How Local Businesses Can Actually Win at Local SEO in 2026

Local SEO is about proximity, authority, and trust signals — and most companies are unknowingly missing at least two of the three.

Here’s a lean breakdown of what actually matters.

1. Your Google Business Profile Is 50% of the Game

If your Google Business Profile (GBP) isn’t fully optimized, you’re invisible.

Best practice:

• Correct primary category (this matters more than you think)

• Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) everywhere

• Real photos (not stock)

• Weekly posts

• Reviews with owner responses

What most businesses miss:

• Secondary category optimization

• Service area tuning

• Review keyword strategy

• Behavioral engagement signals

2. Location Pages Must Be Built for Intent, Not Just Cities

Adding a page that says “Plumber in Charlotte” isn’t enough.

Best practice:

• One primary service per page

• Supporting FAQs written around real search queries

• Internal linking between related services

• Embedded map + localized schema markup

What most businesses miss:

• Proper on-page hierarchy

• Local entity signals

• Conversion structure (SEO without CRO is wasted traffic)

3. Reviews Are an SEO Asset, Not Just Social Proof

Google reads reviews for context.

Best practice:

• Request reviews consistently (not randomly)

• Encourage natural mention of services + location

• Respond to every review (yes, every one)

What most businesses miss:

• Review velocity matters

• Star rating isn’t the only ranking factor

• Competitor gap analysis

4. Backlinks Still Matter — But Not the Way You Think

Buying spam links? Waste of money.

Best practice:

• Local sponsorships

• Chamber listings

• Local press mentions

• Strategic partnerships

What most businesses miss:

• Authority stacking

• Topical relevance over quantity

• Anchor text diversity

The Real Question

Most businesses don’t lose at Local SEO because they’re lazy.

They lose because they don’t know which 20% of actions drive 80% of the rankings.

And that 20% changes based on:

• Your industry

• Your competition

• Your city density

• Your current authority footprint

If you’re wondering whether your business is missing key ranking signals — you probably are.

704MKT provides local SEO audits that identify ranking gaps and build growth roadmaps tailored to your market.

Because guessing isn’t a strategy.