Category: Local SEO

How to Rank for “Near Me” Searches in a City where Your Office is Not Located

 “Near me” searches are shaped by proximity. Google is trying to match the searcher with nearby, relevant, trusted businesses. If....

Why Your GBP Insights Numbers Don’t Add Up — and What to Trust Instead

 If your Google Business Profile numbers look wrong this month, you are not imagining it. There is a real reporting....

What Your Business Hours Have to Do with Your Map‑Pack Ranking

 Business hours can affect how often a local business appears in the map pack. That matters most for owners who....

Do Press Releases Actually Help You Show Up in the “Best Of” AI Recommendations?

 Yes, but only in specific situations.   Press releases can help with press release SEO in 2026 and LLM visibility....

Google AI Mode for Local Search: A Practical Guide for Practice Owners

 AI Mode is not the same as AI Overviews. It is a separate Google Search experience with a more conversational....

Review Extortion Is Now a National Issue. Here’s How a Local Practice Should Respond

 Review extortion used to feel like a rare local SEO problem. By late 2025, it had become a national business....

Anonymous Google Reviews: Should You Trust Them, and What Do You Do About Them?

 Late 2025 saw more anonymous-looking Google reviewer profiles appear in local search. For business owners, that raises a fair question:....

How to Respond to a Negative Google Review Without Making It Worse (with Three Templates)

 A bad review can feel personal. But the first response is the one that matters most. Many local business owners....

Star Ratings vs. Written Reviews: Which Actually Helps You Rank?

 Star ratings help customers make quick decisions. But written reviews often do more. They give customers context, and they can....

How Often Should You Get New Google Reviews? The Recency Rule Most Businesses Get Wrong

 A few new reviews every month usually work better than one large review push twice a year. For local businesses,....