Google ranks local results on three things — relevance (does this business match what I asked for?), distance, and prominence (is it well-regarded?). You can't move the pin on a map, but you own the other two. Moves 1–3 make you relevant. Moves 4–5 make you prominent. Do them in that order; relevance first, because reviews on a page Google can't understand don't help you.
- Fill out your Google Business Profile services — every one.
- Give each service its own page, with the keyword in the title, H1, and first paragraph.
- Add FAQs to each service page.
- Ask every customer for a Google review — and follow up.
- Ask for detailed reviews that name the service and the experience.
Relevance — make it obvious what you do
Fill out your Google Business Profile services
Open your Business Profile and list every service you offer in the services section. Most businesses add two or three and stop. Each service you list is a direct relevance signal Google reads when someone searches for exactly that — and it's free.
Why it works: the Profile is Google's own record of you. A service that isn't listed is one Google has to guess you provide. Don't make it guess.
One page per service — keyword in the title, H1, and first paragraph
Don't bury five services in one "Services" page. Give each its own page, and
put the search term where it carries weight: the <title>, the
on-page H1, and the first paragraph. A page about gutter cleaning should say
"gutter cleaning" in all three — plainly, not stuffed.
Why it works: a focused page can rank for a focused query. One page trying to be about everything ranks for nothing. The title and first paragraph are the strongest on-page relevance signals you control.
Add FAQs to each service page
Answer the questions customers actually ask about that service, on that service's page. "How long does it take?" "Do you need access to the loft?" "What does it cost?" Real questions, real answers.
Why it works: FAQs add the long-tail phrasing people really search, match how they ask it, and can win expanded (FAQ) results. They also answer the objection before the customer has to call to ask.
Reviews — make it obvious you're trusted
Reviews are the single biggest lever in local. Relevance gets you into the running; reviews decide the order.
Ask every customer for a Google review — and follow up
Make the ask part of finishing the job, every time, for every customer. Hand them the link (your Business Profile has a short "ask for reviews" URL). Then follow up — a short message a day or two later turns a "sure, I will" into a review that's actually posted.
Why it works: review count and recency both feed prominence. The follow-up is where most of the reviews come from — people mean to, then forget.
Ask for detailed reviews that name the service and the experience
Nudge people toward specifics: which service they used, and how it went. "Had my gutters cleared before winter — booked Tuesday, done Thursday, spotless" beats five bare stars.
Why it works: a review that names the service repeats your relevance keywords in Google's most trusted voice — the customer's. And it does more to convince the next reader than a rating with no story behind it. Reviews earn you ranking and the click.
The order that matters
Relevance before reviews. Get the Profile and the service pages right first, so that when the reviews come in, they're landing on pages Google already understands. Then make the ask routine. That's the whole loop — and it compounds: every month of detailed reviews on well-built pages is worth more than the last.
Part of the seo.gf.cx center of excellence. More playbooks as they're earned.