Local SEO is the work of showing up when nearby customers search for what you sell, like “plumber in Gorham” or “breakfast near me.” For most small businesses it comes down to two things working together: a complete, accurate Google Business Profile and a website that clearly says what you do, where you do it, and how to reach you.
You don’t need a big budget or technical skills to get the basics right. You need accurate information, a little consistency, and a habit of asking for reviews.
This checklist covers both halves, your profile and your site, in the order we’d tackle them for a Maine small business.
How does Google decide who shows up locally?
Google is unusually open about this. According to Google Business Profile Help, local results are mainly based on three factors:
- Relevance: how well your business matches what someone searched for.
- Distance: how far you are from the person searching, or from the location in their search.
- Prominence: how well known your business is, which includes things like links to your site from other websites and your reviews and ratings.
You can’t change distance. You can improve relevance (by describing your business clearly and completely) and prominence (by earning reviews, mentions, and links). Google also states that you can’t pay for a better local ranking.
Part 1: Google Business Profile checklist
Your Business Profile is what shows in Google Maps and the local “map pack.” For many customers, it’s the first thing they see, before they ever click to your website.
Claim and verify
- Claim your profile at business.google.com and complete verification.
- Make sure you, the owner, have owner-level access, not just a past employee or a vendor.
Get the basics exactly right
- Business name: Use your real-world name as it appears on your sign. Google’s profile guidelines say not to add taglines, keywords, or locations to the name, and doing so can lead to suspension.
- Category: Choose the most specific primary category that completes “This business is a…” Add a few secondary categories only if they truly apply.
- Address or service area: If customers come to you, show your address. If you travel to customers from home, like many contractors and cleaners, hide the address and set a service area instead.
- Phone and website: Use a local number and link to the most relevant page of your site.
- Hours: Keep regular hours current and add special hours for holidays, storms, and seasonal closures.
Fill in the details
- Write a clear description of what you do and who you serve.
- Add services or menu items, with short descriptions.
- Set attributes that apply, such as wheelchair accessible entrance, outdoor seating, or women-owned.
- Upload real photos of your storefront, interior, team, and work. Add new ones each season.
Stay active
- Post updates for events, specials, and seasonal openings.
- Answer questions people ask on your profile.
- Respond to every review, good or bad, politely and briefly.
Part 2: Website checklist for local SEO
Your website backs up everything your profile says and gives Google more to go on. It’s also where many customers make their final decision. If you’re still wondering whether you even need one, we cover that in do I need a website if I have Facebook.
Name, address, and phone (NAP)
- Show your business name, address (if public), and phone number on every page, usually in the footer.
- Make the phone number tap-to-call on mobile.
- Match the details exactly to your Business Profile and other listings.
Service and location pages
- Create a separate page for each main service, with real detail: what’s included, who it’s for, typical timelines, and FAQs.
- If you serve several towns, consider a page for each major area, but only if you can say something genuinely useful about each, like the neighborhoods you cover or local projects you’ve done. Thin copy-and-paste town pages don’t help.
- Mention your town and region naturally in headings and text.
Technical basics
- Make sure the site works well on phones and loads quickly.
- Give every page a unique title and description.
- Add an embedded Google Map on your contact page if you have a storefront.
- Add LocalBusiness structured data (schema). Google’s documentation lists name and address as required, with phone, URL, and opening hours recommended.
Trust signals
- Show real reviews and testimonials, with permission.
- List licenses, certifications, and memberships where relevant.
- Include photos of your team and your actual work.
Profile vs. website: who does what?
| Task | Google Business Profile | Your website |
|---|---|---|
| Show up in Maps and the map pack | Primary driver | Supports it |
| Explain services in depth | Short descriptions only | Full detail, FAQs, photos |
| Collect reviews | Main place for Google reviews | Display them, link to leave one |
| Rank for many service searches | Limited | One page per service helps |
| Capture leads and bookings | Call and website buttons | Forms, booking, quote requests |
| Full control over content | Google sets the rules | You own it |
Reviews: the part you can start today
Reviews affect both your ranking and whether people choose you. Make asking a routine, not a once-a-year push.
- Get your short review link from your Business Profile.
- Ask in person right after a good experience, then send the link by text or email.
- Put the link on receipts, invoices, and follow-up emails.
- Reply to every review within a few days. Thank people by name and keep replies to negative reviews calm and helpful.
Don’t buy reviews or offer discounts in exchange for them. It’s against Google’s policies and can backfire badly.
Citations and local links
Beyond Google, list your business on the directories your customers actually use, such as Apple Maps, Bing Places, Yelp, Facebook, and industry directories. Keep the details identical everywhere.
For links, think local and real: your chamber of commerce, local business associations, sponsorships of Little League or a community 5K, suppliers, and local news coverage. A mention from a respected Maine organization is worth more than a pile of random directory links.
Where local SEO is heading
Search is changing. More people get answers from AI summaries and chat tools, and those tools still lean on the same basics: consistent business info, clear service pages, and a strong reputation. We cover that in more depth in our guide to AI SEO for small businesses. The good news is that the checklist above works for both.
If you’re building a new site, plan these pieces from the start rather than bolting them on later. Our step-by-step website planning guide shows how to fold service and location pages into your site map.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does local SEO take to work?
Fixing your Business Profile and site basics can show results relatively quickly, while reviews and links build up over months. It’s ongoing work rather than a one-time project, much like keeping your storefront tidy.
Can I rank in a town where I don’t have an office?
Distance is one of Google’s main factors, so it’s harder to show in the map pack far from your address. Service-area businesses can set service areas, and helpful pages on your website for the towns you serve can help you show up in regular search results there.
Should I put keywords in my Google Business Profile name?
No. Google’s guidelines say to use your real-world business name only. Adding keywords or locations can get your profile suspended, which would hurt far more than it helps.
Do I need a website if I have a Google Business Profile?
Your profile is essential, but it’s limited and Google controls it. A website gives you room to explain services, answer questions, collect leads, and rank for many more searches, and it backs up the information in your profile.
How many reviews do I need?
There’s no magic number. Aim for a steady flow of recent, genuine reviews, and compare yourself to the businesses showing up above you in your area.
Want a second set of eyes on your profile and website? Book a free 30-minute consultation with Morellis and we’ll walk through this checklist with you and point out the quickest wins for getting found by customers across Maine.