Local SEO Guide

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the most powerful free tool for local SEO. Your listing appears in Google Maps and local results when someone searches for your type of business in your area. Completing the profile 100% is fundamental.

Include: exact business name, complete address, updated hours, phone number, website, correct categories, description with local keywords, quality photos of the business and products. Publish regular posts (at least weekly) with news, offers and events.

Reviews are the most important local ranking factor after the Google Business listing. Businesses with over 50 reviews and a rating above 4.0 have significant advantage. Ask satisfied customers for reviews systematically.

Respond to ALL reviews, positive and negative. Responses to negative reviews demonstrate professionalism and can turn a bad experience into an opportunity. Never buy fake reviews, Google detects and severely penalizes them.

Local keywords combine your service with your location: "dentist Madrid center", "labor lawyer Barcelona", "Italian restaurant Seville". Identify the keywords your potential customers use to search for businesses like yours in your area.

Create specific pages for each service + location if you operate in multiple areas. For example: one page for "plumber in Alcobendas" and another for "plumber in Tres Cantos". Each page must have unique and relevant content for that specific location.

NAP stands for Name, Address and Phone. Your NAP consistency across the internet is crucial for local SEO. Register your business in main directories with exactly the same information as in Google Business Profile.

The most important directories in Spain are: Yellow Pages, QDQ, Yelp, TripAdvisor (if applicable), Foursquare, Apple Maps, Bing Places and industry-specific directories. Periodically audit that your information is correct and consistent across all.

Create content relevant to your local community. A blog with articles about local events, area guides, collaborations with other local businesses and industry news in your city improves your local relevance and attracts natural links.

Include LocalBusiness schema markup on your website to help Google understand your business. Add an embedded Google map on your contact page. Use geotagged images of your business and surroundings.

Google's "Local Pack" (the 3 results with map that appear in local searches) is the main goal of local SEO. The factors that determine your position are: relevance (how well your listing matches the search), distance (proximity to user) and prominence (online reputation).

To improve your position on Google Maps: optimize your listing to the maximum, consistently get reviews, publish weekly posts, respond to questions and reviews, add photos regularly and keep hours updated. Constant activity is key.