If there’s one thing Liverpool businesses do brilliantly, it’s standing out.
From the independent cafés on Bold Street and quirky shops on Lark Lane to the family-run shops in Woolton Village, they’re all brilliant at making you stop in the street, but that doesn’t always transfer online.
So, if you’ve Googled looking for information about how Liverpool businesses can improve SEO, I’m glad you’ve found this post, cos I’m gonna show you how!
How Liverpool businesses can improve SEO in 8 steps!
This isn’t about cramming your keyword into your copy eight times, do that and Google will punish you.
So, follow these eight steps instead:
Step One: Get the basics right on Google and your website
Before you even think about rankings and website copy, start with your Google Business Profile (GBP).
If you don’t have one, set one up, get it verified and fill everything in (or as much as you can). Google loves it when you set up a business profile, so make sure it:
- Explains what you do
- Who you serve
- Where you’re based (this is dead important, whether you only serve local businesses or global ones, it doesn’t matter: put where you’re based!)
Just put ‘in Liverpool‘, this’ll be enough (you don’t have to repeat this everywhere in the profile).
Here’s mine:
That way, when people are Googling stuff like, “plumber near me” or “best coffee shop in Liverpool”, your page will appear on the list of businesses.
Don’t forget to include your:
- Opening hours
- Categories
- Photos (make sure they’re images of you and your business and add new ones regularly)
- Services
- Add updates — whether blog posts or your latest news
Oh, and give your clients the link to leave you a testimonial on your business page, and reply to them, even the bad ones (professionally!).
A lot of business owners neglect their GBP, but it’s so important!
Step Two: Think like a local cos you are and so are your customers
Liverpool isn’t just one big city centre, it’s made up of lively, unique communities, like:
- Bold Street has its indie cafés and shops
- Aigburth, with its quirky, bohemian restaurants and shops
- The Docks with its marketing agencies and coworking spaces
Your SEO strategy should reflect that. Instead of only trying to rank for “SEO Liverpool” or “plumber Liverpool,” on your website, social media or GBP copy, consider how locals actually search.
For example:
- Web designer near Baltic Triangle
- Hairdresser near John Lennon Airport
- Bookshop in Allerton
- Copywriter near Albert Dock
Specific local keywords often have less competition and more intent. They’re gold dust for small businesses.
Step Three: Make the most of local Liverpool business links
Local SEO isn’t just about your website or your GBP, it’s about how connected you are to other Merseyside businesses.
When other local websites link to you, Google bloody loves it, so here are some dead-simple ideas that’ll help you build some Liverpool-based backlinks:
- Sponsor a charity run or local sports club (professional, semi-professional or a kids team)
- Get featured on Liverpool business directories or Facebook community pages
- Collaborate with other local businesses, whether it’s on a promotion or just a helpful blog post
- Pitch a story to local media, like the Liverpool Echo, Radio Merseyside, The Wirral Globe and stuff like that
And don’t forget about social media, follow and engage with other Liverpool businesses on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads or whatever platform you use.
Step Four: Create content that scousers want to read
Start writing helpful, human, local content people will actually read, like:
- How to market a café in Liverpool without spending a fortune
- Liverpool Events that bring in the most local customers
Not only does this attract organic traffic, but it also positions you as part of the community, not just another company selling something.
Google loves it when you write helpful stuff aimed at local companies.
Oh, and when you do create content, mention Liverpool naturally, like you would in conversation. For example, “There’s been a massive rise in Liverpool of small businesse using Google to hire marketing agencies and copywriters“.
Natural and effective.
Step Five: Understand what’s actually working
You don’t need to be a data scientist to track SEO, but you do need tools that will help you. Some free ones that are fairly easy to understand are
- Google Analytics: shows where your visitors come from and what they do
- Google Search Console: shows you which keywords you’re ranking for
- Google Business Insights: tells you how people find your site
Check these once a month and you’ll notice patterns, like which keyphrases or content are getting clicks, and which aren’t, so you can improve them.
Oh, and if you’re on WordPress, plugins like WP Statistics and RankMath can help you see where your traffic is going and where they click next.
Step Six: Don’t ignore the techy stuff
You can write the world’s best blog post, but if your site’s slower than the release of one final Beatles track, there’s no point.
So, get on your website and check:
- Your site loads in under 3 seconds
- All pages are secure (https://)
- You have clear headings (H1s, H2s) so search engines understand your content
- Images are compressed (tools like TinyPNG make it easy, but WordPress has image compression plugins too, and saving them as WEBP will reduce file size too)
You can also run your site through Google’s PageSpeed Insights, GMetrix or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools to get speed performance reports.
Step Seven: Shout about everything you do, everywhere, in your own way
Here’s where Liverpool businesses have a real advantage: personality.
There’s nothing like the scouse sense of humour and using it really will get you seen. If you’re running events, collaborating with local artists or appearing at business fairs, shout about it online.
Write a blog post about it, share it on social media and tag others involved.
But don’t forget to be relatable by sounding like it’s you talking.
Real, human copy like that gets noticed.
Step Eight: Work with a local Liverpool SEO copywriter
Why do it yourself if you don’t have time?
Or maybe you struggle to write in a human way and, instead, slip into an overly formal, corporate way that sounds a little bit dull.
Whatever you hate about writing, you’ll find loads of SEO copywriters in Liverpool, including me!
Is your SEO struggling to attract local businesses?
Now you know how Liverpool businesses can improve SEO, but if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know what to do, don’t worry: follow Step 8 and work with a local Liverpool writer, who can get your Google Business Page up to date and your website, social media and marketing copy attractive to real, local customers.
And we can do that because we’re local too!
Look one up or, y’know, work with me!
Ta la!
Matt
PS. For more SEO-related articles, check out my posts, 24 awesome ways to optimise SEO for blog posts and Should I hire an SEO copywriter?.
