If you have a business with a physical location – a shop, a clinic, a repair service, a restaurant – the question "can customers find me when they search online?" has become more important than ever. In 2026, the rules of local search have changed significantly. At Altanet Craiova we believe local SEO is no longer optional for small and medium-sized businesses – it is one of the most effective investments you can make in your business visibility.
What is local SEO and why did it change in 2026?
Local SEO (optimisation for local searches) means appearing in Google results when someone searches for a product or service "near me" or "in Craiova" or directly on Google Maps.
What changed in 2026? Google now gives much more weight to real proximity – that is, the distance between the user and your business at the moment of the search. Having a good website is no longer enough. All of your business's digital signals must confirm that you are exactly where you say you are.
In addition, two new platforms have entered the local search game in a big way: TikTok and Instagram. Young people no longer search on Google Maps – they search directly on TikTok or Instagram for where to eat, which repair service to choose or which shop to visit.
What does the data say about local SEO in 2026?
The figures published by BrightLocal – one of the best-known research platforms in local SEO – show the concrete impact of local optimisation:
Measured impact
Growing trend
What do "correct contact details" mean and why are they so important?
Google checks whether your business name, address and phone number are identical on every platform where you appear: your website, Google Business Profile (your business profile on Google), Facebook, local business listing sites, etc.
If your website says "Strada Libertatii 10″ while Google Maps says "Str. Libertatii nr. 10″, Google reads that as an inconsistency and reduces your visibility in local searches. A small detail, a big impact.
How do you optimise your local presence in 2026?
Here are the concrete steps, in order of importance:
- Check and update your Google Business Profile (your business's free profile on Google). The address, opening hours, phone number, business category – all must be correct and complete. Add recent photos. Reply to reviews.
- Make sure your business details are identical everywhere. Website, Facebook, Google Maps, local business listing sites – the same name, the same address, the same phone number. No different abbreviations, no extra or missing commas.
- Create local content on your website. A page dedicated to the city or area where you operate, with useful information for local customers. This page has a good chance of being cited by AI when someone searches for your service "in Craiova".
- Encourage reviews. The number and quality of Google reviews matter more than ever. Ask satisfied customers to leave a review – it is free and has a direct impact on your local visibility.
- Be present on TikTok and Instagram for local searches too. Post content that mentions your location. Hashtags with the city name and short videos about your business activity now appear in local searches on these platforms.
What comes next?
According to SEO Vendor, by 2027 TikTok and Instagram will become local search engines as important as Google Maps for certain audiences. Businesses that start building their local presence on these platforms now will have a clear advantage over those that wait.
Do you want to know how well you are positioned locally and what you can concretely improve? The Altanet Craiova team can analyse your local online presence and propose an action plan. Visit our contact page and let's talk.
This article is part of the Altanet series on the changes in social media and SEO in 2026. Next article: Instagram 2026: why private shares matter more than likes. See also the complete guide to the series.