Learn what actually works in local marketing.
Plain-English guides, a glossary and free tools on getting found on Google, earning reviews and turning searches into customers. Every claim is sourced, and nothing is a ranking promise.
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Local SEO
How Google decides which local businesses to show, and what you can do about it.
Learn more about Local SEOGoogle Business Profile
Set up, fill in and maintain the listing most customers see first.
Learn more about Google Business ProfileReviews
Get more reviews the right way, reply well and protect your rating.
Learn more about ReviewsAI search
How ChatGPT, Google's AI answers and other assistants pick local businesses.
Learn more about AI searchCalls and enquiries
Answer every call and message fast, so searches turn into customers.
Learn more about Calls and enquiriesWebsites and ads
Local websites that convert, and ads that bring calls rather than clicks.
Learn more about Websites and adsLatest guides
Step-by-step guides with scripts, templates and sources you can check.
Google Business Profile checklist: 15 steps
Set up and maintain your Google profile properly, step by step.
Learn more about Google Business Profile checklist: 15 stepsHow to rank higher on Google Maps
What actually moves your position in the map, what doesn't, and how to measure it.
Learn more about How to rank higher on Google MapsHow to get more Google reviews: scripts that work
Text, email and in-person scripts, the right timing, and the mistakes that cost reviews.
Learn more about How to get more Google reviews: scripts that workHow to respond to Google reviews: templates for every situation
Replies for positive, mixed, negative, wrong-business and suspicious reviews, plus timing.
Learn more about How to respond to Google reviews: templates for every situationGoogle review QR codes: where to put them and how to make them work
How to make a review QR code, where it gets scanned, the right size and how to track it.
Learn more about Google review QR codes: where to put them and how to make them workGoogle Maps rank maps explained
What a rank grid shows, how to read the colours, and how to use it without fooling yourself.
Learn more about Google Maps rank maps explainedFrom the blog
Research round-ups and news, with every figure linked to its source.
Local SEO statistics for 2026: how customers find and choose local businesses
How people search, how fast they decide, what Google rewards and how AI assistants are changing local search, with every figure sourced.
Learn more about Local SEO statistics for 2026: how customers find and choose local businessesOnline review statistics for 2026: what customers expect from local businesses
How customers read reviews, the ratings and review counts they expect, what they want from replies, and the law on fake reviews.
Learn more about Online review statistics for 2026: what customers expect from local businessesHow many Google reviews do you need? A simple way to work out your number
There's no magic number, but there is a method: benchmark the businesses customers compare you with, then keep reviews coming every month.
Learn more about How many Google reviews do you need? A simple way to work out your numberFree tools
Quick calculators and generators. No sign-up needed.
Google rating calculator
How many 5-star reviews you need for your next Google rating.
Learn more about Google rating calculatorReview gap calculator
How many reviews you need to catch the business ranked above you.
Learn more about Review gap calculatorGoogle review link and QR poster
Your direct review link and a printable QR poster.
Learn more about Google review link and QR posterReview reply generator
Three ready-to-post replies for any star rating.
Learn more about Review reply generatorGoogle Business Profile score
Score your profile out of 100 and see what to fix first.
Learn more about Google Business Profile scoreFree reputation snapshot
A quick check of your rating, reviews and replies.
Learn more about Free reputation snapshotLocal marketing glossary
46 terms explained in a sentence or two, from the map pack to review gating.
How we write these
Our guides are written for owners, not marketers. We cite Google's own help pages and independent studies for every outside claim, date every update and correct mistakes openly. Read our editorial policy.
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