Step 1 – Optimise Your Google Business Profile Properly

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is not just a listing.

It’s your most important digital asset for local visibility.

Yet most businesses treat it like a box-ticking exercise:

• Fill in the name

• Add a phone number

• Maybe upload a logo

• Then forget about it

That approach doesn’t win rankings.

Google uses your profile as a primary trust signal. If it’s incomplete, inactive, or inconsistent, you won’t show up when it matters.

What “properly optimised” actually means

At a minimum, you need:

• Accurate primary and secondary categories
  Don’t guess. Choose the most relevant category for your core service and support it with secondary ones where appropriate.

• Full service listings
  Break down exactly what you offer. Not just “digital marketing” — but SEO, PPC, social media, content, etc.

• Fresh photos every week
  This could be team shots, projects, office updates, behind-the-scenes. Activity matters more than perfection.

• Weekly posts
  Think of this like social media, but for search. Updates, offers, insights — it all signals that your business is active.

• Ongoing review generation
  We’ll get into this properly next, but your profile should never go quiet.

The mindset shift

Stop thinking of your Google Business Profile as a listing.

Start treating it like a landing page that Google controls.

Because that’s exactly what it is.

Step 2 – Get More Reviews Than You’re Comfortable Asking For

Reviews are one of the strongest local ranking factors — and one of the biggest conversion drivers.

They do two things:

1. Help you rank higher

2. Convince people to choose you

And yet, most businesses approach reviews passively.

They wait.

That doesn’t work.

What actually moves the needle

You need three things working together:

• Quantity – more reviews than your competitors

• Quality – detailed, specific feedback

• Frequency – consistent new reviews over time

If your last review was six months ago, it doesn’t matter how many you have.

Google notices inactivity.

So do potential customers.

A realistic target

Aim for:

• At least 2–4 new reviews every month

• More if you’re in a competitive space

This isn’t excessive — it’s necessary.

How to make it happen

• Ask every client once the work is complete

• Build it into your process, not as an afterthought

• Use simple automation (email follow-ups, CRM triggers)

• Make it easy — direct links, clear instructions

Most clients are happy to leave a review.

They just won’t do it unless you ask.

One important point

Don’t script reviews.

Authenticity matters more than perfection.

A slightly messy, honest review will outperform a polished but generic one every time.

Step 3 – Build Strong, Consistent Yorkshire Citations

Citations are mentions of your business across the web — directories, listings, and local platforms.

They might seem basic, but they’re still a foundational part of local SEO.

Done right, they reinforce your legitimacy.

Done poorly, they create confusion.

Where you should be listed

Start with:

• Yell

• Thomson Local

• Local business directories

• Chamber of Commerce listings

• York-specific business sites

Then expand outwards to relevant industry directories.

The rule that matters most

Consistency.

Your:

• Business name

• Address

• Phone number

Must be identical everywhere.

No variations. No abbreviations. No inconsistencies.

If Google sees conflicting information, it reduces trust.

And when trust drops, rankings follow.

This is not a one-time task

Directories change. Listings get updated. Details drift.

You need to review and maintain your citations regularly.

It’s not glamorous work.

But it’s part of the foundation.

Step 4 – Build Location Pages That Actually Add Value

If you want to rank for searches like:

• digital marketing agency York

• digital marketing agency Yorkshire

You need dedicated pages that target those locations.

Not one generic “services” page trying to cover everything.

What most businesses get wrong

They create multiple pages with almost identical content, swapping out location names.

That doesn’t work.

Google is better than that.

What works instead

Each location page should:

• Be genuinely useful

• Include local context

• Reflect real experience in that area

• Answer specific questions local customers might have

For example:

• Challenges businesses in York face

• Differences across Yorkshire regions

• Local case studies or insights

Think like the reader

If someone in York lands on your page, it should feel like:
“This business understands my market.”

Not:
“This is a generic page with ‘York’ pasted into it.”

Step 5 – Focus on Local Links, Not Just “Big” Links

Backlinks still matter.

But in local SEO, relevance beats authority more often than people realise.

A link from a highly relevant Yorkshire site can carry more weight than a random high-authority link with no local connection.

Where to get local links

Look at:

• York-based blogs

• Local events and sponsorships

• Business partnerships

• Community initiatives

• Local news coverage

These aren’t just SEO tactics — they’re business development opportunities.

The bigger picture

If your business is visible and active within the local community, links tend to follow naturally.

If you’re invisible offline, it’s much harder to build relevance online.

Step 6 – Publish Content That Signals Local Authority

Content is where everything comes together.

Not generic content.

Not “what is SEO” articles.

But content that clearly ties your expertise to your location.

What this looks like

• Case studies featuring Yorkshire businesses

• Practical guides for local companies

• Insights into the regional market

• Commentary on trends affecting your area

This kind of content does two things:

1. Builds trust with potential clients

2. Reinforces your relevance to Google

Over time, it creates a clear signal:

“This business is a go-to authority for digital marketing in York and Yorkshire.”

Consistency matters more than volume

You don’t need to publish daily.

But you do need to show up regularly.

One strong, well-thought-out piece per month is more valuable than four rushed ones.