One of the fastest ways to grow and scale a local business (businesses that serve specific locations) in today’s world is Local SEO, because nearly half of searches happening every day have a local intent, according to a Google representative. Even mobile searches for “near me” queries have grown by 900%.
Growing a local business in Nigeria, whether it is an electrical company, a plumbing business, or even a home construction business, has gone beyond just waiting for referrals from previous customers or spending massively on paid ads. Building a customer-generating online presence through local SEO is the way to do so.
In this guide, I will walk you through a 90-day Local SEO roadmap that doesn’t need fancy SEO tactics or a big marketing budget, but decent SEO work every working day for the next 3 months. Businesses receive an average of 50 calls monthly from Google searches, making this a solid online foundation for your business.
Key takeaways
- Local SEO for a local business is the process of optimizing the online presence (website, Google Business Profile) of a business that serves customers in a specific geographical area, so that it shows up prominently in online search results and captures new customers.
- Month 1 (Days 1–30) — Foundation: Audit, tracking, Google Business Profile build, website basics, citations.
- Month 2 (Days 31–60) — Momentum: Reviews engine, service-area pages, local content, light link building, GBP activity.
- Month 3 (Days 61–90) — Amplify: Conversion upgrades, expand to more cities, PR/links, audit/report, and plan Q2.
Before I walk through the 90-day growth plan, let’s understand what a local business is.
What is a local business?
A local business is a type of business that provides professional services to people in a specific geographic area, e.g, states, cities, and towns. There are lots of local businesses, but a primary characteristic they all have is that they serve customers in a specific location. Examples of this type of business in Nigeria are:
- Plumbing
- Law firms
- Dental clinics
- Local pharmacy
- Electrical wiring, installation, and fixing.
- Fumigation & pest control
- Cleaners
- Borehole drilling
- Carpentry
- Solar installation
- Tiling e.t.c
What are Google’s local search algorithm ranking factors?
- Relevance
- Prominence
- Distance
Read Google’s guide on tips to improve local ranking on Google.
What are the common local ranking factors for local search?
- Google Business Profile optimization (impacts the relevance of your business)
- Reviews
- Website on-page optimization
- Website backlinks
- Proximity (closeness to searcher)
- Business citations and NAP consistency
- Searcher’s previous search preferences (behavioral signal)
- Brand popularity
Check out Whitespark’s local search ranking survey
90-Day Local SEO growth plan for Nigerian local businesses
What you will get in this article: A week-by-week plan to appear in Google Maps (3-Pack) and organic results, generate more calls/WhatsApp chats, and build a sustainable local presence in Nigeria.
Targets you can reasonably hit in 90 days (if you execute):
- +40–100% Google Business Profile (GBP) views
- +20–50% calls/WhatsApp enquiries
- 10–20 new Google reviews monthly
- 8–15 priority city/service keywords in top-20
Month 1 — Laying the Nigerian local business local SEO Foundation (Days 1–30)
Week 1 — Audit and tracking your local business’s local SEO
Goals: Know your starting point and ensure every future action is measurable.
- Audit checklist
- Check for NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across your website and profiles on different directories
- Check for your business’s Google Business Profile status, categories, service areas, photos, and reviews using Google search and a Chrome extension called Pleper.
- Check your website speed (mobile first), indexation, and basic on-page SEO using Ubersuggest and Screaming Frog.
- Use Google search to find your competitors in your target city. Check and take note of their Google Business Profile categories plus reviews, their website city pages, plus offers.
- Set up measurement
- Set up your business GA4 (Google Analytics) and Google Search Console for your business. Check out our article on setting up Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
- Ensure you use UTM parameters on GBP links “Website” and “Appointment” links:
?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp - Call/WhatsApp tracking: dedicate a primary business number; track click-to-call and WhatsApp button events. You can use Pressone
- Define targeting
- List the top 5 services and the top 5 cities (e.g., “AC Repair, Generator Repair, Electrical Wiring” × Lagos, Abuja, PH, Ibadan, Benin City)
Week 2 — Optimization of a local business Google Business Profile (GBP)
Goal: To create and optimize a Google Business Profile that is eligible and competitive for the local Map Pack.
- Choose the right Primary Category (e.g., “Plumber”, “Electrician”, “Air conditioning repair service”) and relevant Secondary Categories.
- Add your business service areas (cities/regions you actually serve).
- Write a clear Business Description with services + cities.
- Add services with short descriptions and, where suitable, prices/ranges.
- Upload high-quality photos (team, vehicles, jobs before/after) and set your logo and cover.
- Enable Messaging if you can reply quickly; otherwise, keep it off.
- Add Website and Appointment links with UTM.
- Publish your first GBP Post (promo, seasonal tip, or case snippet).
- Ensure hours, phone, and NAP exactly match the website.
Check out our article on the creation and optimization of your Google Business Profile.
Deliverables: Complete GBP with strong category selection, 10–15 photos, first Post live.
Week 3 — Optimization of a local business website basics
Goal: Ensure your site is crawlable, indexable, fast, search-ready, and conversion-ready.
- Ensure your website has these core pages: Home, Services hub, Individual Service pages, About, Contact/Booking, Testimonials/Reviews.
- Your webpages must have these on-page must-haves: unique Title tags, Meta descriptions, H1/H2s, city/service keywords naturally placed.
- Ensure your webpages have click-to-call and click-to-WhatsApp buttons visible on mobile (sticky is ideal).
- Include Schema on your webpages: add LocalBusiness and relevant Service schema to key pages.
- Add Internal links to your website: Home → Services hub → Individual service pages; footer links to top cities.
- Ensure your website loads quickly on high-speed: compress images, lazy-load, cache, and minimize heavy scripts.
- Add a GBP update post on a recently completed project
Check out our article on how to optimize a local business website.
Deliverables: One high-quality page per core service, with visible phone/WhatsApp CTAs.
Week 4 — Building citations and ensuring consistency for your local business
Goal: Reinforce your business NAP (name, address, and phone number) across the web.
- Create/clean profiles on reputable business directories, industry associations, and local community listings.
- Keep exact NAP (same punctuation, spacing, phone format) everywhere.
- Check for duplicates or old addresses and request removals/fixes.
- Create/refresh social profiles (Facebook Page, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube) using the same NAP.
- Add an educational GBP update post.
Deliverables: 30–50 consistent citations/profiles and a completed NAP audit sheet.
Month-end KPIs: More branded searches and views in GBP, first calls from Maps, 2–4 new reviews, at least 3 service pages indexed.
Month 2 — Building your Nigerian local business local SEO Momentum (Days 31–60)
Week 5 — Create a review engine for your local business’s local SEO
Goal: Earn steady, authentic Google reviews.
- Generate your review link from GBP and shorten it.
- Create a WhatsApp review request template that you would use after rendering your service.
“Thank you for choosing {Brand} today in {City}. If we earned 5⭐ with our service, a quick review helps our neighbors find us: {review link}. It takes just 30 seconds, thank you!” - Print a small QR card to which you attach your review link. Show this QR card to your client after every job you complete.
- Reply to every review your business receives professionally, whether it is positive or negative, within 48 hours.
- Add a GBP offer post
Target: +6–8 reviews this month.
Week 6 — Creation of local business service-area pages (Rank for “{Service} in {City}”)
Goal: Build service pages that actually rank and convert.
Build 3–5 city landing pages using this template:
H1: {Service} in {City}: Fast Response, Fair Pricing, Warranty (replace with your unique offering)
- Write a short intro connecting the common {City} problems to your solution
- Include a services list (bulleted), with mini-FAQs
- Include a pricing range (from ₦…), transparent call-out of what’s included
- Include a before/after gallery from jobs in {City}
- Include testimonials from {City} clients (names masked if needed)
- Include the Neighborhoods served (bulleted)
- Include a CTA: Call / WhatsApp / Book a visit
- Add FAQ schema + Service schema
- Add a GBP update post on a recently completed project.
Week 7 — Creation of local content and case studies for your local business
Goal: Add high-intent content that answers buyer questions.
- Add 2 blog posts this week:
- “How Much Does {Service} Cost in {City} (2025 Guide)”
- “Before & After: {Service} Project in {City} — What We Did, Timeline, Cost”
- Add Project pages with photos, brief, and internal links to the relevant city/service page.
- Add an educational GBP update post.
Week 8 — Building Nigerian local backlinks and improving your GBP
Goal: Earn simple, credible local links and keep your GBP fresh.
- Create partnerships: suppliers, estates/HOAs, neighbourhood associations, community centres, churches/mosques, schools.
- Sponsor a small community resource page or event listing (get a link to your {City} page).
- Work on your business GBP: 1–2 Posts weekly, answer Q&A, and add new photos from jobs.
- Add 1 blog post on your website
Month-end KPIs: Reviews total 8–12, 3–5 city keywords in top-20, calls up 20–35%, rising direction requests.
Month 3 — Amplify and Scale your Nigerian local business local SEO (Days 61–90)
Week 9 — Transformation of Nigerian local business website to convert better (CRO)
Goal: Turn more visitors into booked jobs.
- Add trust badges on your homepage, service pages, and location pages (years in business, warranty, verified pros).
- Create and add a comparison table on your homepage (“Why choose {Brand} vs others”).
- Improve your website forms: fewer fields, show response time, and add a WhatsApp alternative.
- Publish payment options and service warranties on your booking page.
- Add a service area map to the Services hub page.
- Add an educational GBP update post.
Add 1 blog post on your website.
Week 10 — Expansion of a local business website coverage
Goal: Clone success to more cities.
- Duplicate your best-performing city page to 5–10 additional locations; change testimonials, photos, neighbourhoods, and FAQs.
- Build regional hubs (e.g., “Lagos Mainland AC Repair”) linking to the child city pages.
- Add a GBP update post on a recently completed project.
- Add 1 blog post on your website.
Week 11 — Build a business PR and push your business authority
Goal: Earn authority links and social proof.
- Publish one case study with photos, problem → solution → result → testimonial.
- Pitch inclusion in genuine “Best {Service} in {City}” lists (provide your business info and proof).
- Offer to write a helpful local guide for a community site (include a brief author bio + link).
- Add a GBP offer post.
- Add 1 blog post on your website.
Week 12 — Audit, Report, and Plan Q2
Goal: Lock in learnings and set the next 90-day backlog.
- Re-audit GBP, NAP, top pages, site speed, internal links.
- Review leads: sources, cities, services, close rate, revenue.
- Identify winners (best city pages, best posts) and plan more of what’s working.
- Set Q2 priorities: new cities, more reviews, partnerships, and a quarterly case study cadence.
- Add a GBP update post on a recently completed project.
- Add 1 blog post on your website.
Quarter-end KPIs: 10–60 reviews, all operational cities indexed, multiple top-10 city keywords, calls up 35–70% (market-dependent).
Assets and templates for your local business’s local SEO.
A) Google Business Profile Post Ideas (rotate weekly)
- Educational GBP post – [Seasonal tips: “Before rainy season: AC maintenance checklist in {City}”]
- GBP Promo post : “₦20,000 off {Service} in {City} this week”
- GBP Project update post: Before/after from a recent job (with client consent)
- FAQ: “How fast can we get to {Neighbourhood}? Here’s our average response time.”
B) WhatsApp Quick-Reply Snippets
- Quote request: “Hi {Name}, thanks for reaching out. For a quick quote in {City}, can you share: (1) The service you need, (2) Your address, (3) Your preferred service time, (4) Photos of the job you need?”
- After the job review, ask: “Thank you for choosing {Brand} today in {City}. If we earned 5⭐ with our service, a quick review helps our neighbours find us: {review link}. It takes just 30 seconds, thank you!”
C) Optimized service-area page structure – Wireframe (1-page)
- Headline + proof strip (rating + “served {City} since {Year}”)
- Problem → solution intro, “what you’ll get today”
- Services grid with short blurbs
- Pricing range (“from ₦…”, what’s included)
- Gallery (before/after)
- Testimonials (ideally with photos/first names + neighborhood)
- Neighborhoods we cover
- CTA bar (Call / WhatsApp / Book visit)
- FAQ (3–5)
- Footer with NAP and business hours
D) Schema Starters (edit per page)
LocalBusiness schema (JSON-LD):
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “LocalBusiness”,
“name”: “Your Brand Name”,
“image”: “https://yourdomain.com/logo.png”,
“url”: “https://yourdomain.com/”,
“telephone”: “+234-XXXXXXXXXX”,
“areaServed”: [“Lagos”,”Abuja”,”Port Harcourt”,”Ibadan”],
“priceRange”: “₦₦”,
“sameAs”: [“https://facebook.com/yourbrand”,”https://instagram.com/yourbrand”]
}
</script>
Service schema (on a service or city page):
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”:”https://schema.org”,
“@type”:”Service”,
“serviceType”:”AC Repair”,
“provider”:{“@type”:”LocalBusiness”,”name”:”Your Brand Name”},
“areaServed”:{“@type”:”City”,”name”:”Lagos”}
}
</script>
FAQ schema (on city pages or blog posts):
<script type=”application/ld+json”>
{
“@context”:”https://schema.org”,
“@type”:”FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”:[
{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How fast can you get to me in Ikeja?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Same day in most cases. Call before 2pm for priority scheduling.”}},
{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”Do you offer warranty?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”Yes. Most repairs include a 30–90 day warranty depending on the service.”}}
]
}
</script>
Nigerian local SEO KPIs to Track Weekly
- Google Business Profile performance: searches (discovery vs direct), calls, website clicks, direction requests, top queries
- Google Analytics 4 data: sessions from utm_campaign=gbp, top city pages, conversions
- Google Search Console data: impressions/clicks for “{service} {city}”, indexing issues
- Leads: calls answered vs missed, WhatsApp chats, forms, close rate, revenue
KPI failures to track and solutions to each:
- If 10–20% of GBP calls are missed during peak hours: Use call forwarding or a call-answering backup.
- If your Google Business Profile and directory reviews don’t increase: Use QR cards and ask immediately after service.
- If a city page won’t index or rank: refresh the page with unique content (photos, testimonials, FAQs) and internal links.
Common Pitfalls to avoid in your Nigerian local business local SEO
- Don’t use Virtual addresses or P.O. boxes on your Google Business Profile to reduce the risk of GBP suspension.
- Avoid inconsistent NAP(name, address, phone number) across your website, profiles, and social pages.
- Avoid thin city pages copied across multiple location pages without enough local content.
- Having no review system, then asking for reviews only once per month. This leads to a few reviews.
- Avoid having slow mobile pages and buried CTAs; they kill conversion even when your website ranks.
FAQs
Budgets vary with city competition and scope. Expect a starter DIY budget (time + small tools) or agency packages ranging from ₦150,000 to ₦450,000.
For low-to-moderate competition niches, you may see movement within 4–8 weeks; tougher terms and cities can take up to 24 weeks. Reviews, proximity, relevance, and category selection heavily affect timelines.
If your local business is a Service-area business like electrical companies, you can hide your business address and list your business service areas. Ensure you use a legitimate address privately for verification if required; avoid coworking/virtual mailbox addresses.
Your 90-Day Checklist (condensed)
Month 1: Audit → Tracking → GBP setup → Website basics → Citations
Month 2: Reviews engine → 3–5 city pages → 2 high-intent posts → Local links → GBP activity
Month 3: CRO → 5–10 more cities → Case study + PR → Audit/report → Q2 plan
Conclusion
Growing your local business using local SEO in Nigeria is possible with the implementation of this 90-day local business local SEO growth plan.
If you need help implementing this local SEO growth plan for your Nigerian business, check out our local SEO service.
