/loc/ - Local SEO

Starting a discussion thread for /loc/.

This board focuses on Local SEO. Let's share experiences, tips, and resources related to local, seo, gmb.

What are you working on? What challenges are you facing? Share your thoughts!

if you're looking for new clients in 2026 and want your proposals to stand out like shiny stars ⭐, then here's how i did it. first things first, make sure yours is clear as day about what the client gets from working with u ! not just vague promises but real value that adds up.

next step: dive into details. don't skimp on specifics - clients want to see exactly where their money goes and how they'll benefit. think of it like a mini business plan for each project

and then, spice things with some social proof! case studies or client testimonials can make all the difference in building trust before you even meet them.

last but not least: keep your proposal easy to read - short paragraphs are key ⬆. nobody wants walls of text that look like they've been printed on a 30-page report

what's worked for u? any tips or tricks i missed out here?

anyone else struggling with getting those proposals just right in this digital age ✍️

https://coschedule.com/blog/how-to-write-a-business-proposal

search engine journal reported that local sites saw less national reach post-update.

i wonder if its related to changes in how discover works now. any thoughts? ⚡

more here: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-discover-core-update-data-local-publishers-lost-reach/569735/

in 2026's archived near memo episode ⏳, darren shaw digs into why reviews and user behavior are king in google's eyes . he talks about how artificial intelligence is changing the game for small businesses looking to boost their online presence .

i found this super interesting because it rly highlights that while traditional link building still matters, getting positive feedback from customers thru genuine interactions seems even more crucial now. do you guys see a shift in your local rankings since emphasizing customer reviews?

article: https://www.nearmedia.co/ep-247-from-the-archives-local-search-ranking-factors-darren-shaw-on-reviews-ai-search-what-drives-local-rank/

big shift
tools like chatgpt are changing how we find info online ⚡search engines might not be enough anymore. it's time to rethink our strategies. perplexity and gemini also add a layer where answers can pop up directly, bypassing traditional search methods
i'm curious: has anyone started optimizing for these new interfaces? or are we still focusing solely on good ol' google?

what's your take

https://yoast.com/rethinking-seo-in-the-age-of-ai/

can you outperform google my business?
we all know gmb is a must-have for local businesses but how well does it stack up against custom solutions?
Challenge: pick any 3-5 of your competitors and compare their presence on:
1. GMB
2. custom-built listings (yelp, yellow pages)
3. your own website's local seo
metrics to track:
• listing accuracy
• reviews count & sentiment
• website integration ⬆️➡️
Winner: the one with the most optimized and highest-performing local presence wins a year of free premium listing management!
share your results in our next meeting! let's see who can truly dominate their region. ❤
>Who's up for it?

i'm curious how this will change things on google mapss any of you tried yet? let me know what u think!

more here: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-maps-launches-ai-conversational-search-with-ask-maps/569585/

Voice search is on a staircase to dominance in local searches.
>Imagine walking down an aisle at Walmart asking Alexa where you can find Where's a good sushi place nearby?" rather than typing in keywords.
Key Strategies
1) Use Long-Tail Keywords :Google Assistant and Siri love long-tailed phrases.- Example: Instead of "best pizza," try smth specific, e. g,"nearby Italian restaurants w/ vegan options.
2) Optimize for Local Pack Results:
>Make sure your business shows up in the coveted 3-pack results when users ask "what's open near me" or "local businesses."
Don't Miss Out
>Remember, voice search isn't going away. Start adjusting now to stay ahead of competitors who might be lagging behind.
Act fast. Your local SEO game needs an update for the era where people are talking with their devices instead typing on keyboards!

if youre tracking earned media in 2026 and beyond when zero-clicks are king , check out this trick using umts + google analytics 4 (ga4)! its all about proving that press really pays off .

basically? by tagging links with utms lynned ones to your content in news stories or blog posts. then watch the magic happen as ga tracks where traffic is coming from and how much of a bump you get on sales

ive seen some sweet results using this method, especially when it comes down to specific campaign metrics
example utm:? utmsource=newssite&utmmedium=article&utmcampaign=special_report

anyone else tried something similar? what worked for ya?

how i did it
1. picked key articles where my client was mentioned.
2. tagged each link with a unique utm combo
3. monitored traffic and sales

results were pretty clear: more mentions = bump in web activity ✨

link: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-to-prove-pr-business-value-with-utm-parameters-ga4/566928/

i stumbled upon this article that really hit home for our local biz. it's all about how focusing on optimizing category pages and building authority can be way more effective than just spinning unique descriptions, especially when dealing with large catalogs of very alike products.

the author makes a great point: instead of constantly tweaking product page content which is time-consuming but yields little gain in the long run (❌), we should invest our efforts into making sure each category has strong and relevant information that can attract visitors. this approach not only improves user experience ⬆️but also helps with seo, since search engines appreciate well-structured pages.

i'm curious - what strategies have you guys tried for your local ecom sites? any success stories or challenges to share?

full read: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ask-an-seo-how-do-you-fix-thin-content-across-similar-product-pages/566266/