Local SEO and AI search, answered plainly
Good businesses lose work every day to ones that are simply easier to find. These are short, practical answers on Google Maps, reviews, websites and AI assistants, so good work gets found. Each one explains a check from our free 60-second Business Check-Up.
What is llms.txt, and does a local business need one?
llms.txt is a short file that tells AI assistants who you are and which pages matter. What to put in it, a template for local businesses, and its limits.
Google Business ProfileHow to choose the right primary category on Google Business Profile
Your primary category decides which Google Maps searches you show up for. How to pick it, check competitors' categories and use additional ones.
Google Maps rankingWhy does a competitor with fewer reviews rank above me on Google Maps?
Reviews are only part of how Google ranks local businesses. The signals that put a smaller competitor above you, and how to check each one.
ReputationHow to reply to a negative Google review
How to answer one and two star Google reviews: what to say, what never to say, examples to adapt, and reviews that break Google's rules.
ListingsNAP consistency: why your name, address and phone must match everywhere
What NAP consistency means, where mismatches hide, and how to check your name, address and phone across Google, Yelp, Apple Maps and your site.
WebsiteLocalBusiness schema markup: what it is and a JSON-LD example
Structured data states your business facts for search engines and AI. A LocalBusiness JSON-LD example, where to put it, and the mistake to avoid.
AI searchHow does a local business get recommended by ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity?
What AI assistants read when someone asks for a plumber or dentist nearby, and the steps that make a local business easier to recommend.
WebsiteDoes every service need its own page?
Why one page per service ranks better than a list, what a good local service page contains, and how to avoid thin, copy-paste city pages.
Google Business ProfileHow to find and remove a duplicate Google Business listing
A second Google listing for your business splits your reviews and calls. How duplicates appear, how to find them, and how to get them merged or removed.
EmailSPF and DMARC for a small business, explained simply
Two DNS records that stop scammers emailing as your business and help your mail reach the inbox. What they do, example records, how to add them.
PricingHow much does local SEO cost in 2026?
What local SEO actually costs in 2026: tools, freelancers, agencies and managed services, what changes the price, and how to compare quotes without guessing.
PricingLocal SEO: hire an agency, a freelancer, or do it yourself?
Agency, freelancer or do it yourself: what each costs, what each is good at, and three questions that decide it for your business.
PricingRed flags in a local SEO contract, and what to ask instead
Local SEO contract clauses that cost owners the most: guaranteed rankings, who owns the listing and website, lock-ins and vague deliverables.
Google MapsWhy isn't my business showing on Google Maps?
Search your business name on Google Maps first. Not found means a listing problem; found but missing from service searches means ranking. How to tell.
WebsiteWhy doesn't my website show up on Google?
Type site:yourdomain.com into Google. Zero results means Google isn't indexing you; results without rankings means it's a content problem. How to fix each.