Local SEO: appear first on Google in your city

When a resident of your city searches for "hairdresser", "beautician" or "osteopath" on Google, they first see a map with 3 results. That's the Local Pack (or "Map Pack"). Appearing there means gaining clients without spending a penny on advertising.

How local SEO works

Google uses three main criteria to rank local results:

1. Relevance: does your business match the search?
2. Distance: are you close to the person searching?
3. Prominence: are you well-known and highly rated?

You can't change your address, but you can optimise relevance and prominence.

Step 1: Optimise your Google Business listing

This is the foundation of your local SEO. Without an optimised Google Business listing, everything else is pointless.

Required elements

• Exact name of your establishment (no added keywords)
• Full address, verified
• Local phone number (landline preferred if possible)
• Opening hours up to date (including public holidays)
• Precise main category: "Hair Salon", not "Beauty"
• Description of 750 characters with your specialties and your city

Elements that make the difference

• Photos: minimum 10, professional, of your actual premises
• Google Posts: 1 per week (news, offers, tips)
• Q&A: answer all of them, add your own
• Services: list each service with a description

Step 2: Collect Google reviews

Reviews are the number one differentiating factor in the Local Pack. With equal relevance and distance, the highest-rated establishment appears first.

How to get more reviews

1. Ask systematically after each successful appointment
2. Make it easy: send a direct link by SMS or WhatsApp
3. Reply to ALL reviews: positive and negative
4. Never buy fake reviews: Google detects them and penalises you

Realistic targets

• Months 1-3: reach 20 reviews with a rating > 4.5
• Months 4-6: reach 50 reviews
• Then: 2-4 new reviews per month, consistently

Step 3: Your website as support

Your website reinforces your Google Business listing. Here's how to optimise it for local:

Essential tags

Title: "Hairdresser in Lyon 6 | Salon Elegance - Cut, Colour, Treatment"
Description: "Hair salon in Lyon 6th. Women's and men's cuts, colouring, hair treatments. Book online or call 04 XX XX XX XX."

Localised content

Create content that naturally mentions your city and neighbourhood:

• An "About" page telling your local story
• Blog posts about local events or topics
• Client testimonials that mention the neighbourhood

Structured data (Schema.org)

Structured data helps Google understand your business. For a wellness professional, the minimum:

• LocalBusiness: name, address, phone, hours
• Service: your offerings and prices
• AggregateRating: your average rating and number of reviews

Step 4: Local citations

"Citations" are mentions of your name, address and phone number (NAP) on other websites:

• General directories: PagesJaunes, Yelp, Tripadvisor
• Specialist directories: Doctolib (health), Treatwell (beauty), Planity (hair)
• Local directories: town hall, tourism office, chamber of commerce
• Social media: Facebook, Instagram (with address)

Golden rule: your NAP must be identical everywhere. "12 Peace Street" is not the same as "12, Peace Street" or "12 Peace St". The slightest variation creates doubt for Google.

Step 5: Measure and adjust

Track these indicators every month:

A realistic timeline

Local SEO isn't instant, but results come faster than traditional SEO:

• Week 1: Google Business listing optimised 100%
• Month 1: 10-15 reviews, website with structured data
• Months 2-3: local citations, first localised content
• Months 3-6: appearing in the Local Pack for your main keywords

Conclusion

Local SEO is the best marketing investment for a wellness professional. Unlike paid advertising, its effects are lasting and cumulative. Start with your Google Business listing and your website, the rest will follow naturally.