Local SEO
Local SEO is the system behind how you show up in Google Maps, the Local Pack, and location-based searches — and increasingly in AI-powered summaries that pull business information from the same local signals. This hub is a single place to start, whether you’re a business owner trying to get found or an agency building a repeatable delivery process.
Use the “Start here” picks to get oriented, then jump into guides for step-by-step playbooks, comparisons for tool decisions, and articles for tactical how-tos. Everything linked below is already live on the site.
Start here
If you want a clean path: learn the fundamentals, run a fast check, then turn the findings into a plan.
Local SEO Audits
A clear visibility snapshot across Maps, Organic, opportunities, issues, and geo grids.
Free Google Business Profile Audit
A quick, sales-ready check of GBP fundamentals with clear next steps.
Guides
Step-by-step playbooks for improving local visibility: GBP, reviews, citations, schema, and the pages that support ranking.
Best Local SEO Tools for Agencies & Consultants (2026 Buyer’s Guide)
An honest, agency-focused comparison of the best local SEO tools in 2026 — including Rankley, SEMrush, BrightLocal, Ahrefs, AgencyAnalytics, and more.
Read guide →AI Search Optimization Guide: How to Show Up in Google AI Overviews & ChatGPT
A practical guide to optimizing your business for AI-powered search results, including Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT answers.
Read guide →How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Breaking the Rules)
A practical, policy-safe system to get more Google reviews—without risking penalties, fake feedback, or account issues.
Read guide →Local SEO Guide: How to Rank in Maps, the Local Pack & AI Overviews
A step-by-step playbook for improving local visibility--optimize Google Business Profile, fix citations and schema, build service and location pages, and earn reviews that move the needle.
Read guide →Reviews & Local SEO Guide: How to Build Trust and Rank Higher
Learn how to request, manage, and showcase customer reviews to build trust, improve local SEO rankings, and strengthen visibility in Google Maps and AI-powered search results.
Read guide →Schema Markup Guide: How to Improve AI Visibility & Rich Search Results
Practical steps to implement schema markup for better visibility in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and rich search results.
Read guide →Comparisons
When you’re evaluating tools, use comparisons to understand which platform fits your workflow — sales-stage audits, reporting, local monitoring, or research.
Rankley vs SEMrush
SEMrush is a powerful all-in-one SEO suite. Rankley supports sales-stage audits, local visibility workflows, and shareable reporting—built for agencies that need client-ready outputs fast.
View comparison →Rankley vs BrightLocal
BrightLocal is a strong local SEO platform for citations, local rank tracking, and reputation monitoring. Rankley supports sales-stage audits, local visibility workflows, and shareable reporting—built for agencies that need client-ready outputs fast.
View comparison →Rankley vs AgencyAnalytics
AgencyAnalytics is built for automated dashboards and scheduled reporting across many marketing channels. Rankley is built for sales-stage local audits and shareable reporting workflows—optimized for clear findings, prioritized actions, and client-ready outputs agencies can use to close, onboard, and report ongoing progress.
View comparison →Rankley vs Ahrefs
Ahrefs excels at deep SEO research—backlinks, keyword data, competitive analysis, and technical crawling. Rankley focuses on sales-stage local SEO audits and shareable reporting workflows—optimized for client-ready clarity, prioritized actions, and fast audit-to-report delivery.
View comparison →Rankley vs Local Falcon
Local Falcon specializes in geo-grid Google Maps rank tracking and heatmaps. Rankley focuses on full local SEO audits with clear priorities and shareable reporting—built for agencies and consultants who need actionable insight for sales, onboarding, and ongoing client communication.
View comparison →Articles
Tactical posts on ranking higher in Google Maps, building better location pages, measuring performance, and avoiding common local SEO mistakes.
SEMrush Is Powerful — Why Many Agencies Still Look for Alternatives
SEMrush is one of the most powerful SEO tools available, but it isn’t built for every agency workflow. Learn why many agencies look for SEMrush alternatives and what to consider instead.
Read article →AI Local SEO in 2026: How Businesses Will Be Discovered (and Why Rankings Won’t Be Enough)
AI is reshaping local search fast. Learn how AI-driven discovery will work in 2026, why rankings alone won’t be enough, and how to prepare your business for AI local SEO.
Read article →How to Set Up Google Search Console (Step-by-Step for Local SEO)
A clear Google Search Console setup guide for local SEO—learn how to verify your site, submit a sitemap, fix indexing issues, and use GSC data to grow traffic.
Read article →How Local Service SMBs Can Appear in ChatGPT Searches (2025 AI SEO Guide)
A step-by-step playbook to make your local service business AI-readable so ChatGPT can cite and recommend you when customers ask for help in your area.
Read article →Mobile-First Local SEO: How Speed & UX Affect Rankings
Learn how Google’s mobile-first indexing and Core Web Vitals impact local rankings—and the practical speed + UX fixes that drive more calls, directions, and bookings.
Read article →AI SEO in 2025: How AI Gets Its Data & Changes Search
Discover how AI SEO is reshaping search in 2025. Learn where AI like ChatGPT gets its data—and how to optimize your business for both Google and AI visibility.
Read article →How to Rank Higher in Google Maps
A step-by-step playbook to rank higher in the Google Map Pack by optimizing your Google Business Profile, fixing NAP consistency, earning reviews, improving mobile UX, and building local authority.
Read article →How Google AI Summaries and ChatGPT Collect Business Information and How to Optimize
How Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT gather business details, where inaccuracies come from, and the local SEO fixes that help AI show the right information.
Read article →7 Local SEO Myths to Stop Believing in 2025
Think Local SEO myths still work? In 2025, Google’s AI ranks on trust, speed, and engagement — not shortcuts. Learn what actually works to grow locally.
Read article →Mastering Local SEO in 2025 – A Comprehensive Guide
Stay ahead and master Local SEO in 2025 with this guide: citation management, Google Business Profile optimization, rank tracking, AI-driven insights, and proven tactics.
Read article →How Do You Optimize a Website for Local SEO? (Step-by-Step Guide)
Learn how to optimize your website for local SEO with a proven step-by-step process covering on-page SEO, location pages, schema, mobile UX, and conversions.
Read article →Local SEO vs Traditional SEO: What Every Small Business Should Know
A practical 2025 guide comparing local SEO vs traditional SEO, including key differences, when to use each, and step-by-step ways to improve local visibility.
Read article →The 5 Most Overlooked Local SEO Metrics (and How to Track Them)
Most businesses track rankings and reviews, but miss the metrics that actually reveal visibility gaps, reputation trends, speed issues, and listing quality. Here are the 5 most overlooked local SEO metrics and exactly how to track them.
Read article →AI Misinformation in Local SEO: Risks & How SMBs Can Protect Themselves
AI Overviews and chatbots can misrepresent your business with confident errors. Learn why AI misinformation happens in local SEO, what it can cost you, and how to protect your brand.
Read article →FAQ
Quick answers to common questions about Local SEO.