5 mistakes that prevent local businesses from reaching the top of search results

(expert article from Kakadoo Studio)
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Navigation through the article:
  1. The business does not have a website, or it is merely for show.“
  2. Google Business Profile is incomplete (or missing)
  3. Duplicate content and unstructured website
  4. Absence of local keys and city references
  5. The website crashes on the mobile version.
  6. Checklist from Kakadoo: “Is your business ready for local SEO?”

Why are local businesses losing customers — and how can this be fixed?

At Kakadoo, we often encounter the same situation:
The owner of a local business — a salon, workshop, bakery, car service, tutoring centre, food delivery service — works excellently, receives good reviews, but... is practically invisible in Google search results.

This means:

  • Google Maps does not show businesses to customers.,
  • applications are unstable,
  • competitors with poorer service quality rank highly in search results,
  • and traffic goes to those who simply did SEO according to the basic rules.

The reason is almost always that owners make the same SEO mistakes.
And it is precisely these factors that prevent local businesses from reaching the top.

In this article, we at Kakadoo Studio have analysed the five key mistakes that most often ruin rankings.
Below is a checklist you can use to review your project.

Let's go!

PORTFOLIO:

Mistake #1. The business does not have a website, or it is just for show.“

It sounds trite, but in 2025, every second local business in Germany still operates without a full-fledged website.

Most often we see:

  • only an Instagram page,
  • landing page on a builder without optimisation,
  • old website on the topic “how it turned out”,
  • a business card website without structure or content.

Google cannot promote what it does not understand.
And if the website is empty, there is simply nothing to promote.

Why this is critical:

  • Google does not trust companies without their own website.
  • The search engine does not understand: where you are, what you are doing, whom you are helping.
  • Without keywords, Google cannot associate a company with search queries.
  • Customers are leaving for competitors whose websites function properly.

How we solve this at Kakadoo:

  • create a structure: Home, Services, About Us, Local Pages, Contacts;
  • We register keys by city, district and type of business;
  • speed up the website to 1–2 seconds;
  • add unique texts and local semantics;
  • We create an SEO blog that strengthens your position and credibility.

For local SEO, a website is the foundation. Without it, everything else is useless.

Mistake #2. Google Business Profile is incomplete (or missing)

We often see companies that have excellent service and nice offices, but... their Google Business profile is empty. And this is one of the most powerful factors in local ranking. Google promotes those who provide the most information. If your profile is empty, Google doesn't even know you exist.

Common mistakes made by owners:

  • no confirmation of address;
  • 1–2 photos uploaded;
  • no reviews;
  • One-line description: “We are a beauty salon.”;
  • incorrect categories;
  • no link to the website;
  • attributes are not filled in (women's salon, car repair, delivery, etc.)

Why Google Business is a MUST for local SEO:

  • you will be placed in the Top 3 companies nearby,
  • you become visible on Google Maps,
  • people find you,
  • trust is growing,
  • Google understands your niche and shows you to the right customers.

What Kakadoo does for its customers:

  • fill in the profile correctly;
  • we write SEO descriptions for businesses;
  • upload photos optimised for search;
  • configure categories;
  • add keys;
  • create posts on Google Business;
  • We advise you on how to collect feedback safely.

If a business does not have Google Business, it loses at least 40–60% of local traffic.

Mistake #3. Duplicate content and an unstructured website

This error is the most subtle — but very harmful. Google hates duplicates.
If texts are repeated, pages are identical, or descriptions are the same, the search engine lowers the rating and does not promote the website.

How duplicates kill positions:

  • Google does not understand which page to display;
  • the rating is spread across several URLs;
  • trust in the website declines;
  • visibility in local search drops.

Typical cases we correct:

  • identical service descriptions (e.g., different types of massage with the same text);
  • copy-paste from competitors;
  • “blank” pages without text;
  • gallery without ALT tags;
  • identical titles on different pages;
  • product cards without unique descriptions.

How we decide:

  • we rewrite each text uniquely;
  • optimise the website structure;
  • correctly arrange H1–H2–H3;
  • we write ALT tags;
  • We are closing technical pages from indexing.;
  • We create thematic SEO blocks that strengthen positions.

High-quality, unique content is half the battle for local businesses.

Mistake #4. Lack of local keys and links to the city

This is one of the most common mistakes. Business websites often do not include any indication of the city, district or specific service area. Google is not psychic. It does not know where you work until you tell it!

Examples of poor texts:

“We provide professional services for everyone.” For everyone means for no one.

Correct:

“Manicure specialist in Potsdam. Shellac, strengthening, levelling of the nail plate. I work in the Babelsberg area.”

Or:

“Freight transport in Potsdam and Brandenburg. Flat removals, furniture delivery, transport of technical equipment.”

What must be specified:

  • city (Potsdam, Brandenburg, Berlin, Leipzig)
  • district
  • services
  • local keys
  • address and telephone number
  • local synonyms for services

Our SEO specialists at Kakadoo professionally create local semantics that strengthen the website for “near me” queries.

Mistake #5. The website “crashes” on the mobile version

80% local search — from a mobile phone. If a website loads slowly or looks bad, the customer leaves after 3 seconds. Google sees this → lowers the rating → removal from the top.

Typical technical errors:

  • huge images;
  • the text is small, so you have to enlarge it;
  • the buttons cannot be pressed with a finger;
  • the menu breaks;
  • the form is not working;
  • the website loads in 3–6 seconds;
  • The blocks “jump” and overlap each other.

What we do at Kakadoo:

  • optimise photos in WebP;
  • set up fast hosting;
  • configure adaptive;
  • We create convenient CTA buttons: “Sign up”, “Call”, “Leave a request”;
  • We check the website in PageSpeed Insights and correct any errors.

When the mobile version works perfectly, Google raises its ranking faster!

Checklist from Kakadoo: “Is your business ready for local SEO?”

If 3+ points are marked with a minus sign, local SEO is not working well and the business is losing customers.

    1. Website

    2. Google Business Profile

    3. Content

    4. Local signals

    5. Mobile version

    Local businesses can rise to the top faster than you might think.

    At Kakadoo, we see local companies rise to the top in just 1–3 months if they correct basic mistakes.
    Local SEO is not magic or huge budgets — it's the right structure, content, Google Business, and mobile optimisation.

    By correcting 5 mistakes, you will:

    • improve your standing,
    • increase customer flow,
    • increase trust,
    • and you will surpass competitors who still do not know what local SEO is.
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