Complete Local SEO Guide

Avoid dropdowns. All major pages accessible in 1-2 clicks. AI crawlers prefer simple, hierarchical navigation.

Your H1 should match your primary Google Business Profile category exactly for entity clarity.

Clear, concise intro that defines your business, service area, and value proposition. AI summary-friendly.

Implement JSON-LD schema on homepage. Include NAP, hours, service areas, logo, social profiles for AI understanding.

LCP < 2.5s. Preload hero image, eliminate render-blocking scripts. Core Web Vitals = ranking factor.

Central hub linking to all individual service pages. Grid layout with clear card design.

Example: "Water Damage Restoration" not "Water Damage Restoration in Boston". Keep entity definition pure.

Define service → Explain health/safety implications → Document your process with clear steps.

Answer common questions. Use FAQ schema markup for rich results and AI training data.

Technical questions customers SHOULD ask but don't. Demonstrates expertise and educates AI agents.

Implement Service schema with aggregateRating and review snippets. Link to authentic review sources.

Link to 3-5 related services and all relevant location-specific pages. Clear contextual anchor text.

Add author expertise, industry certifications, years of experience. AI evaluates authority signals.

Consistent URL structure. Example: /water-damage-restoration/near-me/boston/

Example: "Water Damage Restoration in Boston". Clear geographic + service intent.

First body link should point to the main service page. Establishes topical parent-child relationship.

Create "Nearby Areas" section linking to all suburbs. Builds location-based topical authority.

Unique schema for each service area. Include geo coordinates, service radius, area served properties.

Reference local landmarks, regulations, climate factors. AI detects thin/duplicate content aggressively in 2026.

If 5+ service areas, create a /service-areas/ index. Helps AI understand your coverage map.

Google indexes mobile version first. All content must be accessible on mobile. Touch-friendly UI.

Alt text for accessibility AND AI image understanding. Be specific: "water damaged drywall with visible mold growth"

Submit to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster. Mark service/location pages as high priority.

Allow AI agents (GPTBot, GoogleOther, CCBot) to crawl. Block low-value pages (admin, search results).

Use <article>, <section>, <aside>, <nav>. AI uses semantic tags for content hierarchy understanding.

LCP < 2.5s, CLS < 0.1, INP < 200ms. Set up real user monitoring (RUM) with Vercel Analytics or similar.

Clear headings (H2/H3 hierarchy), bullet points, numbered lists, definition lists. AI extracts structured info easily.

Add breadcrumb schema to all pages. Helps AI understand site hierarchy and parent-child relationships.

Define 10+ industry terms. Link from service pages. Builds topical authority and helps AI understand jargon.

Showcase expertise, certifications, years in business. Include headshots for E-E-A-T and AI author attribution.

Phone number, contact form, or booking link above the fold. AI can extract business actions.

Monthly posts on "[Service] in [City]" topics. Link to service/location pages. Topical freshness signal.

Service walkthrough videos. Include full transcripts for AI indexing. VideoObject schema for rich results.

Before/after examples with project schema. AI understands proof of work. Link to relevant service pages.

Embed Google/Yelp reviews. Use Review schema. Add reviewAction for "Write a Review" CTA.