When people search for a coffee shop near me, a florist in Dalswinton, or a charity in Dumfries, you want your business or organisation to show up. Local SEO is what gets you there—and you don't need to be an expert to make a real difference. This guide walks you through the essentials: claiming and optimising your Google Business Profile, using the right local keywords, and keeping your name, address and phone (NAP) consistent so search engines and customers can find you. We've seen it work for local shops and charities; here's how to do it for yours.
Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that appears when someone searches for your business or for services like yours in your area. If you haven't already, go to Google Business Profile (business.google.com), claim your listing (or create one), and verify it. Once you have access, fill in every section: business name, address, phone number, website, opening hours, and a short description that includes what you do and where you serve.
Add clear, high-quality photos of your premises, products, or team. Choose a primary category that best matches your business (e.g. "Florist", "Café", "Charity") and add secondary categories if they fit. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews—reviews help your local search ranking and build trust. Keep your opening hours and any seasonal changes up to date so people don't turn up when you're closed.
Use Local Keywords on Your Website
Local keywords are the phrases people type when they're looking for what you offer in a specific place—for example "florist in [town name]", "house clearance Dumfries", or "donate to charity Scotland". Use these naturally in your website's headings, main copy, and image alt text. Don't stuff them in; write for humans first, and work your location and service terms into the flow.
A dedicated "Area we serve" or "Where we're based" section can help, and so can mentioning nearby villages or regions if you serve them. For charities, terms like the area you support or the cause you work for can matter as much as the town name. On a small business website or charity website, a clear contact page with your full address and a map also reinforces that you're a real, local presence—which supports both local SEO and trust.
Keep Your NAP Consistent Everywhere
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. Search engines use it to match your business across the web. If your website says "123 High Street" but your Google Business Profile says "123 High St", or one listing has an old phone number, that inconsistency can hurt your local search visibility. Use exactly the same format everywhere: your website, Google, social profiles, directories, and any printed materials that get cited online.
Check your website footer and contact page, then compare them to Google and any other places you're listed. Correct any typos or old details. For charities with multiple branches or projects, keep each entity's NAP clear and consistent so people and search engines know who and where you are.
When to Add Local Schema and Get Help
Schema markup is code that tells search engines exactly what your business is and where it is. For local businesses, LocalBusiness schema can help Google show your address, hours, and reviews in search results. Many small business and charity websites are built on platforms that support this via plugins or themes; if yours is custom-built, a developer can add the right schema for you.
You don't have to do everything alone. If you've claimed your profile, improved your local keywords, and kept your NAP consistent but still aren't seeing the results you want, it may be time to look at your site's technical setup or content strategy. We've helped local businesses and charities improve their local search visibility with tailored local SEO and clear, fast websites—if you'd like to talk about yours, get in touch.