Guide · 6 min read · by Somers Design
Getting found on Google: the basics for local businesses
“Electrician Spandau”, “hairdresser near me”, “dentist Berlin Mitte” – that is how your customers search. Whoever appears in these searches gets the enquiries. Whoever doesn't appear simply doesn't exist for these customers. The good news: for local searches you don't need a big SEO budget. A few basics, done properly, make the difference.
1. Your Google Business Profile matters more than you think
For local searches, Google prominently shows the map with three business listings – even before the normal search results. You only get there with a well-maintained Google Business Profile (formerly “Google My Business”). It is free and the biggest lever for local visibility.
- Enter your opening hours, phone number, address and website in full – and keep them up to date
- Upload real photos: your premises, your team, your work
- Choose the right categories for your business
- Reply to reviews – including critical ones, objectively and in a friendly way
2. Reviews are your strongest selling point
Between two businesses with the same offer, the one with more and better reviews almost always wins. Many business owners leave this to chance – yet it is simple: actively ask satisfied customers. After a successful job, people are very willing to leave a quick review. A link via WhatsApp or a QR code on the invoice lowers the hurdle further.
3. Your website has to tell Google where you work
Google can only place what is on your website. If it doesn't clearly say anywhere that you are an electrician in Spandau, Google won't show you for “electrician Spandau” either. In concrete terms, that means:
- Your service and your service area belong prominently on the home page – in the text, not just in the logo
- Ideally, every important service gets its own subpage (“electrical installation”, “smart home”, “emergency service”)
- Address and phone number are easy to find on every page
- Page titles and descriptions (the text that appears in Google results) are written individually for each page
4. Technology: the invisible entry ticket
Google also assesses how well your site works technically. Three things are a must: the site has to load quickly, work flawlessly on a smartphone and run over a secure HTTPS connection (the padlock icon in the browser). If one of these is missing, you are competing with the handbrake on – no matter how good your content is.
5. Patience and consistency beat tricks
Be sceptical of calls promising you “first place on Google in 30 days” – that isn't serious. Local visibility grows over weeks and months: through a well-maintained profile, a steady flow of new reviews and a website that is right in content and technology. The nice thing is: most of your local competitors don't go to this trouble. If you put the basics in place, you are quickly ahead of a large part of the competition.
Conclusion
Local visibility on Google isn't magic, it's craft: maintain your Business Profile, collect reviews, and have a website with clear details of location and services and clean technology. All of it is achievable – and it pays off month after month.