When someone searches for a lawyer, a tradesperson, a restaurant or an accountancy firm, they do not type a generic query. They search for "employment lawyer Paris 8th" or "plumber Boulogne-Billancourt reviews". These are local queries, and they represent close to 46% of all Google searches.
For an SME, local SEO is often the most cost-effective acquisition channel, and paradoxically the most neglected. Many businesses invest in Google Ads without having optimised the fundamentals: Google Business Profile, NAP consistency (name, address, phone), customer reviews, local pages on their website.
A well-optimised Google Business Profile is free, and it generates calls, directions, and visits to your site. Customer reviews, when actively managed, reinforce your credibility and visibility in the local pack (the three results displayed on the map). The conversion rate of these local results is significantly higher than that of standard organic results.
On the website itself, creating geo-targeted pages — one page per city or catchment area — allows you to rank for specific queries with strong conversion potential. These pages must deliver genuine added value: local context, testimonials from local clients, references to projects completed in the area.
Local SEO is not a complex strategy. It is a strategy that demands rigour, consistency and a sound understanding of your geographic market. Businesses that invest in it seriously see results within months, not years. At AKREA DIGITAL, we support SMEs in optimising their local visibility, complemented by a broader SEO strategy.