Local SEO and your Google Business Profile: get found

Summary: local SEO

Local SEO is everything you do to be found by people nearby who search for what you offer, in Google and in Google Maps. The basis is a free, complete and verified Google Business Profile. Google picks local results based on relevance, distance and prominence, according to Google’s own explanation. Reviews weigh heavily: 68% of consumers now only choose a business with at least 4 stars, according to BrightLocal. At Game-changers local SEO falls under SEO and AEO (also called AI SEO), from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.

• Basis: a free Google Business Profile that is complete and verified.
• Ranking: Google looks at relevance, distance and prominence; you cannot buy a higher position.
• Reviews: 68% only choose a business with at least 4 stars, up from 55% a year earlier.
• Our advice: make sure everything is right, ask every happy customer for a review and respond to every review.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is search engine optimisation for searches with a place in them or behind them, such as “hairdresser Tilburg” or “plumber near me”. Google then often shows a map with three businesses above the regular results. Whoever is there gets the calls and the route requests. According to Ahrefs, Dutch people search 10,000 times a month for “google mijn bedrijf” (Google My Business), 3,500 times for “google bedrijfsprofiel” (Google Business Profile) and 450 times for “lokale seo”. Local SEO has two parts:

• Your Google Business Profile: determines whether and how you appear in Google Maps and the map in search results.
• Your website: determines whether you rank in the regular results for keywords with your town, and strengthens your profile.

How does Google pick local results?

Google itself names three factors in the Google Business Profile Help. Relevance: how well your profile matches what someone searches for. Distance: how far your business is from the searcher. Prominence: how well known you are, partly based on how many websites link to you and how many reviews you have. Google also writes that you cannot request or buy a better position in local results. You cannot change distance, but you can improve relevance and prominence.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is the free business listing Google shows in Google Maps and at the right or top of the search results. Until the end of 2021 it was called Google My Business. Your profile shows your address or service area, opening hours, phone number, website, photos and reviews. Google says businesses with complete and correct information are more likely to be shown.

Creating and optimising your Google Business Profile

These are the steps we go through for every client. You do the first two once, the last three you keep doing.

1. Claim and verify your profile

Create your profile or claim it if it already exists, and get it verified. Google itself names verification as a way to increase the chance your business appears in results. Google decides which verification method you get.

2. Fill in everything completely and correctly

Choose the main category that fits best, fill in your address or service area, opening hours, phone number, website and services. Make sure the same details are on your website. A wrong address or a pin in the wrong place costs you positions.

3. Collect reviews and respond

Ask every happy customer for a review and respond to every review, including critical ones. Google says in its guidance on reviews that responding shows you value feedback.

4. Add real photos

Show your premises, your team and your work. Use real photos, not stock images, and add new ones regularly.

5. Make your website locally strong

Put your name, address and phone number on every page, create a page per service and per region you serve, and add structured data following Google’s guidelines. Use our landing page checklist to check your pages.

Why reviews weigh so heavily

Reviews help in two ways: Google uses them for prominence, and customers use them to choose. The Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 by BrightLocal, a survey of US consumers, shows that 92% look at star ratings when choosing a business. 68% now only choose a business with at least 4 stars, up from 55% in 2025. 31% even demand at least 4.5 stars, up from 17% a year earlier. The date matters too: 44% find it important that a review was posted in the past month, and 37% check whether the owner responded.

Our research: what the top of Google Maps does differently

On 9 November 2026 we used DataForSEO to look at the Google Maps top 20 for “marketingbureau tilburg” (marketing agency Tilburg). We looked at the profiles, not at the agencies themselves. What stands out:

• 32 reviews: for the middle agency of the top 10; half have more, half fewer.
• 12 photos: for the middle agency of the top 10.
• 13 of 20: use the same main category: Internet marketing.
• 5 of 10: are in the same street near the station: distance counts.

The lesson: a few dozen genuine reviews, a handful of good photos and the right category already get you a long way in many towns. You do not need hundreds of reviews.

What Google shows for “lokale seo”

On the same day we also looked at the search results for “lokale seo” (local SEO) with DataForSEO. At the top is an AI answer, then a map with 3 businesses and 9 regular results. 7 of the 9 are blogs with tips. 5 show a date, and of those 3 are from 2022 or older. The businesses on the map had only 4 to 14 reviews. So even in a competitive market a good profile can make you visible quickly.

What it delivers

Local SEO works best together with a strong website. Rug expertise centrum gained 40% more organic traffic with SEO and AEO and is mentioned 3.8 times more often in AI answers. Rug Expertise Shop went from under 2% to up to 8% conversion after a redesign, with 76% more profit. Want to be visible faster than SEO allows? Then you can advertise locally with Google advertising; first read what Google Ads costs.

“With local SEO many business owners think it is about tricks. Most of the work is simply making sure everything is right: your address, your category, your opening hours and your website. After that it is all about reviews. If you ask every happy customer for a review and respond to every review, you often overtake the competitor nearby within a few months.”

Annefleur van Osta

Online marketing strategist at Game-changers

Do it yourself or outsource?

At Game-changers SEO and AEO starts from €500 per month excl. VAT, for which we work at least 4 hours per month for you. Data and tracking is included as standard. There is no set-up fee. Request a free analysis. Combine it with Google advertising and it becomes cheaper. Want to know what SEO costs first, or read about choosing the best marketing agency?

Frequently asked questions about local SEO

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is everything you do to be found by people nearby who search for what you offer. It revolves around your Google Business Profile, reviews and a website that makes clear where you work.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is the free business listing in Google Maps and the search results. It shows your address or service area, opening hours, contact details, photos and reviews.

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is the old name of the Google Business Profile. Google changed the name at the end of 2021; it is still the same free business listing.

How do I create a Google Business Profile?

Go to Google Business Profile, look up your business and claim it, or create a new profile. Fill in all details and complete the verification; Google decides which method you get.

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes, a Google Business Profile is free. You only pay if you want to advertise as well, for example with Google Ads. According to Google you cannot buy a higher position in local results.

Why is my business not visible on Google Maps?

Usually the profile is not verified, incomplete or the address or pin is wrong. A category that does not match what people search for, or too few reviews compared to businesses nearby, also keeps you out of view.

How do I get my business on Google Maps?

Create a Google Business Profile with your address or service area and get it verified. Once verified, your business can appear in Google Maps.

How do I get my business high in Google?

Make sure your profile is complete and verified, collect reviews regularly and create a good page per service and region on your website. Links from other local websites also help, because Google looks at prominence.

How do I optimise my Google Business Profile?

Choose the best-fitting main category, fill in all fields, add real photos and keep your opening hours up to date. Also ask every happy customer for a review and respond to every review.

How do I get more Google reviews?

Ask right after a good experience, with a direct link to your review form. Make it easy and ask every customer, not just now and then.

Can you delete or turn off Google reviews?

No, you cannot delete or turn off reviews on your profile yourself. You can report a review that breaks Google’s rules; Google then decides whether it should be removed.

Where do I find my Google reviews?

You find your reviews in your Google Business Profile, via Google Search or Google Maps when signed in with the account that manages the profile. There you can also respond to reviews.

Can you do local SEO without a public address?

Yes. If you visit customers or work online, you can set a service area and hide your address. Your website then needs to make clear which regions you serve.

What is the difference between local SEO and regular SEO?

Regular SEO focuses on the regular search results, local SEO also on Google Maps and the map with three businesses. In local SEO your Business Profile, reviews and distance to the searcher count extra.

How long does local SEO take to work?

A complete and verified profile can become visible within a few weeks. Higher positions through reviews and a stronger website usually take a few months.

What does local SEO cost at Game-changers?

From €500 per month excl. VAT, with at least 4 hours of work per month and data and tracking included as standard. There is no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.

Sources

Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking

viewed 9 November 2026

Google Business Profile Help, Manage customer reviews

viewed 9 November 2026

BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026

11 February 2026

Google Search Central, Local business structured data

viewed 9 November 2026

DataForSEO SERP API, own measurements Google Netherlands and Google Maps

9 November 2026

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Dutch search volume

9 November 2026