Complete local SEO strategy. Google Maps ranking, Google Business Profile optimization, local citations, reviews.
79% of mobile searches with local intent result in a visit within 24 hours. For dentists, plumbers, salons, restaurantsโlocal SEO = immediate revenue. If you have multiple locations, check out our guide on [Franchise SEO](/blog/franchise-seo-manage-10-50-or-100-locations) for scaling this strategy.
Local pack results appear above organic results. Ranking in the local pack = more calls and bookings.
Example: A user searches "best dentist near me." Before clicking any website, they see a map with 3 dentist locations. That map real estate is gold.
1. **Google Business Profile** - Foundation (50% of ranking factor)
2. **NAP Consistency** - Name, address, phone (25%)
3. **Reviews & Ratings** - Social proof (15%)
4. **Citations** - Local mentions (10%)
Get these right and you'll rank. Learn more about [local citations](/glossary/local-pack) and how they impact your [domain authority](/glossary/domain-authority).
Your GBP is your single most important asset for local ranking.
Upload 10-20 photos covering:
Photos with faces get 35% more engagement.
Create GBP posts 2-4 times monthly:
Posts decay in visibility after 7 days, so consistency matters.
Your Name, Address, Phone must be identical everywhere.
Search Google for: "your business name"
Check first 10 results. Is your address spelled the same? Is your phone formatting consistent?
Issues:
These small differences hurt ranking.
Update NAP on:
A citation is a mention of your business name, address, phone on external sites.
1. **Google Maps** - Already done if you have GBP
2. **Apple Maps** - iPhone users
3. **Bing Places** - Bing searches
4. **Yelp** - Reviews + local visibility
5. **Better Business Bureau** - Credibility signal
6. **Chamber of Commerce** - Local authority
7. **Industry directories** - Your niche
Week 1-2: Set up Google, Apple, Bing
Week 3-4: Yelp, BBB, Chamber of Commerce
Week 5-8: Industry-specific directories
Don't create all citations at onceโlooks unnatural.
Reviews are the #1 ranking factor after NAP consistency.
**Ask immediately after transaction:**
**Make it easy:**
Respond to **every review**โpositive and negative.
**Response to 5-star:**
"Thank you so much! We're thrilled you had a great experience. Looking forward to seeing you again!"
**Response to negative:**
"We sincerely apologize you had this experience. We've reviewed your feedback and here's what we're doing: [specific action]. We'd love another chance. Please contact us directly at [phone]."
Shows potential customers you care about feedback.
Create location-specific pages that rank for local intent.
1. **Main service page with city:** "Dental Services in [City]"
2. **Neighborhood pages:** "Dentist in [Neighborhood]"
3. **Local guides:** "Best areas for families in [City]"
4. **Local case studies:** "[City] client results"
5. **Service-specific + location:** "Root canal therapy in [City]"
Each page targets local keywords.
Create a folder structure like:
Example for dental services:
Add [LocalBusiness schema markup](/glossary/schema-markup) to help Google understand your location.
Schema tells Google:
Google uses this for [local pack](/glossary/local-pack) ranking. This is a critical E-E-A-T signal that improves both rank and credibility.
| Timeline | Action | Result |
|----------|--------|--------|
| **Week 1-2** | Optimize GBP, build citations | Basic visibility |
| **Week 3-4** | NAP consistency audit | Improved ranking |
| **Week 5-8** | Gather first 20 reviews | Top 5 ranking |
| **Month 3** | Local content pages | Top 3 ranking |
| **Month 6** | 50+ reviews, optimization | Consistent #1 |
**Starting point:**
**After 6 months:**
Allocate Google Ads budget strategically. ROAS targets, bid strategies, automation rules....
Read More โ
Multi-location franchise SEO strategy. Managing consistency, citations, and local ranking at scale....
Read More โ
E-commerce SEO is different. Product page optimization, category pages, duplicate content, conversio...
Read More โ