Local SEO
Everything a website and a business profile need to do to rank well in local Google Search and in Google Maps.
Local SEO is the discipline of building a website and a business profile so that they rank well in local Google Search and in Google Maps. For shops, practices, restaurants and service providers, local SEO is often more important than classic web SEO.
The most important ranking factors
A Google Business Profile that is complete and kept up to date. NAP consistency on your own website, in the GBP and in directories. Genuine customer reviews with meaningful text, not just star ratings. Local backlinks from regional media, the IHK (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and trade associations. On the website: LocalBusiness schema with address and service areas, a reference to the town in title and meta, and a local phone number in the footer.
Map Pack vs Local Pack
For local searches, Google usually shows three local results with a map at the top of the results, the so-called Map Pack. Whoever appears there gets a huge share of the clicks. Whoever sits in fourth or fifth place gets almost nothing. Getting into the Map Pack is therefore the primary local SEO goal and requires both an active Google Business Profile and a strong website.
Practical steps for a business
First, fill in the Google Business Profile completely, including opening hours, category, description, photos and services. Second, place your NAP consistently in several spots on your own website: footer, Impressum (legal notice), Schema.org and contact page. Third, register in DACH directories: muenchen.de, Gelbe Seiten, Das Örtliche, ProvenExpert and industry-relevant sites. Fourth, actively ask customers for Google reviews, ideally with a specific occasion.
Common mistakes
Several GBPs for one location, for example one from the previous owner and one you created yourself. Inconsistent spellings of the address: Balduin-Helm-Str. vs Balduin-Helm-Straße. Buying fake reviews, which Google now detects very reliably and punishes with a ranking penalty or a profile suspension. Choosing a generic category such as service provider instead of a specific one such as web designer.
Related terms
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