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Want more local customers to find you on Google? Here's what actually works.
One. Set up your free Google Business Profile, fill in every detail, and add real photos of your work.
Two. Ask every happy customer for a Google review. Reviews are one of the biggest reasons you show up in the map.
Three. Give each service its own page, saying exactly what you do and where. Think “emergency plumber in Kilmarnock”, not just “plumbing”.
Four. Get other trusted local sites to link to you, like trade bodies, suppliers, local directories and community groups. These links are what push you above the competition.
Five. Make your phone number easy to tap and your site quick on a mobile.
SEO isn't a quick fix, but done properly it keeps the phone ringing. Want it done for you? SEO For All Trades, £99 a month. Tap to call.
1. Set up your free Google Business Profile properly
Your Google Business Profile is what shows in the map and on the right of the search results. It costs nothing. Pick the category that matches your main job, fill in every field (services, areas you cover, opening hours, description, phone number) and add real photos of jobs you've done, not stock pictures. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show in local results.
If your profile isn't showing up, start with why a Business Profile doesn't show in search or why a business doesn't show on Google Maps.
2. Ask every happy customer for a Google review
Make asking part of finishing the job. Send your Google review link by text or WhatsApp while the customer is still pleased, and reply to every review you get. Google lists reviews and positive ratings among the things that help local ranking. Never pay or offer anything for a review; Google bans that.
More on the map results in how to rank higher in the Google map pack.
3. Give each service its own page
One page that says “we do everything” struggles to rank for anything. Give each main job its own page that says exactly what you do and where you do it, in the words customers type. Think “emergency plumber in Kilmarnock”, not just “plumbing”. Put your phone number near the top of each one.
See how this works for plumbers, electricians and roofers, or read how to do SEO as a tradesman.
4. Get trusted local sites to link to you
Links from other real websites tell Google your business is trusted. Google says local prominence is partly based on how many websites link to your business. The best ones for trades are easy to earn honestly: trade bodies you belong to, suppliers you buy from, local directories, and community groups or clubs you support. These links are what push you above the competition. Don't buy link packages; Google treats that as link spam.
5. Make your number easy to tap and your site quick on a mobile
Most people looking for a trade are searching on their phone. Make your phone number a tap-to-call button near the top of every page, keep pages light so they load fast on mobile data, and make sure text is readable without zooming. You can test any page with Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool.