Nearby is a decision Google makes

When somebody searches for what you sell, Google decides which nearby businesses to show. That decision is based on evidence, not on the fact that you happen to be in Bradford. Without evidence you are simply left out.

The evidence is dull and effective. A complete Google Business Profile with the right category. Consistent contact details everywhere they appear. Reviews from real customers in the area. Pages that mention Bradford in a natural way, because you actually work there.

The usual mistakes

First, a profile set up years ago and never touched. Old hours, no photos, a category that does not match what you actually do now.

Second, a site that never names a single place. If you serve Bradford, Shipley, Keighley and Bingley, say so. Not thirty towns you have never worked in, which now does more harm than good.

Third, no reviews in six months. Reviews are the strongest local signal there is and the easiest thing to neglect.

What to do first

Fix the profile. Set the right primary category. Then ask your last five happy customers for a review, spread over a few weeks rather than all at once.

Then the site

Once the groundwork is right, the site has one job. Convince the person who clicked. Clear wording, real photos of your work, an obvious way to get in touch, and pages that load fast on a phone with poor signal.

That order matters. A beautiful site nobody sees changes nothing.