Local SEO in French-speaking Switzerland: the basics to master

When someone searches for "fiduciary Lausanne" or "dentist Nyon", Google first displays a map with a few businesses, then a list of websites. Local SEO means appearing in these results for searches linked to your area. For an SME in French-speaking Switzerland, it is often the most direct source of contacts. Here are the basics.

1. Your Google Business Profile

The Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the most visible element of local SEO. It is what appears on the map. To make it effective:

• Claim and verify your business profile.
• Choose the most precise primary category possible, then relevant secondary categories.
• Enter accurate information that is identical everywhere: name, address, phone number, opening hours, website. Consistency between your profile, your website and directories matters.
• Add real photos: premises, team, access.
• Describe your services in simple words, the ones your clients use.
• Specify your service areas if you travel to your clients.
• Update special opening hours (public holidays, holidays).

2. A website organised by service, town and language

Your website must confirm to Google what you do and where you do it.

• One page per service: each important service deserves its own page, with a clear title and useful content.
• Town pages, only if they add something: information about your local presence, access, regional specifics. Avoid copy-and-paste pages where only the town name changes; they are of little use and poorly regarded.
• A visible address and contact details on every page, ideally with structured data (schema.org) describing your local business.
• A fast, mobile-friendly website: most local searches are made from a phone.

3. Multilingualism and the hreflang tag

Switzerland is multilingual. If your clientele includes German, Italian or English speakers, pages in those languages can open up new contacts. A few rules:

• A separate address for each language, for example /fr/, /de/ and /en/.
• Real translations, reviewed by someone fluent in the language, adapted to the terms used locally.
• The hreflang tag on every page, which tells Google the equivalent versions in the other languages (for example fr-CH, de-CH). Each version must point to all the others and to itself. A common mistake is to forget this reciprocal link.
• A Google Business Profile that is consistent with the languages of your website.

A website that is perfect in one language is better than a mediocre one in four.

4. Reviews: genuine, regular, with replies

Reviews influence both visibility and clients' decisions. The rule is simple: only genuine reviews, from real clients.

• Ask for a review at the right moment, for example after a successful service, with a direct link to your profile.
• Reply to all reviews, positive and negative, courteously and without disclosing personal information.
• Never buy reviews and do not write them yourself. This breaches Google's rules and can lead to reviews being removed or restrictions on your profile.

How we work

At LYL Software, we start with an audit: Google profile, website structure, consistency of contact details, speed, existing pages. We then propose a prioritised list of actions: technical fixes, useful service and town pages, setting up multilingual pages and hreflang if your clientele justifies it. We also help you set up a simple way of asking your clients for reviews. We do not promise a guaranteed position on Google: nobody can honestly do so. We work on the factors you control.

To find out more, see our websites and SEO page, our lead generation page and our local pages, for example Lausanne or Geneva.