We talked a lot about citations back in Episode #209, but today, we want to zoom in on something a little more specific — local citations, local SEO strategies, and Google Business Profiles.
Because if you serve a local audience — whether you’re a photographer, therapist, painter, contractor, dentist, or really any business that serves a specific area — this is one of the most powerful visibility tools you have.
And guess what, even if you are a service provider who can serve anyone anywhere, are you ever going to turn down a local business? Probably not.
So let’s dig into our neighbors a bit and how local SEO strategies have evolved over the years to better understand what actually matters right now.
You might be wondering, what’s the difference between a local citation and a citation?
A local citation is a mention of your business’s Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) online.
Examples:
- Google Business Profiles
- Apple Maps
- Yelp
- Bing Places
- Facebook business pages
- Local blogs or news websites
- Industry directories
The purpose of these citations is actually really simple.
They help search engines verify that your business exists and confirm that your information is accurate.
Think of them as digital references for your business.
The more consistent those references are across the web, the easier it is for search engines to trust that your business is legitimate.
The Old Local SEO Growth Strategy…
Build as many directory listings as possible. People would pay agencies big money to “buy them these links on all different kinds of random websites.”
Because back then, more citations = better rankings. Regardless of how credible the website was.
The New Local SEO Growth Strategy…
- Focus on consistency, accuracy, and freshness across key sources.
- Quality over quantity.
- Active management and updates matter more than just counts.
Because a well-maintained listing signals that your business is real and active.
And this is where Google Business Profiles come in.
Why Google Business Profiles Matter So Much
Don’t forget Bing Places and Apple Maps, too. But Google is definitely the big one… It’s the center of local SEO strategies.
When someone searches for something like:
“Brewery that allows dogs near me”
“Plumber in Chicago”
“Brand photographer in Minneapolis”
Google knows right away that location is an indicator, so it will pop up a map right away at the top of the search page. The visual is almost always the same… a map with three businesses featured to the left.
This is called the Local 3-Pack.
Did you know the local 3-pack is more competitive than ever?
- The average click-through rate for position one is 42%.
- Position two gets 24%.
- Position three drops to 15%.
Just to put that into perspective with those traditional blue links underneath the map…
- Position 1: 39.8%
- Position 2: 18.7%
- Position 3: 10.2%
- Position 4: 7.2%
- Position 5: 5.1%
And guess what? For local searches, the AI overview is not the first thing to appear. It’s still the map. The map is still holding all the local power!
So showing up in that top three can make a massive difference for local businesses.
So what are the things that influence how well your Google Business Profile (or any other profile) ranks online?
I used to say it was reviews— the star rating and the amount. But a new study is finding that something else is much more important these days.
- Consistency score (35% weight):
- Perfect NAP matching across all major platforms
- Freshness signals (25% weight):
- Recent updates to listings
- New reviews & you responding to those reviews
- Adding photos
- Posting updates— share blogs, offers, sales, etc.
- Active management
- Aggregator presence (20% weight):
- There are large databases that distribute business information across the internet. Tools like Semrush help businesses manage and update that information so it stays consistent across directories, maps, and apps.
- This is something we do for our clients.
- Honestly, this is also something we see many businesses taking advantage of. Paying a couple of hundred dollars a month to “maintain” their listings.
- Here’s our workaround… If you can’t prioritize that yet, that’s okay. Start with the main directories we mentioned above.
- Review velocity (15% weight):
- Reviews matter — but not just the number.
- Search engines also look at how consistently reviews are coming in.
- A steady stream of reviews signals that a business is active and trusted.
- Schema alignment (5% weight):
- Your website’s structured data should match the information found in your listings.
- This helps search engines confidently connect your website with your local business profiles.
3 Google Business Profile Ranking Factors Most People Overlook
A lot more goes into maintaining a Google Business Profile than just collecting reviews. Here are three things people usually forget about.
1. Photos
Most businesses upload a few photos to their Google Business Profile and then never touch it again. But Google actually tracks photo activity.
- How often new photos are added
- How many photos your listing have compared to competitors
- Engagement with those photos
Businesses that regularly add photos tend to send a signal to Google that the listing is active and maintained.
This doesn’t have to be fancy…
- Photos of your work
- Before-and-after projects
- Team photos
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Your storefront or office
Chances are, you already have a folder of these you planned to use for social content! Repurpose it!
2. Review Response
Sometimes we focus too much on getting reviews that we forget to actually respond to them when they come in.
Google actually looks at whether business owners are actively engaging with their reviews, good OR bad.
Here’s a short and sweet response you can use to respond to reviews right now:
“Thank you so much for the kind words — we loved working with you!”
3. Posts on Google Business Profiles
Google Business Profiles let you post updates, yet most businesses never use this feature. HECK, this was also us!
Did you know you can share things like:
- Announcements
- Events
- Promotions
- Seasonal updates
- Blog or podcast content
These posts act almost like mini social media updates directly inside Google search results.
And again, they signal that your business is active and relevant.
Even posting once or twice a month can help reinforce those freshness signals.
Are you noticing a trend? Make sure your business is active, and your data is consistent.
A lot of people think local SEO strategies are just about setting up their Google Business Profile and leaving it alone. But the businesses that perform best treat it like a living profile, regularly updated and maintained.
Take a few minutes this week to post a new photo or update, check for NAP consistency, or respond to reviews. It makes a difference, even if you don’t see it firsthand!
We are hosting a couple of completely free webinars to simplify SEO for you. Register and save your seat.
FAQs About Local SEO Strategies
Absolutely. Any online business can optimize for service areas and still rank well in local searches.
Yes! We just added neighborhood-specific pages for a realtor client. The key is creating unique pages with genuinely localized content, such as neighborhood-specific services, local landmarks, FAQs, testimonials, and community references, rather than duplicating the same page across cities. It doesn’t make sense for some businesses, but for some, it’s a great local SEO strategy.
New strategies focus less on using the exact phrase “near me,” and more on strong location signals through Google Business Profile, service areas, consistent NAP information, mobile optimization, and localized website content.
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Abbey Oslin and Courtney Petersen are Minnesota-based marketing experts with over 20+ years of combined experience working with big brands. They are educators and co-founders of Duo Collective; a boutique organic marketing agency specializing in SEO, branding, and custom websites for women-led small businesses and creative entrepreneurs.
Ready to grow your visibility and become unforgettable?
Learn more or work with our team here.
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