## **Who This Guide Is For**

This article is designed for home service agencies and their clients on the Search Atlas Pro plan. It covers the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each major SEO delivery area so your team can execute local SEO campaigns confidently and consistently.

**Note:** The specific steps, navigation paths, tool names, and timelines that apply to your account may vary. Because this SOP document was prepared in response to a direct request, your Search Atlas account team can confirm the exact current workflow for each area below. When you contact support, please have ready: your project name, the specific SEO deliverable you are working on, and any error messages or unexpected results you have encountered.

## **Google Business Profile (GBP) Setup**

A fully optimised GBP is the foundation of local SEO for home service businesses. General best-practice steps include:

1. Create or claim the GBP listing and verify ownership.
2. Select the most accurate primary category for the business type (e.g. **Plumber**, **Electrician**, **HVAC Contractor**).
3. Add all relevant secondary categories.
4. Upload high-quality photos including team, vehicles, and completed jobs.
5. Complete every profile section: business description, services, service areas, hours, and attributes.
6. For **Service Area Businesses (SABs)**, hide the physical address and add all service area cities or postcodes.
7. Enable messaging and set up a welcome message.
8. Connect the GBP listing to your Search Atlas project for ongoing monitoring — refer to your account team for the current steps to do this inside the platform.

## **Local SEO Heatmaps**

Local SEO heatmap tools show where a business ranks across a geographic grid so you can identify ranking gaps and track progress over time. To run heatmap scans in Search Atlas, locate the heatmap feature within your project dashboard. If you are unsure where to find it or how to configure grid size and scan frequency for your service area, contact support with your project name and the keyword you want to track.

- Run a baseline scan before any optimisation work begins.
- Schedule recurring scans to track ranking movement over time.
- If rankings appear to drop unexpectedly after profile or optimisation changes, allow some time for data to refresh before escalating — contact support if the issue persists beyond a day or two.

## **Citation Submissions**

Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations across directories reinforce local authority. General best practices include:

1. Audit existing citations to identify duplicates or inconsistencies.
2. Standardise the business name, address format, and phone number across all sources.
3. Prioritise high-authority directories relevant to home services (such as Google, Yelp, Bing Places).

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.