SEO Checklist for Local Businesses: Rank Higher in West Sussex

Claim and verify your Google Business Profile

This is the #1 local SEO factor. Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) appears in Google Maps and local search results, showing your business hours, photos, reviews, and more.

Action steps: Visit google.com/business, claim your listing, verify ownership (usually by postcard), and complete your profile 100%.

Complete every section

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  Business name, address, phone number (NAP) — Must match exactly across all platforms
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  Categories — Choose primary category carefully (e.g., "Web Designer") plus 2-3 secondary categories
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  Business description — 750 characters with natural keyword inclusion
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  Opening hours — Keep updated, including special hours for holidays
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  Photos — Add high-quality photos of your business, products, team (aim for 10+ photos)

Collect and respond to reviews

Reviews are a major ranking factor and heavily influence conversion. Businesses with more positive reviews rank higher and get more customers.

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  Ask satisfied customers for Google reviews (send direct link via email)
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  Respond to ALL reviews within 24-48 hours (positive and negative)
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  Never buy fake reviews—Google will penalize you
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  Aim for consistent review flow (2-4 per month is natural)

Optimize title tags

Title tags are critical for rankings. Include your main keyword and location.

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  Keep under 60 characters to avoid truncation
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  Put most important keywords first
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  Make each page's title unique

Write compelling meta descriptions

Meta descriptions don't directly affect rankings, but they heavily influence click-through rate.

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  Keep between 150-160 characters
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  Include target keyword and location naturally
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  Add a call-to-action ("Get a free quote today")
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  Make it benefit-focused (what does the user get?)

Use header tags properly

Header tags (H1, H2, H3) help Google understand your page structure and content hierarchy.

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  H1 for main page title (only one per page)
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  H2 for main sections
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  H3 for subsections under H2
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  Include keywords naturally in headers

Create location-specific content

Google needs to know where you operate. Natural mentions of your location throughout your content help.

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  Mention your city/area naturally in content
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  Reference local landmarks ("near Chichester Cathedral")
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  List all areas you serve
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  Create separate pages for different service areas if you serve multiple locations

Ensure mobile-friendliness

Google uses mobile-first indexing—it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking.

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  Test with Google Mobile-Friendly Tool
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  Use responsive design (adapts to all screen sizes)
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  Ensure buttons/links are easy to tap (44x44px minimum)
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  Avoid Flash or other outdated technologies

Improve page speed

Page speed is a direct ranking factor and heavily impacts user experience. Aim for load times under 2 seconds.

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  Compress images (use WebP format, aim for under 100KB per image)
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  Use modern, fast hosting (not bargain shared hosting)
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  Minimize code bloat (remove unused CSS/JavaScript)
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  Enable browser caching
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  Use a CDN for faster global delivery

Add structured data (Schema markup)

Schema markup helps Google understand your content and can lead to rich results (star ratings, business info in search).

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  LocalBusiness schema (address, phone, hours)
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  Service schema (list of services offered)
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  Review schema (display star ratings in search results)
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  FAQ schema (frequently asked questions)

Create and submit XML sitemap

Sitemaps help Google discover and index all your pages.

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  Create sitemap.xml with all important pages
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  Submit to Google Search Console
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  Update when adding new content
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  Check for errors regularly

Set up HTTPS (SSL certificate)

HTTPS is essential for security and SEO. Google penalizes non-HTTPS sites and browsers show warnings.

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  Install SSL certificate (free with Let's Encrypt)
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  Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS
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  Update all internal links to HTTPS

Ensure NAP consistency

NAP (Name, Address, Phone) must match exactly everywhere online. Inconsistencies hurt rankings.

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  Use exact same format everywhere (e.g., "St." vs "Street")
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  Phone number with or without spaces (pick one format)
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  Suite/unit numbers formatted consistently
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  Audit all existing listings and fix discrepancies

Get listed in local directories

Directory listings (citations) help Google verify your business and improve local rankings.

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  Yell.com (major UK directory)
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  Bing Places for Business
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  Apple Maps (via Apple Business Connect)
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  Thomson Local
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  Industry-specific directories (e.g., Trustpilot for reviews)
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  Local chamber of commerce

Create local content

Content about local topics helps you rank for local searches and demonstrates local expertise.

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  Blog about local topics relevant to your industry
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  Cover local events (e.g., "Best web design trends at Brighton Digital Festival")
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  Reference local landmarks naturally
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  Create location-specific service pages

Build location pages

If you serve multiple areas, create dedicated pages for each location.

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  Create /locations/chichester, /locations/brighton, etc.
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  Write unique content for each page (no duplicate content)
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  Include local info (areas served, landmarks, local testimonials)
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  Add unique photos for each location

Add FAQ sections

FAQ content targets long-tail keywords and can appear in Google's "People Also Ask" section.

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  Answer common customer questions
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  Use FAQ schema markup
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  Target question-based keywords ("How much does web design cost in Chichester?")

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  Inconsistent business information across platforms—causes confusion and hurts rankings
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  Ignoring Google Business Profile—it's the most important local SEO factor
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  Not optimizing for mobile—60% of traffic is mobile; non-mobile sites don't rank well
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  Keyword stuffing—unnatural keyword repetition hurts readability and rankings
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  Buying fake reviews—Google will penalize you; focus on genuine reviews
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  Duplicate content across location pages—each page needs unique content
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  Slow website speed—directly impacts rankings and user experience
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  Missing schema markup—helps Google understand your content and can improve CTR