Naming Your Business: Should You Put Your City Front and Center?

Picture this: You’re about to launch your dream business. You’ve worked out the details and polished your offerings, and now you just need the perfect name. You want something that stands out, sticks in people’s minds, and—most importantly—helps customers find you.

So, you wonder: Should I include my city or town in the name?

At first glance, it seems like a great idea. Imagine you’re opening a bakery in Charleston. “Charleston Sweet Treats” has a nice ring to it, right? It instantly tells people where you are and what you do. But before you commit, let’s walk through the pros and cons—because while it can be a smart move, it’s not always the best one.

The Perks of a Location-Based Name

Adding your city or region to your business name is like putting up a bright, flashing sign that says, Hey, locals! This is for you! It tells people exactly where to find you and reassures them that you’re part of their community. If you’re running a service-based business—like “Loudoun Valley Plumbing” or “Nashville Home Repair”—it can boost your local SEO, helping you appear in search results when people are looking for businesses in your area.

It also creates a sense of hometown pride. Customers might be more inclined to choose “Chicago Crafted Coffee” over a generic-sounding alternative because it feels personal. It feels local.

But before you rush to register your new business name, let’s talk about the downside.

When a Location-Based Name Can Hold You Back

Fast forward five years. Your Charleston bakery is thriving. Tourists love your cookies. A food blogger raves about your pastries. A shop in Savannah reaches out—they want to sell your signature croissants.

But wait. Your business name is Charleston Sweet Treats. Would customers in Savannah be hesitant to buy from you? Could the name limit your ability to expand?

That’s the risk. If there’s even a small chance you’ll grow beyond your city—whether that means opening another location, expanding services, or reaching online customers—you don’t want a name that ties you down.

There’s also the branding factor. A location-based name can sound practical, but does it feel premium? If you’re an upscale interior designer, “Dallas Home Design” might not have the same high-end appeal as something like “Willow & Oak Interiors.”

So, What’s the Best Approach?

Here’s the golden rule: Think about where you want to be in five or ten years. If you plan to stay hyper-local and serve only your city, using a location keyword might work in your favor. But if you have even a hint of future expansion in mind, consider a name that gives you room to grow.

If you love the idea of signaling your hometown roots but don’t want to be boxed in, you can always incorporate it in a different way. Your tagline, website copy, or About page can highlight your local connection without locking your brand into a single place.

Final Thought: The Name is Just the Beginning

The right name can help your business get discovered, but it’s what you do that builds trust and loyalty. Whether you choose a location-based name or go for something more flexible, make sure it reflects who you are and how you want to grow.

And if you’re still unsure? Let’s talk. A great brand starts with a great conversation.

For those who ply the waters of Local SEO, Google’s Search Console is a fundamental part of the toolkit. It provides a variety of information that can be used to optimize existing content, check site health, and look for growth opportunities. Because of these factors it was of particular interest when Google announced a new feature added to Search Console, Performance Insights. The feature is still in Beta and does not appear in all accounts as it is being systematically rolled out. The first look, however, provides some interesting information (see screen grab above). While it’s still not completely clear what all these recommendations will include, the official support page says that the scope of the insights will include:

• Issues (something that could be fixed)
• Opportunities (something that could improve your traffic)
• Configuration (something that could make your work easier)

These can prove useful to pinpoint the exact pages and keywords driving traffic, or helping you refine your content strategy. By understanding user behavior and search trends, you can optimize your site to better meet customer needs, improve local search visibility, and ultimately increase conversions.

Here are some of the opportunities we are looking to use these insights for as we see them roll out into our accounts.

Identify High-Performing Pages

Leverage insights to discover which pages attract the most traffic.
Enhance these pages with targeted keywords and relevant content to maintain and boost their rankings.

Optimize Underperforming Pages

Analyze pages with low engagement or high bounce rates.
Revise these pages to align better with user search intent, possibly by improving content relevance or loading speed.

Keyword Opportunities

Discover which keywords your site ranks for and their respective positions. Focus on optimizing for keywords that are close to ranking on the first page, which will provide a quick win for traffic increase.

Improve Local SEO

Use location-based keyword insights to tailor content specifically for local searchers.
Optimizing for Google Business Profile and other local directories will ensure that your business is prominently featured in local search results.

Monitor and Adjust

Regularly review performance insights to stay ahead of trends and competitors.
Use the data to continuously refine your SEO strategy, focusing on what works best for your audience.
By harnessing the power of these new insights, your local business can not only improve its online presence but also connect more effectively with potential customers, driving growth and success.

For more details on how to maximize these insights, visit Google’s Support Page.

Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works

by A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin

The book is co-authored by A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, and Roger L. Martin, a renowned business strategist. Together, they share their insights on how to develop and implement effective business strategies. At the core of “Playing to Win” is the concept of making deliberate choices about where to compete and how to win.

My thoughts – This book offers a deep dive into strategic thinking and planning, which is crucial for any business, regardless of size. The principles discussed by Lafley and Martin, although based on a large corporation like P&G, are surprisingly applicable to small businesses. I appreciate the analytical approach to choosing where and how to compete. It’s a refreshing perspective that challenges conventional small business marketing strategies.

Small Business Big Money Online

by Alex Harris

Harris focuses on leveraging online platforms to maximize profits for small businesses. This book is perfect for those who want to understand how to effectively use social media, SEO, and online advertising to boost their business.

My thoughts – Harris nails it with actionable online strategies. I appreciate the focus on maximizing ROI using social media and SEO. It’s a solid investment for any business looking to expand its digital footprint.

The 1-Page Marketing Plan

by Allan Dib

Simplifying marketing into a single page, Dib’s book is ideal for small business owners who need a clear and concise plan. This book helps you create a straightforward strategy to streamline your marketing efforts.

My thoughts – Dib simplifies marketing strategy effectively, but I’m skeptical about the one-page approach. It seems overly simplistic for complex marketing needs, although it could be a good starting point for small business owners.

Guerrilla Marketing

by Jay Conrad Levinson

A classic in the marketing world, this book introduces innovative, low-cost marketing tactics that are perfect for small businesses. Levinson’s strategies are designed to be effective and budget-friendly.

My thoughts – Levinson’s low-cost tactics are ingenious. The book is a treasure trove of creative ideas that are perfect for businesses with tight budgets. It’s a must-read for anyone looking to make a big impact with minimal investment.

Building a StoryBrand

by Donald Miller

Miller teaches business owners how to clarify their message and connect with customers through storytelling. This book is excellent for those who want to create a compelling brand narrative.

My thoughts – I listened to this as an audiobook while kayaking. I finished and immediately started it again. Miller’s approach to branding through storytelling is powerful. It aligns well with creating impactful brand messages that resonate with clients. Highly recommended for developing a strong brand narrative.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

by Robert B. Cialdini

Understanding the psychology behind why people say “yes” is crucial in marketing. Cialdini’s book is a foundational read for small business owners looking to improve their persuasion skills.

My thoughts – This is one of my favorite marketing books. Cialdini’s book is foundational, but it’s more psychology than direct marketing strategy. While it’s insightful, I prefer books that offer more straightforward marketing tactics.

Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is about Help Not Hype

 by Jay Baer

Focused on creating helpful and valuable content, Baer’s approach is particularly effective for small businesses aiming to build long-term customer relationships.

My thoughts – Baer’s concept of ‘Youtility’ aligns perfectly with providing value to clients. This book gets a big thumbs up for its focus on long-term customer relationships over short-term gains.

Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in the Digital Age

by Jonah Berger

This book is all about making your business or product so compelling that it becomes naturally word-of-mouth. Berger provides insightful tactics to make your small business talk-worthy.

My thoughts – Berger offers a great perspective on viral marketing. However, some tactics seem a bit hit or miss for small businesses. It’s useful, but I recommend applying these ideas judiciously.

Duct Tape Marketing

 by John Jantsch

Jantsch offers a step-by-step guide to developing and executing marketing strategies for small businesses. His approach is practical and straightforward, making it a great read for those new to marketing.

My thoughts – Jantsch’s practical approach is spot on. The step-by-step guide is exactly what small businesses need. It’s a straightforward, no-nonsense book that I highly recommend.

The Referral Engine

by John Jantsch

Focusing on the power of referrals, this book is essential for small businesses looking to leverage their existing customer base to attract new clients.

My thoughts – Jantsch’s emphasis on referrals is good, but I find some of the methods a bit outdated in the digital age. It’s a decent read but needs to be supplemented with more current digital strategies.

Each of these books offers unique perspectives and actionable strategies that can help local small businesses amplify their marketing efforts. Whether you’re new to business or looking to refine your existing marketing plan, these reads are sure to provide valuable insights and tools for success.

Remember, the key to effective marketing for small businesses lies in understanding your audience, leveraging your unique strengths, and being innovative in your approach. These books provide the foundation and inspiration to help you achieve just that.

Content marketing has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes however for local businesses, it holds more significance as it helps them stand out in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Understanding Content Marketing for Local Businesses

Content marketing involves the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience, ultimately driving profitable customer action. It enables local businesses to connect with their target audience on a deeper level, establishing a strong brand identity and fostering trust.

Ways Content Marketing Can Boost Local Business Visibility:

Improving search engine rankings and SEO – High-quality, locally relevant content helps improve search engine rankings by optimizing keywords, increasing backlinks, and enhancing user engagement. These factors contribute to a stronger online presence, making it easier for potential customers to discover your business.

Establishing authority and credibility – By providing informative and insightful content that addresses your target audience’s needs and concerns, you position your business as an industry expert. This credibility fosters trust and brand loyalty, encouraging customers to choose your business over competitors.

Building and nurturing relationships – Content marketing allows local businesses to create a loyal customer base by offering personalized, engaging content that resonates with their audience. This fosters a sense of community, making your customers more likely to recommend your business to others.

Strategies for Effective Content Marketing

To harness the power of content marketing for your local business, consider the following strategies:

Identify your target audience – Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating relevant and engaging content. Conduct market research to determine your customers’ demographics, preferences, and pain points, and tailor your content accordingly.

Focus on local relevance – Incorporate local elements into your content strategy to appeal to your target audience. Examples include sharing information about local events, highlighting customer success stories from your area, and providing helpful tips specific to your community.

Utilize multiple formats – Diversify your content by using various formats such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, and social media posts. This ensures that you reach a wider audience and cater to different content consumption preferences.

Optimize for search engines – Implement local SEO strategies to improve your content’s visibility on search engine results pages. This includes using location-based keywords, optimizing meta tags, and including local business schema markup on your website.

Encourage social sharing – Create shareable content that encourages your audience to spread the word about your business. Add social sharing buttons to your website, engage with your audience on social media, and encourage customers to leave reviews and testimonials.

Track and measure success – Regularly monitor your content marketing efforts using analytics tools to determine which strategies are most effective. Use these insights to refine your content strategy and maximize your return on investment.

Content marketing plays a vital role in boosting local business visibility by improving search engine rankings, establishing authority, and nurturing customer relationships. By implementing the strategies outlined above, local businesses can harness the power of content marketing to drive growth and long-term success.

The Rise Of Online Platforms and The Brand Stack

As websites became destinations and amassed users, they became platforms with their own ecosystems. Platforms like Facebook, Google, Bing, and Apple have matured and included pages for individual businesses within their systems. These allow businesses to express their brand within the platform, but the brands don’t own those pages; the platforms own them and can take them away.

I like to refer to these four essential online platforms as The Brand Stack. It’s a crucial element in local business marketing, and it can help small businesses increase their online presence, attract new customers, and foster strong relationships with existing ones. This article will explore how the Brand Stack can benefit local businesses and provide guidance on utilizing these platforms effectively.

1. Google Business Profile – Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business, is a powerful tool that allows businesses to manage their presence on Google Search and Maps. Creating a detailed Google Business Profile can help local businesses:
   • Increase visibility in local search results.
   • Share important business information, such as hours of operation, contact details, and location.
   • Showcase positive customer reviews and ratings.
   • Post updates and promotions directly on their Google Business Profile.
   • To get started with Google Business Profile, businesses should claim and verify their listing, complete their profile with accurate information, and encourage customers to leave reviews.

2. Facebook Business Page – A Facebook Business Page is an essential social media platform that enables local businesses to connect with their target audience. By creating a Facebook Business Page, businesses can:

• • Share updates, promotions, and events.
  • Engage with customers through direct messages or comments.
  • Utilize targeted advertising to reach potential customers.
  • Integrate with other marketing tools, such as Instagram and WhatsApp.
  • To make the most of their Facebook Business Page, local businesses should regularly post engaging content, respond to customer inquiries, and use Facebook Insights to analyze their page’s performance.

3. Bing Location Pages – While Google dominates the search engine market, Bing still commands a significant share of searches. Bing Location Pages offer local businesses another opportunity to increase their online visibility. To make the most of Bing Location Pages, businesses should:

• • Claim and verify their listing on Bing Places for Business.
  • Provide up-to-date and accurate business information.
  • Encourage customers to leave reviews on Bing.
  • Utilize Bing Ads for targeted advertising.

4. Apple Maps for Business Pages – Apple Maps is the default mapping application for millions of iPhone users. Apple Maps for Business Pages allows businesses to claim their listing, ensuring their information is accurate and up-to-date. To optimize their presence on Apple Maps, businesses should:

• • Claim their Apple Maps listing through Apple Maps Connect.
  • Provide essential business information, such as hours of operation, contact details, and location.
  • Encourage customers to leave reviews and ratings on Apple Maps.

Maximize Your Brand Stack for Local Marketing Benefit

The Brand Stack, comprised of Google Business Profile, Facebook Business Page, Bing Location Pages, and Apple Maps for Business Pages, offers local businesses a powerful combination of online platforms to maximize their visibility and customer engagement. By leveraging these tools effectively, local businesses can strengthen their online presence, attract new customers, and create lasting connections with their existing clientele. It’s time to embrace the Brand Stack and unlock the full potential of your local business.

Furthermore, a well-defined brand aids in marketing efforts to attract potential employees who align with the business values, and can often command a premium price, significantly contributing to the overall business success and longevity.

With the ubiquity of smartphones and real-time GPS, consumers have been conditioned to use their trusty digital sidekicks to find their best options for businesses by tagging “near me” onto the end of their transactional search query – be it a coffee shop, shoe store, or a place to get their car serviced. If you’re not popping up in these searches, you’re missing out on some serious local foot traffic. So, let’s talk about how to get your business in the “near me” game, and up your local marketing strategy.

1. Google Business Profile: Your New Best Friend

Start by getting your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing in order. This free tool lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps, which, let’s be real, is where most “near me” searches are happening. Ensure your business’s name, address, and phone number (often referred to as NAP information) are accurate and consistent across the web. Keep your business hours up-to-date and post photos regularly to showcase your business at its best. The better and more accurate your GMB listing is, the more likely Google will recommend your business in a “near me” search.

2. SEO, SEO, SEO

Yes, I know, SEO again, right? But it really is crucial, even more so for local searches. Focus on local SEO strategies such as including location-specific keywords in your website copy and meta tags. Try to add a local flavor to your content, like references to landmarks or popular neighborhoods in your city. Also, secure backlinks from other local businesses or directories to boost your local authority.

3. Collect those Reviews

Most consumers check out reviews before they visit a business. Not only do reviews provide social proof to potential customers, but they also send positive signals to search engines, improving your chances of showing up in “near me” searches. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews. Respond to all reviews (both positive and negative) professionally and timely; it shows that you value customer feedback.

4. Mobile-First Approach

If a person is searching for a business “near me”, they’re likely on a mobile device, probably on the go. Hence, having a mobile-friendly website isn’t a nice-to-have anymore, it’s a must-have. Ensure your website loads quickly, is easy to navigate, and provides the necessary information (like your address and business hours) upfront.

5. Local Ads and PPC

Consider investing in local pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Google Ads allows you to target users in specific locations. You can also bid on “near me” keywords to show up in the relevant searches. For businesses with a physical location, this can be a great way to drive local foot traffic.

6. Engage in the Community

The more engaged you are with your local community, the more likely you are to appear in “near me” searches. Sponsor local events, collaborate with nearby businesses, and participate in community initiatives. These efforts can increase your visibility, enhance your local reputation, and generate positive word-of-mouth.

Remember, the goal here is to be the top answer when someone is searching for businesses like yours in your area. Optimizing for “near me” searches is an effective way to connect with customers right in your backyard. Don’t miss this opportunity to shine locally! Happy marketing!

Understanding Keyword Research and Analysis

Keyword research is the process of identifying relevant words and phrases that people use to search for products or services online. These keywords are essential for onsite optimization and creating content that ranks well on search engine results pages (SERPs) to drive organic traffic to your website.

Keyword analysis, on the other hand, involves studying these keywords to determine their search volume, competitiveness, and relevance to your target audience. This analysis helps you understand which keywords have the potential to drive the most traffic to your website and convert visitors into customers.

Why Keyword Research and Analysis Matter for Local Businesses

Keyword research and analysis are vital for local businesses for several reasons. These processes play a significant role in shaping your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, which can help attract new customers and maintain a strong online presence. Here’s why keyword research and analysis matter for local businesses:

Improved Local Visibility – Local businesses can benefit immensely from keyword research and analysis by targeting specific local keywords. These keywords often include the name of the city, town, or region where your business operates. By focusing on local keywords, your business is more likely to appear on SERPs when potential customers search for products or services in your area.

Better Understanding of Your Target Audience – Keyword research and analysis help you gain insights into the needs, preferences, and search habits of your target audience. By understanding what your potential customers are searching for, you can create content that addresses their needs and, in turn, attracts more visitors to your website.

Higher Conversion Rates – Targeting the right keywords can lead to higher conversion rates. When your website content is tailored to specific keywords, it is more likely to resonate with visitors and encourage them to take action, such as making a purchase or signing up for your newsletter.

Cost-Effective Marketing – Organic search traffic driven by effective keyword research and analysis is often more cost-effective than other forms of marketing, such as pay-per-click advertising. By investing time and resources into SEO, you can generate consistent, long-term traffic to your website without incurring ongoing costs.

Tips for Effective Keyword Research and Analysis for Local Businesses

Use Keyword Research Tools – Leverage popular keyword research tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs, to identify relevant keywords for your local business. These tools can provide valuable information about keyword search volume, competition, and trends.

Focus on Long-Tail Keywords – Long-tail keywords are more specific and usually consist of three or more words. These keywords often have lower search volume but are less competitive and can result in higher conversion rates. For example, a local bakery might target “gluten-free bakery in Brooklyn” instead of just “bakery.”

Analyze Competitors’ Keywords – Study the keywords that your competitors are targeting and analyze their website content. This can help you identify gaps in your own content strategy and find opportunities to outrank them on SERPs.

Monitor and Adjust Your Strategy – Regularly monitor your website’s performance and track the effectiveness of your keyword strategy. Make adjustments as needed to stay ahead of your competition and adapt to changing consumer behavior.

Conduct Local SEO Keyword Research For Your Business

Keyword research and analysis are crucial components of a successful SEO strategy for local businesses. By targeting the right keywords and understanding your target audience, you can increase your online visibility, drive more traffic to your website, and boost conversion rates. Invest time and resources into keyword research and analysis to unlock the full potential of your local business in the digital world.

There are a lot of myths and misinformation pushed out about Local SEO, and it can be difficult for business owners who are already preoccupied with running their businesses to know what they should worry about and what is a contrived sales pitch. Here’s a free SEO tip that you can investigate yourself. This will be particularly helpful if you are using content marketing and want to get the most out of it.

 Google Is Getting Stingy with Its Crawlers, and Your Content May Not Be Indexed

The internet grows at a rate that boggles the mind. Millions of new pages every day and with the availability of tools like ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence writing tools that allow users to generate written content almost instantly, that rate of expansion is only going to increase. 

Google has to take in all of that content, and the volume has become an energy and processing dilemma. To deal with it, Google will assign websites a crawl budget. This is the amount of time and data it will invest in your site at a given interval, and the reality is Google is becoming much more stingy with its crawlers. 

Unfortunately, there is no straightforward way to determine your crawl budget as it is not publicly disclosed by Google. However, monitoring your crawl stats in Search Console can give you an idea of how often Google is crawling your site and if any changes impact your crawl frequency. It is possible to use your crawl history to reverse engineer, but the reality is unless you are prepared to do the heavy lifting of optimizing your site for an improved crawl budget, the actual budget is not what you should focus on. 

If you have Search Console set up for your site, it’s easy to see the status of all your pages.

1. Log in to Search Console, and click on Pages. Scroll down to the section labeled: Why pages aren’t indexed.

You will see a number of reasons listed. Most of these have to do with technical SEO and the way your site is set up. If you have done the basic SEO on-site optimization, you will have your canonical set up as well as a full complement of pages that you intentionally do not want to be crawled. There is a full write-up of all the listed Reasons from Google here.

For our purposes the only two categories we want to check are:

• Crawled – currently not indexed
• Discovered – currently not indexed

These categories are actionable in Search Console, and I have found that they do get content crawled. Here’s how you do it.

Click on the Crawled – currently not indexed. You will see a list of URLs. Click on one of them to get the side menu to appear and then click on Inspect URL. 

Google will go out and inspect the URL to see if it’s online and its current state. Once it’s done retrieving data, the system will test the URL to see if it can be indexed. Once this is complete and the page is found to be in good order, you will have the option to Request Indexing. Click on this option, and it will run until you see the following window.

This does not immediately put you into the index however I have found that it moves things along in a few days to a week.

Just a little SEO tip that can help improve the performance of your Content Marketing. I hope it helps your business marketing.

Apple is slowly trying to pry eyeballs away from Google. While Google pays Apple billions of dollars each year to keep its search engine as a default for Apple products, Apple is slowly building out infrastructure to compete with Google directly. The latest development is Apple Business Connect, a tool that allows businesses of all sizes to claim their location place cards and customize the way key information appears to more than a billion Apple users across Apple Maps, Messages, Wallet, Siri, and other apps.

This move also severs the dependency on Yelp information by bolstering its own property for businesses on Apple Maps. Business Connect pages now support native reviews instead of relying on a feed from Yelp which may very well be the best part of the new design.

From Apple: “We created Business Connect to provide Apple users around the world with the most accurate information for places to eat, shop, travel, and more,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “Apple Business Connect gives every business owner the tools they need to connect with customers more directly and take more control over the way billions of people see and engage with their products and services every day.”

A Welcome Addition to Local SEO with Apple Business Connect

This is a great opportunity for businesses to get better information to consumers earlier in their path to purchase and the interface makes it easy to update and correct. While it does represent another property that is not owned by the business, it does provide a good place to promote your brand and should be included in your business Brand Stack (Google Business Profile, Facebook Page, Bing for Places, and Apple Maps)

We are currently updating all of our clients on this new feature and would love to help other local businesses in Northern VA.

If you are looking for help with your Local SEO and other marketing, contact us and let’s talk about growing your business.

“I’m looking for Local SEO.”

It’s a phrase loaded with misconceptions and one that I love to discuss with business owners, but more often than not it feels like I’m talking them down from a ledge. SEO is often seen as a gateway to better ranking in search for transactional keywords (the ones people use when they are ready to buy or select a vendor). These searches are the tip of the spear and are therefore extremely valuable. Because of this Google puts their properties in front of searchers for these keywords and “organic” results are pushed down in search results.

“Now hold on!” I hear the chorus say, “SEO is a critical part of web marketing.” So let’s start from a different perspective because I’m not saying SEO has no value, I’m just saying its value is not where you might think it is and more importantly many of the agencies that hock SEO are taking your money because they are counting on the way it is misperceived by many business people.

SEO Marketing Goals

Let’s strip down SEO by marketing goals to better understand where the value lies. The goal of any traditional SEO effort is to improve a site’s organic ranking for important Transactional Keywords. These are typically broad, highly competed terms like “roofing contractor near me,” or “personal injury lawyer near me,” etc. These terms are very valuable and have therefore been marginalized by Google to monetize them with their own paid insertions. If you type any of these terms into Google, the result will display zero organic results in the first screen view, sometimes the second one as well. The array of Google SERP Features (ads, GBP, etc.) means the likelihood of your business website cracking the first screen organically is zero.

So then, let’s scroll down to the next screen view; typically, we will get to the local pack or map view (which has recently changed to be much larger). Here you might have a shot of appearing organically. However, it won’t be your website; it will be your Google Business Profile (GBP). This contains lots of information about your business including your web address. However, it is not positioned by your website SEO. An optimized landing page associated with the URL in your GBP does seem to provide a slight influence on rank performance, but the reality is optimizing that GBP has the most influence. But even an optimized GBP will not guarantee performance, and it’s not even your property; it belongs to Google.

So let’s keep scrolling down to the next screen view. Now, three screens down we get to what is traditionally considered “organic” search results. Now what you will see are aggregator sites for the service that is being searched. These are massive sites that are directories set up for your search query because they in turn sell positions within their own site to businesses. These are sites like Yelp, Superlawyers, Houzz, and many more.

Now, after scrolling down two or more screens, you have arrived at your organic core search results. With so many opportunities to diverge on their path before they get to these links, how effective do you think this strategy will really be?

But I hear business owners tell me “These Local SEO companies showed me ‘actual’ results in their search tool!”

The reality is that search results have become customized down to the level of individual users. The results I get by typing in “roofer near me” will be different than the person standing right next to me. To attempt to show rankings to clients purveyors of link-building SEO programs use search tools that strip out as many of the influencing factors to get “clean” search results, but these are just another version of search results that none of your potential customers will ever see. So what exactly are you paying for?

Is Local SEO a Waste of Money?

The answer is NO, but it can be. As you can see above, the dream of being the “best ‘fill in the service’ near me” in organic search results borders on futility because of the way Google structures the SERPs. But SEO should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. There is typically SEO work to be done to optimize a website, build citations, build links, nurture reviews and other ongoing monthly efforts to attain optimum results with Google, but the reality of organic rankings in typical search results will not put you in front of transactional searches.

As a small local business, your overall marketing approach must include some paid search as well as a smart SEO strategy that improves the overall keyword performance of your website. Your focus for Transactional Intent should be on your Brand Stack. These are properties that you don’t own but that are prominent places to put your brand in front of consumers. This includes your Google Business Page, Facebook Business Page, Bing Places and many others. Optimization of these and incorporating a solid SEO approach into your website will get the most bang for your buck in local SEO. Ideally, this would also include a solid content marketing strategy that will leverage the SEO value of Informational Search Intent. By using a comprehensive approach and including Local SEO in your overall marketing strategy, you can see real-world benefits to SEO.