With two days of incredible talks and presentations about what you need to know for local marketing success right now.

Whether you tuned in live or are just catching up now, we’ve rounded up the key moments and insights from the event so you can dive straight into the good stuff.

Building a Brand That Locals Love, and How That Just Might Help You Battle Against the Big Behemoths

Wil’s keynote talk inspired us to consider the real need for authentic marketing in an age of AI. He talked us through various examples of brands that do this well, and gave practical tips on how to appear in AI search results.

Wil Reynolds

Founder and CEO at Seer Interactive

“There’s a lot of different ways to win in this new future. The question is, are we going to go back to what SEO was founded on, which was low quality, sometimes spammy stuff? Or are we going to go try to win for humans? And really, I want you to think you’re not going to win by outsourcing your authenticity. So lean into that. As a local business, I think now’s the best time to be rewarded for that.”

From Google Maps to TikTok: Adapting Local Content for Every Platform

Melissa walks us through creating bespoke content for a mix of social media channels, including Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. She explains how to repurpose content and ensure everything is localized and authentically valuable for potential customers.

Melissa Popp

Content Strategy Director at RicketyRoo

“Show the things that go wrong. People love human stories. Don’t shy away from failures. They’re actually a goldmine for content. And make sure that you’re tagging every post with a location and any businesses you’re asked… You want to invite people to that conversation, whether it’s a good review or a bad review. Talk to those people about it and share with your community about that.”

Rad Ranking Roadmap for Reddit

Andrew showed us how authentic engagement on Reddit can boost both Google rankings and AI visibility.

Andrew Shotland

CEO at Local SEO Guide

“I don’t care about your website. Maybe when I go to find your phone number, fill out a form. I do, but I don’t care about your 500 blog posts you wrote about how to fix your toilet. I care about people telling me how to do things and giving me advice. And so if you can get on Facebook or Reddit or whatever and be there with the content you put on your website, I think you have a lot better chance of ranking better and a lot better chance of actually converting customers from those sites.”

The New Customer Journey: How Local Searchers Find and Choose Lawyers

Near Media’s session uncovered how consumers really search for personal injury lawyers. Reviews, response times, and knowing where people start their search can make all the difference in capturing high-intent leads.

David Mihm

Local Search Consultant at Near Media

“Law firms need an outrageous number of reviews and near-perfect ratings in order to get those initial clicks and additional considerations. And if you do happen to get a phone call from somebody who has done a search and has chosen you for their first call, you’d better respond within a couple of hours because you might lose the case if you’re more delayed than that.”

Greg Sterling

Co-Founder at Near Media

“We found a number of demographic differences… younger people are more inclined to start their lawyer search on Google. And older people are more inclined to tap into word-of-mouth referrals. That doesn’t mean that older people aren’t using Google, or that younger people aren’t using word of mouth. It just means this is sort of their go-to entry point for this kind of inquiry.”

Mike Blumenthal

Co-Founder at Near Media

“I would add that in terms of Google AIOs… it’s a function of query length, and low funnel queries are typically shorter. Google delivers the local pack where longer queries… are not as local in nature. So Google sort of makes this transition, apparently based on query length, whether they show AIOs or whether they show the local.”

Technical SEO for Local Websites and Why It Matters

Iva reminded us that technical SEO isn’t separate from local; it’s the foundation. A site that’s fast, structured, and easy for search engines to understand helps every part of your local strategy shine.

Iva Jovanovic

Freelance SEO Specialist at Self-Employed

“There’s this division in SEO of doing on-page, off-page, technical, and local. They all benefit one another, and local SEO definitely benefits from technical SEO. Technical SEO is the thing that allows the content from your website to perform to its full potential. It is what helps search engines find and get what your website is about and ultimately index your website and its content.”

GBP Problems and How to Solve Them + AMA

Joy and Ben shared practical tips for navigating Google Business Profile hurdles, from verification tricks to maximizing your ranking radius.

Joy Hawkins

Owner at Sterling Sky

“If you’re a service business, you actually don’t have to verify your business at your home address. A lot of people think you do. You can actually drive out, like if you’re a realtor, you can drive out to a home that you are selling in the neighborhood that matches your service area. And as long as you can, like start your car, open the door to the house, and then like, show your sign on the front line, you’re good to verify there.”

Ben Fisher

Founder at Steady Demand

“From the work that we’ve seen and done, we see that a service for your business on average… will rank, you know, up to about two miles a day, right? Whereas, you know, a storefront can now rank anywhere from 5 to 10 miles… So it’s a clear win if you can get a physical address, of course, you have to abide by the guidelines.”

Marketing Advice from the Best Marketer You’ve Never Heard Of

Andi’s keynote talk showed how sharp strategy and tight targeting can transform results.

Andi Jarvis

Founder and Strategy Director at Eximo Marketing

“Most marketers are terrible at this, but great positioning is like having one tennis ball and throwing it at someone. You throw a tennis ball at someone, and they’ll catch it. You throw ten tennis balls at someone, they’re not going to catch any of them… You’ve got to focus, you’ve got to remove to improve.”

A Conversation with Google

Omar reinforced that the fundamentals still matter: clear SEO, a complete GBP, and content that brings real value to customers.

Omar Riaz

Strategic Partnerships at Google

“The fundamentals of SEO are even more important now than before. Even the way people are searching is evolving, the core goal remains the same, and the goal is to help people find outstanding original content that adds unique value… Now, in the new world, where the more informed users are coming to the website, it’s really important to look beyond the click-through rates, to measure what really matters, like engagement, conversations, and building a loyal audience.”

Choose Wisely: GBP Category Strategies for Maximizing Google Maps Visibility

Elizabeth showed why GBP categories are a big deal. Use every available slot thoughtfully to give your business a stronger shot at visibility.

Elizabeth Rule

Local SEO Strategist and Account Manager at Sterling Sky

“Once we choose the best primary category, you then want to spell out all the possible secondary categories that are available… since we have nine available sections in the additional category section on GBP, you’re going to want to fill up all nine if at all possible with relevant categories. Because, remember, secondary categories were number seven on the list of local search ranking factors out of over 100 factors. So they’re still very important for local rankings.”

Mining Gold from Customer Feedback

Julian explained how to turn customer feedback into insights. He explained how to spot keyword-rich themes in reviews, use them in on-page content, and learn from negative feedback to improve operations.

Julian Hooks

Senior Manager of SEO at Asurion

“There’s a ton of value in criticism, and no one likes getting one-star reviews, but a lot of times they are very much justified… Frequent complaints highlight operational and content opportunities. You can use these to fix the issue if it’s something happening in real time in the store… Rewriting service descriptions to clarify expectations… using this for CRO tests and user experience updates to the site. If people are frustrated about something, try to fix it.”

Keeping Humans in Marketing

Leighanne encouraged using AI as a tool, not a replacement. She emphasized that true connection and trust come from human insight.

Leighanne Jones (Rayome)

SEO Manager at Beyond Blue Media

“AI can provide the foundation or the bones [of] strategy, but I don’t think it should be used as a full implementation of everything that you’re doing… writing content faster with AI doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to get you results faster. Nothing is a guarantee. So Google still follows its own ranking processes. And answer engines generally mirror Google, and we’re seeing more of that as well. So speed doesn’t guarantee visibility or success”

Local SEO: How To Make More Customers Click, Choose, and Walk Through Your Doors

Krystal and Paul wrapped up the event with data-driven insights from Uberall’s Consumer Survey Report on how consumers find and choose local businesses online.

Paul Modaley

Senior Marketing Programs Manager at Uberall

“So we ask consumers to select their three preferred ways to search local businesses…Google search in our consumer survey came out number one, followed by Google Maps and social media. AI tools back in May… things like ChatGPT… came in fourth most used at 19% and then Apple Maps just behind that.”

Krystal Taing

VP Solutions at Uberall

“One of the most interesting things that we’ve got is so much feedback about pricing, either not having pricing online that someone can access or having conflicting pricing… So if you’re a business and you have a menu, whether it’s food or services, even having a starting at price range is really important to capture those customers that are deciding between you and another business.

Conclusion

From AI to authenticity, from technical SEO to the power of reviews, Local SEO for Good 2025 delivered a wealth of insights to help local marketers stay ahead. Whether you’re refining your content strategy, tightening technical foundations, or engaging your community, these lessons set the stage for a stronger, more visible local presence in 2025 and beyond.

Catch up on all the talks from day 1 and day 2 now on our YouTube channel.

We’ve previously talked about the changing nature of SEO, and how that means some tactics can become outdated or even no longer seen as best practice. Combine that with some of the, um, questionable advice that can sometimes be found online, and you can find yourself in a bit of a pickle.

Mistakes happen, but some can be more costly than others. If your business no longer ranks in the local map pack or organic results, that’s a problem because it means prospective customers aren’t able to find you. If you’ve recently received several negative reviews and didn’t respond to them in the hope the issue might go away, that’s a problem because it’s going to affect the way consumers perceive your business.

Understanding the consequences of mistakes and missed opportunities can help you make sure they don’t happen. And if they do? We’ve gathered some of the biggest local SEO mistakes from our industry friends, and shared their fixes here with you. 

Not investing in the right platforms

It may come as a surprise, but the biggest mistake could be simple inactivity.

In August 2025, we surveyed 778 SMB owners and managers. While 72% of them said that SEO had a medium-high impact on their business, the reality of their tactics highlighted some serious mistakes.

• 40% said they have a dedicated website.
• 35% of SMBs have Google Business Profiles.

So before we get into the specific mistakes that experts often see across these platforms, it’s worth knowing that the biggest mistake of all is not being present in the first place. A Google Business Profile and a website are basic foundations for ranking and interacting with your customers.

The good news is these mistakes are simple to fix, and we can help. Read our guides on creating a Google Business Profile (they’re free, and simple to claim), and our step-by-step advice on creating a website from scratch.

Google Business Profile mistakes

There are many mistakes you can make with a Google Business Profile (GBP) beyond being among the two-thirds of businesses that don’t have one. If you are, quickly go and claim one now. Read on for tips to help you avoid a profile suspension and find out why adding secondary categories is more than just a tick-box exercise.

"GBP category errors are almost always highlighted in our audits and pitches."

Rachel Ellen, Local Search Strategist at Croud

When setting up or managing your GBP, you’re given the option to choose one primary category and up to nine additional ones. Sounds simple enough, but this is hands down one of the most common (and costly) mistakes I see across the wide range of clients I work with, no matter the industry.

Correctly chosen categories help your listing show up in the right local searches. But get them wrong, or worse, leave out relevant ones, and you’re practically handing over visibility to your competitors.

Take a recent example: I was reviewing a client’s GBP who specialises in boots and shoes. They hadn’t selected either “Boot shop” or “Shoe shop” as a category. Instead, they’d gone with something vague and less helpful. No wonder they were struggling to rank for the terms that actually mattered to them.

And it’s not just about visibility, it’s about instilling confidence in potential customers. Even if your profile does rank, having a broad primary category like “Clinic” while your competitors are listed as “Physiotherapy clinic” or “Chiropractor” can make you seem like a less relevant choice. Someone looking for a specific service is much more likely to click on the profile that spells it out clearly.

In multi-practitioner scenarios, think doctors, therapists, or dentists, shared primary categories across all profiles can even result in a practitioner profile outranking the main business listing. One way around this is to diversify categories across listings to protect your brand’s presence in local results.

"Time and time again: a merchant gets unsuspended or verified, and immediately makes changes to their GBP"

Ben Fisher, Founder and Lead Consultant at Steady Demand

I see it time and time again: a merchant gets unsuspended or verified, and they immediately do things like change their business name or add or remove an address. This can trigger another verification process and usually a suspension.

Another big thing I see is with profile suspensions in particular. The situation usually unfolds like this: the merchant is suspended and they do not read the appeal screen properly and rush through the process. They will ignore the section for adding proof or forget about it. Then, after the appeal is denied, they rush through the review process. These are your two chances to appeal, so don’t waste them.

Missed opportunities for content

Many business owners don’t realize the opportunities that posting their own photos, videos and posts to GBP presents. As Claudia Tomina explains below, it’s now more important than ever.

"Photos and videos aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore; they’re ranking signals"

Claudia Tomina, CEO at Reputation Arm

One of the most common mistakes I see in local SEO is the lack of content. Specifically, not generating enough photos and videos. These aren’t just nice-to-haves anymore; they’re ranking signals. Google now uses visual content to extract context, keywords, and relevance, so when businesses neglect this area, they’re missing a major opportunity to improve visibility.

The fix? Stop overthinking it and start recording. For service-based businesses like plumbers, contractors, or restoration teams, the job site is your content studio. Capture before-and-after photos, record quick videos explaining what was done, and upload consistently.

You don’t need to be a polished presenter, authenticity will resonate. Over time, this habit will build trust with potential customers and strengthen your brand presence across search.

"Hire a professional photographer to upgrade the quality of your images"

Mike Blumenthal, Co-founder at Near Media

For Mike Blumenthal, one of the biggest local SEO mistakes is:

Using stock photography. Hire a professional photographer for a day to upgrade the quality of the images uploaded to GBP.

Not carrying out competitor research

Local-level competitor research may seem like a ‘nice to have,’ but if you aren’t monitoring your closest competitors then you could be harming your own visibility without even realizing. Amsive’s Bambi Frazier explains in more detail below.

"People think they know what’s holding them back, when in reality, it’s their top competitors simply executing better at the local level."

Bambi Frazier, Sr. Product Manager (Local SEO) at Amsive

Review management missteps 

We’ve all seen funny examples of negative business reviews with sarcastic owner responses. But in reality, this response sentiment can be a detriment to the brand and how others perceive it. And not responding to reviews at all? Customers do notice.

"So many business owners don’t realise they shouldn’t do this: replying poorly to negative Google reviews."

Elizabeth Rule, SEO Analyst at Sterling Sky

"Appreciate those who write reviews"

Greg Sterling, Co-founder at Near Media

Not responding to business reviews. Business owners or managers should respond to all reviews to address concerns, appreciate those who wrote reviews and demonstrate general engagement and responsiveness. This will help with consumer perceptions of the business and may indirectly help with local visibility.

Responding to all of your business reviews

The 2025 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 89% of consumers would use a local business that responds to both positive and negative reviews.

 

Hopefully, these mistakes and missed opportunities have given you some food for thought, and something to keep front of mind as you navigate the realms of local marketing. But if you feel that these have simply added to your never-ending list of things to do, you might also want to consider how fully managed local SEO services could help you.

This article is from our Agency Growth Handbook—a collection of guides created to help local SEO agencies grow and succeed. It is chapter eight of ‘Part 3: Retention & Growth’.

Running an agency is difficult. Growing your agency is even harder.

For many, that growth comes organically with some big client wins. For others, it requires years of grinding. Regardless of how you’ve achieved your growth, there’s a good chance it’s going to come with difficulties that need to be navigated.

“The bigger you get as an agency, the easier it is to slip away from the things that made you successful to begin with”

– Laura Salter, Director of Operations, Kick Point

Maybe it’s the right hire, but at the wrong time. Or, suddenly, you find yourself floundering without the right processes in place, leading to a lack of consistency. Maybe important clients suddenly leave. It could be that you’ve not been able to scale headcount fast enough.

“This taught me a crucial lesson: scaling an agency isn’t just about adding headcount.”

– Vera Shafiq, Fractional CMO and Consultant

Whatever it is, you’re probably not the first agency to have those issues. Our 2024 Local Marketing Industry Survey found that 66% of agencies were planning to hire new staff in 2025.

So to help you navigate these chaotic times, we’ve talked to a number of agency founders and leaders to find out what problems they had as they grew, and how they overcame them.

"Let Go and Keep Learning"

Blake Denman, President & Founder at RicketyRoo

The biggest challenge I have faced while growing RicketyRoo has been letting go.

I founded the agency on February 1, 2009, and have been actively involved for the vast majority of its life. However, as we’ve continued to grow, the things that I had been in charge of have been taken over by someone else on the team.

Operations was the last thing I truly let go of, and for a period of time, I felt more or less like the Pulp Fiction meme of John Travolta standing there with his coat, pointing one way, then pointing the other way, not sure which way to go.

Up until that point, I knew what I needed to get done within the agency to keep moving forward. I’ve learned that the only way to keep growing is to let go and remain teachable in all aspects of not only agency life, but life in general.

"Never Lose Focus on Your Culture"

Laura Salter, Director of Operations at Kick Point

The bigger you get as an agency, the easier it is to slip away from the things that made you successful to begin with. You’ll likely find yourself questioning whether a few tight months mean you should sacrifice the things that made your culture attractive and retain those talented, engaged people on your team.

Wherever you can, find creative places to trim that are not essential to who you are as an organization. If you don’t know what those essential things are, ask your team. And listen.

"Putting Processes in Place to Save Quality"

Nick Meagher, Owner at icepick

The biggest challenge for me was scaling without sacrificing quality.

What made the difference was creating clear SOPs and processes, then hiring talented people who could execute them well. That foundation allowed us to grow quickly while maintaining high standards.

"Talent Getting Bogged Down with Admin"

Vera Shafiq, Marketing Strategy Consultant at Vera Shafiq

The biggest challenge I have faced during rapid growth periods at agencies is watching talented media buyers and strategists get bogged down in administrative tasks while client demands intensify.

Despite hiring great people, our team’s strategic output would suffer because they were spending too much time on reporting, manual data entry, and repetitive processes instead of the innovative thinking that drives real results.

This taught me a crucial lesson: scaling an agency isn’t just about adding headcount.

It’s about ruthlessly automating the mundane work first. By prioritizing process streamlining and removing administrative friction, we could free our team to focus on what they do best: developing breakthrough strategies and delivering measurable growth for clients. By doing this, not only does work quality improve, but team morale soars when people can actually practice their craft.

Grow Your Own Way

Each of these agency leaders has gone through distinctly different issues. But the key message is one of adapting without losing sight of what you started in the first place.

While processes are important, for instance, you shouldn’t be against changing them. But doing so in a way that could affect your culture is one you should avoid.

If you need more help growing your agency, the Agency Growth Handbook offers insights from local SEO and digital agencies to help you grow your own without facing the same pitfalls they did. 

We’d love to hear what’s happened on your growth journey so far. Drop us a comment on Linkedin, X (formerly Twitter) or Bluesky with your own.

We summoned our brave community to share their most spine-tingling, hair-raising, and downright terrifying local SEO experiences. Prepare to be haunted by client catastrophes, cursed Google Business Profiles, and marketing stories that are best told under the cloak of darkness. Read on if you dare!

Greg "Ghostly" Gifford

Chief Operating Officer at SearchLab Digital

Claire "The Crypt Keeper" Carlile

Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal

In addition to Greg’s totally terrifying Q&As, Claire found even more horrifying answers on a Google Business Profile. 

As you can see, one local car dealership’s poor customer service was brought to the forefront of their GBP Q&A section. Surely answering the phone isn’t as scary as they think? 

In the words of Stephen King, “hotels are superstitious places. No thirteenth floor or room thirteen, no mirrors on the back of the door you come in through, stuff like that.”

However, the Stanley Hotel that inspired his book, The Shining, is making good use of their Q&A section, with guests asking the all-important questions. 

Melissa "Poltergeist" Popp

Content Strategy Director at RicketyRoo

“RicketyRoo welcomed a client fleeing from an evil past agency, a villain that had orchestrated an unholy contract, claiming copyright ownership over every piece of content on the client’s existing website. Like an eerie ghost story where the antagonist traps the innocent in a haunted mansion, this agency had the client ensnared in a legal nightmare, forcing them to relinquish their own digital home.

“The terror didn’t stop there. As we hurried to recreate their website, we felt the haunting pressure of the clock ticking ominously, knowing the previous agency’s shadow loomed large. This unsettling episode wasn’t just a jump scare but a full-length horror film that unfolded right before our eyes. We managed to exorcise the client’s digital demons, but the fear for our industry—now revealed to have its own set of lurking monsters—still lingers.”

Elizabeth "Ghoul" Rule

SEO Analyst at Sterling Sky

“Here is a Local SEO horror story I think many can relate to!!

“It takes a lot to scare me, but when a client sends an email that they have moved their office address without consulting their SEO team I get instant chills down my spine.

“The chills only get worse upon checking the new address when we discover it happens to be located in the SAME building as some of the toughest competition in their industry. This scenario would make even the bravest local SEOs want to run and hide.

“Turns out ALL the injury lawyers in the area rent offices in the same building the client just moved into… guess PI lawyers get a good deal on rent there Cue the Psycho style scream as I realize I will need to explain to the client how the local filter was now going to be working OVERTIME on their listing and their rankings were going to take a hit. Making major business decisions without consulting your SEO team? Now THAT’S scary!!”

Blake "Dracula" Denman

Founder at RicketyRoo

“A former PPC client sent someone to my apartment to threaten me. The client thought I was clicking on his ads. He added single keyword, broad match and upped the budget to $5k/day. I fixed it, and he sent me a commercial grade Vitamix that was used in a Burger King promo. Still have it!”

Amy "Tomb" Toman

SEO Analyst at Digital Law Marketing

“I’m aware of a website that has 200+ “keywords” added in an exceptionally small font on the bottom of every single page (not a footer; customized to each page). I thought that went out in 2010 2005. ”

Dana "Dastardly" DiTomaso

President & Partner at Kick Point

“[I once had] a client who originally wanted to focus on organic traffic increases but then didn’t actually say what they do at their company on their website, in their marketing materials, literally anywhere at all. ”

Ben "Boo" Fisher

Founder and VP of Marketing at Steady Demand

In our latest webinar, Ben Fisher shared a rotten example of a business who created their own business signage to get their GBP verified… This led to a suspension, and we all know there’s no worse local SEO horror story than a GBP suspension! 

Celeste "Gory" Gonzalez

SEO Strategist at RicketyRoo

“A client demanded to know why they did not receive the same amount of leads as they did the year before when they had never done SEO before or tracked leads from their website. Their leads from the previous year came from their paper flyers, Facebook groups, and NextDoor posts. Then that same client then also was upset about Google Ads leads coming from the location radius that he had set and confirmed with our PPC team.”

Krystal "Fang" Taing

Solutions Engineer, Strategic Partnerships at Uberall

“I once had a multi-location eyeglass retailer where a customer spammed their listings and added pictures of Lord Voldemort in glasses to about 50 different locations. This was fun reporting and escalating to Google! “

“Be afraid. Be very afraid.”

The Fly (1986)

Even More Tales from the Web-keepers

We also asked our community of local SEOs for their spooky tales, and let’s just say, you might want to sit down reading some of these; they’re guaranteed to scare the hell out of you (or at least make you laugh!). 

Nina P, SEO Lady shared:

“The eCommerce [I owned] sold same sex wedding table decorations, like Mr & Mr / Mrs & Mrs. However, it’s a site I built which had my home office address [on it]. Putting it on Google Maps was a dreadful mistake. We had swingers knocking on the door asking to buy latex clothing and wanting to come in. I still have an answerphone message with a mobile phone number asking me whether I’d like some fun this weekend!”

Nina followed up with another story…

“I was in Tunisia on holiday with my school friend and drinking wine by the pool when my phone pinged and it was the front door CCTV. A very dapper older gentleman with white hair, a leather man bag and golf umbrella was waiting.

“My husband answered the door, there was a short exchange, and the door slammed leaving the gentleman standing there for a second.

“My phone pinged, hubby was furious. Marriage ending mad. “WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?” and I had to put down my wine.

“The gent had politely enquired what range of butt plugs we had in stock, and could he come in to take a look at our toys. What surprised us both is that we are on a residential street with no shop front. 

“My husband thought I was having an affair! I explained about Google Business and in 15 years not one person has come knocking on our door to speak with the SEO Lady. Clearly I’d underestimated the gravitas of naming my business samesexgifts.co.uk which was named Same Sex Gifts on Maps and Facebook.  

“When I got home I hid our address. The domain and eCommerce site are for sale .” 

Ash Nallawalla explained:

“I didn’t keep a screenshot, but my detailed check of a bank’s GBPs showed a horror story that had not been picked up. Google had scrambled up entries of many entities. e.g. Bank A’s ATM showed the address of Bank B or of Bank C, all on the same page. During the same Google glitch, I lost my own “Melbourne SEO” ranking in GBP to a competitor on the same floor of our building. Their photos were shown among ours and the two addresses were mixed up.”

Stefan Janjić Lozo told us: 

“There’s an auto wrecker and spare parts business in Serbia where the reviews on the business are becoming a meme in the region.”

A note from BrightLocal:

Upon further investigation, we found the owner of the business is just plain rude to his customers! We’ll keep the business anonymous, but as you can see from the 1-star review below, he’s certainly left a curse on his customers!

This, in turn, has led to an onslaught of reviews from those commending his rudeness, and as Stefan says, has turned into a bit of a meme.

The website even details at length, how not to behave and communicate with him. The translation includes “Please do not call us before 9am and after 9pm. Most people know when to call, but there are also those who for some reason think it’s okay to call in the morning at 6am or in the evening after 11pm!?” 

“The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years—if it ever did end—began…”

Stephen King, It (1986)

And with that, we close the book on spooky stories, hide the book in a locked box, and keep the locked box well out of sight. Have a great Friday 13th, and remember to avoid breaking mirrors, crossing black cats, or getting your GBP suspended.

We asked the experts how they’re using AI at the moment, and how they think SGE will change the landscape of local search. 

(One small caveat—in the past few weeks we’ve seen new features and functions added to SGE. By the time this piece goes live, we’re sure there will have already been some major changes!) 

Ben Fisher

Founder and VP of Marketing at Steady Demand

What are you doing with AI at the moment? What tactics are you currently using?

AI is a great assistant for our SEO team. They use it for research, some technical tasks, and coming up with ideas for our writers. We don’t use AI for anything that is forward facing like blog post content, and our clients prefer it this way. We play with prompts every day and create a vault of useful prompts. AI assistants can save us a lot of time, especially with the right prompt. Our SEO team can focus more on strategy and critical thinking/analysis because AI can execute many tasks to save time.

Overall, AI assistants can be a valuable asset to any SEO team. They can help SEO professionals save time, improve the quality of their work, focus on more strategic and creative tasks, and stay ahead of the curve.

Despite AI’s impressive capabilities, the human touch remains integral to our processes, ensuring that our strategies are not only data-driven but also empathetic and user-centric.

What do you think about SGE? How do you think SGE will change the landscape of local search?

There is a glimmer of hope for the local SEO profession, as the 3-pack results appear to be the same as what you would see in a regular search. However, I think that as Google learns, there will be new winners and losers. Unfortunately, I think that SMBs will suffer, as the real estate they were used to will be replaced by new features.

Dayna Lucio

Strategist, SEO at Amsive Digital

What are you doing with AI at the moment? What tactics are you currently using?

Mainly it’s been a lot of testing of different platforms to understand the capabilities and differences of each. Right now, I’ve been using AI to help streamline processes such as summarizing data, mapping cities to zip codes for local tracking, or building regex filters for GSC. It’s also been helpful in brainstorming ideas for content such as sourcing questions for FAQs or coming up with metadata tests. I think in general things are moving really fast—something new seems to come up every day! Brands should definitely be thinking about how platforms like BingChat, Bard, ChatGPT, and SGE are providing information about their company, products, or services, and what types of content gaps need to be filled or opportunities they can explore.

What do you think about SGE? How do you think SGE will change the landscape of local search?

I think what we’ve been able to see so far has been interesting, the local examples that Google shared with the comparison layout between restaurants definitely shows how this can be used on a local level. However, I think it more or less is continuing to showcase the things we already stress in local SEO—provide the information that users are looking for on GBP profiles and within on-page content and continue to pay attention to reviews, because this is another way that Google is highlighting those. Like anything with Google, I expect there to be multiple tests and changes as time goes on, so its hard to say what the impact will be. Once more people have access to SGE I think it will be important to test different types of queries and questions about local businesses to see how the answers and layouts changed based on what’s being asked. 

Amanda Jordan

Director of Digital Strategy at RicketyRoo

What are you doing with AI at the moment? What tactics are you currently using?

I currently use AI to help generate ideas and consider new ways to think about data. Right now I think the best use case for many AI tools is for SEOs to understand how generative AI actually works. Knowing the capabilities and limitations of this technology can help us understand what to expect from Search in the future.

What do you think about SGE? How do you think SGE will change the landscape of local search? 

I hope SGE is the end of sites being filled with generic content. My hope is that SGE will encourage websites to focus on unique, personalized, and usable content for users. I believe truly understanding your customers and being obsessed with the customer experience will be extremely important in the future.

Jess Peck

Machine Learning Engineer at Local SEO Guide

What are you doing with AI at the moment? What tactics are you currently using?

We’re currently using machine learning for a series of tasks: analysis, clustering data, forecasting, text analysis, and to an extent content generation. We use several different ML techniques including lda, keyword extraction, text summarization, and technologies like using Google’s APIs and TensorFlow. Like many people, we are also using LLMs like GPT, though not entirely relying on them. For example, we tend to chunk our outputs, and then use other ML techniques to check the input matches the output, and check for plagiarism: we use knowledge graphs and entity extraction to try and streamline parts of these processes.

What do you think about SGE? How do you think SGE will change the landscape of local search? 

Despite being a machine learning engineer in practice I’m deeply ambivalent about SGEs. I don’t actually think these kinds of experiences usually improve sites, and it still feels like Google is scrambling to catch up while ChatGPT eats it’s lunch. 

While I do think SGEs are a logical next step for Google and other search engines I also see it as a way for Google to wash its hands of the consequences of serving certain data to the public. LLMs are trained on all of us, so surely it’s all our fault when they go astray? I think an ideal scenario would have Google back away from OpenAI style chatbots and towards using a combination of LLMs and extractive data to continue down the conversational path they have been going down, but how can that be done without robbing sites of their advertising? 

Fundamentally if your site relies on visitor metrics you must focus on unique aspects that cannot be replaced by a machine. I think UGC might end up being extremely useful: sites like Wirecutter that specialize in human, comprehensive reviews: small hobbyist sites with a human touch. The race is as it has always been: do it better than Google, and invite people into your site.

Andy Simpson

Senior SEO Specialist at Digital Law Marketing

What are you doing with AI at the moment? What tactics are you currently using?

Our team is currently learning how we can use things like ChatGPT as a tool for SEO. We’re definitely not using it for creating site content, we have our own brilliant content team for that. They have been using ChatGPT for some content outlines and ideas but we’re a firm believer in creating good, unique content, unlike the content spewed out by ChatGPT. Bing Chat and Google’s Bard are way off the mark when it comes to anything related to content creation. Very recently we used ChatGPT to expand and suggest additions to our local business schema, it’s fantastic for writing the code for FAQ and HowTo schema, we verify what’s produced but it’s been very good to date. Will Reynolds very recently posted how you can use ChatGPT to help with internal link-building suggestions, it’s a great video to watch and make you start thinking about how you can use ChatGPT as a tool for SEO.

What do you think about SGE? How do you think SGE will change the landscape of local search?

Not an easy one to answer in just a few lines, I recently voted “Meh” to Lily Ray’s question on Google’s SGE, BUT I do like it! It’s “meh” because it’s good but not great and that’s not surprising as this is Version 1.0 of whatever SGE will be eventually before it’s launched to the masses. There’s no doubt it will be launched but in what iteration we don’t know yet. SGE is only open to those that want to take a look at it, it’s not open to the general public yet, so I’m not too worried about what we are currently seeing i.e. I am not panicking if my client does/does not display in results displayed by SGE—it’s nice when they do and interesting to see what does display when they don’t. As someone who’s been doing SEO for more than two decades, it’s great to have a new toy to play with. SGE (and Google’s Bard) is seeing constant updates and changes, so what we see this week can be different the following week. It’s an exhilarating time to be in the local search space, how will it change the landscape of local search and/or search in general? At this moment in time, depending on the search query, it dominates the top of the desktop/mobile search experience, users are going to either ignore it and think “what the hell is this” until they get familiar with it OR they won’t scroll down to the 10 blue links below, and the organic SERPs will be lost to many users forever… let’s just see where this ride takes us!

Conclusion: 

Overall, it looks like AI is a great tool to help SEOs manage processes, generate top-level ideas, and help structure content. But, we’re all clear that generative AI should not be a replacement for content creation. 

Additionally, SGE proves an exciting time for local search specifically, with a general sense of optimism around it. Let’s see what happens in the coming months! 

Read on to find out their advice, and learn how you can make the most of your reporting efforts. 

Krystal Taing

Solutions Engineer, Strategic Partnerships at Uberall

Typically the success of a local SEO campaign is measured by its ability to drive more relevant traffic and leads to your business, increase your brand awareness and visibility, and, ultimately, lead to more revenue. It’s imperative to define the success criteria before you launch the campaign, as well as identify the tools you will use to measure this. I typically use a combination of the following:

• Google Business Profile Insights to track GBP clicks
• Monitoring the increase in reviews and the average ratings on critical sites
• Website analytics to evaluate traffic and conversion rates
• Rank tracking to measure visibility for the targeted keywords
• Ideally, sales, calls, or bookings during the defined period

Stefan Somborac

Founder at Marketing Metrology

SEO is more than just ranking. It’s about driving business results that matter. In most cases, the desired outcome is revenue. But that’s not always the case! For example, your goal might be getting volunteers for a local charity event, signatures on a petition, sign-ups for a loyalty program, or downloads of a coupon to be redeemed during in-store visits.

Achieving that ultimate business goal is generally a series of events. Valuable metrics measure the outcomes of each step along the way. While SEO isn’t just about ranking, rankings are fundamental. So, yes, rankings are a vital metric.

Rank for keywords that your customers are using to search—ranking well for keywords no one is searching for will prove fruitless!

Business owners may think in terms of industry terms that lay people aren’t likely to search (e.g. “injectable hyaluronic acid” vs. “lip filler”). Don’t ignore the industry jargon, but focus on the more common search terms.

There may be a significant local component to consider as well. A keyword with a large national search volume may not be a common search query in your region.

Similarly, a common search term in one region might not be a common term in another—for example, New Yorkers looking for a winter hat might search for “beanie”, while Torontonians might search for “toque”.

How do you measure this? Search volume is a good starting point but you can do more. Check your rankings to make sure you’re ranking for your target keywords. Then, check Google Search Console and Google Business Profile performance insights. Are those keywords leading to search impressions? If you rank well for a keyword people are searching for, there should be impressions!

Pay attention to click-through rate (CTR)

Rankings should lead to impressions, which should lead to clicks. Check Google Search Console for click rates. Check Google Business Profile performance insights for Business Profile interactions.

Don’t worry too much about the Overview; aggregate data often hide important details. Look at the more detailed breakouts: calls, website clicks, etc. Unfortunately, GBP Performance doesn’t connect which keywords are leading to interactions.

SEOs are marketers. It took me a while to grasp this simple notion. (h/t Rand Fishkin.)

Dayna Lucio

Strategist, SEO at Amsive Digital

It’s important to look at insights around actions that are important to your business. So, if you’re a service area business, you’re looking at phone calls and website visits from GBP, but maybe not direction requests. However, if you are a restaurant, then looking at all of those action metrics from the listing is going to help show growth and if what you’re doing is working.

Additionally, from an organic visibility standpoint, I like to look at Total Search Impressions and especially Discovery Search Impressions from GBP insights.

It’s important to use UTMs to help measure other metrics in Google Analytics, so you can see what’s driving sessions and conversions.

Also, tracking rankings to understand the changes from that standpoint. However, I really think looking at conversions and how you’re driving customers to action is one of the most important. Seeing more form fills start coming in after optimizing a profile or local landing page is definitely a sign of success.

Greg Gifford

Chief Operating Officer at SearchLab

It depends on the client’s business goals—but, ultimately, you should be tracking organic traffic and leads, and they should be increasing over time. Increased visibility SHOULD result in more traffic, which SHOULD result in increased leads, which in turn SHOULD lead to more sales. Most agencies/freelancers don’t ask for sales information to tie everything together, so most people will use organic traffic and leads as the bar.

Elizabeth Linder

SEO Strategist at Kick Point

First, make sure tracking is set up properly on their site, and then build reports that specifically target a client’s goals. Every local SEO campaign should have a purpose to meet a specific goal.

Friendly reminder: it’s important to always set realistic expectations with your clients on any local SEO project or campaign.

Celeste Gonzalez

SEO Strategist at RicketyRoo

A local client is investing in SEO to gain new customers for their services. While trying to measure success for a local SEO campaign includes tracking organic traffic and traffic from maps, the most important metric to track is how many leads clients are getting from this traffic. We want to know the ROI, and it’s important to track form submissions and phone calls that come in from organic users.

Amy Toman

SEO Analyst at Digital Law Marketing

While steady and increasing traffic is lovely, qualified leads are the true mark of success. Getting tons of traffic to blogs twice a year is helpful, but if the traffic arrives nationally and not locally, it doesn’t help. So while those occasional bumps are nice, they’re not indicative of success locally. For that, I look to calls, social interaction, and LSA leads.

Claire Carlile

Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal

I usually measure the success of a local SEO campaign against the KPIs that are put in place before a campaign starts. These are usually based on what it is that a business needs to drive leads and conversions—things like phone calls, form fills, and other inquiries. 

Harmony Huskinson

Local SEO Specialist at Portent

Often, the strategist’s measures of success and the business’s measures of success can be different. While a business ultimately cares most about the leads achieved from local SEO, we are responsible for explaining what it takes to achieve those leads.

By growing local rankings, we can improve organic traffic, which then results in more leads. This concept seems simple to explain, but I’ve seen SEOs get excited about rankings that aren’t really bringing in traffic or leads.

Ultimately, the bottom line for success isn’t a metric; it’s building sufficient trust with the business to help them understand that local SEO is an ever-evolving discipline based on several modalities. If the business trusts the SEO, that means more investment in the channel, more acceptance when something doesn’t work, and a celebration across both sides of the aisle when initiatives are successful.

Colan Nielsen

VP Local Search at Sterling Sky

As far as metrics go, it’s still all about traffic, leads, and sales. 

How do you report on your local SEO campaigns?

Let us know over on Twitter or in our Facebook Community, The Local Pack.

We know the same few tips always get all the attention, but some of those can take a while to implement, and ultimately require more expertise, sign-off, and resource!

That’s why we asked a group of local SEO experts to share their most under-appreciated tactics for local SEO success. These are the simplest of tips that most busy marketers might overlook.

Colan Nielsen

VP Local Search at Sterling Sky

Become an expert at utilizing geo-grid ranking reports. Understanding how you rank across your entire market is just the tip of the iceberg as far as what you can use them for.

Greg Gifford

Chief Operating Officer at SearchLab

Meta keywords, baby…

Joy Hawkins

Owner/President at Sterling Sky

A lot of people that focus on local pack rankings seriously neglect traditional SEO factors onsite. They think ranking has more to do with the actual listing when it really has more to do with the content on the website.

Elizabeth Linder

SEO Strategist at Kick Point

I’m not sure these are necessarily underrated or overlooked by everyone, but they can be depending on the client:

• Asking for reviews! The quality and quantity of reviews can make such a big impact on local search performance and it’s a great way to not only help with local search, but to improve overall customer experience.
• Writing unique, helpful, relevant content. Depending on the industry, making sure you’re going above and beyond for content creation can build links faster than outreach.
• Treat local content creation like a game of Jeopardy. What are all the things potential customers can ask about a business, service, or product? If this was going to be a Jeopardy category, what would I need to know to get all the answers right?
• Not repeating keywords in your title tags. You have ample room in your title tag to incorporate close synonyms. For example, if your business name already incorporates the target keyword for a page, utilize a close synonym elsewhere in the title tag, rather than repeating the same keyword more than once, so you can help rank for closely related queries.
• Schema markup! Just because some schema types don’t have rich results on Google, doesn’t mean they never will. Google is adding rich results for schema all the time; by adding in all and any relevant schema now, you’ll always be one step ahead.

Amy Toman

SEO Analyst at Digital Law Marketing

One of the most underrated tips is the use of photos on Google listings. Adding new photos on GBPs are a great way to “teach” Google and users about the services you provide, especially if there is not a category that matches them. Because Google’s systems can understand the content of images, these can be almost as important as posts at portraying your business. 

Claire Carlile

Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal

Improving site speed, improving internal linking, on-page optimization, and link earning are the nuts and bolts of our industry, and rightly so in many cases.

The part that is so often missed out is sitting down and drawing out the marketing insights that exist within the organization—especially small and medium-sized businesses. This is a lesser utilized building block for success and something which so much of marketing strategy and tactics should rest upon.  

Ask questions like:

• What is our marketplace – both geographically and vertically?
• What problem(s) are we solving for our potential customers?
• How are we (or can we) solve it in a more effective/friendly/faster (or whatever is important to our key client groups) way than our competitors?
• What are the key frustrations for our potential customers in terms of finding a service or product to meet their needs?
• Who are our evangelists?
• What can we learn from them in terms of what we are getting right?
• Who are our detractors and what can we learn from them in terms of improving our product or service?

You get the picture!

Crystal Horton

Local Service Ads & Google Product Expert at Crystal Horton Digital

Adding photos to a Google Business Profile increases views you wouldn’t otherwise have, which could turn into a potential inquiry.

Emily Brady

Sr Manager, SEO at Podium

One thing a lot of businesses overlook is updating their GBP category to accommodate seasonality. Your primary category is one of the strongest “ranking factors” you can actually control on your Google listing. So, if you’re in an industry that’s impacted by seasonality, don’t be afraid to change your primary category as your customers’ needs change. A great example of this is HVAC companies, which can update their business category to be more “air conditioner” specific during the summer months.

Dayna Lucio

Strategist, SEO at Amsive Digital

• For multi-location and franchise businesses, develop a plan for new locations opening throughout the year. Build out local pages with information and grand opening messaging or specials. Build out your GBP before opening. Add your opening date and your GBP will display “opening soon” or “recently opened” on your profile. This allows you to start building up your local presence and start adding posts to educate potential customers about your business. 
• Also, for GBP – monitor your Q&As. Sometimes the questions are from people that are trying to message the business, so answering these could turn that person into a potential customer. Additionally, you can flag questions on your profile that are offensive, perhaps a misplaced review, or questions that are irrelevant to your business. Typically, Google will remove these without hassle. 
• For content, take advantage of the experts within your business. This is a great opportunity for small businesses, especially with the continued evolution and emphasis of E-E-A-T. Make the time to do interviews with the individuals that are doing the ins and outs of various jobs within the business. For example, a plumbing company could interview their lead plumber about common problems and then create a blog series. 
• Add videos & photos to GBP. Continue to add new photos regularly. 
• Take note of the categories that competitors are using on GBP to ensure you’ve chosen the correct primary category. You can always test changing your primary category or add them as secondary categories. 
• Check your NAP information on citations. Yes, beyond GBP. You don’t want to miss out on a potential customer because your hours or phone number are wrong on Yelp. 
• For location pages, don’t overlook adding information like FAQs, reviews, and team bios. That’s all unique information that sets your location apart. Also, remember to use schema markup. If you have the opportunity to choose a specific type of LocalBusiness schema like “Restaurant” to describe your business, then do it. 

Are there any tactics you often overlook? Perhaps this list has inspired your local search strategy and reminded you of the most underrated ideas to get your client to rank higher. What are your preferred local SEO tactics that most people ignore? Let us know over on Twitter or in our Facebook Community, The Local Pack.

We know that employee wellbeing is important for the growth and success of an agency. By putting your people first, you’ll create a culture for your company that people love being a part of.

With that in mind, we spoke to a group of local SEO experts, to find out what makes their company culture what it is. They’ve shared valuable ideas to help you make your agency the best place to work!

Blake Denman

Founder at RicketyRoo

Employee wellbeing; our core ‘culture’ word is ‘balance’. RicketyRoo has been 100% remote since 2018 and we’ve learned a lot in the last five years. I look at a big part of my role as acquiring great talent for our team. Once we acquire great talent, I need to keep them happy. How do I do that? I’ve implemented things that I would personally be looking for if I were looking for a job. Such as:

• Competitive compensation
• Average 33-35 hour work weeks (not 40+)
• 100% remote
• Employees set their own schedules
• Company-paid health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with a 5% company match
• 12-week paid maternal, paternal, and adoption leave
• PTO, sick pay, natural disaster, and bereavement pay policies

Those are all ‘things’ that have served the agency as a great foundation. 

When it comes to the company culture, that’s a bit harder to define. 

The culture, in our case, has mainly been set by the team. The agency didn’t go through some elaborate process or workshop to figure it out, it just became what it is. As our team grows, the culture will naturally evolve, too.

Here’s what’s really helped us have a STELLAR culture:

• I meet with each person on the team every week for a weekly sync
• One weekly all-hands meeting
• Every quarter I meet with each person on the team. It’s a reverse performance review where I’m wanting to make sure they feel like the work they are doing is aligning with their career path, what their career path is, and how the agency can help them get there.
• Roo Book Club
• Cafe Disco—We all go over a process together or we bring in an expert to school us on their expertise.

Joy Hawkins

Owner/President at Sterling Sky

I think understanding what your employees care about is crucial. It’s not the same for everyone. One of the best decisions we ever made was our unlimited vacation policy. It allows people to have the freedom to take the time off work they want instead of dictating it for them.

Elizabeth Linder

SEO Strategist at Kick Point

I spoke with another Kick Point team member Laura Salter, Co. Director of Strategy to help provide you with an answer to this question:

• The number one thing is to treat each other as humans first—even (and maybe especially) when that goes against what we’ve all been taught about how businesses ‘should’ run.
• Pay fairly, give people the time off they need (without guilt), and work at creating safe spaces for people to be themselves.
• Really spend the time to determine what kind of workloads are possible, manageable, and sustainable for each of your team members and structure your timelines and deadlines around that.
• Be realistic and clear with clients about timelines (and how they will change as the project goes on) from the beginning instead of overpromising and under-delivering.
• Be deliberate in choosing to work with clients that see your working relationship as an equal partnership.
• Listen and follow through. If something is making your team unhappy, actually work to change it. No empty promises.

Colan Nielsen

VP Local Search at Sterling Sky

In my experience, employee well-being comes down to many factors. If I had to isolate one I would say this: Treat your employees well and provide opportunities for them to do the things they love most and are good at.

Claire Carlile

Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal

It’s just me here at Claire Carlile Marketing Towers so I’m my own Career Architect, Business Coach, and HR Manager. I think I’ve come a long way in understanding what I personally need in order to balance work life, home life, health and fitness, family life, personal life, and emotional health—from investing in psychotherapy to embracing the role of meds in helping keep myself in balance.

Greg Gifford

Chief Operating Officer at SearchLab

We’ve doubled down on work-life balance and company wellbeing. We’ve instituted profit-sharing bonuses and retention bonuses to reward our team. We’ve recently switched to unlimited PTO, and we’re monitoring the time people take away from work to ensure that everyone takes a break… If someone goes too long without taking time off, we require a few days off. With so many remote employees, personal connections aren’t as easy to make, so we make sure to have social hangouts where people can chat and get to know each other. It’s also important to keep the team learning, so we’re constantly training and teaching.

Amy Toman

SEO Analyst at Digital Law Marketing

Work culture is changing rapidly in the aftermath of the pandemic, and the rise of working from home. For companies to continue to draw and retain staff to this structure, elements that may have previously been overlooked need to be addressed. Communication should be easy (I love Slack for this), and occasional get-togethers are nice. Yearly gatherings are also a great way to build positive company culture among those who are based far apart. But truly the best thing is to encourage positive communication on a regular basis. Slack channels, video chats, and message boards are great for sharing resources and experiences.

Amanda Jordan

Director of Digital Strategy at RicketyRoo

The places I’ve worked with the best cultures have focused on transparency, curiosity, acceptance, empowerment, and personal development. These weren’t just nice words on an “about us” page but principles that the agency owners lived by and practiced themselves. One of my favorite things about working at RicketyRoo is that Blake cares about what each member of the team wants to do with their career.

The biggest mistake agencies can make with their culture is to not consciously consider their principles when making new hires, choosing clients, communicating internally, and producing work.

Ben Fisher

Founder and VP of Marketing at Steady Demand

Having a voice and being heard is super important. We use slack as our main way of internally communicating, and we have a specific channel where no owners are involved in, this allows our people to communicate effectively with each other with zero oversight. A. It is a sign of trust, B. It allows for creativity and venting. 

Then there is our feedback loop, we have calls with all staff bi-weekly and touch base on everything from personal issues to professional needs. Additionally, most ideas from the owners are vetted by the team and this allows for changes and sometimes even vetos, we are very aware that our team is in the trenches and their wellbeing is paramount, no one likes to do things they are told to do, it really needs to be more of a hey we all feel this way.

Also, every meeting ends with any thoughts, ideas, or concerns that you want to discuss. This can be as open-ended as our team wants. Everyone has a voice.

Lastly, we are a 100 % remote team, this is a benefit for sure but can always lead to problems for some. So we make sure to team build at least once a year in Vegas for a retreat.

Dayna Lucio

Strategist, SEO at Amsive Digital

I think collaboration is great for company culture and that cross-team collaboration can be beneficial as well. You can learn so much from your coworkers and especially in an agency where people have so many backgrounds and experiences to share. Nothing really compares to a big team brainstorming session.

One of my favorite things that we do is have a Slack channel dedicated to shouting out team members. It’s great to see our team members supporting each other and hearing about all the great things that everyone is doing.

We continued the conversation around agency culture at our recent webinar with Greg Gifford and Jen Salamandick. Catch up with the replay to learn more about how strategy and culture are the keystones of a successful agency. 

We gathered some of the industry’s top experts, to share their predictions for the year ahead. So shake off that January gloom, and see what they’ve got to say about the next 12 months in Local SEO.

Changes to Google Business Profile

Amanda Jordan

Director of Digital Strategy at RicketyRoo

I expect to see changes in how Google Business Profiles (GBPs) are managed as well as how they show up in search results. I wouldn’t be surprised if mobile local SERPs go through some drastic changes. Always check your mobile, local peeps!

Crystal Horton

Local Service Ads & Google Product Expert at Crystal Horton Digital

We are noticing a decrease in GBP phone calls and an increase in calls from Local Services Ads. I predict Google will continue to make changes with the interface in the first quarter and local search will become a different beast. 

Dayna Lucio

Strategist, SEO at Amsive Digital

I think in 2023 we’re going to continue to see an evolution for GBP. More emphasis on location-specific photos and videos versus generic stock photos, more emphasis on highlighting reviews and customer experiences, and more specific categories being added. I also think that there will be more ways for users to provide feedback about businesses. Additionally, with the recent update regarding E-E-A-T, I think that really opens the door for local businesses and content creation, especially when it comes to demonstrating first-hand experience in niche areas.

Greg Gifford

VP of Search at SearchLab

Everyone will continue to call it “Google My Business” and “GMB” for at least another year…

Visual Search

Claire Carlile

Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal

I’ll continue to keep an eye on Google’s visual search and multisearch “near me” functionality, in terms of understanding the opportunities they present to the local businesses that I work with.  That said, I’ll also be thinking about making sure that my clients aren’t keeping all of their eggs in Google’s basket: understanding the opportunity provided by Apple Maps and any other sources for leads is top of my 2023 list.

Video in Local

Joy Hawkins

Owner/President at Sterling Sky

We’re seeing video become more and more important in the organic SERPs. With Google adding the ability to add videos to reviews now (along with photos) and videos auto-playing in the Google Maps app, I think businesses are going to start paying a lot more close attention to video assets next year.

Ben Fisher

Founder and VP of Marketing at Steady Demand

So I think next year will bring the normalization of video and images in local. Additionally, I think we may still see more ways for merchants to make more out of GBP. 

Now that the name change and in-Search experience is all complete, it’s time to build features and fix broken ones. The impact images had this year was pretty impressive and I think we may see the same impact from video.

Authenticity and Quality

Krystal Taing

Solutions Engineer, Strategic Partnerships at Uberall

I think 2023 will bring demand for authenticity. We’ve seen a number of trends such as spam on the map, fake reviews, and content written for algorithms (not people), get a decent amount of attention over the last few years in order to help consumers build trust with brands.

While search engines and sites are attempting to make strides here, I don’t think the impact will be strong enough to move the needle for consumers. This is why we see pushes towards areas and apps that create more authentic experiences like photos, videos, and events. 

Elizabeth Linder

SEO Strategist at Kick Point

It felt like Google spent a lot of time focusing on quality content and legitimate businesses this past year. I feel like quality localized content that tells a searcher who you are, where you’re located, and what you do, is going to continue to make a difference when ranking in local search results.

Make sure you’re providing customers with accurate, helpful information about your business in all areas; your Google Business Profile, your website, and any other important citation sites for your industry will continue to be key in performing well on search.

Service-area Businesses

Colan Nielsen

Vice President, Local Search at Sterling Sky

I say this every year and occasionally I get it right: Google will continue to roll out features specific to service-area businesses. Home services continue to be a high-growth industry. According to technavio, the home services market is expected to increase to USD 5.14 trillion between 2021 and 2026. With that growth, it would make a lot of sense for Google to give the home services industry some attention. For instance, Google recently launched the ability to add predefined service areas. The big question is whether or not the service areas will start to impact ranking in 2023. 

What about AI?

Crystal Carter

Head of Comms at Wix

The coming year will be an exciting time for SEO. With generative search from tools like ChatGPT and Google SERPs rich with multi-media, SEO is extremely dynamic. As a result, investing in the core of your digital presence is particularly important, as well as informing your Knowledge Panel, your GBP, which is now used as a data source for some Google’s most important new features. Those who invest in utilizing all aspects of GBP should see solid results. 

Emily Brady

Sr Manager, SEO at Podium

As more SEOs adopt AI for content generation, I think we’ll see a renewed interest in website content for local businesses. Small businesses are typically running SEO on shoestring budgets, so a tool that enables them to create content faster (and cheaper) for their local clients could generate more interest in things like long-form content and blogging for SMBs. Depending on how good that content is, the result could be a more competitive landscape for editorial search results small businesses are targeting.

On the Subject of AI…

With all this talk about AI, we thought we’d see what the bots have to say about themselves. So, without further ado, it’s time to introduce Randall Bott, Vice President of Automation at Advanced Internet.

Randall Bott

Vice President, Automation at Advanced Internet

As an AI language model, I am not able to make predictions about future trends in local search or any other topic. However, I can provide some information about local search and suggest some potential developments that may occur in the coming years.

One trend that has been increasingly important in local search is the use of online reviews and ratings. These reviews and ratings can help businesses attract new customers and improve their online reputation, and they are often used by search engines as a ranking factor in local search results. It is likely that this trend will continue in the coming years, and businesses may need to focus more on actively soliciting and managing online reviews in order to improve their local search visibility.

Another trend that may continue to grow in importance is the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in local search. This technology can be used to improve the accuracy and relevance of local search results, and it may be incorporated more widely into local search algorithms in the future.

Finally, it is possible that the use of voice assistants and other voice-based search technologies will continue to rise in popularity, leading to an increased focus on optimizing for voice search in local SEO efforts.

Again, these are just a few potential trends that may occur in the field of local search in the coming years, and they are not meant to be definitive predictions.

Time to See What 2023 Has to Offer

Could some of these predictions hold true? We’ll try and remember to circle back at the end of the year to see! 

Overall it feels like there’s a real buzz around potential changes to Google Business Profile, an increase in video and visual search, and while no-one seems quite sure what AI is going to bring to the table, we’re all equally excited and nervous about it.

Overall, 2023 could shape up to be an exciting year for local SEO, with new technologies and trends emerging that will have a major impact on the industry. 

Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we continue to monitor these developments in the coming months.

Read on as our contributors dive into AI, LLMs, visual search, and much, much more. First, we’ll start with a summary of the predictions, for those short on time, then move on to the predictions in full, in alphabetical order by surname.

Expert Predictions: The TL;DR

1. Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization

Overview: GBP will continue to be a cornerstone for local SEO, with businesses needing to fully optimize profiles and leverage new AI-driven features.

• AI features like automated descriptions, sentiment analysis, and holiday hours suggestions will grow.
• Integration with social media content (posts and UGC) is likely to enhance GBP relevance.
• Businesses must ensure consistency across GBP and other listings.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “Big changes are brewing in Google Business Profile (GBP) … pulling social posts and other content into GBP … feels like the natural next step.” (Elizabeth Rule) – see the full prediction
• “AI features will continue to grow both in the main Google SERPs as well as the Google Business Profile product.” (Colan Nielsen) – see the full prediction
• “Optimizing profiles entirely and backing up the information by keeping it consistent across listings … will be important.” (Dayna Lucio) – see the full prediction

2. Visual Content

Overview: Visual assets like photos, videos, and AR will dominate local search visibility and user engagement.

• Search engines like Google will reward high-quality, regularly updated visual content.
• AR and other visual enhancements in Google Maps will transform user interaction with local businesses.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “Photos, videos, and even augmented reality … are stepping into the spotlight, making them essential tools for standing out and connecting with customers.” (Rachel Ellen) – see the full prediction
• “Being able to browse local businesses through AI-sorted photo galleries … will fundamentally change how users discover and choose businesses.” (Claudia Tomina) – see the full prediction
• “Google especially rewards businesses with fresh, high-quality visuals by boosting their visibility.” (Rachel Ellen) – see the full prediction

3. AI and Machine Learning

Overview: AI is reshaping how businesses optimize for local search, from automating content creation to understanding user behavior.

• AI Overviews and multimodal searches (e.g. voice + video, text + image) will redefine search intent understanding.
• Businesses will need structured, AI-readable content to remain competitive.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “Multimodal search is more aligned with the natural, intuitive ways people search for stuff … search engines can understand user intent more deeply.” (Myriam Jessier) – see the full prediction
• “AI-powered descriptions, review sentiment analysis … will expand features available on [GBP] profiles.” (Jenny Bernarde) – see the full prediction
• “Google’s use of AI in search results also warrants close attention … making it vital to track how these changes impact … customers.” (Steve Wiideman) – see the full prediction

4. User-Generated Content (UGC)

Overview: UGC like reviews, photos, and videos will increasingly shape local SEO outcomes.

• Google Maps and search results will feature more UGC as trust signals.
• Businesses should actively encourage and curate UGC to build credibility.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “We are already seeing more images, reviews, and videos created by users being featured in Google Business Profiles.” (Clarissa Filius) – see the full prediction
• “User-generated content will continue to thrive … Businesses will need to embrace authentic interactions on social forums.” (Elizabeth Rule) – see the full prediction
• “Encouraging clicks and engagement … makes these features highly impactful for businesses optimizing their profiles.” (Claudia Tomina) – see the full prediction

5. Diversification of Channels

Overview: Businesses need to expand beyond Google for visibility, leveraging platforms like social media, Bing, and AI search tools.

• Hyperlocal targeting (neighborhood-specific strategies) will become more effective.
• Social media platforms and AI-driven search engines (e.g. ChatGPT) will grow as starting points for consumer journeys.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “It should be about matching user intent and delivering real value to your community … blending solid SEO with authentic community engagement.” (Celeste Gonzalez) – see the full prediction
• “Hyperlocal optimization … means diving deep into individual neighborhoods.” (Vera Shafiq) – see the full prediction
• “SearchGPT and other LLM tools … are becoming increasingly significant as starting points for customer journeys.” (Claire Carlile) – see the full prediction

6. Content Quality and Authenticity

Overview: High-quality, human-driven, and authentic content will stand out in an increasingly competitive and AI-saturated market.

• Businesses must avoid generic AI content and focus on storytelling and user-centric narratives.
• Unique, locally relevant content will dominate.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “Users and search engines alike are demanding more … focus on storytelling that builds trust and drives action.” (Melissa Popp) – see the full prediction
• “Google is rewarding information gain, so authentic site experiences with content written by real humans are going to start winning.” (Greg Gifford) – see the full prediction
• “The more unique and specific your content is … the better you’ll look in local SERPs.” (Elizabeth Linder) – see the full prediction

7. Emerging Technologies

Overview: Wearables, AR, and AI tools will expand search capabilities and local business engagement.

• AI-driven features like Immersive View and voice search will further enhance user experience.
• Wearables will create new opportunities for local SEO in real-time interactions.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “The transition from the phone to wearables is just beginning … augmented reality and wearables can benefit local SEO.” (Ben Fisher) – see the full prediction
• “Google Maps’ evolving UI … will make visual content far more engaging and searchable.” (Claudia Tomina) – see the full prediction

8. Back to Basics

Overview: Foundational practices like consistent NAP data, regular updates, and responsiveness will remain essential.

• Businesses must revisit and refine old content to align with current offerings.
• Improving communication channels and user experience will be a focus.

What the Experts Are Saying:

• “Foundational SEO tasks will be more important since so many are using AI to optimize page elements.” (Greg Gifford) – see the full prediction
• “If you have a lot of old content, make 2025 the year to revisit it … and re-publish it as new.” (Tim Capper) – see the full prediction

The Expert Predictions In Full

"AI search engines will begin to display content from social platforms to create richer local search results."

Jenny Bernarde, Social & Community Manager at BrightLocal

I predict that AI search engines will begin to display content from social platforms to create richer local search results. For example, social proof in the form of TikTok videos, or tagged Instagram posts could be added to the AI-generated results pulled from organic web sources. This would definitely better inform the searcher!

Social media has always been an excellent place for local businesses to establish their presence, but this presence may become increasingly vital in the coming year due to AI advancements.

"Expect to see many more businesses in competitive verticals flaunting the guidelines to their advantage."

Tim Capper, Owner at Online Ownership

I think we will have to work hard in 2025 to be local.

Google Business Profile is on its support knees, with reducing staff in favor of automation, which is not going so well— with manual actions from redressal submissions not being acted on. So expect to see many more businesses in competitive verticals flaunting the guidelines to their advantage. Dust off those local guide accounts for suggested edits, which is the only thing working in the wake of GBP suspending manual actions from redressal reports.

Successive HCU updates have removed old content that performed well for years. If you have a lot of old content, make 2025 the year to revisit it, update it to current offerings, prices, and brand messaging, and re-publish it as new. This will also help you find gaps in your current content that you can fill in.

Looking back at my opening sentence, “I think we will have to work hard in 2025 at being local”: this is going to separate you from the businesses jumping on the LLM (I refuse to call it AI when it just isn’t) train and churning out sub-standard stuff. People want to see the businesses as local and support local.

A great example of this was with an optometrist I recently worked with. They tried the TikTok bandwagon and spent a lot on professional video, which did not work out as expected. We repurposed the videos into an introduction to the business, including the front and back of the business staff, reworked their About page, and added the video. They then created a nice little “Thank You for your Business” card with a QR code that takes you directly to the video—this is included in every pair of glasses shipped out to online customers, showing who they supported “in real life”.

Repeat orders and prescriptions have nearly doubled, so put a face to your businesses if you don’t always see your customers in person.

Get Creative, Go Back to Being Local in 2025!

"Measurement using meaningful metrics must be central."

Claire Carlile, Local Search Advocate at Jepto

Oooh, it’s that time of year again! So, what does 2025 have in store for us?

I believe businesses will need to take AI more seriously. Large Language Models (LLMs) like Chat/SearchGPT are likely to become increasingly significant as starting points for customer journeys. Monitoring how searches related to your brand and queries relevant to your products or services evolve will be critical. Staying updated on the methods needed to optimize for visibility—whether it’s Bing Places, Tripadvisor, or other sources these models use to populate their answers—will be important.

Google’s use of AI in search results also warrants close attention. AI-generated overviews could become more prevalent in bottom-of-the-funnel local searches, making it vital to track how these changes impact the ways that your potential customers find (or fail to find) your business. Regularly monitoring the search engine results page (SERP) for your brand and key queries across relevant locations will remain an important aspect of any local SEO strategy.

Understanding how AI can benefit your business—whether by saving time, providing valuable insights, or optimizing the systems we use to serve our clients—is, in my view, essential. While current AI technologies have their limitations and are far from being a silver bullet, they are undeniably useful and can deliver meaningful outcomes for users.

As businesses, it’s crucial that we learn to harness these tools effectively, integrating them into our processes and aligning them with how we choose to build relationships with our customers and communities.

Perhaps 2025 will be the year many businesses finally adopt a more customer-centric approach. Truly understanding how your target market seeks to solve their problems requires stepping into their shoes—exploring their motivations, drivers, search behaviors, and the myriad touchpoints that can capture and maintain their attention along the journey.

Of course, Google will continue to play a dominant role, as it will still drive the lion’s share of leads for most businesses. If businesses haven’t yet fully optimized their Google Business Profiles or created locally relevant, highly optimized, and CTA-driven content for their websites, now is the time to do so.

Finally, with marketing budgets shrinking in many organizations—both internally and externally—demonstrating ROI will be more important than ever. Measurement using meaningful metrics must be central to everything we do, enabling us to justify spending and retain clients.

"Take action by carrying out queries about your brand to ensure that the content LLMs provide is accurate."

Crystal Carter, Head of SEO Communications at WIX STUDIO

Local SEO teams should be looking at how they can utilize ChatGPT and other LLMs as channels for traffic and conversions. Start by monitoring traffic in GA4 then take action by carrying out queries about your brand to ensure that the content they provide is accurate. Provide feedback on factually incorrect responses directly in the LLMs and take steps to increase your brand visibility in LLMs by getting links from websites that form part of LLM training data.

"2025 is the year to elevate your local visual strategy."

Rachel Ellen, Local Search Strategist at Croud

An area I am excited to prioritize in 2025 is visual content. This is no longer just a nice-to-have—it’s the lifeblood of your online presence, as photos, videos, and even augmented reality are stepping into the spotlight, making them essential tools for standing out and connecting with customers.

It’s a no-brainer concept that people love to see what they’re getting before they commit. A stunning photo of your café’s latte art, a before-and-after comparison of an impactful home renovation, or a quick video showing off your boutique’s cozy vibe isn’t just eye candy—it’s trust-building gold.

Advancements in AI and image recognition mean search platforms can understand and leverage visual content better than ever. We’ve seen Google especially reward businesses with fresh, high-quality visuals by boosting their visibility and pulling back the golden rope to let them into the red-carpeted area of new and emerging visual SERP features.

If you’re not keeping your gallery updated or experimenting with short-form video, you’re leaving opportunities on the table.

2025 is the year to elevate your local visual strategy. Be consistent, be creative, and most importantly, be real. The more effort you put into making your business look and feel approachable online, the more likely you are to attract and delight customers.

"Getting the basics right will remain the biggest challenge for most companies."

Clarissa Filius, Teamlead SEO at iO

In 2025, user-generated content (UGC) is expected to continue growing. We are already seeing more images, reviews, and videos created by users being featured in Google Business Profiles, and this trend is likely to expand. Google appears to be focusing on making Google Maps more centered around UGC and user engagement.

Local search will remain important, as people frequently rely on navigation apps to find nearby locations. More businesses are likely to realize the importance of optimizing for local search, especially in Europe, where there is still much room for improvement. Despite ongoing changes, getting the basics right will remain the biggest challenge for most companies.

While we may not see dramatic changes, some innovations are on the horizon. AI will likely become more integrated into navigation apps, though AI-powered search engines are not expected to replace core navigation functions anytime soon from my perspective. There is a possibility that Gemini will be integrated into Google Maps in 2025 or we may see local results return within AI Overviews. Additionally, features like Immersive View are expected to become more common—which I am really looking forward to.

"Citations will rise in importance."

Ben Fisher, Owner at Steady Demand

1. More GBP features will be AI augmented.

We started to see this already with the generative description inside GBP and the editorial snippet now being created by Generative AI. It only makes sense that we will see many more changes to GBP, allowing generative AI to make things “easier” for merchants.

My predictions: reviews, posts, and services all may get a generative AI upgrade.

2. Voice Search and the Rise of Conversational Queries

People are increasingly using voice-powered answer engines to search, like Perplexity and SearchGPT. This alters behavior from “type it in and look through results” to a more natural conversation with an AI agent or tool that will deliver high-quality results in a faster fashion.

My prediction: SearchGPT will continue to erode market share from Google. I would not be surprised to see a +10% drop off in 2025. Businesses will need to provide highly structured, AI-readable content, including FAQs, schema markup, and conversational language that aligns with voice search. Implementing natural language in content and focusing on long-tail keywords will become crucial.

3. Growth of Zero-Click Searches

Google will emphasize zero-click searches, where users find answers directly in search results through features like Local Packs, Knowledge Panels, and FAQs. Businesses must optimize their Google Business Profiles (GBP) and ensure their information (NAP, hours, reviews) is accurate and appealing.

My prediction: Marketers will need to make a more concentrated effort to ensure that a consistent narrative is feeding AI and zero-click results. Local citations will rise in importance. Negative SEO will emerge in a way that capitalizes on the use of misinformation, and on the flip side marketers will learn how to “train” answer engines.

4. Wearables

Local search is a perfect fit for wearables. The transition from the phone to wearables is just beginning and I think we will see our first example of how augmented reality and wearables can benefit local SEO.

My prediction: We will see more competition in the wearable space. Meta started with the RayBan glasses and integration of AI, this will be followed closely by Samsung, Google, and others. Marketers will need to understand what can be “trained” to augment the data that is fed back to users. The race for your face is here!

"Google Business Profile reviews and website location pages … will continue to play a key role in Local SEO."

Bambi Frazier, Snr Product Manager of Local SEO at Amsive

I think Google Business Profile reviews and website location pages (for multi-location businesses) will continue to play a key role in Local SEO in 2025. Search engines are consistently trying to “get it right” by prioritizing user trust signals through reviews and utilizing truly helpful, relevant local content on location pages (hello, schema!).

Because reviews directly influence consumer decisions, and well-optimized location pages can enhance discoverability and user experience, we’ll continue to see their need and significant impact.

"People are going to have to do real marketing again."

Greg Gifford, Chief Operating Officer at SearchLab Digital

I think 2025 will be the year of getting back to basics. Everyone has become distracted by AI and new tools and “SEO hustle bros” offering quick wins that don’t really work.

Now, with the proliferation of AI-generated content, there’s more crap than ever on websites. Google is rewarding information gain, so authentic site experiences with content written by real humans are going to start winning in search results.

People are going to have to do real marketing again—it will be all about building the brand and helping that brand stand out in the sea of noise. The basic foundational SEO tasks will be more important since so many are using AI to optimize page elements. Humans still outperform AI in sounding human and making human decisions. Plus, doing all of the basic “marketing” stuff will also play nicely with the up-and-coming AI search options, so it’s going to be a win-win all around.

"Success will come from blending solid SEO with authentic community engagement."

Celeste Gonzalez, Director of RooLabs at RicketyRoo

I hope that, in 2025, local SEO will be all about smarter diversification. Local businesses are starting to realize you can’t put all your eggs in one basket. It should be about matching user intent and delivering real value to your community.

I think we’ll see businesses focus on building trust and visibility through multiple channels: optimizing for user behavior and creating a brand that resonates both online and offline. Success will come from blending solid SEO with authentic community engagement and taking a data-driven approach to testing what really works. It’s about showing up for your users everywhere they are, not just in a traditional search way.

"Businesses need to ensure their digital presence can be easily interpreted across different search modalities."

Myriam Jessier, Fractional SEO + Trainer at PRAGM

Multimodal search makes it easier. Multimodal search is more aligned with the natural, intuitive ways people search for stuff. Using various input methods, such as text combined with images or voice with video opens new doors for businesses.

For local businesses, this means optimizing content not just for keywords but for the broader context and intent behind queries. This is thanks to vector embeddings, which capture the semantic meaning and context of concepts, allowing search engines to understand user intent more deeply. On the local SEO end of things, this is something local businesses know well, otherwise, they would not be able to meet their customers’ needs.

Things will get easier for some as a result: for instance, a user might take a photo of a leaky pipe and receive recommendations for local plumbers based on reviews and expertise along with other deciding factors such as responsiveness and affordable rates.

Businesses need to ensure their digital presence can be easily interpreted across different search modalities.

This table illustrates multimodal search patterns I think about in the shower.

"It’ll be necessary in 2025 to understand where your audience is searching and be visible in these places."

Elizabeth Linder, Director Of SEO at Kick Point & KP Playbook

Previously my predictions on local search for 2024 revolved around the importance of continuing to provide high-quality, unique content that is beneficial to your target audience—this I believe will continue to be true in 2025.

There’s so much more opportunity to build better local content with the support of AI, including uncovering helpful topics from your own search console data and building strong outlines to work from.

We’ve also seen a shift towards building brand recognition and not just focusing on optimizing your website, but taking time to find out where else your local audience searches for your goods or services—like social media or community forums! It’ll be necessary in 2025 to understand where your audience is searching and be visible in these places. You’ll want to diversify and tailor your content for these different formats.

Local businesses can also benefit from communicating across different channels. We unfortunately still live in a world where we will contact a local business, like our dentist, and not hear back after either filling out a form or calling! In 2025 I would love to see more local businesses improve their communication with customers.

Your reputation is also still extremely relevant. It’s more difficult than ever to rank in competitive local spaces, and the more people talk about you (in a positive way) the more proof you’ll provide to both users and search engines that you’re the best at what you do. But please don’t buy reviews.

Lastly, the more unique and specific your content is to your local business, the better you’ll look in local SERPs. It’s a world of AI and online scams, the more real you appear, the better. Don’t use stock or AI images, have real images and videos of your business, team members, products, and/or services.

"More SERP features will be introduced in 2025."

Dayna Lucio, Sr. Strategist, SEO at Amsive

1. One of my predictions is that there will be more AI-generated features within GBP. We’ve seen some “experimental features” on profiles, such as the feature where restaurants can generate menus from photos or PDFs, as well as the option to create AI-powered descriptions. I think Google will continue to test different profile features using generative AI. I also think that Google will continue expanding features available on the profiles to share more information about businesses; with the emphasis on reviews that we’ve seen in the past, I could see some type of feature that serves as a review sentiment analysis summary to add something beyond the star rating and topic clusters we currently see in that section.

2. When it comes to GBP, I think it will be necessary for businesses to ensure they are optimizing their profiles entirely and backing up the information by keeping it consistent across listings (Yelp, Bing, ABC, etc.), along with having that content available on their website. This will be important because I can also see Google leveraging profile and location page content to help with AI Overviews for businesses and other AI-generated SERP features. We saw testing of local packs when they first experimented with the SGE Lab Results, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that type of testing continued in 2025.

3. Looking beyond Local SEO, I think more SERP features will be introduced in 2025, resulting in more zero-click searches. Brands will need to start thinking beyond Google when it comes to search, focusing on social media, YouTube, etc., and finding ways that different channels can work together so marketing efforts aren’t siloed.

"AI Slop will be widely used and widely effective."

David Mihm, Co-founder at Near Media

1. Regulatory risk will lead Google to make substantial SERP changes in Europe and possibly the UK

Google’s obligation to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) continues to be the most underreported story in local search.

Thus far, aside from a bad-faith reversion to ten blue links in the Hotels vertical in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia, the impact of the changes Google has introduced to the Local SERP in response to the DMA has been infinitesimally small. Across restaurants, home services, and hotels, we’ve found Google clearly continues to self-preference its own Business Profiles in terms of ranking, and the Places Sites comparison module has been designed in such a way that it receives almost no user engagement. (Disclosure: Near Media presented our restaurant data to members of the European Commission in March 2024.)

In 2025, there will be enough zeroes on the end of the penalty number that the cost-benefit analysis of noncompliance will start to tip in the direction of significant SERP layout changes, even if those changes yield a lower revenue-per-query than Google’s historically achieved.

2. Google will aggressively push users to adopt Gemini as their primary search engine

Much as Meta’s original flagship social product is now a shell of its former self, supplanted by Instagram and WhatsApp for all but the oldest, least-savvy users, Gemini could become Google’s primary go-to-market search brand.

I think we’ll see Alphabet pushing Gemini every way it possibly can in an effort to keep users inside its ecosystem, but using a completely different (better) product. We’ll see television ads (check), modal windows, Gmail calls to action, Chrome notifications—the kitchen sink.

AI Overviews will continue to infiltrate an increasing percentage of SERPs and we’ll see other AI experiments from the Google search product team. Google’s market share will remain above 90% for most of the Western world, driving the lion’s share of brand awareness and website traffic for most companies.

But we might very well look back on 2024 as Peak Google (though by no means Peak Alphabet).

3. AI Slop will be widely used and widely effective (and maybe that’s OK?)

We’ll continue to see manual penalties and whipsawing Core Updates in 2025 as engineers continue to play Edge Case Whack-a-mole on the altar of Brand as a cesspool-sorting mechanism. But AI-produced content will proliferate and continue to deliver value to publishers and readers.

LLMs have gotten incredibly good at generating content themselves (to wit: the podcast feature of Google’s own Notebook LM which went viral last year). At a minimum, a well-structured prompt to ChatGPT or NotebookLM that draws on an editorially-curated list of sources is relatively unlikely to hallucinate and can synthesize almost any input into a cohesive narrative with astonishing “skill.”

In many cases, humans consuming AI-produced content prefer it to human-created stuff anyway!

So I think we’ll see more businesses of all sizes continue to deploy AI content in this manner at scale: a strategy which will be validated by its ranking and conversion performance.

"Q1 will bring some massive, game-changing shifts to the local algorithm."

Colan Nielsen, VP of Local Search at Sterling Sky

1. AI features will continue to grow both in the main Google SERP’s as well as the Google Business Profile product. I think Q1 will bring some massive, game-changing shifts to the local algorithm.

2. This annual prediction of mine hasn’t come true since I started making the prediction pre-covid: service areas in GBP will start to influence ranking. 2025 is the year!

"We might start to see more businesses leveraging subscription models as a new stream of income."

Sammy Paget, Research Lead at BrightLocal

1. I think we’ll see a rise in written blogger review content, whether from personal interest bloggers or experts contributing reviews to larger publications. Whilst the last few years has seen many bloggers shifting away from writing content on their own websites, and instead focusing on just creating Reels or TikToks, there is evidence to show that ‘business mentions’ within various publications are appearing prominently in SERPs and AI Search result source lists for plenty of different industries (see Business Listings Visibility Study and Uncovering ChatGPT Search Sources).

I kind of see this happening as a bit of a ‘hyper authentic’ backlash to AI, where people may feel a sense of nostalgia towards the innocent years of microinfluencers.

2. As a follow-on from this, I think reinforcing expertise and authority authentically (à la E-E-A-T) will prove to be a big focus for local marketers in 2025. So, considering ways to tap into the above types of content should be on the agenda—whether that’s leveraging influencers in your business to contribute expert content to external publications, focusing on the surprise and delight factors that will get others writing about your business organically, or even building your own blog.

3. Subscriptions and tiers. As consumers, we’re well past just having subscriptions to video and audio streaming platforms. Creator platforms like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee allow brands and individuals to monetize their content. Some of these platforms also provide an exclusive sense of community with direct access to creators. I think we might start to see more businesses leveraging subscription models as a new stream of income.

"Local businesses must focus on storytelling that builds trust and drives action."

Melissa Popp, Content Strategy Director at RicketyRoo

In 2025, local SEOs must shift from simply ticking off optimization boxes to crafting engaging, hyper-relevant content that speaks directly to their audience’s needs. The days of throwing together generic location pages and hoping for rankings are gone. Users and search engines alike are demanding more. With increased competition, local businesses must focus on storytelling that builds trust and drives action. This means using deep local insights, user-generated content, and expertise-driven narratives to create content that doesn’t just rank but converts.

"We’ll see Google streamline GBP by phasing out less popular, proprietary features like posts and Q&A."

Elizabeth Rule, SEO Analyst + Account Manager at Sterling Sky

Looking ahead to 2025, I see big wins for businesses that double down on building their brand both online and offline. Why? Because Google loves brands that people love. The more people talk about, engage with, and share your brand, the more Google is inclined to trust your content—and reward it with prime search visibility. Brand SEO is becoming wildly important, to help business owners control what users see about a brand no matter where they are searching – especially off Google. Plus, user-generated content will continue to thrive. Businesses will need to embrace authentic interactions on social forums and social media to stay topically relevant, authoritative, and trusted.

2025 isn’t just about improving search rankings—it’s about making your brand stand out where it matters and leading/contributing to the conversations your customers care about most.

Big changes are brewing in Google Business Profile (GBP), too. I suspect we’ll see Google streamline GBP by phasing out less popular, proprietary features like posts and Q&A. Instead, they’ll likely lean into connecting GBP with social media platforms. Why? Because businesses and customers are already engaging so much on social media, pulling social posts and other content into GBP (a trend we’re already seeing) feels like the natural next step.

"Video content is evolving from a nice-to-have into a local SEO powerhouse."

Vera Shafiq, Marketing Strategy Consultant at Vera Shafiq

Looking ahead to 2025, three powerful trends are poised to revolutionize the local SEO landscape. As someone who’s spent years helping businesses thrive in their local markets, I’m particularly excited about these game-changing developments.

First, video content is evolving from a nice-to-have into a local SEO powerhouse. We’re seeing remarkable results when businesses create authentic, snappy videos that showcase their unique local flavor. Whether it’s a behind-the-scenes peek at a family-owned restaurant or a quick tutorial from a neighborhood hardware store, these videos are gold when optimized with local keywords and shared across platforms. What makes this especially powerful is Google’s increasing preference for rich media in local search results, particularly through Google Business Profile integration.

The second wave is the strategic application of AI in local SEO. We’re moving beyond basic keyword research into sophisticated local market analysis. Smart businesses are using AI tools to decode their local competitive landscape and understand community conversations in real time. This lets them craft content that truly resonates with their neighborhood audience—it’s like having a constant pulse on your local market.

Perhaps most intriguingly, we’re witnessing the rise of hyperlocal optimization. Gone are the days of targeting just “Chicago” or “Los Angeles.” Success in 2025 means diving deep into individual neighborhoods. Think Wicker Park in Chicago or Silver Lake in LA. By creating neighborhood-specific landing pages and getting listed in local community directories, businesses are connecting with customers literally around the corner.

These trends aren’t just changing the game—they’re rewriting the rules of local search entirely. Businesses that embrace these shifts early will find themselves with a significant advantage in their local markets.

"It’s time to take a long, hard look at who and what is being featured in the AI Overviews."

Andy Simpson, Senior SEO at Digital Law Marketing

In the words of Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin’. Sundar Pichai has already said that Google search will “change profoundly” in 2025! We’re going to see an increase in AI Overviews, there’s even been mention of a dedicated “AI Mode” which users will be able to switch to from the top of the SERPs. I think we’re also going to see featured snippets slowly get filtered out and replaced more with AI Overviews, so if you’re currently seeing an AI Overview and a featured snippet, I don’t think we’ll be seeing this for much longer. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to take a long, hard look at who and what is being featured in the AI Overviews. These can change sometimes on a weekly basis, but with the right content, you can also shoehorn yourself into them as well.

I’m honestly “currently” not concerned about losing traffic to Perplexity or SearchGPT, as the percentage of traffic we get from these is tiny, even less than what we get from Bing, and who’s worried about Bing?

But we should not be ignoring it, as again, it’s not going away and is only going to grow over time. So be aware of it, use SearchGPT, search for your brand, and see what results are returned. Customer comments and reviews don’t always come from Google, SearchGPT does currently reference Google and Google Maps but who knows when they’ll change this and it’ll be local results from Bing and Bing Local? So what’s your Bing Local presence looking like at the moment? You do know that SearchGPT uses Bing, much of the search functionality “appears” to be powered by Bing’s index. Bing index tip, use “IndexNow” to have your content indexed almost immediately by Bing, which surely means it’s then known by SearchGPT

Here’s a 2025 must-have report on traffic from AI Tools in GA4 from Dana DiTomaso, this is a great way to see what content on your site is getting interest/traffic from Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc.

2025 is a year of not being left behind with what’s happening not just on Google but with the other LLM platforms. Keep checking, don’t ignore them, your clients will be asking about them, so be aware and understand them.

"The moonshot: More policies shaped by local laws."

Stefan Somberac, Local SEO Analyst at Sterling Sky

My niche is Google Business Profiles, so that’s where all my predictions are focused. And I’ve got three: the obvious, the less obvious, and the moonshot.

1. The obvious: More AI. In 2024 Google gave us AI tools to write the GBP description and to convert a photo or PDF of your restaurant’s menu into an editable text menu on your profile. They started using AI to put a business overview on the Knowledge Panel in the SERPs, and now Gemini can answer questions about a business in the Maps app.

I believe Google will continue to add more AI tools to help business owners manage their profiles. By scraping the business website and social media profiles AI could recommend additional categories or services, suggest updates to business hours during the holidays and write posts. With some training to learn the voice of the business, AI could respond to reviews. There are lots of possibilities!

2. The less obvious: More transparency. The relatively new Appeals tool tells us (albeit vaguely) why a profile was suspended. In 2023, Google gave us a tool to give us insights into account suspensions. In 2024, Google started sharing with business owners reasons why their video verification failed. We’re miles away from total transparency but every little bit helps business owners create and maintain a verified Business Profile. I expect to see more of it in 2025.

3. The moonshot: More policies shaped by local laws. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Economic Area (EEA) imposes significant new regulations on the biggest internet companies. We’re seeing Google make changes to remain compliant, from changes to the SERPs to giving businesses options to request information that is not already available in existing help documents. At the end of 2024, Google added a new rule to the Business Profile Guidelines that requires businesses associated with age-restricted products (e.g. alcohol, cannabis) to have a storefront. This requirement eliminates unlicensed delivery services that can easily get away with weak age verification practices. Is Google concerned about listing businesses that may be breaking local laws? Historically, Google has largely been concerned with users following the Google TOS. I’m curious to see if they introduce more policies that align with local laws (or at least, insulate Google from law-breaking businesses using Google Business Profiles.)

"More marketers will diversify away from Google."

Greg Sterling, Local Marketing Expert + Co-founder at Near Media

Obviously AI is going to continue to have a major impact on the market. Google will remain far and away the dominant search engine—and there will be many more changes to SERPs, as Big G introduces new AI features and elements (and tries to preserve ad clicks)—but some number of consumer searches will migrate to AI tools like ChatGPT. These tools may wind up complementing search or they could erode informational query volumes on Google. But consumer behavior is definitely changing. This is part of a larger “fragmentation of search” that’s been going on for some time: think TikTok, Reddit, Instagram, Apple Maps, and so on.

We don’t know yet what’s going to happen to Google following its antitrust defeat in 2024 and its second antitrust trial, which has yet to deliver a final judgment. More likely than not, there won’t be any major changes, but potential “structural” remedies (e.g. sale of Chrome or Android), if they were to happen, could significantly impact both users and marketers.

Apple is a wild card. Improvements to Siri via Apple Intelligence, along with Apple’s OpenAI partnership, will peel away search queries from Google on the iPhone. If it continues to improve, Apple Maps could also take some local search queries away from Google. Apple Maps (Apple Business Connect) is often neglected by local marketers. It drives considerable traffic and should be a higher priority.

Speaking of which, more marketers will diversify away from Google. Google will remain central, but the antitrust trial exhibits and various search-related leaks in 2024 have revealed the importance of developing a brand on other channels so that people search more directly for your company or client vs. battling it out for category search or generic keyword rankings. In addition, people discover companies very often in a lot of places other than on Google. Marketers can and should invest more time in those places depending on their audience(s). Google, however, will remain the focus for local SEOs.

As a final note, I believe that ChatGPT will start to become competitive with Google for local information in 2025, including local business information. It may develop something akin to Google Business Profiles at some point this year.

"We will continue to see the rise of social media features and carousels."

Krystal Taing, VP of Solutions at Uberall

In 2025, I think we will continue to see the rise of social media features and carousels, as well as more focus on photos and videos. These types of mediums help provide more business context to searchers, and search engines are highlighting these more prevalently, both alongside your business profiles and in search results.

"Photos and videos … will be the focus for Google Maps in 2025."

Claudia Tomina, Founder at ReputationArm

One of the biggest shifts I anticipate in local SEO for 2025 is Google Maps’ evolving UI and its deeper integration of AI-powered photos and videos. We’ve already seen the beginnings of this transformation in 2024, with photo galleries being categorized under headings next to “latest,” “by owner,” and “street view.”

Google is now creating more specific labels in photos for food items and other categories. No doubt we will see a lot more of these photo categorizations across all categories and as the AI models evolve. The labeling and organization of photos are going to make visual content far more engaging and searchable in the coming year.

We see the “Discover Through Photos” feature for search queries, allowing users to visually explore options based on images. I predict we’ll see this functionality expand in 2025. Photos are also starting to appear alongside review sentiments. For example, if a med spa has 25 reviews mentioning “lips,” clicking that sentiment may show related photos, not just from reviews but also uploaded by the business itself. Being able to browse local businesses through AI-sorted photo galleries that showcase key offerings or services will fundamentally change how users discover and choose businesses.

Of course, it’s not always perfect—AI occasionally pulls unrelated photos or labels them wrong—but the focus here is user interaction. Even when the content isn’t flawless, the ability to encourage clicks and engagement makes these features highly impactful for businesses optimizing their profiles.

Photos and videos, paired with a new user interface, better labeling, categorization, and discoverability through AI, will be the focus for Google Maps in 2025.

"This is the year consumers really begin to explore different ways of finding places."

Steve Wiideman, Owner at Wiideman Consulting Group

Change in the local SEO space in 2025 is inevitable as consumers continue to adopt AI technologies, such as using their voice with ChatGPT Search, exploring Google’s Gemini, and wearing wearables such as Ray-Ban Meta and Humane. Younger searchers spend their time in social search, but where they search is uncertain, as demonstrated by the TikTok ban.

Google Web Search is a product, and as long as there is demand for a product, it’s unlikely going to go anywhere anytime soon. This is the year consumers really begin to explore different ways of finding places. It’s the local business community that should be investing resources into understanding where else consumers are searching, how they are searching, and what factors might ultimately play into decision-making.

2025 might be a Listen and Watch Year at its core. Forward-thinking organizations might be thinking about allocating resources towards a “no website traffic” search ecosystem where they help their customers get what they need even in an environment where the customer never actually reaches the website. A hands-free AI-assisted experience that will eventually include users taking action, the way they might make a purchase with Amazon Alexa.

We should be excited about the prospect of action schema tied to services that enable future search engines to interact with our business in ways that never require a page on our website to be visited by a human.

Exciting times await us, but for now, listening and watching should be our priority for the new year.

What’s Next for 2025?

We don’t know, but whatever it is, we’ll be letting you know the skinny via our newsletter. A huge thanks to the 25 experts who shared their expert predictions with us this year!