Right let's get straight into it because if you're running a business in the North East and you're not showing up on Google when someone types "plumber near me" or "best cafe in Seaham" or "web designer in County Durham" then you're basically invisible and that's costing you money every single day customers are searching right now as you're reading this they're on their phones looking for exactly what you offer and if Google doesn't know you exist or doesn't trust you enough to show you in those results then guess what your competitors are getting those calls those emails those walk-ins and you're sat there wondering why the phone's gone quiet.

Step 1: Check If Google Already Knows About You

First thing first and this is something loads of business owners don't realise Google might have already created a listing for your business without you even knowing about it because Google crawls the internet picks up information from directories social media all sorts of places and creates these ghost profiles that just sit there looking incomplete and unprofessional so before you do anything else open up Google Maps right now search your business name and your town see what comes up because if there's already a listing with your name on it you need to claim it not create a duplicate that'll confuse Google and confuse your customers and that's the last thing we want here the goal is clarity authority trust and that starts with knowing what's already out there representing you whether you put it there or not.

Step 2: Claim or Create Your Google Business Profile

This is the big one this is the foundation of everything we're talking about here your Google Business Profile used to be called Google My Business but they changed the name doesn't matter what matters is that this free tool is absolutely essential for any local business in the North East wanting to get found online because when someone searches "fish and chips Sunderland" or "electrician Newcastle" or "dog groomer Hartlepool" Google shows a map with three businesses at the top that's called the Local Pack and if you're not in there you're missing out on massive amounts of traffic so go to google.com/business sign in with your Google account and either claim that existing listing we talked about or create a brand new one from scratch you'll need to enter your business name your category this is important pick the most accurate one because it tells Google exactly what you do and where you do it and speaking of where.

Step 3: Fill In Every Single Detail Like Your Business Depends On It (Because It Does)

Your address your phone number your website your opening hours your services your products photos of your shop your team your work everything needs to go in there and I mean everything because Google rewards completeness the more information you give the more confident Google becomes about showing you to searchers and here's where it gets interesting for service-area businesses like mobile hairdressers or builders or anyone who travels to customers you don't have to show your home address you can hide it and just specify the areas you serve which is perfect for sole traders working from home who don't want the whole internet knowing where they live but still want to appear in searches across Seaham Durham Peterlee Houghton-le-Spring wherever you operate.

Add photos because listings with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to websites than those without and these don't need to be professional studio shots just decent well-lit pictures of your premises your products your team in action real authentic images that show potential customers what they're going to get when they choose you over the competition and update these regularly don't just upload five photos in 2024 and forget about it fresh content signals to Google that you're active that you're a real business that cares about their online presence.

Step 4: Get Verified and Set Those Hours

Google needs to verify that you're actually the owner of this business and not some random person trying to hijack someone else's listing so they'll send a postcard to your business address with a verification code on it takes about five days sometimes longer sometimes shorter just keep checking your post don't let it get lost in the junk mail because without that verification code entered into your profile you won't get the full benefits of being listed and that's the whole point isn't it.

Set your opening hours accurately because nothing frustrates a potential customer more than driving across town to find you closed when Google said you'd be open and they'll leave a one-star review faster than you can say "but the website said" so be precise include special hours for bank holidays Christmas all of it keep it updated if your hours change seasonally and while you're at it enable messaging so customers can contact you directly through your listing and set up the products or services section so people can see exactly what you offer before they even click through to your website.

Step 5: Optimise for Local Keywords and Keep It Active

Here's where we get into proper local SEO territory and don't worry we're not going to drown you in jargon because at SR7 Web Design we believe in keeping things simple and actionable so here's what you need to know local keywords are basically the terms people in your area type into Google when they're looking for what you sell so if you're a bakery in Durham you want to be thinking about phrases like "fresh bread Durham" "birthday cakes County Durham" "best bakery near me Durham" and you want these phrases appearing naturally in your business description in your posts in your website content.

Post updates regularly through your Google Business Profile because yes you can post directly to Google like a mini social media feed and these posts show up in your listing when people find you they see that you're active that you've got offers on that you've just completed a project that you're engaged with your community and this builds trust faster than any fancy marketing campaign ever could.

Respond to every single review good or bad because reviews are gold dust for local businesses they're social proof they tell potential customers that real people have used your services and had something to say about it and when you respond professionally even to negative reviews it shows you care about customer satisfaction and that you're not just some faceless corporation hiding behind a website you're a real person running a real business in the North East just like them.

The Secret Ingredient: Consistency Across the Web

Your name address and phone number need to be exactly the same everywhere they appear online and I mean exactly the same not "SR7 Web Design" on Google and "SR7 Webdesign" on Facebook and "SR7 Web Design Ltd" on Yell because Google sees these inconsistencies and gets confused and confused Google means lower rankings means fewer customers finding you so do an audit of everywhere your business is listed online and make sure everything matches perfectly down to whether you write "Street" or "St" in your address.

Get listed in local directories like Yell Thomson Local Yelp industry-specific directories relevant to what you do and make sure all those listings point back to your website with consistent information because these citations as they're called in the SEO world help Google verify that you're legitimate that you're established that you're worth showing to searchers.

You Don't Have to Do This Alone

Look we get it running a business is hard enough without having to become a Google expert overnight and that's exactly why we do what we do at SR7 Web Design helping local North East businesses get found online without the complexity the jargon the eye-watering agency prices just honest straightforward web design and local SEO that actually works for real businesses with real budgets.

If this all feels overwhelming or you'd rather spend your time doing what you're actually good at running your business then get in touch because we'd love to help you climb those Google rankings and start getting the calls and customers your business deserves because you've worked too hard to stay invisible online and the North East deserves to find you.