Local SEO that gets you into the map pack
When someone nearby searches for what you do, the three businesses in the Google Maps pack get the first look. Local SEO is the monthly work of earning one of those spots, and keeping it once you have it.
Setup, Growth or Local SEO?
I offer three things that touch your Google profile. They're different jobs at different prices, so here's the honest difference.
| Profile setup | Growth plan | Local SEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 once (free with a website) | $149/month | $199/month |
| What it is | Getting your profile complete and correct, one time | Website care plus keeping your profile active | Active work to climb the map rankings |
| Google posts | — | 4 per month | Included, planned around your services |
| Citations & directories | — | — | Built and cleaned up |
| Local pages on your site | — | Website edits | Improved for local searches |
| Map rank tracking | — | — | Across your whole area |
| Best for | Getting started right | Staying fresh with little effort | Competitive areas where you need to climb |
Start with a one-time profile setup if yours is new or incomplete. Local SEO builds on top of it.
What you get each month
Google says local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. Each item below works on relevance or prominence, the two you can influence.
Source: Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to improve your local ranking".
Every month
- Google Business Profile optimization: categories, services, products, photos, Q&A
- Regular Google posts about your services, offers and work
- Citations and directory listings built and cleaned up, with the same name, address and phone everywhere
- Your review growth system kept running, with reply help
- Local landing pages on your website improved for the areas you serve
- Local rank checks for your main searches, from different parts of your service area
- A monthly report showing where you rank, block by block
See where you rank, street by street
Searching your own business from the shop tells you almost nothing, because Google shows results based on where the searcher is. So I track your position from many points across your area.
Your area
Map rankings change street by street, so I check your main searches from several points across the area you serve, not just from your address.
The map
You see a color-coded map: green where you're in the top three, red where you're invisible.
The trend
Month by month, you see whether the green area is growing, and the work focuses on the red parts.
Local SEO works best when...
A great fit
- You serve customers in a specific town or area
- Competitors with more reviews appear above you on Maps
- Your business details are different across sites like Yelp, Facebook and directories
- You can ask happy customers for reviews regularly
Be realistic when
- You're far from where most searches happen. Distance can't be optimized away
- You don't have a verified Google Business Profile yet
- Your business is online-only. Regular SEO fits better
- You need customers this week. Ads are faster; local SEO builds over months
From audit to monthly growth
Baseline
I check your profile, citations, reviews and website, and check your current map rankings across your area so we know exactly where you start.
Foundations
Fix inconsistent listings, complete the profile, and set up the review system if it isn't running.
Monthly work
Posts, new citations, review follow-up and local page improvements, focused where your rankings are weakest.
Report
Updated ranking checks and a short summary each month: what changed and what's next.
Want to check your own profile first? Try the free local SEO checker.
Local SEO questions
What do local SEO services include?
My local SEO work includes Google Business Profile optimization and posts, citation and directory clean-up, review growth, local page improvements on your website, map rank tracking across your area and a monthly report.
How much does local SEO cost?
My local SEO is $199 a month, month to month. A one-time Google Business Profile setup is $99, or free with a $397 website.
How long does local SEO take?
Profile fixes can show within weeks, but climbing the map pack in a competitive area usually takes a few months of steady reviews, citations and content.
What are citations?
Citations are mentions of your business name, address and phone number on other sites, like directories and review sites. Consistent details help Google trust that your business information is accurate.
Can you get me into the top 3 on Google Maps?
Nobody can guarantee a map position, because distance from the searcher and your competition play a big part. What I can show you each month is where you rank across your area, so you can see exactly where you're gaining ground.
Related pages
See it before you pay
Get a free preview of your new website first. Then decide.