10 Things You Can Fix Right Now (For Free)
Each fix takes under 10 minutes. Total time: about 90 minutes. Cost: £0.
1. Check your Google Business Profile hours are correct
Wrong opening hours mean customers show up when you're closed, or worse, don't show up when you're open. Google also prioritises businesses with accurate, up-to-date profiles.
Go to business.google.com and sign in. Click on your business, then "Edit profile". Check your regular hours are correct, and add special hours for any upcoming bank holidays (Christmas, Easter, etc.). While you're there, make sure your phone number and address are right too.
Read the full guide →2. Make sure your phone number matches everywhere
If your phone number is different on your website, Google Business Profile, and online directories, Google loses confidence that your business details are accurate. This is called NAP inconsistency, and it directly hurts your local ranking.
Check your phone number on: your website header, footer, and contact page; your Google Business Profile; Facebook; Yell; and any other directories you're listed on. If any differ, update them to match. Use the exact same format everywhere (e.g., always "01234 567890", not sometimes "01234567890").
Read the full guide →3. Write a proper homepage title
Your homepage title is the blue link people see on Google. If it says "Home" or just your domain name, you're invisible for your actual services. A good title includes what you do and where you do it.
In WordPress: install Yoast SEO or RankMath, then edit your homepage and find the SEO title field. In Wix: go to Pages, click the three dots next to your homepage, click "SEO Basics". In Squarespace: go to Pages, hover over your homepage, click the gear icon, then "SEO". Write something like: "Emergency Plumber in Bromley | 24/7 Call-Out | Smith Plumbing".
Read the full guide →4. Add a meta description to your homepage
The meta description is the grey text under your title on Google. If you don't write one, Google picks random text from your page, which usually looks terrible and gets fewer clicks.
Use the same SEO plugin or platform settings as the homepage title (above). Write 150-155 characters that include your main service, location, and a reason to click. Example: "Family-run Italian restaurant in Leeds city centre. Fresh pasta, wood-fired pizza, and a warm welcome. Book online or walk in."
Read the full guide →5. Compress your website images
Oversized images are the number one reason small business websites load slowly. A photo straight from your phone can be 3-5MB. After compression, it might be 200KB, loading 15x faster with no visible quality loss.
Go to tinypng.com (free, no sign-up needed). Download the largest images from your website (right-click > Save Image). Upload them to TinyPNG, download the compressed versions, and re-upload them to your website. Focus on your homepage images first. They make the biggest difference.
Read the full guide →6. Check your website on your phone
Over 75% of UK web traffic comes from mobile phones. Google also uses your mobile site (not desktop) to decide your ranking. If your site doesn't work well on a phone, you're losing both customers and search visibility.
Open your website on your phone right now. Can you read everything without pinching and zooming? Can you tap buttons without hitting the wrong one? Does everything load quickly? If the answer to any of these is "no", your site needs mobile fixes.
Read the full guide →7. Make sure your site has HTTPS
Without HTTPS (the padlock icon), Google Chrome shows a "Not Secure" warning on your site. This scares visitors away and Google confirms HTTPS is a ranking factor.
Visit your website and look at the address bar. Do you see a padlock icon and "https://"? If yes, you're fine. If it says "Not Secure" or shows "http://", contact your hosting provider. Most include free SSL certificates. On Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, HTTPS is included automatically.
Read the full guide →8. Add alt text to your homepage images
Alt text describes your images for screen readers (accessibility) and helps Google understand what your images show. Without it, Google can't "see" your photos and you miss out on image search traffic.
In your website editor, click on each image on your homepage and look for an "Alt text" or "Alternative text" field. Write a short, natural description of what the image shows: "Team of plumbers loading a van outside Smith Plumbing in Bromley" is much better than "IMG_3847" or leaving it blank.
Read the full guide →9. Claim your free Bing Places listing
Bing powers search for Microsoft Edge, Cortana, and many smart devices. It's often overlooked, which means less competition. Plus, you can import your Google Business Profile details directly, and it takes minutes.
Go to bingplaces.com and sign in with a Microsoft account (create one free if needed). Click "Import from Google" to pull in your Google Business Profile details automatically. Review the imported information, confirm it's correct, and submit.
Read the full guide →10. Add a Google review link to your email signature
Every email you send is a chance to get a review. Most happy customers will leave a review if you make it easy, and a direct link in your email signature is the easiest possible way.
Search for your business on Google, click your Google Business Profile, click "Ask for reviews", and copy the short link. Then add it to your email signature as a clickable line: "Happy with our service? Leave us a review on Google" with the link. In Gmail: Settings > See all settings > General > Signature.
Read the full guide →Frequently Asked Questions
How long will these take?
Each quick win takes between 2 and 15 minutes. If you do all 10 in one sitting, you should be done in about 90 minutes. But there is no rush. You can spread them across a few days or tackle one a day.
Do I need any technical skills?
No. Every quick win here can be done by anyone who can use a web browser. We give you step-by-step instructions with no jargon. If you can send an email and use Google, you can do these.
Will these actually improve my Google ranking?
Each of these quick wins targets a factor that Google considers when ranking local businesses. No single fix will shoot you to number one overnight, but together they build a much stronger foundation. Most businesses that do all 10 see noticeable improvements within a few weeks.
What should I do after completing these?
Once you have ticked off all 10, you have handled the basics. The next step is to scan your website with our free tool to find out what else you are missing. It checks over 50 things in 2 minutes and gives you a prioritised list of what to fix next.
Done all 10? Nice work.
You've handled the basics. Want to find out what else you're missing?
Scan your website free →