If you're a local business owner wondering why competitors keep showing up above you on Google, there's a good chance you're making one (or more) of these critical SEO mistakes.
The frustrating part? Most of these are easy to fix once you know what to look for. Let's dive into the five most damaging local SEO errors we see when auditing small business websites.
Ignoring Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is arguably the most important factor for local search visibility. Yet many businesses either haven't claimed theirs or set it up once and forgot about it.
Common GBP mistakes include:
- Incomplete business information
- Wrong or outdated hours
- No photos (or blurry, low-quality ones)
- Never responding to reviews
- Wrong business category
✅ The Fix
Claim your profile at google.com/business. Fill out every single field. Add at least 10 quality photos. Choose the most specific primary category. Post updates weekly. Respond to every review within 24 hours.
Inconsistent NAP Information
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. Google uses this information across the web to verify your business is legitimate and figure out where to rank you.
If your business name is "Johnson's Plumbing Ltd" on your website but "Johnson Plumbing" on Yelp and "Johnsons Plumbing Services" on Facebook — that's a problem.
These inconsistencies confuse search engines and can significantly hurt your local rankings.
✅ The Fix
Pick ONE exact version of your business name, address, and phone number. Use it everywhere: your website, Google Business Profile, social media, and every directory listing. Check Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook, Apple Maps, and industry-specific directories.
No Location Pages or Local Content
Many local businesses have generic websites that could be for anyone, anywhere. There's nothing telling Google (or customers) where you actually operate.
If you're a plumber in Manchester, your website should mention Manchester. A lot. Not stuffed unnaturally, but woven naturally into your content.
✅ The Fix
Add your location to title tags and meta descriptions. Create a dedicated "Service Areas" or location page. Mention local landmarks, neighborhoods, and nearby areas naturally in your content. If you serve multiple areas, create individual pages for each.
Missing or Thin Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Your title tag is the blue clickable text people see in Google search results. Your meta description is the snippet below it. These are prime real estate for both ranking and getting clicks.
Yet we constantly see local businesses with:
- Generic titles like "Home" or just their business name
- No meta descriptions at all (Google guesses, usually badly)
- The same title/description on every page
- Titles that don't mention what they do or where
✅ The Fix
Every page needs a unique title tag (50-60 characters) that includes: what you do + location + business name. Example: "Emergency Plumber in Manchester | Johnson's Plumbing". Write compelling meta descriptions (150-160 characters) that give people a reason to click.
Slow, Non-Mobile-Friendly Website
Over 60% of local searches happen on mobile devices. If your website is slow or looks terrible on a phone, you're losing customers before they even see what you offer.
Google also uses page speed and mobile-friendliness as ranking factors. A slow site doesn't just frustrate users — it actively hurts your rankings.
✅ The Fix
Test your site at PageSpeed.web.dev. Compress images (use WebP format). Enable browser caching. Minimize code. Use a fast, reliable host. Make sure buttons are big enough to tap and text is readable without zooming. Consider a complete redesign if your site is more than 5 years old.
📌 Key Takeaway
Local SEO isn't rocket science, but it does require attention to detail. The businesses that dominate local search aren't doing anything magical — they're just avoiding these common mistakes and being consistent.
Start with your Google Business Profile. It's free and has the biggest impact. Then work through the other fixes systematically.
What's Really Holding You Back?
These five mistakes cover the most common issues, but every business is different. You might have technical problems we haven't mentioned, or maybe you're actually doing everything right and just need more time to see results.
The only way to know for sure is to audit your specific situation. That's exactly what we do at GetRankt — we analyze your website, your Google presence, and your competitors to find exactly what's holding you back.
Want to Know Exactly Where You Stand?
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