Local SEO: How to Show Up on Google Maps and "Near Me" Searches

Local SEO is the set of actions that make your business appear when someone searches for a service nearby: on Google Maps, in the map inside search results and in searches like "dentist near me". According to Google, local ranking depends on relevance, distance and prominence. You do not control distance, but you do control your profile, your reviews and the information Google reads about the business.

If you are not yet familiar with how search works in general, start with What is SEO: the complete guide. This guide is for small businesses with a defined address or service area.

Quick summary

• What used to be called Google My Business is now Google Business Profile. Creating a profile is free, and Google says you cannot pay for a better local ranking.
• The three local ranking factors are relevance, distance and prominence (reviews, ratings and links from other sites).
• Use the real business name, categories that describe what you are and correct hours. Exaggeration and false information can get a profile suspended.
• Ask real customers for reviews. Offering a discount or a freebie in exchange for a review violates Google's rules.
• On your website, keep name, address and phone number identical to the profile, and have one page per location.

How to read this guide

If you own a business and do not know SEO, follow the profile creation steps and the reviews list. If you are a professional, go to the ranking factors, the name and category rules, LocalBusiness schema and the AI section. SEO terms are in the glossary.

What is local SEO, and what changed in the name?

Local SEO is optimization for searches with place intent: the user wants something that is nearby, open and trustworthy. Google answers with a map block, business profiles and reviews. The product behind this used to be called Google My Business and is now called Google Business Profile in Google's help pages.

In plain English: think of a street sign. The Business Profile is the sign Google shows to everyone passing through the whole city looking for something. Your website is the store behind the sign. A wrong or incomplete sign sends the customer to the wrong door.

How does Google decide who appears first?

By a combination of relevance, distance and prominence. That is what Google explains on the page Tips to improve your local ranking on Google. Each factor has a part you control and a part you do not.

Factor	What Google measures	What you control
Relevance	How well the profile matches what the person searched for	Category, services, description, complete information
Distance	How far you are from the person searching	Little: only the correct real address and service area
Prominence	How well known the business is: reviews, ratings and links from other sites	Reviews, replies, web presence and mentions

Google also states that there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking.

For SEO professionals: Google does not publish weights or the formula. Because distance depends on where the person is, two users see different rankings for the same search. That is why a "fixed ranking" from a rank tracker, measured from a single point, misleads. Measure by area (what each point of the city sees) and by outcome: calls, direction requests and website visits, which the profile dashboard reports.

How do you create and verify your Business Profile?

Creating it is free, and a website is not required. Verification proves the business is yours and unlocks editing of the information. The official walkthrough is in Create your Business Profile.

1. Go to business.google.com/add with the Google account that will manage the profile.
2. Enter the business name, the main category and the address. If you serve customers at their location, enter the service area and hide the address if you work from home.
3. Fill in the phone number, the website (if you have one) and the hours.
4. Choose a verification method. Google defines the available methods according to the type of business and location: phone or text message, email, video call or postcard.
5. Wait for confirmation. For a postcard, Google says most codes arrive within 14 days and that the code expires after 30.

What should you fill in on the profile, and what should you avoid?

Fill in everything that is true and avoid anything that does not exist in the real life of the business. The representation guidelines are clear, and violating them can lead to suspension of the profile.

Field	Do	Avoid
Name	The real name, as it appears on the storefront and in documents	Adding keywords, slogans, phone number or hours to the name
Address	A precise physical address, with suite or unit	PO box, virtual office
Category	As few as possible, describing what the business is	Listing categories that describe what the business offers
Hours	Hours open to the public, updated for holidays	Leaving hours out of date
Photos and videos	Storefront, interior, team, products, services	Stock images that are not of the location
Locations	One profile per location	Duplicate profiles for the same address

In plain English: the name rule is the same as for an honest business card. If the name is "Studio Mova", do not turn it into "Studio Mova Cheap Pilates Downtown Austin". Google has the right field for each piece of information.

How do you get reviews without breaking the rules?

Ask real customers, after the service, with a direct link. Google offers a link and a QR code for the review page, and the Google Maps content policy defines what is not allowed.

1. Ask at the moment the customer is satisfied: when delivering the service, by text message or at the front desk.
2. Send the link or show the QR code. Do not demand specific text or a specific rating.
3. Ask all customers. Asking only those you think will praise you is review "gating" and is prohibited.
4. Reply to all of them, good and bad, specifically and without exposing the customer's private data.
5. Report reviews that violate the policy (fake content, conflict of interest) instead of arguing with the author.

For SEO professionals: the policy prohibits offering any kind of incentive (payment, discount, freebie) in exchange for a review, discouraging or preventing negative reviews, selecting who gets the request, and reviews from people with ties to the business, such as employees and relatives. Agencies that "buy" reviews expose the client to removal and to suspension of the profile.

How does the website fit into local SEO?

The website reinforces what the profile says. Google treats name, address and phone number (the "NAP") as information that must be correct and up to date. Keeping the same data on the website, on the profile and in directories is good industry practice; it is not a factor Google has published with a defined weight.

On the website, do this:

• One page per location, with address, hours, phone number, map and real photos.
• One page per main service, with what is done, for whom and in which neighborhoods.
• LocalBusiness structured data, repeating the visible data.

According to Google's documentation, name and address are required, and openingHoursSpecification, telephone, url and geo are recommended. Google also warns that it does not guarantee that structured data features will appear.

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Example Studio",
  "url": "https://www.example.com/austin",
  "telephone": "+1-512-555-0100",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "100 Example St, Suite 5",
    "addressLocality": "Austin",
    "addressRegion": "TX",
    "postalCode": "78701",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [{
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
    "opens": "07:00",
    "closes": "20:00"
  }]
}

The data above is fictional. Replace it with the real data, which must be the same as the profile and visible on the page.

Hypothetical example: a pilates studio in Austin

A studio created its profile two years ago and left it idle. The category is "Gym", even though it offers only pilates. There are no holiday hours, there are 3 photos and the 8 reviews have not been answered. The website has a single page for everything.

An adjustment plan, without promising results:

1. Change the primary category to the one that describes the service and review the secondary ones.
2. Fix the hours, include holidays and add real photos of the space and the classes.
3. Reply to the 8 reviews and build the habit of asking every student at the end of the month.
4. Create a location page on the website with address, map, hours, plans and the LocalBusiness block.
5. Check calls, direction requests and profile clicks every month and compare with the previous month.

Do local links and mentions help?

Yes, as part of prominence. Google lists links from other sites among the factors that help a business's prominence. In practice, appearing in trade associations, city portals, partners and local press helps reinforce the business's presence. See what works in backlinks for local businesses.

If you decide to buy links, first read is buying backlinks safe?: Google considers paid links meant to manipulate ranking a violation of its spam policies. Contentor offers permanent, contextual backlinks on Brazilian, Portuguese-language sites with a 6-month replacement guarantee, starting at $49 per link, which fits businesses with Portuguese-speaking audiences. But before links come the complete profile and the reviews.

Does local SEO help you get recommended by AI?

Possibly, indirectly, and nobody guarantees it. How each AI chooses the businesses it recommends is not known. What you can do is keep data consistent, the profile complete, reviews real and, on the website, clear answers to the questions customers ask. See GEO for local businesses and how to build an FAQ that AI cites.

How long does it take to show up?

Google does not publish local ranking timelines. It says verification is reviewed within 5 business days, and a postcard can take up to 14. After that, progress depends on competition, distance and prominence. Be wary of anyone who promises "first place in X days". See what to expect in how long SEO takes.

Frequently asked questions

Are Google My Business and Google Business Profile the same thing?

Yes. The name currently used in Google's help pages is Google Business Profile. Many people still say Google My Business, and searches for that name remain common, but the product is the same and is managed at business.google.com.

Do I need a website to appear on Google Maps?

No. The profile creation page does not require a website. But a website helps: it gives customers more information, reinforces the business data and lets you appear in regular search results too, not just on the map.

Can I create a profile if I only serve customers at their homes?

Yes, as a service-area business. You enter the areas you serve and, if you work from home, hide the address. What is not allowed is listing a fake address, a PO box or a virtual office as if it were a service location.

Can I offer a discount in exchange for a review?

No. Google's policy prohibits offering payment, a discount, a freebie or any incentive in exchange for a review, and also prohibits asking for reviews only from those likely to praise you. The allowed path is to ask all customers, with nothing in return.

How do I remove a negative review?

You can only request removal if the review violates Google's policy, such as fake, offensive or conflict-of-interest content. A legitimate negative review stays. The best response is to reply calmly, acknowledge the point and show that you acted.

Next step

With the profile and reviews in place, the next step is to think about how AI also recommends local businesses: read GEO for local businesses. If your priority is the foundation of the site, go back to the complete SEO guide.

Read also:

• Backlinks for local businesses
• The FAQ that AI cites
• How long SEO takes to deliver results