Local SEO for tradespeople means that your business appears when someone nearby searches for your trade: in the map, in search results and increasingly in AI answers. The five main levers are your Google Business Profile, area pages on your website, reviews, real photos and consistent contact details. This article shows what each lever does and how to build it, without jargon.
What decides local hits on Google?
For local results Google names three factors: relevance (does your profile match the search?), distance (how far away is the business?) and prominence (how well is your business documented online and in reviews?). You cannot influence distance, but you can influence relevance and prominence. Google's help on local ranking describes this in more detail.
| Lever | What you do | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Business profile | Fill in every field, choose categories and services, keep hours current | Low, big effect |
| Area pages | One page per service area with concrete content of its own | Medium |
| Reviews | Ask satisfied customers, answer every review | Low, ongoing |
| Photos | Real work photos, added regularly | Low |
| Consistent details | Name, address, phone identical everywhere | One-off, then upkeep |
How do you set up the business profile properly?
Treat the profile like a shop window. Choose a fitting main category, for example "Electrician", and add secondary categories only where they really apply. Enter services, opening hours and phone number. If customers do not come to you, you can, as a service-area business, hide the address and name the places where you work. Upload real photos and add new ones. Check the profile once a month.
A detailed guide is in Optimise your Google Business Profile, and the bigger picture is explained in Local SEO: how to get found on Google in your city.
How do you build area pages without annoying Google?
An area page describes what you offer in a particular town or district, ideally with an example of a real job. Create one only for areas where you actually work, and write each text independently.
Beware of mass pages: anyone who creates thirty towns with near-identical text produces so-called doorway pages. Google counts them among the unwanted practices in its spam policies. Better a few good pages than many identical ones.
How do you get more reviews without breaking the rules?
Ask after a completed job while the customer is satisfied, preferably in person or by message with the direct review link from your profile. Answer every review factually and promptly, including criticism. Buying reviews or rewarding them with discounts violates Google's policies. The aim is a steady flow, not a one-off burst. More in How to get more Google reviews.
How do you appear in AI answers?
AI answers draw on publicly available information: your website, your profile and what is written about you. You need no special routes: clear, consistent details on services, service area and contact, your maintained profile and genuine reviews lay the foundation. Whether and when a system names you cannot be guaranteed. Anyone who promises it promises too much.
- Business profile complete, categories and services maintained, hours current
- Service area named the same in profile and on website
- Name, address, phone number identical on website, profile and directories
- Area pages only for real service areas and with content of their own
- Review routine: ask, send link, reply
- Real photos current and added regularly
- Contact form and click-to-call tested on a smartphone
Conclusion: start with the basics
For local visibility you need no complicated technology: a maintained profile, honest area pages, genuine reviews and consistent details go a long way. In our package for trades and the self-employed, local SEO basics and the setup of the Google Business Profile are included from Start (€99 a month), review requests and preparation for AI visibility from Pro (€199). All prices are final prices under § 19 UStG with a 24-month term. If you want to know what is missing on your side, talk to us.
