Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid: The Ultimate Guide for Small Business Owners

Owning a brick and mortar store comes with its set of challenges, from rent to insurance and everything in between you have a multitude of things to think about and local SEO is no different!  Whether you’re running a local coffee shop, a day spa, or a flower store, ranking high in local searches can help your local business profit. But if you’re not seeing the results you want, you might be making one of these common mistakes. Read on to find out ways to fix common issues with local SEO rankings.

1. Ignoring or Incomplete Google Business Profile (GBP)

Think of your Google Business Profile as your digital storefront. If it’s messy or incomplete, potential customers will move on to the next business. We’ve worked with clients who didn’t even know they had a GBP listing or who set it up, and it was costing them thousands in missed opportunities that their competitors were getting instead.

Common Mistakes

• Not claiming or verifying your GBP listing.
• Leaving key details blank, like business hours, phone number, or services offered.
• Using outdated photos or none at all. A lot of new customers like looking at photos of the storefront so they know they’ve found the right place.

How to Fix It

1. Claim and Verify Your Profile: Head to Google Business Profile Manager and claim your business. Verification might take a few days, but it’s worth it.
2. Fill in All the Details: Include your business name, address, phone number, hours, and even holiday schedules.
3. Add High-Quality Photos: Show off your products, location, and team. Businesses with photos get 42% more requests for directions.

Pro Tip: Update your GBP regularly with posts about promotions, events, or new products. Think of it as your free advertising platform.

2. Inconsistent NAP Information

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and it’s critical for local SEO. Search engines use NAP data to ensure your business is legitimate and trustworthy.

We once worked with an injury lawyer whose listings had three different addresses across Yellowpages, Facebook, and their website. Not only did it confuse clients, but it also hurt their search rankings.

Common Mistakes

• Using different variations of your business name (e.g., “Joe’s Plumbing” vs. “Joe’s Plumbing Service”).
• Having an old address listed on some platforms.
• Forgetting to update information on third-party directories.

Does this sound like something you’re running into? Our team at Northern Spruce Creative can get this sorted out for you! 

Let’s Connect

How to Fix It

1. Audit Your Listings: Use tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal to find inconsistencies.
2. Standardize Your NAP: Use the exact same format across all platforms.
3. Remove Duplicates: If you find duplicate listings, request removal or merge them.

Pro Tip: Create a master document with your official NAP info and refer to it whenever you’re setting up new profiles or directories.

Pro Tip Bonus: Keep your Business name, location and phone number consistent! E.g if you’re in a shared office building keep it as “123 Main St. Office 1A” instead of “123 Main St. Unit 1A” or “123 Main St. Apt 1A” keep a naming convention and stick to it for all digital addresses.

3. Neglecting Online Reviews

Did you know that 93% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business? Positive reviews build trust, but negative reviews left unaddressed can scare away potential customers—and hurt your rankings.

One of our clients, a dentist, had glowing reviews on Facebook but ignored Google. His Google Business page had a few negative reviews with no responses, and it was driving patients away.

Common Mistakes

• Not encouraging happy customers to leave reviews.
• Ignoring negative reviews.
• Using fake reviews (this can backfire big time).

How to Fix It

1. Ask for Reviews: Politely ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Facebook or any unique review platform your industry uses 
2. Respond to All Reviews: Thank customers for positive reviews and address negative ones professionally.
3. Avoid Fake Reviews: They’re easy to spot and can get you penalized.

Pro Tip: Automate the review request process with tools like Podium or Birdeye.

Learn about our Local SEO Management Program

4. Poor Mobile Optimization

According to the latest data from Google around 64% of all searches occur on mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing customers before they even walk through your door.

Once we worked with a local butcher shop and the images on their website took over 10 seconds to load on a smartphone. Needless to say their business was on the chopping block and had an extremely high bounce rate.

Common Mistakes

• Slow loading times on mobile devices.
• Clunky design that’s hard to navigate.
• Missing click-to-call buttons or location links.

How to Fix It

1. Test Your Website: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to see how your site performs.
2. Optimize for Speed: Compress images, enable caching, and use a mobile-first design.
3. Add Click-to-Call and Maps Links: Make it easy for customers to contact you or find your location.

Pro Tip: A simple, clean design often works better than flashy elements on mobile.

Are you looking for a website refresh to help attract more customers? Our team of design experts and shy web developers can help you!

Contact our team today.

5. Overlooking Local Keywords and Content

Local keywords tell search engines exactly where you’re located and what you offer. Without them, you’re competing with national brands instead of focusing on your local market.

We’ve seen countless small businesses target generic terms like “best dentist” instead of “best dentist in Hamilton” and wonder why they’re not getting local traffic.

Common Mistakes

• Using broad, non-local keywords.
• Failing to include location-specific pages on your site.
• Not creating local content.

How to Fix It

1. Research Local Keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find terms people are searching for in your area.
2. Create Location Pages: Have a dedicated page for each location if you serve multiple areas.
3. Produce Local Content: Write blogs, case studies, or event announcements relevant to your community.

Pro Tip: Partner with other local businesses for content collaborations to boost your reach.

PSST We’re always looking to collaborate with businesses for our Friday Feature! Contact us today to learn more!

Conclusion

Improving your local SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By fixing these five common mistakes, you’ll not only boost your rankings but also attract more local customers to your business. Start with one step at a time, whether it’s optimizing your Google Business Profile or cleaning up your NAP information.

Remember, small changes can lead to big results. Need help getting started?

Schedule a consultation—we’re here to help!