Local SEO

Local SEO works out why a business does or doesn't show up in Google Maps and the local pack near its customers, and what to fix first. You get a report that compares the listing with its top local competitors, maps where it ranks around the business, and puts the one fix to make first right after a snapshot.

Before you start

• Give it the business name, or its Google cid or place ID, and one to three keywords customers search.
• The assistant takes the business's location from the listing it finds, and asks you only if that's ambiguous.
• It needs the Business overview in project context.
• Saving needs a connection with Make changes on.

What it does

1. Finds the listing with search_local_businesses.
2. Gets the Maps results near the business with get_local_serp_results.
3. Compares categories, reviews, hours, photos and claimed status with the top two competitors, using get_business_profile when the results lack data.
4. Checks each listing's website link.
5. Reads reviews with get_business_reviews.
6. Maps rank around the location with get_local_rank_grid.
7. Adds Google Business questions and updates only when the basics are competitive.

For a chain with more than five locations, it shows a snapshot first and asks which one to three to examine. Broader on-page work goes to a site audit; see SEO Audit.

What it costs

• Every point on a rank grid is a paid search. A 3x3 grid is nine searches. A 5x5 grid is for a genuinely wide service area only.
• Before a 5x5 grid, or grids for several keywords, the assistant tells you the cost and confirms the location matches the storefront.
• Resuming a review lookup that is still processing costs nothing extra.

What it saves

• Project context: local competitors that have a website, a corrected Business overview, and a research-log line.
• The report.

The report

The report is titled like "Local SEO — Oct 2, 2026", with the business's hostname added when it isn't your project's website. Sections:

1. Snapshot.
2. The one fix.
3. Head to head.
4. Maps coverage.
5. Q&A and posting.
6. What to do next.
7. How this report was made, with a link to this page.

It never recommends review gating, fake reviews or keyword-stuffed business names.

Tools it uses

search_local_businesses, get_local_serp_results, get_business_profile, get_business_reviews, get_local_rank_grid, get_google_business_questions, get_business_updates and list_business_categories, plus update_project_context and save_report through SEO Report.

What's not done

NameIO doesn't offer a way to install this skill yet. See Skills.