When someone in Ferndown searches “graphic designer near me” or “plumber Bournemouth”, Google usually shows a map with three businesses before anything else. Those three get most of the calls and clicks. If you’re not one of them, a nearby customer may never know you exist.
The good news is that getting onto that map is free, and most of it doesn’t need technical skills. Here are the six things that make the biggest difference.
1. Claim your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that appears on Google Search and Google Maps. Search for your business name while signed in to Google, and claim the listing if it exists. If it doesn’t, create one at business.google.com. Google will ask you to verify you’re a real business, usually by video, phone or postcard.
2. Choose the right main category
Your main category tells Google what you do. “Graphic designer” and “Marketing agency” are different categories and will show you to different searches. Pick the one that matches your main service, then add secondary categories for the rest.
3. Fill in every section
Google says local results are ranked on relevance, distance and prominence. A complete profile helps with the first of those. Add:
- your opening hours, including bank holidays
- your phone number and website address
- a short description written for customers, not search engines
- the towns and areas you serve
- your services, with a line about each
4. Add real photos
Photos of your shop, your van, your work or your team show customers you’re real. Use your own pictures, not stock images. A few new photos a month keeps the profile looking active.
5. Collect reviews and reply to them
Reviews are one of the biggest trust signals on a profile, for Google and for customers. Ask happy customers to leave one, and send them your direct review link so it takes ten seconds. Reply to every review, good or bad, in a friendly, human way. Never buy or write fake reviews. Google removes them, and customers can usually tell.
Not sure where your profile stands? We’ll take a look and tell you what to fix first. Get a free quote.
6. Make your website agree with your profile
Google compares your profile with your website. Make sure your business name, address and phone number are written the same way in both, and on any directories you appear in. Then give each area you serve a clear mention on your site. For example, our pages on marketing in Dorset and marketing in Hampshire tell Google, and customers, exactly where we work.
How long does it take?
Some improvements show within a few weeks, but there’s no overnight trick, and anyone who guarantees you the top spot is guessing. Treat your profile like a shop window: keep it tidy, keep it current and keep asking for reviews.
Want a hand with it?
Our local SEO service covers your Google Business Profile, on-page fixes and local content, so nearby customers find you first. We work with small businesses across Dorset and Hampshire, and we explain everything in plain English.
Photo by henry perks on Unsplash
Ready to get found? Get a free, no-obligation quote from Amped Up Marketing in Ferndown.
