Playbook · Services
SEO & AI search playbook for local service businesses
Local searches often end in a map pack, not a website click. For a plumber, cleaner, tutor or repair shop, the Google Business Profile does as much work as the website, and it has its own rules.
The website still matters: it gives the details, prices and proof that turn a search into a call. The common mistakes are location pages for every nearby town with the same text, and a profile set up in a way Google's guidelines don't allow.
Updated By the LaunchRanked team6 sources checked
Searches to plan around
Query patterns and the intent behind them. We don’t quote search volumes: check your own Search Console for the ones you already appear for.
“[service] near me”, “[service] [town]”
Hire locallyMap results and local pages. Business Profile quality matters most.
“emergency [service]”, “[service] open now”
UrgentHours and phone number must be correct everywhere.
“[service] cost [town]”
BudgetA pricing page with real ranges converts well locally.
“how to fix [problem]”
DIY firstHonest guides that say when to call a professional earn trust and calls.
Page families that work
Service pages
/services/boiler-repair
What's included, prices or ranges, how booking works.
Service-area pages
/areas/[town]
Only with local specifics: jobs done there (with permission), travel times, local issues. Otherwise one service-area page is enough.
Project gallery
/work/[project]
Before and after, location (general), what was done.
Risky page types
Town pages with swapped names
Google's doorway policy names pages targeted at specific cities that funnel to one page.
Keyword-stuffed business name
Google's Business Profile guidelines say to use your real-world name, as on signage and stationery.
Fake or incentivised reviews
Against platform rules and easy to lose. Ask real customers.
Technical pitfalls
Service-area setup
Google says service-area businesses should hide their address, and that virtual offices aren't eligible for a profile.
Duplicate profiles
Google wants one profile per business. Duplicates cause problems with how you show on Maps and Search.
Inconsistent name, address and phone
Use the same details on your site, profile and directory listings, and in your LocalBusiness markup, which requires a name and address for each location.
Review stars on your own site
Google says reviews a business controls about itself aren't eligible for review stars, per its review snippet rules. Show reviews, but don't expect stars.
How AI assistants answer questions in this category
In Google, the map listings for local searches come from Business Profiles, and its AI features follow the same basic rule as the rest of Search: a page needs to be indexed and eligible for a snippet, with no special markup (AI features guidance). Other assistants that search tend to pull from maps data, review platforms and local directories. Consistent, complete information across all of them is what gets you mentioned.
What tends to earn a citation
- A complete Business Profile with correct hours, services and photos.
- Consistent name, address and phone across the web.
- Service and pricing pages in plain text.
Check whether the AI crawlers you want can reach your site with our AI crawler checker.
Where links come from
Local organisations
Chambers of commerce, trade associations, local sponsorships.
Suppliers and partners
Manufacturers' installer directories and partner lists.
General and regional directories
A few maintained general and regional directories, for consistent listings. Skip low-quality ones.
Directory lists that fit local service businesses
Each directory is checked on its own site: price, link type and review process. We never sell links.
A 90-day plan
Days 1–30
Profile and basics
- Check your Business Profile against Google's guidelines.
- Merge duplicate profiles.
- Make name, address and phone consistent everywhere.
Days 31–60
Website
- Write a page per service with prices or ranges.
- Replace swapped-name town pages with one service-area page, or real local pages.
- Add LocalBusiness markup to the location page.
Days 61–90
Reviews and loop
- Ask recent customers for honest reviews.
- Publish a project gallery.
- Check Search Console queries by town.
What to watch in Search Console
The Performance report gives clicks, impressions, CTR and average position by query, page, country, device and date. Traffic from Google's AI features is counted there too, under the Web search type (Google).
- Queries with town names
- Shows which areas bring searches.
- Calls and direction requests
- In your Business Profile performance data, not Search Console.
- Service page CTR
- Low CTR often means the title doesn't match what people search.
Frequently asked questions
Should we make a page for every town we serve?
Only where you can say something specific about that town. Otherwise, one clear service-area page.
Can we use our home address?
If customers don't visit you, Google says service-area businesses should hide their address.
Can we put keywords in our business name?
Google says to use your real-world name, as on signage and stationery.
Do we need structured data?
LocalBusiness markup helps Google understand your details, such as name and address. It doesn't replace the Business Profile.
Sources
Checked on September 23, 2026. Search patterns and page advice are our own judgement from running this playbook; we don’t quote search volumes or third-party statistics.
- Google Search Central: Spam policies for Google web search
- Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business
- Google Search Central: Local business structured data
- Google Search Central: Review snippet structured data
- Google Search Central: AI features and your website
- Search Console Help: Performance report