Local SEO: how to get your business to show up on Google Maps
Most of your potential customers search for 'your service + your town'. This is how local SEO makes them find you instead of your competitors.
When someone searches for 'physiotherapist in Palafrugell' or 'restaurant in Roses', Google first shows the local pack: the map with three featured businesses. Getting there isn't luck; it's local SEO done right. These are the keys we apply with our clients.
1. A flawless Google Business profile
Correct category, real opening hours, your own photos (not stock), detailed services and regular posts. It's the factor with the most immediate impact.
2. Steady, answered reviews
Systematically ask happy customers for reviews and reply to all of them, including the bad ones. The activity signal matters as much as the average rating.
3. Data consistency (NAP)
Identical name, address and phone across your website, profile, directories and social media. Inconsistencies erode Google's trust.
4. One page per service and area
If you work in several towns, each relevant combination deserves its own page with real content: what you do there, local projects, FAQs. Careful: duplicating the same page and swapping the town name gets penalised.
5. Signals from your website
Structured data (LocalBusiness schema), speed, a flawless mobile version and links from local media or associations.
How long does local SEO take to deliver results?
With a well-optimised profile and steady reviews, the first movements usually show within 4-8 weeks; competing for the top map positions in your area can take 3 to 6 months depending on competition. The good news: in local searches you only compete with businesses in your area, not the whole country.
The most common mistake
Creating the profile, half-filling it and abandoning it. Google rewards activity: new photos, review replies, posts and updated opening hours (especially on holidays). Fifteen minutes a week makes the difference.
A pattern we always see around Girona
Excellent business, years of track record, loyal customers… and invisible on Google. When we review their presence we always find the same: a half-completed profile, three unanswered reviews from 2019, a slow website that never mentions their town, and different contact details in every directory. In a local market, fixing these basics already puts you ahead of half the competition — before spending a euro on ads. Our SEO service starts exactly there, which is why we have dedicated pages for each area, like SEO in Girona or Figueres.
Want to know where your business stands? We offer a no-obligation review of your local presence.
Frequently asked questions
Can I appear on Google Maps without premises?
Yes: Google Business allows 'service-area business' profiles that show your coverage area instead of an address. It's the right model if you work on-site or across the comarca.
Do negative reviews sink my ranking?
Not on their own: Google values volume, consistency and your replies. A well-answered negative review builds more trust than a suspiciously perfect five-star profile.
Do I need a website for local SEO?
The profile alone can rank, but with a low ceiling: the website provides the content, speed and structured-data signals that break ties with your competitors — and it's the only space you fully control.
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