Local SEO is everything you do to be found by people in your area who are searching for what you offer. Think of searches like 'plumber Haarlem', 'hairdresser near me' or 'driving school Den Helder'. Whoever shows up at the top, on the map and in the regular results, gets the phone calls.
The good news: for local searches you don't have to compete with the whole of the Netherlands. You compete with a handful of businesses in your own area. A few targeted steps often get you a long way. In this article you'll read which steps those are.
What exactly is local SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimisation: setting up your website and online details so Google understands them and ranks them high. If the term is new to you, first read what SEO is. Local SEO is part of it, focused on searches that include a place or mean 'nearby'.
For a search like that, Google usually shows a map with three businesses first, called the local pack. Below that are the regular results. You want to be visible in both. The map mainly revolves around your Google Business Profile. The regular results revolve around your website.
So how does Google decide who ranks at the top locally? For local results, Google roughly looks at three things:
- Relevance: does your business match what someone is searching for? Google reads that from your category, your services and the text on your site.
- Distance: how close are you to the searcher, or to the place in the search?
- Prominence: how well known and trustworthy is your business? Think of reviews, mentions on other sites and links to your website.
You can't change distance. Relevance and prominence you can. That's where your local SEO should focus.
Step 1: set up your Google Business Profile properly
Your Google Business Profile is the most important part of local visibility. Claim the profile, get it verified and fill everything in. Choose the primary category that fits best and add relevant extra categories. Add your opening hours, services, service area and real photos.
Then keep the profile alive. Answer questions, post an update now and then, and adjust your hours around public holidays. In our article on optimising your Google Business Profile you'll read step by step how to do it.
Step 2: make your website strong for local search
Your profile links to your website. Google uses that site to check whether you're really relevant to a place. So make sure your website makes clear where you work and what you do.
- Mention your town and region in the page title and heading of your key pages, where it fits naturally.
- Put your name, address and phone number visibly on the site, for example in the footer.
- Create a separate page for each service, so Google finds a matching page for each search.
- Working in several towns? Then create pages per service area, with real, unique content for each place.
- Make sure your site loads fast and works well on a phone. Local searchers are often on the move.
One warning about pages per town: don't copy the same text ten times with only the place name changed. Google sees that as thin content. Say something real about each place, such as which jobs you do there, how quickly you can be there or which neighbourhoods you serve.
Step 3: keep your business details consistent (NAP)
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone: your business name, address and phone number. These must be the same everywhere. On your website, in your Google Business Profile, on your social accounts and in online directories. Small differences, such as an old address or a different number, make Google unsure which details are correct.
So check where your business is listed online. Think of the Gouden Gids (a Dutch business directory), industry sites, your Chamber of Commerce (KvK) details, Facebook and Instagram. Update any old details. It's dull work, but it does help.
Step 4: collect reviews and respond to them
Reviews count towards your prominence and they convince people who are on the fence. Actively ask happy customers for a review, for example with a short link in your confirmation email or on the invoice. Respond to every review, including the negative ones. Stay calm and professional.
Never buy reviews and never write them yourself. It breaks Google's rules and can cost you your profile. You'll find more tips in our article on getting more Google reviews.
Step 5: build local prominence
Links and mentions from other local sites show Google that your business really exists and is known in the area. Think of:
- A listing on the website of your local business or retailers' association.
- Sponsoring a local sports club or event, with a link to your site.
- Partnerships with nearby businesses that complement yours.
- An article or interview in a local paper or on a regional news site.
Common local SEO mistakes
- Creating a Google Business Profile and then never opening it again.
- Choosing a primary category that's too broad or simply wrong.
- Stuffing a place name everywhere, making the text unreadable.
- A website that's slow or messy on mobile.
- Old addresses or phone numbers still listed on other sites.
- Not responding to any reviews, not even complaints.
Outsource local SEO or do it yourself?
You can do many of the steps above yourself. Filling in a profile and asking for reviews mainly take time and discipline. It gets harder with the website: speed, structure, pages per service area and the technical basics. That's where it helps to have someone who does this every day.
At Violexa we combine the two. We build websites that perform well locally and help with online marketing, such as SEO and Google Ads. One example from our work is WitFix: a site for appliance repair across the Netherlands, with pages per service area for local searches and Google reviews on the site. Online marketing starts from €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month, with no minimum term. We work from Amsterdam, for businesses across the Netherlands.
Want to know where your local visibility stands right now? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes we look at your profile and website together. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does local SEO cost?
That depends on your market and how much you do yourself. Filling in a profile and asking for reviews mainly cost time. If you outsource it, you usually pay a monthly fee. At Violexa, online marketing starts from €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month.
How long does local SEO take to show results?
Changes to your Google Business Profile sometimes show within a few weeks. Improvements to your website and reviews usually need a few months. It's a matter of keeping at it.
Do I need a physical address to be found locally?
No. If you work at customers' locations, you can hide your address and set a service area in your Google Business Profile. You can then still appear on the map for places in your service area.
Why am I not showing up in Google Maps?
Often the profile isn't verified, is incomplete or is in the wrong category. Distance plays a part too: outside your immediate area it's harder. Check your profile and make sure your website clearly mentions your town and services.
