For a local business, search success isn’t millions of impressions. It’s making sure the people looking for what you do, in your area, find you and choose you. Barlows Caravan Park in North Wales has earned 2,084 clicks from 14,436 impressions since its new website launched in March 2026, a 14.4% click-through rate, because the site gives local searchers what they need.
The search challenges local businesses face
The map results come first. For many local searches, Google shows a map with nearby businesses above the website results. Your Google Business Profile often decides whether you’re seen.
Small, specific audiences. A local business doesn’t need everyone. It needs the people nearby searching for its service, so relevance and trust matter more than volume.
Directories and national chains. Comparison sites, directories and national brands compete for the same searches, often with more authority.
Phones, not desktops. Local searches are often made on a phone, sometimes on the move. Slow pages and hard-to-find phone numbers lose customers.
Keyword temptation. Stuffing a town name into every page, or adding keywords to the Business Profile name, goes against Google’s guidelines and rarely helps.
How I approach it
| Area | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Name and location searches | Titles and pages that make the business the obvious result for its name and area |
| Service pages | A clear page for each service, with the areas genuinely served |
| Google Business Profile | Complete, accurate details, categories, photos and genuine reviews |
| Consistent details | The same name, address and phone number across the site and directories |
| Mobile experience | Fast pages with the phone number, directions and opening hours easy to find |
| AI search readiness | A clear, factual description of the business so AI assistants describe it accurately |
Results for Barlows Caravan Park
| Measure | Since launch |
|---|---|
| Impressions | 14,436 |
| Clicks | 2,084 |
| Click-through rate | 14.4% |
Figures are from Google Search Console, launch in March 2026 to 14 September 2026.
For comparison, the ecommerce sites I work on see click-through rates of roughly 0.6% to 1.6% over a similar period, because their visibility is spread across thousands of broad searches. A local business with a focused audience should see a much higher rate, and Barlows does. Most searches are for the park by name or location, so the figure reflects a focused audience as much as the site itself. The Barlows case study covers the approach, and the Barlows community app shows the app built for its owners.
Keep your Business Profile name honest
Google’s Business Profile guidelines say your name should reflect your business’s real-world name, as used consistently on your storefront, website and stationery. Adding “best plumber in Leeds” to the name breaks the guidelines. Make your services and areas clear on your website and in the profile’s other sections instead.
Services for local businesses
FAQ
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is the work of making a business visible to people searching for its services in a particular area. It covers the Google Business Profile, the website’s service and location pages, consistent business details across the web, genuine reviews and a fast, mobile-friendly site that makes contacting the business easy.
Does a local business need a website if it has a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile is essential, but a website adds a great deal. It lets you explain each service in detail, rank for more specific searches, show real work and reviews, and give AI assistants a clear source to describe your business accurately. The two work best together.
Should I create a page for every town I cover?
Only for areas you genuinely serve, and only if each page is genuinely useful, with local detail such as jobs completed, travel information or area-specific services. Near-identical pages with only the town name changed rarely help and can look like low-value content. A strong service page with clear coverage often works better.
Running a local business?
Get in touch, or start with a free assessment. Keywords a small business can rank for covers choosing the right local searches.