The Derby search market, mapped
Most service businesses in Derby rank for their own company name and little else. The buying searches — the "near me" queries fired from the DE postcode area and from Long Eaton, Belper and Alfreton — go to whoever holds the map pack. That's rarely the best operator in Derby; it's the one whose Google Business Profile and site structure send the strongest local signals.
Our approach in Derby is sequence-driven: fix the technical foundations first, then build out location pages for Ilkeston and Alfreton, then push Google Business Profile authority until the map pack moves. Each stage is measured against enquiries from the DE area — not impressions, not traffic, enquiries.
Where we win work around Derby
In Derby we prioritise the searches that turn into booked work: emergency and urgent-intent terms, "near me" queries across the DE area, and town-plus-service phrases for Ilkeston and Alfreton. Volume keywords look good in reports; intent keywords pay invoices.
And because we're Leicester-based rather than Derby-based, there's no conflict of interest: we're not ranking three of your local competitors on the same keywords. One service business per trade, per market — that's the arrangement.