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Local SEO Tips

by | Last updated: Jan 25, 2026

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How does this affect professional services firms in Ireland?

For construction, legal and financial firms: Your content may be summarised by Google without a visitor going to your website You may miss out on leads and engagement that would previously have come from a click. Local SEO, branded searches and your own human expertise now matter more than ever, so do add some opinion and original content.
In the first three months of 2026 over 1.5 billion monthly users started seeing AI Overviews.  It does mean that people are getting answers without clicking through to the website that created the answer. 58% of users do not click through to a website. These overviews appear in over 50% of query results.

An orange keyboard key with the Meanit logo and the text "LOCAL SEO", illustrating local SEO services and tips for businesses in Dublin, Ireland.

Local SEO or local Search Engine Optimisation is a small bit of the science behind SEO, which generally has many facets. One of which is the whole area of “Local SEO”. Whilst it is only one of maybe 12 important factors for SEO, it is critical if your target market is also local to you. In some ways it makes SEO easier for you, if you can focus on Local SEO. You will still have to compete with National or Global brands in your locality, but you may be able to entice local shoppers with Grassroots marketing. Then, the real challenge is to retain them.

In theory, you do not need a website as you can use Google Business Profile and Facebook, along with Google or Linkedin, Google Local Ads or Facebook Ads. However, we would always recommend you get your own space or land on the internet by having a website of your own. This is better than ads and any possible transient space on Facebook or other social channels etc. Also we recommend that you have a dedicated page on your website for every individual town and any specific neighbourhoods that you service. Optimise each of these pages with specific relevant useful content and local links etc. Do not worry if half the content is repeated across a number of pages, as long as it adds value for the reader.

Google Business Profile

GBP or ‘Google Business Profile‘ as of 2022 this became the official name replacing Google My Business for your Google Business Profile dashboard. Whilst it is a bit confusing, the new title Google Business Profile does make it easier to understand what it is exactly.

When it comes to Local SEO tips, here are some things to consider and work on:

Media Engagements

  1. Reviews – Do get reviews, obviously good reviews. As in 5* with well-worded long testimonials or reviews in GBP again using ‘Local’ referenced keywords and key terms. Remember to reply to all reviews, using suitable keywords again.
    Tip: Think of SEO as you telling Google how wonderful you are and how much of an Authority you are. Reviews would be other people telling Google how wonderful you are and how much of an Authority you are.
  2. Engage with other local businesses and communities on social to get seen, answer questions, to add value.
  3. Facebook page or profile for each individual address to engage with the audience who use this medium, if the demographic is right for your business.
  4. Instagram account for the business to engage with the audience who use this medium if the demographic is right for your business.
  5. LinkedIn personal account and one for the company or business to engage with the audience who use this medium, if the demographic is right for your business.
  6. Referrals – once your website is live, connect with local businesses on LinkedIn. We recommend sending them a relevant page (of potential interest to them) from your website when connecting.
  7. Twitter or X account for the business to publish timely items to engage with the audience who use this medium if the demographic is right for your business.
  8. Local influencers – By all means engage with any relevant local influencers and try to get them to post links to your website
  9. News – If there is a local online news website, try to get mentioned with a link or even pay for an advertorial. You could become a ‘columnist’ covering your topic of authority.
  10. Adjacent intent is where a potential client is online looking for a solution to another common issue. A Solicitor could be looking for Case Management software. A QFA could be looking for video tips, CRM options for Accountants or Recruiting trainee accountants. It could be benefiial to turn up here offering useful advice.

Website

  1. Google Business Profile for each individual address, with good optimised photos of the business, the products, team members, premises etc. Add in the hours of business. Use Local keywords and key terms.
  2. Map – Add a map on your contact page to show where you are and again a Google map is good.
  3. External links should be added to your website out to other local businesses or facilities.
  4. Internal links should be used where you can interlink any related pages or posts with a hyperlink. Why not create a few such posts if you do not have any yet.
  5. Headings in posts such as H1 or H2 or H3 should refer to local places, businesses, etc…
  6. Images – use suitable images/photos and optimise them with suitable local names and alt tags. JPG photos can contain geo location information saved in the EXIF header of the image file. Easily geotag photos with new coordinates using GEO IMGR.
  7. Mobile – it goes almost without saying that your website should be mobile-friendly and responsive
  8. Voice – Do optimise the website for voice search, which generally includes longer key phrases
  9. Other local sites linking to you are good, so ask friends, acquaintances, suppliers, etc…
  10. Local Directories – Google ‘local directories’ and create an entry in all of them. Many are free and some are paid entries.
  11. Links from Chamber of Commerce or Business Networks.
  12. NAP in all directories should be exactly the same everywhere. The Name Address and Phone Number are critical to have consistency. Otherwise, Google could think you are two different businesses. Do add your Eircode.

Benefits of Local SEO

Brief-business-strategy-concepts

The main benefit of good Local SEO is the fact that it increases the chance that you will get found in search by your local or grassroots market. You could be competing with much bigger national companies, but they are marketing nationally. So, in theory, if you do everything on the list above you can compete well online locally. There is quite a bit of work to do initially, so it is down to you to decide if you will do it or outsource it. This is not very exciting work. Even when you do the work, it will not all happen overnight.

However, give it 6 months and you will see how much you creep up the SERPS – Search Engine Results Pages. You will want to optimise your whole website so that it is seen as being local to Google. Start by focusing on your core service offering, which in our case is SEO and Website Design, plus website support. In your content speak to your target market. In our case this is Construction, Financial and Legal firms. Have a look at who is offering your services to your target market. Then do a better job than them – simple. Better content, more reviews, videos, photos, backlinks etc. Establish yourself as an Authority on your specific services and in the target market. Initially focus on BOFU or bottom of funnel content, to attract people when they are close to making a purchase decision, then expand towards the TOFU top of funnel content to attract people early when they are researching options.
See our short guide to On-Page SEO Tips. If you want to learn more about SEO read our What is SEO Guide. By all means, use a keyword planner from Google and a Keyword Mapping Tool to add structure to all this work and record the changes. You can listen to podcasts such as Local SEO Tactics. Or talk to us about our SEO Plans here.
Check out the great comprehensive graphic from Pickaweb below.

Local-SEO-Step-by-Step-Guide-Pickaweb-small

Local SEO Tips FAQS in Donegal & Dublin, Ireland

How to do local SEO for beginners?

In doing local SEO for beginners, Start with the basics and keep it consistent.

• Claim and verify your Google Business Profile, choose the right primary category and add services, photos and a short description
 • Keep your name, address and phone identical across your website, Google Business Profile and key Irish directories
 • Create clear service pages that mention your town or service area naturally, add FAQs and a contact route on every page
 • Add LocalBusiness schema, use fast hosting and SSL
 • Ask for reviews every week and reply to all of them
 • Track calls, forms and directions in GA4 and Search Console

What is the best strategy for local SEO?

The best strategy for local SEO is to use a simple framework. Be discoverable, be trusted, be chosen. 
 • Discoverable. Build a strong Google Business Profile, complete on page optimisation, use internal linking and keep pages fast
 • Trusted. Build reviews with context, add case studies, team bios and clear policies
 • Chosen. Use quality photos, recent posts, accurate hours and clear calls to action
 • Support with citations, local links and helpful content for areas you serve in Donegal, Dublin and across Ireland

How effective is local SEO?

For location based services it can become a main source of enquiries. Done well it increases map visibility, call volume, directions and form leads. Expect quick wins from a tuned Google Business Profile then steady gains over three to six months as pages, reviews and links improve. Competitive niches may take longer. Consistency and tracking decide results

How to improve local search ranking?

Complete your Google Business Profile, pick the best primary category and add all services.
Make sure to keep NAP details consistent on your site and across citations. Collect new reviews every week and reply with helpful details. Add unique service and location pages with clear headings, FAQs and internal links.
Use LocalBusiness and FAQ schema, fix technical issues and improve speed.
Earn local links from chambers, charities, suppliers and local media.
Post updates and photos monthly and answer questions on your profile.
Monitor GA4, Search Console and GBP Insights then refine.

How to do a local listing in SEO?

• Google Business Profile. Claim, verify by phone or postcard, set categories, hours, services, description, photos, messaging and a UTM tagged website link
 • Apple Business Connect and Bing Places. Create matching listings
 • Build citations on quality Irish directories such as Golden Pages, Chamber of Commerce, Yelp, Facebook and industry bodies
 • Use one listing per physical location, one page per location on your site and identical NAP everywhere

Do you want more ideal Clients?

We help 34 ‘Professional Services Firms‘ to be effective online annually. Will your business be one of the 34 in 2026?
Click here to connect
MEANit-Web-Design-Agency-Michael-MacGinty

Written by Michael MacGinty

Michael is a well known speaker, author and coach on SEO and how to use the web to grow a business. He is also WP Elevation certified as a Digital Business Consultant.

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What are Google AIOs (AI Overviews)?

AI Overviews are machine generated answers that Google displays directly at the top in the search results pages. They summarise content from multiple websites using Large Language Models (LLMs), similar to ChatGPT. This is the new face or look of Google search. You will often see them appear as:

  • Key takeaways
  • Mini guides
  •  Direct answers (above the traditional 10 “blue links”)

“AI Overviews aggregate data to give fast answers. SERP results like FAQs and organic listings are pushed further down the page.” – [Zak Averre, Anicca Digital]​

What does this mean for your organic website traffic?

According to a  well published 2024 study by Rand Fishkin at Sparktoro & Datos, only 37.4% of Google searches in the US now result in a click to the open web. Here in the Ireland and Europe, it’s even lower at 36% for us.

That means:

Many users never leave the search page at all because they get the answer on the Google results page

Your organic click through rate (CTR) to your website will drop, even if impressions or views go up

Snippets, video carousels and AIOs and Ads are all competing for attention above your website link.

“Impressions are up, but clicks are down. Users are getting their answers from AIOs.” – [Seer Interactive]​ For the most part Impressions is a vanity metric anyway. It just means that your link turned up somewhere on the first 10 pages of results.

How does this affect professional services firms in Ireland?

For construction, legal and financial firms: Your content may be summarised by Google without a visitor going to your website You may miss out on leads and engagement that would previously have come from a click. Local SEO, branded searches and your own human expertise now matter more than ever, so do add some opinion and original content.
In the first three months of 2026 over 1.5 billion monthly users started seeing AI Overviews.  It does mean that people are getting answers without clicking through to the website that created the answer. 58% of users do not click through to a website. These overviews appear in over 50% of query results.

Note and your homework for today

We used to say that you could hide a dead body on page 2 of Google, but now you could say the same about hiding a dead body in the lower half of page 1 of Google. So, being on page 1 is no longer a guarantee of success. Now you need to be in the top 3 or 4 organic results. Position 1 will get just under 30% of organic traffic and only 30% of search queries will end up in the organic results. If you do the maths, from 1000 searches for a term, 300 people get to organic results and at best 30% or 90 people will click on position 1 with about 45 clicking on position 2 or about 30 for position 3. Where are you ranking for your target key terms? Do you know? It is time you checked, so talk to your Marketing Team now. Otherwise, you could be investing your budget and getting poor results. Where do you plan to get your leads in 2026?

What should you do now?

We’re helping clients adapt in a few smart ways:

1. Focus on E-E-A-T

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) content performs better than AI generated fluff.

Human written ‘good’ content that adds some value keeps people on the page 93% longer than AI content. Visitors are 3.6x more likely to engage with expert content​. You know this from your own browsing. You do the exact same thing. Does your own content all look like it would hold your attention as a reader?

2. Target long tail terms & branded search

Instead of basic terms like “accountant Dublin”, aim for:

“Best tax-saving tips for construction firms Ireland”

“[Your Firm] reviews” or “[Your Name] financial planner Donnybrook”

In AI Mode or ChatGPT a search query is now long tail, as in it contains a multiple of words, especially in voice activated search.

3. Diversify your content types

AIOs don’t summarise videos or interactive tools as easily, so maybe do some videos for your YouTube channel

Add explainer videos, calculators, and FAQs to your site – something with added value for visitors that they will not get elsewhere

4. Update and merge old content

Combine thin or light posts with very little content in in-depth resources. Light pages do not impress Google or the readers. And a short answer to a query will definitely be given in AIOs simpoly to answer the query quickly.

Focus on uniqueness, not volume. No copy and pasting. Don’t give answers that you got somewhere else if you can avoid it. Or at least add some of your own ideas or opinions to make it different or ideally better.

5. Use AI as a tool, not a crutch

Use AI to speed up your research, create summaries and get content ideas or do initial basic content creation for you to save time.

But make sure your final output is human, helpful and insightful – add value for any readers. Anything you get from AI is not original. This is an opportunity for you to show readers that you have opinions, expertise and are worth engaging.

Real world impact

A chart showing Google's search market share trend in the EU and UK for 2026, highlighting the shift toward AI-driven platforms and the rise of ChatGPT.

Search Platform Shift (EU/UK, 2025)

This chart from Datos and SparkToro shows a critical, but subtle, shift. Google’s dominant search share in the EU/UK has slightly eroded, dropping from 80.50% to 78.47% over 2025. This is significant because it coincides with the rollout of AI Overviews. Crucially, the alternative platforms gaining share , Amazon and ChatGPT, are transactional and conversational, respectively. This data suggests that when users seek immediate AI-generated syntheses (AIOs) or direct product searches, they are increasingly bypassed Google’s traditional indexing model. For businesses, this proves that being indexed by Google is no longer the sole path to visibility. If Google satisfies the user’s query with an AIO, users may never click through, reducing traffic even if you rank #1. To counter this, your content must aim to be cited within the AIO as the primary, authoritative source, effectively earning a “click lifeline” in this new zero-click landscape. Image Source: Datos & SparkToro (2025 Data).

A treemap graphic illustrating the dominant 78.5% share held by Google compared to rising AI search competitors like ChatGPT and Claude in late 2025.

Share of Search Treemap (Q4 2025)

This Treemap graphic provides a definitive snapshot of search distribution, confirming the “squeezing” of the open web identified by SparkToro and Datos. In Q4 2025, Google still commands 78.5% of total searches/chats. However, this “not-to-scale” representation masks a complex reality: while Google controls the high-volume portal, it is increasingly keeping users inside that portal with features like AI Overviews. The substantial blocks for ChatGPT (3.68%) and YouTube (2.87%) represent queries that are moving away from traditional text indexing toward conversational AI and direct video intent. The remainder of the 21 sites, including critical business sectors, are squeezed into minuscule shares. This treemap illustrates the “AIO Tax” effect: even if you are one of the ‘Major Sites’ visible here, your share is under pressure from Google’s internal AI synthesis. For professional services in Dublin or Donegal, visibility depends not just on occupying a search slot, but on being recognized as the definitive trust signal by the AI generating the response. Image Source: Datos & SparkToro (Q4 2025 Data).

A bar chart displaying the most visited desktop websites in the UK and EU, showing the massive traffic gap between Google/YouTube and the rest of the open web.

15 Sites Visited by 20%+ Desktop Devices in 2025

This bar chart highlights the incredible stickiness and repeat visitation of a select few mega-platforms. In 2025, 15 of the top 41 sites were visited by 20% or more of all EU/UK desktop devices monthly. What is alarming for standard business websites is the massive traffic concentration at the top: Google (90%+) and YouTube (80%+). The drop-off after these two is precipitous. This concentration is a direct multiplier of the AI Overview challenge. If users are satisfied by an AIO on Google, the #1 visited platform, they never migrate down the long tail to the 21 other sites that standard indexing services target. Furthermore, transactional giants like Amazon (50%+) and conversational disruptors like ChatGPT (close to 50%) are solidifying as distinct search destinations, pulling intent away from Google’s standard indexed links. For any firm relying on organic visibility, this proves you are no longer competing just with direct business rivals; you are competing against the satisfying convenience of AI syntheses on the web’s most visited platforms. Image Source: Datos & SparkToro (2025 Data).

Final word, don’t panic…prepare

AI in search isn’t the end, it’s another evolution. Google has been using AI and trying to surface better results for over a decade through algorithm updates, from Panda to Helpful Content. AIOs are just the next step. And for the user they do make sense. This is good for us all.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles Darwin

What stays the same?

SEO is not dead it is in Googles oxygen tent

Helpful, human content still wins

Strategy matters more than ever – have you got one for the coming year?

SEO is not dead – but the rules have changed. It is smarter now, so it is very different. SEO is in Googles ‘Oxygen Tent’ and Google makes all the rules. SEO still depends on Googles rules. AI and new LLMs are a very small part of search, so we still want to focus on the lions share of the traffic which is at Google. Ignore the hype about ChatGPT search, as it uses Google anyway.

Make sure your website is ready. Run a few tests. Check your current ranking in an Incognito window.

‘SEO is not dead, it is in Googles oxygen tent’

Googles introduction of AI overviews certainly made traditional SEO more challenging, as did the Helpful Content Update. But people will still use Google search and most do. Anyone in the small minority who use Search GPT or any AI search tool will end up getting presented with the best answer to any given query, just like Google. Therefore the aim in SEO to proffer the best answer to any given query still stands. Create great content, present it well, make it as interesting as possible and Google will still rank it and deliver it. So will any AI search tools.
What is changing is the ability to manipulate Google or get pages to rank in the top 10 SERP results on page 1 of Google, which for the most part was a vanity metric anyway. Or was a way to drum up visitor numbers as a metric. Nowadays, you may need to be in the top 3 to turn up in AI overviews. At the end of the day people do not want traffic for traffic sake, so we still need to attract the ‘right’ traffic. And then use the content presented on the resulting page to convert a visitor to a lead or enquiry or buyer.
These evolutions in SEO will see irrelevant backlinks carry less and less value in the eyes of Google. Buying backlinks as a way to fool or manipulate Google is of less value and could even damage credibility, doing exactly the reverse of what was planned.
SEO is not dead, far from it, SEO is alive and well, protected in the ‘Oxygen Tent of Google’. Many good SEOs have felt frustrated by how Google would rank poor pages over good ones. But your time has come, where Google will get better at delivering the best response to any given query with less and less black hat manipulation. ‘SEO is Dead, Long live SEO’. Again ignore the hype about AISEO or GEO etc.

Google AI Overviews Frequently Asked Questions  

How can I tell if Google AI Overviews are reducing my website traffic?

Look for rising impressions and falling clicks in Google Search Console.

If you’re showing up in search results, but not getting the same amount of clicks, chances are Google’s new AI Overviews are answering the question before people reach your site. You may still rank #1, but AI is now appearing above you and possibly using your answer in the result, but without really crediting you.

We look for this kind of pattern in client reports every month – especially if you’re in financial, legal or construction sectors in Ireland.

Can my business benefit from being featured in an AI Overview?

Yes – it can boost brand visibility, even without a click.

If your content is authoritative, helpful, and specific, Google may pull it into their AI generated summary. This puts your business name or quote right at the top of search results.

It won’t always bring a visitor straight to your site, but it helps build trust and familiarity with your brand  which often leads to enquiries down the line.

Do I need to change my SEO strategy because of AIOs?

Yes , slightly. Focus more on expert, unique content that’s hard to summarise.

Keep doing the core SEO work, but shift your content to:

  • Show experience and opinion (not just facts)
  • Answer specific long-tail queries your ideal clients would typically ask
  • Include video, FAQs and tools that AI can’t easily summarise

➡️ We help clients adapt every month – this is where the real SEO wins are happening now. It is actually an opportunity.

Is SEO still worth doing now that AI is in Google search?

Absolutely. SEO isn’t dead  it’s just getting smarter.

Even with AI Overviews, people still search, compare and click. What’s changed is how you win their attention. It’s no longer just about ranking high, it’s about offering something AI can’t replace.

➡️ Good SEO now means real expertise, clear branding and content that offers more than just an answer.

About The Author

Michael MacGinty

Michael is a well known speaker, author and coach on SEO and how to use the web to grow a business. He is also WP Elevation certified as a Digital Business Consultant.

See author's posts

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