Get found on Google, right near you

Search engine optimisation (SEO) refers to all the techniques that help you appear in Google's organic (non-paid) results. Unlike advertising, you don’t pay per click: you ‘earn’ your position through relevance and quality.

Google evaluates three main types of signals:

• Relevance: Does your page truly answer the user’s search query?
• Authority: Do other trusted sites mention you (links, citations, reviews)?
• Experience: Is your website fast, mobile-friendly, and secure (HTTPS)?

For a local business, a fourth factor is crucial: proximity. Google prioritises establishments close to the person searching, which is why your Google Business Profile matters.

Your Google Business Profile listing is free and often more effective than a website for local businesses. It powers the local pack (the top three results with a map) and ‘near me’ searches.

To optimise it:

• Fill in your primary category, opening hours, service area, and exact contact details (the famous ‘NAP’: name, address, phone number—consistent everywhere).
• Add recent, high-quality photos: they significantly boost requests for directions and calls.
• Regularly post updates (offers, news) and complete the Q&A section.
• Enable messaging and relevant attributes (accessibility, payment options, services).

A complete and active profile sends Google a clear signal: your business is trustworthy and operational.

Reviews are both a local ranking factor and the first thing potential customers check. Three-quarters of consumers read them regularly, and most avoid businesses rated below three stars.

A healthy review strategy relies on consistency:

• Ask for a review after every successful sale or service (via QR code, SMS, or email).
• Respond to every review, positive or negative: customers expect a reply, and Google rewards businesses that engage.
• For negative reviews, stay factual and polite, and offer an offline solution: your response is read by all future customers.

The volume, average rating, and recency of reviews matter as much as their content.

Your website is the foundation you own, unlike third-party platforms. To rank well, it must be clear for both users and search engines.

• One page = one intent: Create a page for each service or question, with a clear title (HTML title tag) and a readable URL.
• Speed and mobile-friendliness: Over half of visits come from phones; a slow site drives users away and hurts rankings.
• Natural keywords: Write the way your customers search (e.g., ‘emergency plumber in Nantes’), without overstuffing.
• Internal linking: Connect your pages to guide visitors and search engines.

Add structured data (opening hours, reviews, FAQs) to earn rich results in Google.

SEO is a long-term investment: for local businesses, a well-maintained profile can show results in weeks, while a website may take three to six months to stabilise in rankings.

Track a few key metrics:

• The number of views and actions on your profile (calls, directions, website clicks).
• The keywords driving traffic and your average ranking position.
• The conversion rate: how many visitors become leads or customers.

Improve one element at a time, measure the impact, and repeat. Consistency always beats one-off efforts.

SEO isn’t about repeating keywords—it’s about precisely answering what users are searching for. This is called search intent: informational (‘how to…’), commercial (‘best…’), or transactional (‘buy…’).

• Start with your customers’ real questions: note what they ask, and explore Google’s suggestions.
• Write one page per intent, with a clear title that matches the search query.
• Structure your content with subheadings (H2, H3) and answer the question first, at the top of the page.
• Write for humans: useful, readable content is what Google—and AI assistants—prefer to cite.

Length matters less than completeness: cover the topic better than the pages already ranking.

Great content is useless if search engines can’t read it or if your page loads too slowly. Technical SEO removes these invisible barriers.

• Speed: Compress images and limit unnecessary scripts. Every extra second of loading time loses visitors.
• Mobile: Google ranks your site based on its mobile version. Ensure it’s readable and clickable on phones.
• Indexing: Make sure your key pages are known to Google (via a sitemap and Search Console).
• Security: HTTPS (the padlock icon) is essential for rankings and trust.

Structured data (opening hours, reviews, FAQs) also helps you earn rich results, which stand out more in search.