cbbkrd-tech/local-seo-playbook

Core Principle

Google's local algorithm has two layers:

1. Map Pack (3-pack) -- driven by GBP signals
2. Organic results below -- driven by website relevance and backlinks

60-70% of local organic leads come from map pack, not organic search.

Phase 1 -- GBP Optimization (Week 1)

1.1 Categories

• Primary category must be specific and match top 3 competitors exactly
• Wrong category = no traction regardless of everything else
• Check what category top 3 map pack competitors use

1.2 Business Name

• Must match LLC registration word-for-word
• If GBP name differs from LLC name and profile gets suspended = permanent loss
• Keyword in business name has ranking value (e.g. "Dallas Roofing Pros")

1.3 Google Workspace

• Set up Google Workspace account BEFORE creating GBP
• Google trusts Workspace accounts more when evaluating GBP legitimacy

1.4 Service Area

• Hide address for service area businesses (no physical storefront)
• List exact service areas by city/neighborhood

1.5 Services

• List each service individually with descriptions
• Match services to the keywords you want to rank for

1.6 Reviews -- Priority Order (most to least important)

QUALITY (most important):

• 10+ words in review text
• Photos attached to review
• Keywords + city/neighborhood mentioned naturally in review content
• Generic 5-star "great service!" worth much less than descriptive reviews

VELOCITY (second most important):

• Less than 3/month = bad signal, stagnating
• 4-10/month = optimal
• 20+/month = dominance, very hard to beat
• Velocity matters more than total count
• A competitor with 200 reviews at 1-2/month is WEAK and beatable

TOTAL COUNT (least important):

• Still a benchmark but don't chase count at expense of quality/velocity

Business must respond to EVERY review with naturally embedded keywords (service name + city/neighborhood). Must sound natural, not keyword-stuffed. This is a ranking signal.

1.7 Photos

• Minimum 10 photos, named descriptively
• Real project photos >> stock photos
• Google reads text in photos

1.8 Multiple GBP Strategy (advanced)

• Top businesses operate 4-5 separate GBPs covering N/S/E/W quadrants of a metro area
• Each profile independently targets a different neighborhood and zip code
• Each GBP links to its own dedicated location page (NOT homepage)
• Note: GBP-to-location-page rule ONLY applies when multiple GBPs exist. Single GBP businesses can link to homepage.

Phase 2 -- Website Structure (Week 2-3)

2.1 Homepage Title Tag Formula [GBP Primary Category] in [City]

• NOT brand name first
• NOT "Best" or "Top"
• Keyword at START of title -- Google weights earlier words more heavily
• Example: "HVAC Repair in Dallas" not "Smith's Heating - Dallas HVAC"

2.2 H1 Tag Match the primary keyword. Should echo the title tag topic.

2.3 Core 30 Structure One dedicated page per service/category. Each page targets one primary keyword.

• Homepage: [Primary Service] in [City]
• Service pages: [Specific Service] in [City]
• Location pages: [Primary Service] in [Neighborhood] (for geographic expansion)

2.4 Location Pages

• Create a separate location page for every city/market served
• Using one page to target all cities is a critical mistake
• Each page needs unique content -- copying city pages without changes destroys rankings
• Structure: H1 = [Service] in [City], local facts, local pricing, local FAQ

2.5 Goal Completion Design

• Phone number above fold (clickable on mobile)
• Service + city confirmed in first 100 words
• Social proof (reviews/ratings) near top of page
• Goal completion is itself a ranking signal

2.6 NAP Consistency

• Name, Address, Phone must be identical across all platforms
• Address in website footer
• Exact match across GBP, Yelp, BBB, all directories

2.7 Technical Warnings

• Collapsed accordions: Googlebot cannot click to expand them. Don't hide important content in accordions.
• Domain Authority is IRRELEVANT for map pack -- proximity + relevance + GBP trust signals decide map pack rankings. A DA25 local site beats a DA80 national directory.

Phase 3 -- Schema Markup (Week 3)

• LocalBusiness schema on homepage (use specific @type like Plumber, HVACContractor)
• Service schema on each service page
• Do NOT add AggregateRating unless using verified third-party platform data
• Do NOT use FAQPage schema for local (deprecated/ignored)

Phase 4 -- Rank Diagnostics (Month 2)

Rank Map 169-point grid search across the service area to see where rankings drop off.

Entity Test Compare map results for similar queries to understand how Google categorizes the business.

GSC Modifier Mining Find search terms Google is already serving the site for that aren't on the page yet. These are easy wins -- add them to existing pages.

Phase 5 -- Geographic Expansion (Month 2-3)

Build [service] + [neighborhood] pages for zones sitting at positions 4-6. These pages pull in specific geographic search traffic.

Competitive Analysis

Screenshot top 3 map pack results and record:

1. Review count + approximate velocity
2. Primary GBP category
3. Domain name (keyword in domain?)

This is the exact roadmap of what you need to build past them.

Timeline

• 30 days: impressions increase
• 60 days: organic position movement
• 90 days: map pack movement
• 90-180 days: top 3 map pack

Most Common Mistakes

1. One URL targeting all cities
2. GBP linking to homepage when multiple GBPs exist
3. Wrong primary GBP category
4. Copied city pages (no unique content)
5. No review velocity strategy
6. Optimizing for cheapest service instead of highest-value
7. Collapsed accordions hiding content
8. Ignoring GBP while focusing on website

2026 Changes

• AI platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) read reviews to evaluate businesses before sending users
• FAQ sections on pages are critical -- AI crawlers extract answers from them
• On-page SEO is now commodity -- AI does it for free
• Future competitive advantage: major publication mentions, brand authority (AI cannot generate this for you)
• TikTok is now a search engine -- household decision makers use it for home services research