Running a business on the Welsh border means your customers come from two countries, dozens of villages and sometimes a few hundred miles away. A joiner in Oswestry might work in Chirk one day and Shrewsbury the next. A café in Knighton serves locals and walkers who planned their trip from Bristol.
Search engines don’t automatically know any of that. Here’s how to make it clear.
Say exactly where you work
The most common local SEO mistake is vagueness. “Serving the local area” tells Google nothing. Instead:
- Name the town you’re based in, and the towns and villages you genuinely cover.
- If you cover both sides of the border, say so, for example “across north Shropshire and the Welshpool area”.
- Give each important area or service a proper page if you have something useful to say about it, not a copy-and-paste page with the town name swapped.
Keep your details identical everywhere
Your business name, address and phone number should match exactly on your website, your Google Business Profile, Facebook, directories and anywhere else you’re listed. Border businesses often have an English postal county and a Welsh local authority, or an old address still floating around. Pick one format and use it consistently.
Make your Google Business Profile work hard
For “near me” searches, your Google Business Profile often matters more than your website. Make sure it has:
- the right category and a clear description
- accurate opening hours, including seasonal and bank holiday changes
- real photos of your work, premises and team
- a service area that matches the one on your website
Ask happy customers for reviews regularly, and reply to them.
Think about Welsh as well as English
In Powys, some customers will search, or simply prefer to read, in Welsh. You don’t need to translate everything, but a Welsh welcome, your key services in both languages, or bilingual contact details can set you apart. It’s worth asking your customers what they’d value.
Make it fast for rural visitors
Many people searching for you will be on a phone with weak signal. A slow website loses them before it loads. Keep images light, avoid bloated page builders and use good UK web hosting.
A quick checklist
- Your town and service area stated clearly on the homepage
- A page for each main service
- Consistent name, address and phone number everywhere
- A complete, active Google Business Profile
- Fresh reviews and photos
- A fast, mobile-friendly website
Our free local SEO checklist generator builds a version tailored to how your business works. Or see how we help businesses in Oswestry, Welshpool, Newtown and Knighton.