding quality images if needed.
  • Can I track the progress during the project?
    Yes. You'll get design previews or real-time access to your project as it’s being built. We stay in touch throughout no guessing games.
  • Do you use templates or design from scratch?
    One Day Websites use a proven high-converting layout. Custom sites are built from scratch in Wix (Studio or Classic) based on your brand, goals and user journey.
  • Do you offer training after launch?
    Yes. We can walk you through the Wix dashboard so you feel confident managing your site or record a custom video walkthrough if you prefer.
  • How much does a website cost?
    Landing pages start at £395. Custom websites typically begin around £2,500, and our monthly support plans start from £150. All prices are transparent and agreed up front no hidden costs.
  • What payment terms do you offer?
    For larger projects, we typically split payment 50/50 half up front, half on launch. Support plans are billed monthly and can be cancelled with notice.
  • Do you offer ongoing support after launch?
    Yes. Our support packages include updates, improvements, bug fixes, backups, strategy calls and SEO insights so your site keeps working for your business.
  • Can I make changes to my website myself?
    Absolutely. Wix allows you to make content changes easily. If you’d rather not, our support plans include content edits and functional updates.
  • Do you offer SEO services or help with visibility?
    All sites are built SEO-ready, and support clients get monthly audits, keyword reviews and strategic advice. Deeper SEO work is available as an add-on.
  • What platform do you use?
    We specialise in Wix including both Classic and Wix Studio depending on what the project requires. It allows full creative control, fast performance and easy post-launch management.
  • Do you use Figma or wireframes?
    Yes. For bespoke projects, we use Figma to plan user flow and visuals before development starts so everything is aligned before we build.
  • Can you integrate third-party tools or APIs?
    Yes. We offer software integration and custom development using Velo by Wix, APIs, and tools like Zapier or Make to streamline your business operations.
  • Do you offer email marketing or CRM setup?
    We can help set up email campaigns, automations, or basic CRM flows particularly when connected to your Wix site. This is available as a service or part of a support plan.
  • Will my website be mobile-friendly and fast?
    Every site is built to perform responsive design, optimised images, and clean structure come as standard. We also test on mobile and desktop before launch.
  • Can you help improve my existing Wix site?
    Definitely. We offer redesigns, performance tuning and SEO improvements for existing Wix sites whether it’s a full overhaul or targeted updates.
  • What kind of results do your clients see?
    Our clients have seen faster load times, better conversion rates, improved visibility and more leads within weeks. We don’t just build we build for outcomes.
  • What makes Web Revolutions different?
    We combine design, tech and strategy into one clear service. You're not buying a website you're investing in a partner that cares about how your digital presence performs.

Whether it’s a one-day launch or a fully bespoke build, Web Revolutions delivers strategy-led websites designed to grow with your business, not just look good.

Ready to Build a Website That Performs?

bottom of page