Think about the last time you needed something locally, maybe a plumber, a restaurant, or an accountant. I bet the first thing you did was pull out your phone and Google it. You’re not alone either – 76% of people look online first before visiting a local business. If you’re running a small business in Surrey, especially somewhere competitive like Reigate or Redhill, being easy to find online isn’t just a nice bonus, it’s absolutely essential.

That’s why I’ve put together this simple 7-step plan specifically for businesses in Surrey who want to attract more local customers. And it works. Just look at Golden Tree Consulting, an accountant firm in Croydon. After their new website went live, they saw their leads jump by 90%. The good news is that businesses in Reigate, Redhill, and everywhere else in Surrey can get similar results by following these straightforward steps. Let’s get started and help you stand out locally.

Running a small business in Surrey can be pretty tough sometimes. High rents and constant turnover in commuter towns mean you need to make the most of every opportunity to attract customers. Plus, when someone searches online for your type of business, the competition to appear in Google’s “map pack” (those top few local results with a map) can be fierce.

Many businesses struggle because their websites are slow, outdated, or missing crucial details that Google uses to rank sites, like proper schema markup. Others rely too heavily on DIY website builders that don’t perform well in local searches.

Take Alexandra, a local Surrey artist, for example. Before her website was updated, her art was practically invisible online. After just a one-week refresh, she shot up to the 7th spot in Google for important art-related keywords. That’s proof that addressing these common problems can make a massive difference for local businesses.

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is basically your online shop window. It’s one of the first things local customers see when searching for businesses like yours. If you haven’t claimed and fully optimised your GBP yet, you’re seriously missing out on local business.

Here’s exactly what you need to do to make sure your GBP is working hard for you:

• Claim your profile: First things first, you need to claim your listing and make sure all your information is correct. Include your business name, address, and phone number (known as NAP).
• Choose the right categories: Be specific. If you’re an accountant in Caterham, choose “Accountant,” not something vague like “Professional Services.”
• Add quality photos: Include plenty of clear, professional images. Regularly update your gallery to keep things fresh.
• Geo-tag your images: Add location data to your pictures. This tells Google exactly where you operate.
• Post regularly: Share weekly offers, news, or local events. This shows Google you’re active, and it helps engage local customers.
• Answer questions promptly: Keep your Q&A updated. A responsive profile builds trust and credibility.

This works brilliantly. Take Golden Tree Consulting, for example. Their local SEO push boosted their daily impressions by an incredible 1,289%. Even better, they completely eliminated spam leads, which used to waste loads of their time. Here’s a screenshot showing exactly how effective this approach has been for them.

Your website is your online storefront, and if it’s slow or outdated, visitors won’t stick around. If you want to turn clicks into customers, your site needs to be fast, user-friendly, and ready to convert.

Here are the essentials for a website that really performs:

• Fast Loading Times: Ideally, your website should load in under 1 second. Customers today won’t wait around. Every extra second your site takes to load is another opportunity for visitors to leave and find your competitors instead.
• Mobile-First Design: Most searches happen on phones these days, so your site needs to work perfectly on mobiles. Buttons should be easy to press, text clear and readable, and navigation straightforward.
• Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Your visitors need to know exactly what you want them to do. Whether it’s calling your business, booking an appointment, or making a purchase, make sure your CTAs are visible and obvious.
• Trust Badges: Include elements like SSL certificates (that little padlock symbol in the URL bar) and logos from secure payment providers. These reassure your visitors that your website is safe and trustworthy.
• Optimise Core Web Vitals: Google ranks websites based on speed, responsiveness, and visual stability. Good Core Web Vitals scores don’t just impress visitors; they help you rank higher too.

A great example of doing this right is Golden Tree and CharGen. Both sites load in roughly 0.9 seconds, even though they’re packed with rich visuals and features. And the best part? Building or refreshing your site to this high standard doesn’t have to cost the earth. Our service offers exactly this kind of high-performance website for just £0 upfront and £175 per month. That’s a small investment to ensure you convert more visitors into actual customers.

If you want your Surrey business to be seen by local customers online, keyword research and proper on-page SEO are vital. This means finding exactly what your customers type into Google when looking for services like yours.

To get started, think about what customers in your area would search for. Phrases like “plumber in Reigate” or “accountant in Guildford” are perfect examples. Once you’ve found these phrases, you should include them prominently on your website:

• Put keywords in your H1 and page titles: This tells Google exactly what your page is about. If you’re a plumber in Horley, your H1 might be “Reliable Plumber in Horley.”
• Mention your keywords in the first 100 words: Google pays attention to content at the top of your page, so make sure your location and service appear early.
• Create dedicated pages for different locations: If you operate in multiple towns, create separate pages for each area. This helps Google understand exactly where your services are available, improving your rankings.

For instance, Golden Tree Consulting created pages specifically targeting “Accountant in Caterham” and “Accountant in Banstead.” Almost immediately, these pages ranked high on Google and began generating phone calls within just 24 hours.

Doing this isn’t complicated, but it does need careful planning and consistent implementation. By regularly reviewing and tweaking your keyword strategy, you’ll ensure your business keeps appearing in front of local customers who are actively searching for your services.

People trust other people more than adverts or promotional content. That’s why reviews and testimonials can massively influence whether someone chooses your business.

Here’s how you can make reviews really work for you:

• Automate Review Requests: After a customer makes a purchase or uses your service, automatically send them a polite email or SMS asking for a review. This ensures you regularly get fresh, relevant reviews without constantly reminding yourself to ask.

• Respond Promptly and Politely: Always reply to reviews, especially negative ones. Responding shows potential customers you genuinely care and take feedback seriously. It can even turn an unhappy customer into a loyal one.

• Place Testimonials Strategically: Include testimonials right next to your call-to-action buttons. This helps reinforce trust at exactly the moment your customer is deciding to take action.

Getting your business listed accurately across local directories is critical for local SEO. Google checks these directories to verify your business’s authenticity, which boosts your visibility.

Here’s how to manage your citations effectively:

• List on Key Directories: Ensure your business is listed accurately on essential directories like Yell, FreeIndex, Surrey Chamber, and Visit Surrey. Don’t forget niche directories specific to your industry.

• Keep Your Information Consistent: Your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) must be identical everywhere online. Even slight differences can confuse Google and harm your rankings.

• Use Citation Trackers: Tools like BrightLocal or even a simple manual spreadsheet can help you keep track of where your business is listed, ensuring consistency.

Golden Tree Consulting did exactly this. After cleaning up their citations, their visibility skyrocketed from just 72 daily impressions to over 1,000 according to Google Search Console. Simple, consistent steps can have a huge impact.

Creating content specifically for your local area is one of the most effective ways to attract local customers. People love content that relates directly to where they live and work. When you regularly publish blogs about local events, “best of” guides, or detailed case studies, you’re giving potential customers exactly what they’re searching for.

To get started:

• Cover Local Events: Write about upcoming festivals, charity events, or art shows. People searching for these events will naturally discover your business.

• “Best of” Guides: Publish articles like “Top 10 Cafés in Reigate” or “Best Family Activities in Guildford.” These guides can rank highly in local searches.

• Include Schema Markup: Using structured data (schema) for events and frequently asked questions helps your content appear prominently in search results as featured snippets.

Take Alexandra’s art gallery as an example. Her blogs about “Guildford art walks” appeared as featured snippets on Google, significantly increasing her visibility and attracting new visitors. CharGen’s blog posts on fantasy-art topics have also performed exceptionally, driving 10,000 daily impressions. Hyper-local content works wonders for attracting the exact audience you want.

Creating content specifically for your local area is one of the most effective ways to attract local customers. People love content that relates directly to where they live and work. When you regularly publish blogs about local events, “best of” guides, or detailed case studies, you’re giving potential customers exactly what they’re searching for.

To get started:

• Cover Local Events: Write about upcoming festivals, charity events, or art shows. People searching for these events will naturally discover your business.
• “Best of” Guides: Publish articles like “Top 10 Cafés in Reigate” or “Best Family Activities in Guildford.” These guides can rank highly in local searches.
• Include Schema Markup: Using structured data (schema) for events and frequently asked questions helps your content appear prominently in search results as featured snippets.

Take Alexandra’s art gallery as an example. Her blogs about “Guildford art walks” appeared as featured snippets on Google, significantly increasing her visibility and attracting new visitors. CharGen’s blog posts on fantasy-art topics have also performed exceptionally, driving 10,000 daily impressions. Hyper-local content works wonders for attracting the exact audience you want.

Being active and visible in your local community online can bring great results. Social media is a powerful way to connect directly with local people and show that you’re part of their community.

Here are a few practical tips to engage your community:

• Join Local Facebook Groups: Participate genuinely in local discussions. Share helpful advice or news about your business when relevant.
• Use Instagram Reels: Short, engaging videos showcasing your products or behind-the-scenes business activities are perfect for Reels. They help attract local followers and encourage sharing.
• Sponsor Local Events: Getting involved in events like school fairs or local sports teams boosts your visibility and community reputation.
• Create Branded Hashtags: Using specific hashtags helps organise your content and makes it easy for local followers to find you. For instance, CharGen used #DNDart, boosting their sign-ups by 15%. Consider similar hashtags like #ReigateMakers for your local area.

Consistently posting and engaging online shows your community you’re actively involved, building loyalty and increasing awareness.

The key to sustained growth is tracking your results, understanding them, and continuously making improvements. Online marketing isn’t set-it-and-forget-it. It needs regular checking and adjustment to work at its best.

Here’s what you should track:

• Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Check where your website visitors come from and see what content works best.
• Google Business Profile Insights: Monitor how customers discover your GBP and their interactions.
• Search Console Queries: See exactly what people typed into Google to find your website and use this information to improve your content.
• Set Quarterly KPIs: Regularly set and review clear targets to measure your success and stay focused.

For example, we’ve combined data into a simple dashboard for Golden Tree, Alexandra’s gallery, and CharGen. It clearly shows how tracking and making regular changes can significantly increase leads, rankings, and website traffic. Keeping a close eye on these numbers helps you react quickly, ensuring continuous growth.

Getting more local customers doesn’t have to be complicated. By following these seven straightforward steps, including claiming your Google profile, refreshing your website, targeting local keywords, building social proof, ensuring accurate citations, creating hyper-local content, and actively engaging your community, you’ll set your Surrey business up for consistent, sustainable growth.

Ready to start seeing results? I’m offering a completely free mini-audit and website speed test to quickly identify what your business can improve right now. With my flexible service, you can transform your online presence for just £0 upfront and a manageable £175 per month. Best of all, getting started couldn’t be easier, feel free to reach out via WhatsApp for near-instant replies and let’s get your business in front of more local customers today.