Local SEO Essentials: A Cafe Case Study

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

• Update your NAP details correctly for better local search visibility
• Build citations across relevant platforms to strengthen your local presence
• Fix location errors that prevent customers from finding your business
• Apply these techniques using real examples from a successful cafe

Introduction

Local SEO can make or break a small business. When done right, it puts you on the map—literally. When done wrong, potential customers walk past your door to visit competitors they found online instead.

The Countryside Cafe faced this exact problem. Despite serving excellent coffee and having loyal regulars, they struggled to attract new customers through Google searches. Their business details were inconsistent across platforms, their location pin was wrong on Google Maps, and they barely appeared in local search results.

This chapter shows you exactly how they fixed these issues and increased their foot traffic by 40% in three months. You'll learn the three core local SEO tasks that matter most: getting your business details right, building citations, and fixing map errors.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Getting Your NAP Details Right

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. These three pieces of information must be identical everywhere your business appears online. Even small differences can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings.

Why NAP consistency matters:

• Search engines use NAP details to verify your business exists
• Inconsistent information looks unprofessional to potential customers
• Wrong phone numbers or addresses send customers to competitors

How to update your NAP details:

Step 1: Check your current listings
Start with Google My Business, then check Yelp, Facebook, and industry directories. Write down how your business appears on each platform.

Step 2: Standardise your format
Pick one format and stick to it. For example:

• Business name: "The Countryside Cafe" (not "Countryside Caffe" or "The Countryside Coffee Shop")
• Address: "123 High Street, Millbrook, Devon EX20 1AB" (always include postcode)
• Phone: "01837 123456" (choose either landline or mobile as primary)

Step 3: Update each platform
Log into each platform and update your details. This takes time, but it's worth it.

Real example: The Countryside Cafe discovered their name appeared differently on six platforms. On Google, they were "The Countryside Cafe." On Yelp, they were "Countryside Caffe." On Facebook, they were "The Countryside Coffee Shop." After standardising to "The Countryside Cafe" everywhere, their search rankings improved within two weeks.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Using abbreviations inconsistently (St vs Street, Rd vs Road)
• Including marketing language in your business name
• Forgetting to update your website contact page

Lesson 2: Building Citations That Count

Citations are mentions of your business on other websites. They don't always include links to your website, but they should always include your NAP details.

Why citations help:

• They tell search engines your business is real and established
• They provide more ways for customers to find you
• They improve your local search rankings

How to build citations effectively:

Step 1: Find the right platforms
Focus on platforms your customers actually use. For cafes, this might include:

• Google My Business (essential)
• Yelp
• TripAdvisor
• Local directory websites
• Chamber of Commerce listings

Step 2: Prioritise high-impact sites
Start with the platforms that appear most often when people search for businesses like yours. Do a quick Google search for "cafes near me" and note which directories appear in the results.

Step 3: Create or claim your listings
Many platforms already have basic listings for your business. Claim these first, then create new listings where needed.

Step 4: Keep everything consistent
Use the exact same NAP format you established in Lesson 1.

Real example: The Countryside Cafe found they were already listed on 12 platforms, but only had control of 3 listings. The other 9 had incorrect information. After claiming and updating all listings, plus adding 5 new ones, their Google ranking for "cafe near me" jumped from page 3 to the top 5 results.

This is the bit most people miss: Quality beats quantity. Five accurate, complete listings on relevant platforms work better than 20 incomplete listings on random sites.

Lesson 3: Fixing Location Errors on Maps

If your business pin is in the wrong place on Google Maps, customers can't find you. This is more common than you'd think, especially for new businesses or those that have moved.

How to check and fix your location:

Step 1: Search for your business on Google Maps
Use your phone to search for your business name. Check if the pin is in the right spot. If possible, walk to where the pin shows and see if it matches your actual location.

Step 2: Verify from your Google My Business account
Log into Google My Business and check the address details. Look for any obvious errors.

Step 3: Submit corrections if needed
If your pin is wrong, you can suggest an edit through Google My Business. Provide evidence like photos of your shopfront or official business registration documents.

Step 4: Monitor and follow up
Google usually responds within a few days, but changes can take longer to appear. Keep checking until the correction is live.

Real example: The Countryside Cafe's Google Maps pin was 200 metres away from their actual location, directing customers to an empty field. After submitting a correction with photos of their storefront and a utility bill, Google fixed the location within 5 days. The cafe owner noticed more foot traffic almost immediately.

Prevention tip: After any business move or address change, check all your listings within 24 hours. It's much easier to fix errors quickly than to rebuild your reputation after months of confused customers.

Practice

Exercise 1: NAP Audit
Find your business on Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Write down exactly how your NAP appears on each platform. Note any differences, even small ones like "St" vs "Street."

Exercise 2: Citation Check
Search Google for "[your business type] near [your location]" and note which directories appear in the results. Check if your business is listed on these directories.

Exercise 3: Location Verification
Use Google Maps to search for your business. Take a screenshot of where the pin appears. If possible, visit that location to verify accuracy.

FAQs

How long does it take to see results from local SEO changes?
Simple changes like NAP updates can show results in 1-2 weeks. Citation building and location fixes might take 1-3 months to show full impact.

Should I pay for citation building services?
Not usually. Most important citations can be built for free. Focus your budget on maintaining accurate information rather than buying bulk citations.

What if I find fake or duplicate listings for my business?
Contact the platform directly to report fake listings. For Google, use the Google My Business support system. Most platforms have processes for removing duplicates.

How often should I check my local SEO?
Do a full audit every 6 months. Check your Google My Business profile monthly for new reviews or questions.

Can I use a PO Box for my business address?
Google My Business requires a physical address where customers can visit. If you operate from home, you can hide your address and show only your service area.

Jargon Buster

NAP: Name, Address, Phone number – the three essential pieces of business information that must be consistent across all platforms.

Citations: Mentions of your business (including NAP details) on other websites, even without links back to your site.

Local SEO: Optimising your online presence to attract customers from local searches, particularly important for businesses with physical locations.

Google My Business: Google's free platform for managing how your business appears in search results and on Google Maps.

SERP: Search Engine Results Page – what you see when you search for something on Google.

Wrap-up

Local SEO isn't complicated, but it requires attention to detail. The Countryside Cafe's success came from doing three things consistently: keeping their NAP details identical everywhere, building citations on platforms their customers actually use, and fixing their Google Maps location.

Your next step is to complete the practice exercises above. Start with the NAP audit – it's the foundation everything else builds on. Once you've got consistent business details everywhere, work on building citations and checking your map location.

Remember: local SEO is a long-term game. The businesses that show up first in local searches are usually the ones that have been doing these basics consistently for months or years.

Join Pixelhaze Academy for more practical SEO training that gets results.