Getting found locally on Google: the guide for SMEs

Most jobs at a local business today begin with a Google search. "Painter near me", "fiduciary Winterthur", "hairdresser Schaffhausen", and whoever appears right at the top of the map gets the call. The good news: becoming locally visible is achievable even for small businesses. You just have to know what Google pays attention to.

This guide walks you through the steps that really count, without jargon, sorted by impact.

Local search works differently

When someone searches "near me", Google doesn't simply show the biggest websites, but the most relevant businesses in the area, often as a small map with three entries, the so-called "local pack". That's exactly where you want to be. Three things play a role: relevance (do you match the search?), distance (how close are you?) and prominence (how visible and trustworthy do you appear?).

The nice thing about it: you can actively work on all three of these.

Your Google Business Profile, the most important lever

If you do only one thing, do this: set up your Google Business Profile (formerly "Google My Business"). It's free and the single biggest lever for local visibility. This listing controls what appears about you on the map and to the right of the search.

Here's how to get the most out of it:

• Fill in everything: name, exact address, phone, opening hours, category. Complete profiles are favoured.
• Real photos: exterior view, interior, work, team. Images build trust and are often looked at.
• Choose the category precisely: "painting business" rather than just "tradesperson"; the more precise, the better the matches.
• Keep it current: holidays, new services, short posts. A well-maintained profile looks alive.

Reviews: trust that Google sees too

Reviews are doubly valuable for local search: they convince people, and they're a signal for Google. A business with many good, recent reviews comes across as reliable.

• Ask actively: most satisfied customers are happy to leave a review, you just have to ask them nicely.
• Make it easy: a direct link to the review, by email or QR code, lowers the barrier.
• Always reply: to praise and to criticism, matter-of-factly and kindly. Future customers see this too.

What your website has to contribute

Your business profile and your website work together. So that Google can clearly assign your location, your site should deliver a few things cleanly:

• Consistent details (NAP): name, address and phone must appear identically everywhere, on the site, in the profile, in directories. Discrepancies cause confusion.
• Location in the text: mention your region naturally on the important pages; "joinery in Schaffhausen" tells Google and people at once what it's about.
• Separate pages per service and location: if you cover several services or areas, give each its own, well-described page.
• Fast and mobile: local searches mostly happen on the go on a phone. A slow page loses the click. More in the post on loading time.
• Structured data: a technical hint in the code (LocalBusiness) tells Google directly who you are and where. On hand-coded sites, that's part of a clean foundation for me.

Local SEO is a marathon, not a sprint

Visibility builds up over weeks and months, not overnight. But it also lasts, once the foundation is right. Maintain the profile, collect reviews, run a clean website: these three levers together bring you forward, especially in a manageable region like Schaffhausen, Winterthur and the surrounding area, where proximity counts.

If you like, I'll make sure your website plays its part, with a clean structure, clear location details and the right technology under the hood.