Guides

Local SEO guides for service businesses.

Plain-English answers to the questions business owners actually search for. Start with the free audit to see what's worth fixing first, then read a guide to do it yourself.

Run Free Audit
Local SEO

Local SEO for small businesses

What local SEO is, how Google local rankings work, and where to start — the umbrella guide for everything else on this page.

Local SEOHow Long Does Local SEO Take to Work?How long local SEO takes to work depends on your profile, reviews, website, citations, and competition — here's what actually drives the timeline, and how to tell it's working before you rank higher.Read the guide → Local SEOLocal Citations for Local SEO: What They Are and Whether You Need ThemWhat a local citation really is, which ones matter in 2026, and whether your business needs them — plus a simple NAP consistency process you can run in one afternoon.Read the guide → Local SEOLocal SEO for Small Businesses: What It Is, How It Works, and Where to StartWhat local SEO actually is for a small business — how Google local rankings work, what it includes (profile, reviews, website, consistency, local content, tracking), and where to start without wasting money.Read the guide →
Google Maps

Google Maps visibility

Get your business into the map pack and keep it there — ranking, troubleshooting, and the Google Business Profile basics behind them.

Google MapsHow to Add Services to Your Google Business Profile (Without Over-Optimizing)Your Google Business Profile has a services section for a reason. How to add the right services, write them clearly, and avoid the over-optimizing that dilutes what Google understands.Read the guide → Google MapsHow to Choose the Best Google Business Profile Category for Your BusinessYour Google Business Profile category tells Google what your business is. How to pick the right primary category, add secondary ones, and fix a category that's holding you back.Read the guide → Google MapsWhy Does My Competitor Rank Higher Than My Business?If a competitor outranks you on Google Maps, it's usually one of three factors — relevance, distance, or prominence. Here's how to compare your business to theirs and find the gaps you can actually fix.Read the guide → Google MapsGoogle Business Profile Suspended: How to Fix ItIs your Google Business Profile suspended or disabled? Learn the common causes, what to check before appealing, how to submit an appeal, and what to do if Google rejects it.Read the guide → Google MapsHow to Verify Your Google Business ProfileHow Google Business Profile verification works, which methods Google may assign, what each method requires, and what to do when verification fails or gets stuck.Read the guide → Google MapsHow to Claim Your Google Business ProfileLearn how to claim your Google Business Profile, create a new profile, or request ownership when someone else manages it. Includes the steps to take in each situation.Read the guide → Google MapsWhy Did My Google Maps Ranking Drop? (And Why Rankings Change)Why did your Google Maps ranking drop — or move at all? The real causes behind ranking changes: location, relevance, distance, competitors, profile updates, and reviews — plus a diagnostic checklist for what to check next.Read the guide → Google MapsGoogle Business Profile Optimization: What to Check FirstYour Google Business Profile is verified — now what? A practical guide to what to check first, from categories and service areas to photos, links, services, and reviews.Read the guide → Google MapsWhy Is My Google Business Profile Not Showing Up?Your Google Business Profile isn't showing up on Google — or anywhere at all. Check the profile-level causes first: unclaimed, unverified, suspended, hidden, duplicated, or not yet published.Read the guide → Google MapsWhy Is My Business Not Showing on Google Maps?A practical troubleshooting guide: which type of visibility problem you have, and what to check first — profile status, categories, service area, reviews, NAP and website.Read the guide → Google MapsHow to Rank Higher on Google MapsWhat Google says actually moves you up the map pack — Business Profile, categories, service area, reviews, NAP. No myths, no shortcuts.Read the guide → Google MapsWhy Is My Plumbing Business Not Showing on Google Maps?Eight practical reasons a plumber disappears from the map pack — and how to fix each one.Read the guide →
Home Services

Home services

Local SEO for plumbers, HVAC, electricians, cleaners, and landscapers — getting found and chosen in your service area.

Home ServicesLocal SEO for Home ServicesHow home service businesses — plumbers, HVAC, electricians, cleaners, landscapers — get found on Google Maps and in local search. GBP, service-area pages, reviews, and citations.Read the guide →
Google Reviews

Google Reviews

Earn more honest reviews the Google-safe way and turn them into local trust and visibility.

Google ReviewsHow to Remove a Google Review: What's Actually PossibleA business can't delete a Google review itself. What's actually possible — when Google may remove a review, how to report policy violations, and how to respond when a negative review has to stay.Read the guide → Google ReviewsHow to Ask Customers for a Google Review: How to Do It Without Breaking Google's RulesHow to ask customers for Google reviews the Google-safe way — what the rules actually allow, when and how to ask, scripts you can copy, and the mistakes that get reviews removed. No incentives, no gating, no pressure.Read the guide → Google ReviewsHow to Respond to Negative Google Reviews: Examples That WorkWhat to do when a bad Google review appears — whether it can be removed, how Google says you should respond, and example replies you can adapt. No arguing, no incentives, no review-removal deals.Read the guide → Google ReviewsHow Many Google Reviews Does a Small Business Need?There is no magic review number. How to compare your review count, rating, and recent activity with the businesses you actually compete with — and how to earn more reviews without violating Google's policies.Read the guide → Google ReviewsHow to Get More Google Reviews for a Plumbing BusinessNine practical, Google-safe ways a plumbing business can earn more honest reviews — asking at the right moment, one-tap links, QR codes, follow-ups, and a simple review system that makes it repeatable.Read the guide →
Local SEO Services

Local SEO services & costs

What local SEO actually includes, what it costs, and how to choose between DIY, software, and an agency.

Local SEO ServicesLocal SEO Services: Costs, What's Included & How to ChooseAn independent guide to what local SEO really includes, what it costs, and how to choose between DIY, software, and an agency — plus a proposal checklist.Read the guide →
Conversion

Local business conversion

Turn local visibility into calls and booked jobs — CTAs, phone placement, contact pages, and landing pages.

ConversionHow to Get More Calls From Google Maps: 10 Practical WaysTen practical ways to get more calls from your Google Maps listing — set up the Call button, track the Calls metric, fix hours and categories, and pick up the phone. No tricks.Read the guide → ConversionHow to Improve Local Business Conversion RateWhy a local business gets found but not called — and the fix order for turning website and Google Maps visits into phone calls, quote requests, and booked jobs.Read the guide →