Local SEO is the work that helps your business show up when people nearby search Google for what you sell or do, especially in Google Maps and the local results for searches like “dentist in Orlando” or “pest control near me.”
For most Orlando and Central Florida businesses, local SEO is about getting found at the exact moment someone is ready to call, book, or visit. You typically win in two spots: (1) the map results (often called the Map Pack) and (2) the regular organic listings under the map. Both can drive leads, but Maps tends to trigger faster calls for urgent services, while organic often supports longer decision searches, like “roof replacement cost” or “best family lawyer in Winter Park.”
Google generally weighs three things in local results: relevance (do you match what the searcher wants), distance (are you close enough or do you serve that area), and prominence (are you a trusted, well-known option). That’s why local SEO is not just “website stuff.” It also includes your business listing, your reviews, and how consistently your business info appears online.
Here’s what local SEO usually includes for a single-location business:
- A complete Google Business Profile with the right primary category, accurate services, photos, hours, and a clear description.
- Consistent name, address, and phone number wherever your business is listed (directories, social profiles, data aggregators).
- Steady reviews from real customers, plus replies that sound human and address the service you provided.
- Service pages on your site that match what people search (not one generic “Services” page for everything).
- Location trust signals like real project photos, staff bios, licensing where relevant, and clear service area language.
- Local mentions and links from real relationships (partners, local organizations, sponsorships, trade groups).
If you want local SEO to produce calls instead of vanity traffic, start by tightening your Google listing and matching it to your website. We walk clients through that whole process in our SEO services for local businesses, with the goal of bringing in searches that turn into booked appointments, not random clicks.
If you’re new to the listing side of local SEO, read our FAQ on what a Google Business Profile is and how it affects local rankings, because in many Orlando categories it’s the difference between being invisible and being in the running.
A simple way to sanity-check your local SEO is to search your top service plus your city, scan the map results, and compare yourself to the businesses showing up. Look at their category, review volume and recency, photos, and how clear their service pages are. If you can beat them on clarity and trust, you can usually compete, even in crowded neighborhoods like Downtown Orlando, Lake Nona, and Winter Park.
