What is the difference between local SEO and regular SEO?

Regular SEO works on organic results for searches without a location. Local SEO works on searches where Google shows the map pack - "near me" and city searches - so the Google Business Profile, reviews and listings matter as much as the website. Most local businesses need both; the website side is covered by our SEO services.

How does Google rank businesses in the map pack?

Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. Prominence includes the number of reviews, ratings and the websites that link to your business. There is no way to pay for a better local ranking.

Can you get us more Google reviews?

Yes - by asking every customer through Google's own review link or QR code. We never offer incentives, filter for happy customers or write reviews: Google removes such reviews and can restrict the profile, and the FTC rule on consumer reviews, in force since October 21, 2024, prohibits fake reviews and rewards tied to a positive or negative sentiment.

Do you work with Yelp?

We keep your Yelp listing accurate, but we do not ask customers for Yelp reviews: Yelp prohibits asking anyone for them. Its recommendation software is fully automated - no Yelp employee can override it, and advertising does not influence it.

Can you remove a bad review?

Only reviews that violate Google's policies can be removed, such as fake reviews or conflicts of interest; disagreeing with a review is not a reason. We report the ones that break the rules and help you reply to the rest in public.

How long does local SEO take?

Profile fixes take effect in the first weeks, rankings in the map pack usually move in 1-2 months, and more calls from maps typically come from month 3. Competitive categories in large cities take longer.

Do you work with businesses in several cities?

Yes. Each location gets its own profile and page; service-area businesses get pages for the areas they actually serve, written from real jobs there rather than copies with the city name swapped.

Local SEO Services

We get your business into the map pack and the local results for the area you serve: a complete Google Business Profile, reviews collected by the rules, consistent listings and a page for each service and area. Reporting in calls, not just rankings.

Get a free audit See our work

Google Business Profile in your name
Reviews by Google and FTC rules
Reporting in calls and leads

Maps + organiclocal results

kitchen remodeling near me

maps

Your companyGoogle · Apple Maps

Callcall

organic

your site

3 factors

relevance, distance, prominence

per call from maps

Diagram, not a forecast. The figure in the card is from the SOS Moving case.

Case · SOS Moving

60 → 91

closed orders a month

Case · SOS Moving: 60 → 91 closed orders a month

Timeline: map rankings move in 1-2 months

Local SEO services are the work that puts your business in front of people searching nearby: the map pack with your Google Business Profile and the local organic results below it. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence, and that there is no way to pay for a better local ranking. Distance you cannot change, so a local SEO company works on the other two: a complete and accurate profile, reviews and mentions that build prominence, and pages that match what people in your area search for.

In short

How local rankings work, and what we do about each part

Google names three factors. Distance is fixed, so the work goes into the other two - and into the reviews and listings Google reads.

Relevance
How well your profile matches the search. Categories, services, hours and photos make the match clear: Google says complete and accurate profiles are more likely to show up.
Distance
How far the business is from the searcher or the place in the query. It cannot be optimized, only reflected honestly in service areas and local pages.
Prominence
How well known the business is. Google counts the number of reviews, ratings and the websites that link to the business.
Reviews, by the rules
Google bans paid and filtered reviews, Yelp bans asking for reviews at all, and the FTC rule on reviews has applied since October 21, 2024. Our request flow fits all three.
Consistent listings
The same name, address, phone and categories on Google, Bing, Apple Maps, Yelp and industry directories, so search engines see one business.
Local pages and tracking
A page per service and area on your site, and calls from the profile tracked separately, so you see what maps bring.

Timeline

profile and listings cleanup: in the first 2 weeks
map rankings move: in 1-2 months
more calls from maps: from month 3

Who it's for

Service-area businesses whose customers search "near me": movers, contractors, cleaners, plumbers, HVAC
Storefronts and offices: clinics, studios, auto services and other businesses customers visit
Several locations, each of which needs its own profile and page
A profile with few or old reviews while competitors keep collecting them
Businesses paying for every call through ads or lead marketplaces

When local SEO will not help

No location or service area where you want customers: Google ranks by distance, so maps will not show you there
You want reviews bought or filtered: Google, Yelp and the FTC rule prohibit it, and Google can restrict the profile
Nobody answers the phone: most map traffic arrives as calls
You sell nationwide, not in specific areas: that is regular SEO

What's included

What's included in local SEO services

Google Business Profile optimization
Categories, services, hours, service areas, photos and products - complete and accurate, in an account that stays yours.
Review request flow
Google's own review link and QR code, offered to every customer, with no incentives and no filtering. On Yelp we don't ask - its rules forbid it.
Listings and citations
Name, address, phone and categories aligned across Bing, Apple Maps, Yelp and the directories of your industry.
Local landing pages
A page per service and area with real details, prices and reviews - not templates with the city name swapped.
Links and local mentions
Local media, associations and partners that send real visitors - the websites Google counts toward prominence.
Call and lead tracking
Calls, direction requests and website clicks from the profile, reported monthly next to your map pack rankings.

Process

How we work with you

1-3 days
Free audit
Your profile, reviews and listings compared with the competitors that show up in the map pack for your area.
weeks 1-2
Profile and listings
The profile completed and corrected; inconsistent listings fixed or claimed.
week 2
Review flow
A request link and QR code built into your customer process, with wording your team can use.
ongoing
Local pages
Pages for your main services and areas, written from real facts about your work there.
ongoing
Links and mentions
Local media, partners and directories that matter in your industry.
monthly
Monthly report
Map pack rankings, calls and website clicks from the profile, and the plan for the next month.

Where local search worked

Pricing

Local SEO pricing

Monthly retainer

quoted after a free audit

The scope depends on the number of locations and service areas, local pages and link building. We quote after the audit - it takes 1-3 days and costs nothing. The profile and all accounts stay in your name.

Get an exact quote

FAQ