SEO Starter Stack: Get Found Without Paying for Ads

If you want to become a better content marketer, you’ll need to master the art and science of messaging.

And by “messaging,” I don’t just mean the ethereal notions of “value,” emotional impact, or brand alignment.

I mean the real meat of what your brand stands for, how that’s communicated, and why people should care.

If you haven’t mastered your messaging – by putting in the time and effort to research your audience and define your brand identity – then your content will miss the target.

You’ll need to master this craft, whether creating content for your own brand or selling content services as an agency or freelancer.

Here’s how to do that.

What Does It Mean To Master Your Message?

Copywriting is about more than just weaving stories or writing words that sell. It’s about crafting a narrative that resonates with the people you hope to reach.

Mastering your message is an activity in:

1. Understanding your audience.
2. Communicating that understanding through content.

This is an important undertaking because your core message becomes the foundation upon which all your content, marketing materials, and campaigns propagate.

To master your message means to fundamentally understand what your brand is about, why that matters to prospective customers, and what unique point of view you bring to the market.

Then, and only then, you’ll have a framework from which to build your larger brand marketing strategy.

Read More: 4 SEO Copywriting Tips For Sharper, More Effective Copy

The Master Your Message Framework

The “Master Your Message” framework, as I’ll refer to it here, is one I stumbled across through professional ties with an expert copywriter, Tori Reid.

Reid defined and mastered the art of crafting a compelling message that gets readers to take notice.

Once you put the principles into practice, you’ll inevitably find nuances that work best for you and your clients.

Here’s the Master Your Message framework at its core:

1. Audience Insights

People will tell you what they care about if you ask them.

Audience research is essential when it comes to defining your “why” and, ultimately, your messaging.

2. Consistency

You need to show up with the same core message in a familiar tone of voice, no matter where you post content online.

Whether it’s a blog article, a Facebook ad, or a LinkedIn post, your audience should know that the root of your message is ultimately the same. They should come to expect the same values from you – every time.

3. Copywriting

Something as simple as a tagline can say so much in just a few words – or it can fall flat if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Copywriting takes skill. It takes practice and a particular understanding of how messaging translates into words.

Whether you write it yourself or hire help, don’t underestimate the value of copywriting compared to generic content writing.

4. Delivery Over Distribution

Circulating your content across the web is called distribution. This pertains to the platforms you use and the means through which you push out posts, emails, etc.

But, what you should care about most is delivery: How does your content land, and are you showing up at the right place?

Even the most well-crafted message won’t make an impact if it doesn’t reach the right people at the right time.

Your content needs to be suited to the right platform(s), based on the behavior of your audience, while also staying true to its core essence.

These principles tell you what’s most important in messaging, but they don’t tell you how to do it.

So, now let’s talk about where the rubber meets the road.

How To Master Your Brand Message

You might think you know your message, but without audience research, split testing, and a clear market position, you could be off track.

The process below will help you get crystal clear on your brand message so you can create content and campaigns with total confidence!

I recommend documenting your notes and answers along the way. You’ll use them when it comes time to apply your messaging to your brand copy.

1. Know Your Product: What Are You?

Before you can start to talk about your product, you need to know what it is that you offer. This includes the literal definition of your product or service, as well as the features and appendages associated with it.

For example, if you sell a moisturizer, the description of your product might include its ingredients, texture, suitability for certain skin types, absorption rate, etc.

Consider its design, application, and use cases – all the features that could be listed in its product description. Complete this activity for every product or product category.

If you offer a service, you can define your methodology, deliverables, and tools used. You could take it a step further to describe the specific use cases (though we are not talking about “benefits” yet).

Many brands enter the space knowing they offer particular products or services but don’t take the time to break these down into smaller pieces (until, at least, it comes time to write the web copy).

If these aren’t clearly defined from the get-go, you leave it up to chance that your copywriter or product team will know what to highlight in your content marketing.

Make their job easier. Get clear about what it is that you offer, the important features of those products or services, and the details that will eventually round out your product and service pages, ad copy, and so on.

2. Own Your Purpose: Why Are You?

Why does your product or service exist? How did it come to be, and why should customers care?

Every brand has a story, whether it’s a stay-at-home mom turned small business owner, a SaaS filling a gap in the market, or an app presenting an entirely new concept to consumers.

As you might imagine, your “why” is going to differ largely from that of other businesses, even those in your immediate market and industry.

Your About page is the most common example, but your foundational story also has its place in social media content, interview articles, videos, and so much more.

During this process, define the following:

• Foundations: Where, when, and how was your business first started? What inspired you (or the founders) to start the company?
• Figure: Is there an individual, mascot, or character who stands for the company? When people think of your brand, what or who are they most likely to think of? Define the characteristics this character, figurehead, founder, etc., embodies.
• Function: Before your brand started, what was the solution you wanted to bring to the market? How (if at all) has that purpose changed over time? Describe the primary function of your brand, whether that’s a new concept, filling a gap in the market, improving an existing product, etc.

Again, we’re not necessarily hitting on the benefits of what you offer. This is simply a practice of defining where you came from, why the brand came to be, and the purpose it initially served in its infancy.

3. Define Your Difference: How Are You?

Defining your difference is what helps your brand cut through the noise, especially when there are similar services and products out there.

Take the world of artificial intelligence, for example. Countless AI tools have been launched, yet most blend together. Only a handful truly stand out. Why? Because they have a distinct identity or innovation that sets them apart.

To pinpoint what makes your brand different, ask yourself:

• What features/capabilities does my brand have that competitors lack?
• Is there a specific problem others overlook (that my brand is able to solve)?
• What about my approach, process, or values makes my brand unique?
• How might my customers describe my brand compared to others?

The more you can gather real information – via customer feedback, market research, data insights, etc. – on what makes your brand different, the better.

That way, you’re capturing a sentiment that’s real rather than imagined – and, as business owners, we’re all prone to bias.

4. Find Your People: Who Do You Serve?

You might have heard the saying, “When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.”

That’s why defining who you serve is critical. And again, this is not an activity in making assumptions; it requires real audience insights, research, and feedback.

Fortunately, you have many methods at your disposal through which to gather audience research:

• Customer Surveys: Talk directly to current and potential customers to understand their pain points, goals, and decision-making process.
• Online Communities: Monitor discussions, comments, and reviews to see what your audience is saying and what problems they’re trying to solve.
• Analytics Tools: Use tools like Google Analytics to track visitor demographics, behaviors, and interests.
• Competitor Research: Analyze your competitors’ audiences to identify gaps and opportunities in your market.
• Sales & Support Teams: Your frontline teams interact with customers daily and can provide valuable insights into common questions, objections, and needs.

Once you’ve gathered enough insights, you can start to build a detailed persona based on the customers/clients you’re trying to reach. This persona will guide your targeting and messaging.

Consider your audience’s age, gender, location, and income level. Define their usual values, challenges, and aspirations.

Use analytics tools to analyze their buying behavior (how they search, compare options, or decide on a purchase). A visual representation of this data can be helpful. You might even come away with a few personas for slightly different audiences.

Defining who you serve (and supporting that with real data) will help you craft messaging that resonates with the right people, driving conversions and meaningful engagement.

5. Land Your Platforms: Where Do You Show Up?

Knowing where your audience consumes content is crucial when it comes to delivering your message.

In most cases, your audience will demonstrate clear preferences in where they search for brands, engage with information, and converse with their community.

Identifying the right platforms based on your unique audience allows you to meet them where they are.

Here are the best sources to find out where your audience spends their time online:

• Google Analytics: The “Audience” and “Acquisition” reports can show you which sources bring the most traffic to your website. This can include organic search, social media, and/or referral traffic sources.
• Social Analytics: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have native analytics tools that provide insight into follower behavior. Look at the “Audience” section to see where your customers are located, their age groups, and which content they engage with most.
• Surveys (again): Use survey tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to ask your audience about their online habits. Ask questions like:
  • What social media platforms do you use most often?
  • How do you usually find new brands or products?
  • What type of content do you consume most frequently (articles, tutorials, reviews, etc.)?
• Social Listening Tools: Tools like Hootsuite, Brandwatch, and Sprout Social allow you to monitor where conversations are happening. You can see which platforms generate buzz, what topics your audience is engaging with most, and whether they are interacting with similar brands.

I also recommend joining community forums like Reddit and Quora to “listen in” on what users might say about your industry, products, similar brands, etc. These are goldmines for understanding what your prospective customers are talking about.

When in doubt, test your campaigns on different platforms to see which generates the most engagement.

Also, the nuances of each platform may influence your messaging ever so slightly.

It’s true that different content formats perform better on certain platforms, but the core of your message and your values should be the same.

6. Be The Solution: Why Does This Matter?

By this step you should know:

1. What you sell.
2. Why you sell it.
3. What makes you different.
4. Who you sell to.
5. Where you promote it online.

Ultimately, your brand is here to offer a solution to your audience’s challenges and goals.

It’s your job to build a brand that resonates with the needs of your prospective customers – that there is an inherent value in what you bring to the market (not more noise).

To master your message, get clear on the value, solution, and benefits you bring to your customers. Get crazy with adjectives.

Using the moisturizer product as an example again, your product isn’t just a moisturizer anymore – it’s a hydrating formula infused with antioxidant-rich botanicals designed to restore skin’s natural glow.

The problem the customer faces: skin lacking luster and glow.

The solution: a restorative moisturizer that’s hydrating and nutrient-rich.

Explaining why all of this matters (in your own words and the words of your customers) will position your product in a way that resonates with your audience and highlights its value.

Write Brand Content That’s Right On Target

Mastering your message requires front-loaded work that many brands ignore. But it’s essential work if you want to grow a loyal audience, build an empire, and drive lucrative results for your business.

Messaging makes all the difference.

Practice this framework, and you’ll be well on your way to writing copy that’s on target, speaks to the heart of your customers, and creates a legacy for your brand.

More Resources:

• Why You Should Be Focusing On Brand Marketing Right Now
• 12 Ways To Use Content Marketing To Build Brand Awareness
• Content Marketing KPIs: Your Guide To Picking The Right KPIs For Content

Featured Image: ZoFot/Shutterstock

For small, mobile, local businesses operating without a fixed storefront, navigating the world of local SEO can feel like charting uncharted territory.

Service area businesses (SABs) – think plumbers, electricians, mobile pet groomers, and the like – face unique challenges in establishing a strong online presence.

However, by understanding the nuances of local SEO for service area businesses and implementing the right strategies, you can effectively target your service areas and reach more customers than ever before.

This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricacies of local SEO for SABs, providing valuable insights, strategies, and best practices to help you effectively target your coverage area and maximize your online visibility to drive more local traffic and business.

Understanding Service Area Businesses

Service area businesses are those which travel to their customers’ locations to provide services.

Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, SABs don’t rely on foot traffic or a fixed storefront. Instead, their service area boundaries define their primary markets.

Common examples of SABs include:

• Plumbers.
• Electricians.
• HVAC technicians.
• Roofer.
• Mobile pet groomers.
• House cleaning services.
• Mobile paramedical services.
• Landscapers.

Challenges And Opportunities For SABs In Local SEO

SABs face unique challenges in local SEO due to the absence of a physical address to promote and establish authority for.

All local businesses have the challenge of establishing their localness and E-E-A-T, as found in Google’s Search Quality Raters Guidelines, and without a clearly defined base of operations, this can become a little more difficult.

However, this also presents opportunities to expand the business’ reach beyond a single location.

Challenges

• No storefront to attract local foot traffic: SABs can’t rely on traditional local SEO tactics like optimizing a Google Business Profile listing with a physical address pinned to a Google Map, thereby more naturally appearing in searches “near me,” which has become a very common local consumer query. However, read on, as GBP optimizations are still possible and highly recommended.
• Competition from businesses with storefronts: SABs often compete with both established businesses with a physical presence and other SABs in a local market.
• Clearly defining, targeting, and establishing authority within the desired service area: Accurately defining and targeting the service area is crucial for SABs to reach the right customers. However, this means having to prove to Google your business is effectively able to reach customers across a potentially wide service area, which may cross into the “territory” of multiple other service area businesses.

Opportunities:

• Wider reach: SABs can naturally target a broader geographic area compared to businesses with a fixed location.
• Flexibility: SABs can adjust their service areas based on customer demand and expanding business goals.
• Cost-effectiveness: SABs can typically operate with lower overhead costs compared to businesses with physical storefronts.

Read More: Local SEO For Non-Physical Businesses: Overcoming The Challenges

Key Strategies For Local SEO For SABs

To overcome the stated challenges and capitalize on the opportunities, SABs need to implement effective local SEO strategies.

This means ensuring they are incorporating and optimizing content in the areas where customers are searching.

According to a 2023 Brightlocal study, the top five most trusted platforms consumers use to find information about local businesses are Google (66%), Google Maps (45%), business websites (36%), Facebook (32%), and Yelp (32%). We’ll review if and how to address each as a key organic channel.

Here are some key strategies to consider:

1. You Can And Must Still Optimize Your Google Business Profile

For many businesses, a GBP is as, if not more, important than their corporate website.

A Think with Google study from 2019 points out “60% of smartphone users have contacted a business directly using the search results (e.g., “click to call” option)” and this has no doubt only continued to increase.

Screenshot from Google Business Profile, November 2024

While SABs don’t have a physical storefront, they can still leverage GBP to enhance online visibility. Here’s how:

Create A GBP Profile

Even without a storefront, you must create a GBP profile and select the “service-area business” option.

Under this option, you will add but hide your address and then select up to 20 service areas you cover based on city or postal code.

Important note from Google Help:

“The boundaries of your overall area should not extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based.”

If your service area does extend beyond two hours of driving time, you would be well advised to consider setting up another GBP with a primary address closer than two hours away.

Choose Only Relevant Categories

Select primary and secondary categories from those provided in GBP that most accurately reflect the services you offer.

Do not select a subcategory if you do not offer the service, but would like to be found by people searching for the service.

This is a common mistake many businesses make, which can backfire by diluting their authority.

Complete Your Entire Profile

Fill out all of the relevant sections of your GBP profile, including your business name, phone number, website, service areas, hours of operation, social links, payment options, accessibility, amenities, languages supported, and photos (i.e., logo, interior, exterior, product, etc).

Keep in mind that you are trying to provide your audience with every possible detail regarding your business and don’t want to exclude anyone by leaving out key information.

You may also find you are able to gain business by indicating you belong to or service a particular demographic.

Encourage And Promptly Respond To Customer Reviews

Google Business Profile reviews are a powerful ranking signal.

Positive reviews or even prompt and effective responses to negative reviews can significantly boost your local ranking and build trust with potential customers.

For service-area businesses needing to “prove” their coverage, it is important to gain reviews from customers across the defined service area.

So, if you’ve included 10 specific areas you service within a two-hour driving distance, you should be looking to obtain reviews from satisfied customers in each of those areas.

This will help to establish the “localness” described above.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask customers to provide Google reviews that reference the specific service they received and the location where they received it. For example, “We were so pleased ABC Roofing Company was able to repair our roof in [location] on time and on budget!”

Post Content Regularly

GBP provides all businesses the opportunity to easily post content regarding their services, promotions, and links to external content like blog posts, events, etc., which is quite often underutilized.

This feature enables businesses to demonstrate engagement with their customers and authority on the topics they want to be found for.

If you are a local business creating content on a regular basis to share to social channels or via an email newsletter, sharing this content via GBP as well is a must.

2. Build A Solid, Mobile-Friendly Web Presence With Local SEO In Mind

While GBP is a primary landing place for many local searchers, a local business website still serves an important role as an online storefront and information resource.

When it comes to SABs and local SEO, here are a few specific considerations:

Create Location-Specific Pages

If you serve multiple areas, create dedicated pages for each location with unique, relevant content, contact information, and locally oriented keywords.

For example, if you offer specific services in different areas or have specific mobile technicians dedicated to specific service areas, be sure to call this out.

Another good tactic is to embed a Google map of the specific service area into its dedicated location page.

Be careful not to simply duplicate content across your location pages by incorporating something unique into each.

Locally Optimize Your Website Pages And Content

Use relevant local keywords throughout your localized website pages, including in your page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and image alt tags.

Ensure Mobile-Friendliness

This should go without saying, but it’s essential today for all businesses to have a responsive website.

According to Statista, in 2023, 58.67% of all website traffic worldwide came from mobile phones.

Build Local Citations

In keeping with the need to prove “localness,” it is also important to list your business on relevant online directories and platforms, ensuring consistency in your NAP (name, address, phone number) information.

Much like reviews, for SABs, this means identifying and obtaining listings in relevant directories in each of the applicable service areas.

Again, the goal is to show Google the business operates in the area, so there should be an online presence in the area.

Pro Tip: When deciding which local directories you should appear in for free, or especially for a fee, conduct a few Google searches on the keywords you want to be found for and see if these directories appear. If they don’t, then they likely won’t add much value to you.

Alternatively, you can simply ask the directory to provide statistics on how much traffic/business you can expect to receive through them based on similar businesses they have worked with in the past.

3. Local Link Building

Building high-quality, relevant local backlinks can significantly improve your website’s authority and local search ranking. Here’s how:

• Reach out to local businesses: Partner with complementary businesses in each of your service areas for link exchange opportunities.
• Engage in community involvement: Sponsor local events, participate in community forums, and build relationships with local organizations to earn backlinks. Note: Links from your website (perhaps in a Local Events section) can also provide a signal to Google of your localness.

4. Leverage Service-Area Focused Content Marketing And Social Media

Modern SEO, beyond website structure and relevant backlinking, is very much about creating valuable and informative content to answer all of the questions your target audience has about your services, thereby establishing your business as a trusted resource in the eyes of your customers and search engines.

Here are a few local content marketing recommendations to further help build authority:

• Create local, topically relevant content: Publish blog posts, articles, and guides addressing local issues, events, or topics related to the services you offer and of interest to your target audience. Again, as a service area business, try to identify topics specific to the various areas serviced and link from this content to the specific location pages on the website. Some examples of this type of content may include:
  • Blog posts about local events or community initiatives.
  • Case studies featuring customers from your different service areas.
• Promote your content locally: Creating content is just half the battle. As noted above, content can be shared via your GBP, as well as via social media (provided you’ve established an online following), local online communities (e.g., Nextdoor, Facebook Groups), and email newsletters to reach the widest potential audience. Relevant, local, social SAB content may include:
  • Before-and-after photos of completed projects in different service areas.
  • Customer testimonials.
  • Behind-the-scenes glimpses of the business in action at different locations.

Read More: 9 Types Of Content That Will Help Your Local SEO

5. Monitor And Track Your Local SEO Performance

Regularly monitoring and tracking your local SEO performance is essential to understand which content and channels are working or not, to identify areas for improvement, and to measure the overall effectiveness of your strategies.

There are five primary areas a local SAB should focus on when considering performance.

• Analyze your GBP insights: Regularly review your GBP’s performance, including views, searches, clicks, messages, and calls, to understand how users find and engage with your profile.

Screenshot from Google Business Profile, November 2024

• Use Google Analytics: Track the sources of your website traffic, performance of your landing pages, user behavior, and conversions to understand how users find and interact with your content. Use this information to focus your SEO and content marketing efforts.
• Monitor your local rankings: Use rank tracking tools to monitor and optimize your website’s position in the local Map Pack and organic search results for relevant keywords.
• Track your social media reach and engagement: All social media networks offer tools to measure the reach and engagement of your presence and individual posts. Pay attention to who your most engaged followers are and be sure to engage with them.

Read More: 5 Common Lcoal SEO KPIs And How To Measure Them

Targeting Your Local Presence

Local SEO is critical for service area businesses looking to reach prospective customers within their target area.

By implementing the strategies outlined above, SABs can effectively target their coverage areas, attract local customers, and grow their businesses.

Remember to focus on:

• Optimizing and leveraging your GBP to share content and engage with your customers.
• Obtaining reviews from customers in the various areas you service, particularly if your reach is broad.
• Similarly obtaining backlinks from directories, partners, or other relevant websites across your service area.
• Maintaining a solid, consistent, mobile-friendly website.
• Creating and sharing relevant content to answer all of your customer’s questions.
• Monitoring your performance to see what’s working and what isn’t.

With all of this in mind, do not try to over-extend your reach, as it will be difficult to convince Google you are truly “local” if your service areas are beyond the two-hour driving time range.

More Resources:

• 14 Essential Local SEO & Listing Management Tools
• How To Create A Winning Local SEO Content Strategy
• A Guide To Local SEO

Featured Image: BestForBest/Shutterstock

Marketers understand that online reputation isn’t just about star ratings; it’s about credibility and customer trust. Reviews can either elevate your brand or leave it struggling to keep up.

Most potential customers will browse online reviews before they even visit your website, and their decisions are often heavily influenced by what they find.

Good reviews can act as social proof, reassuring people that your business is worth their time and money. On the flip side, how you handle negative feedback is just as important.

Thoughtful, well-handled responses can turn an unhappy customer into a loyal one and show potential clients that you value transparency and improvement.

Why Online Reviews Are So Powerful

Online platforms like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor have given customers more power than ever. With just a few clicks, they can uncover real experiences from other people and use that feedback to guide their own decisions.

For businesses, this creates transparency, but it can also feel like walking a tightrope.

Even if you’re consistently delivering great service, one negative review can sometimes overshadow all the positives. That can be frustrating, but it’s the reality of today’s customer-driven world.

What makes online reviews so impactful is their ability to influence thoughtful, research-based decisions. Whether someone is choosing a new place to eat or trying to find a reliable service provider, reviews give them that extra layer of trust.

For many, they’ve become a crucial part of the buying journey, making reviews far more than just opinions; they’re a deciding factor.

Still skeptical about the impact? These statistics might just change your mind.

1. Positive & Negative Reviews Influence Consumers

According to a 2021 report by PowerReviews, over 99.9% of customers read reviews when they shop online.

Furthermore, 96% of customers look for negative reviews specifically. This figure was 85% back in 2018.

When people look for bad reviews, they’re interested in knowing some of the company’s weaknesses. Where could they improve? If the downfalls are minor, it makes the researcher feel assured.

A near-perfect rating is often viewed as less credible and leads to consumer skepticism if reviews are too positive.

2. Consumers Trust Reviews Like Recommendations From Loved Ones

BrightLocal’s local consumer survey shows that 50% of consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family members.

The study also gave some insight into how we feel about reviews – 69% of consumers would feel positive about using a business if its written reviews describe positive experiences. This figure has held steady compared to 2023, though it has dropped from 75% in 2022.

Interestingly, there has been a notable 8% increase in consumers feeling more confident about businesses when reviews come from named users rather than anonymous ones.

In 2024, 48% of consumers say that reviews by named individuals make them feel more positive about a business, up from 40% in 2023.

However, there’s a clear downward trend overall in the factors that make consumers feel good about using a business based on reviews.

This shift might suggest that people are becoming more discerning, less likely to take reviews at face value, and increasingly cautious about trusting online feedback.

The growing preference for reviews from named users also highlights a broader sense of digital awareness. Consumers are getting savvier about user-generated content, looking for signs of authenticity before making decisions.

3. The More Reviews, The Better Reputation

For most consumers, the number of reviews a business has can make or break their trust in the overall rating.

In fact, 59% of consumers expect a business to have between 20-99 reviews to trust the average star rating.

4. Most Consumers Don’t Trust Advertising

When it comes to online reviews and digital media, consumer trust is shaky.

According to a Nielsen study, trust in digital formats like mobile ads, online banners, and influencer posts remains low, with only 23% of people trusting influencer ads.

Consumers are growing increasingly wary of the information they see online when it’s tied to promotional efforts, which is why genuine consumer reviews are so valuable.

Notably, trust in digital advertising is lowest among certain demographics. Those aged 65+, followed closely by Gen Z (15-24) and Boomers (57-66), show the least amount of trust in digital media.

5. Shoppers Research Product Reviews On Their Phones, Outside Of Your Store

OuterBox recently revealed that every 8 in 10 shoppers use their smartphones to look up product reviews while they are in-store.

Before buying an item, shoppers will quickly search to see what other people have had to say about the product in question.

Some will compare prices, determining whether they can find the item elsewhere cheaper.

This statistic shows how the online and offline worlds are becoming increasingly integrated.

If you don’t have a good online review presence, it can have a negative impact on the number of sales you make in-store.

6. Reviews Shared On Twitter Increase Social Commerce

Yotpo has revealed that reviews on social media platforms increase social commerce, especially on X (Twitter).

When we think of social media, we associate it with building brand awareness. However, it’s also effective for driving sales.

Shopify recently published a survey that revealed the average conversion rate for the social media websites represented in the graph above:

• The average conversion rate for LinkedIn is 0.47%
• The average conversion rate for Twitter is 0.77%
• The average conversion rate for Facebook is 1.85%

Yotpo Data found that when reviews are shared on social platforms, the conversion rate is 5.3 times higher for LinkedIn, 8.4 times higher for Twitter, and 40 times higher for Facebook.

All these statistics show us that reviews are an incredibly powerful form of social proof that results in higher conversion levels across LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Facebook.

Furthermore, a lot of the ecommerce world underestimates X’s (Twitter’s) force.

7. Reviews Are Just As Important Among Jobseekers

If you thought consumers were the only ones concerned about reviews, think again.

Research published by Glassdoor indicates that 86% of employees and job seekers research reviews on a business and ratings to determine whether they should apply for a job.

As competition for talent in certain industries gets tougher, companies will have no choice but to be more conscious about their employer brand if they wish to attract top talent.

8. 3.4 Stars Is The Minimum Rating Customers Accept

When deciding whether to engage with a business, it has been indicated that 3.4 stars out of 5 are the lowest rating customers are likely to consider.

If you have a lower rating than this, your business may be overlooked and lose valuable consumers to the competition.

Furthermore, only 3% of customers would consider using a business if it had a rating of 2 stars or less, showing that our standards are only getting higher!

9. Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor Dominate The Review Landscape

If your business wants to build credibility, focusing on the right review platforms is key. A staggering 88% of all online reviews are hosted across just four major platforms:

1. Google.
2. Yelp.
3. Facebook.
4. TripAdvisor.

Not surprisingly, Google takes the lead, holding 73% of these reviews, which means that optimizing your presence on Google is essential for most businesses.

Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor make up much smaller shares but are still significant for certain industries like dining and travel.

10. Most Customers Will Look At 2 Review Sites Before Purchasing

It’s no longer enough for businesses to focus on just one review site. In fact, 77% of consumers use at least two platforms to research businesses before making a decision, while 41% turn to three or more platforms.

Less than a quarter of consumers rely on just one site, highlighting the importance of maintaining a strong presence across several review platforms.

This means that to effectively manage your brand’s reputation, you need to ensure consistency across multiple review sites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor.

When asking for customer reviews, it’s also a good idea to offer them multiple platforms to choose from.

Consumers often have preferences or accounts with specific platforms, so making it easy for them to leave feedback can help boost the number of reviews your business receives.

11. Tiny Subject Line Changes Can Get More Reviews

When soliciting reviews, most businesses send an email post-purchase.

Yotpo studied the subject lines of 3.5 million of these post-purchase review request emails to discover what works and what doesn’t when asking customers for reviews.

While this is much more than a single statistic, here is a synopsis of the top subject line tweaks to get more reviews:

• An emotional appeal doesn’t greatly impact the review response rates.
• Include your store name to increase reviews.
• Incentives inspire more reviews in every industry.
• Ask a question in the subject line.
• Exclamation points boost reviews for food and tobacco businesses.
• Avoid using a totally uppercase word in your subject lines.

12. Reputation Management Software Pays For Itself

Podium released a very interesting report on online reviews, stating that almost 90% of local companies that utilize a reputation management tool make up for the cost with the ROI.

How your company appears online massively dictates what shows up in terms of your bottom line.

Because of this, companies are investing more in their reputations than ever before.

One way they do this is by investing in reputation management software. This gives them the ability to have clarity regarding how their business is reviewed online.

13. Customers Believe A Product Should Have 100+ Reviews

Power Reviews recently posted interesting statistics about the number of reviews shoppers want.

In a perfect world, 43% of consumers have indicated that they want to see more than 100 reviews for an item.

Consumers indicate that a notably high volume of reviews can have a big, positive impact on their purchase likelihood.

Out of those surveyed, 64% indicated that they would be more likely to purchase an item if it had over 1,000 reviews than if it only had 100 reviews.

On the flip side, 44% indicated that they flat out would not purchase a product with zero reviews. This percentage increases to 48% for Millenials and 49% for Gen-Z’ers.

14. Few Travelers Post Unsolicited Online Hotel Reviews

BrightLocal has also uncovered that 78% of travelers never post unsolicited online hotel reviews. This means you cannot simply rely on customers to post hotel reviews of their own free will. They need to be encouraged to do so.

Customers say that the main ways they have been asked to leave a review are as follows:

• Via email (41%).
• During the sale/in-person (35%).
• When receiving an invoice or receipt (35%).
• SMS text (27%).

You need to be mindful of how you approach customers when asking to leave a review. The last thing you want to do is come across as pushy.

At the same time, you want to make customers feel compelled to post a comment.

Offering an incentive, such as a special discount or entry into a competition, is a good approach.

15. Consumers Are Becoming Increasingly Suspicious Of Online Reviews

While online consumers rely on reviews to make purchasing decisions, they’re also suspicious of fake reviews.

In fact, 49% of Amazon consumers are confident they have seen fake reviews.

As you can see from the table, Google had the largest improvement in consumer confidence, dropping from 50% in 2023 to 38% in 2024.

16. Most Consumers Use Rating Filters

Did you know that 7 in 10 consumers utilize rating filters when looking for companies?

Out of all the different rating options, the most popular is to narrow down a search based on the rating; for example, it is to only show hotels with ratings of four stars or above.

This helps customers only view products, locations, and services that fall within their standards. No one wants to waste their time on things that don’t fit!

17. Customers Expect You To Respond To Negative Reviews Within 7 Days

When customers post negative reviews about a business, they expect a response. Not only this, but they don’t want to wait around for it.

Review Trackers have stated that 53% of customers expect companies to respond to negative feedback within one week.

One in three consumers has a shorter timeframe than this – three days or less.

Therefore, you really need to ensure you’re keeping up with the reviews you receive and responding appropriately.

18. Your Response To A Review Can Change How Customers View Your Business

Podium’s 2021 State of Reviews publication revealed that 56% of consumers had changed their perspective on a business based on how they responded to a review.

We know that receiving a bad review from a customer can make you feel sick to your stomach. However, this statistic shows that there is the potential to turn this into a positive.

If you respond empathetically and try to understand the customer, they will feel like you really care about them and the service they receive. You can turn an unsatisfied customer into a loyal one.

And, even if the consumer who has complained does not reply, the fact you’ve tried to rectify their grievance will show your business in a positive light when others read the review.

Why You Can’t Ignore Online Reviews

The numbers don’t lie; online reviews have become a key player in shaping consumer trust and building social proof.

Instead of seeing them as a source of stress, think of them as a valuable opportunity to connect with your customers on a deeper level.

If you haven’t started managing your online reputation, now’s the perfect time to dive in. Here’s how you can take control:

• Encourage feedback: Let your customers know that their reviews are more than just ratings; they help you improve and serve them better.
• Be responsive: Engage with reviews, both positive and negative, across all platforms. Show that you’re listening and addressing concerns quickly and professionally.
• Claim your Google Business Profile: Ensure your business details are accurate and up to date so customers find the right info.
• Ask for reviews: Don’t be shy about asking your satisfied customers to share their experiences. A gentle prompt can go a long way in building your online presence.

Taking these steps can transform online reviews from something to fear into a tool for growth.

More resources:

• Google Reviews: The Complete Guide For Businesses
• A Guide To Star Ratings On Google And How They Work
• A Guide To Local SEO

Featured Image: Thapana_Studio/Shutterstock

All businesses, large or small, must establish a level of authority for the products and/or services they offer in the minds and hearts of their target audience if they expect to convince them to engage and buy.

This universal marketing truth plays out daily for small businesses looking to capture the attention of local customers through a variety of local SEO strategies.

Authoritativeness is the “A” in the much-heralded E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) found in Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines.

In short, a business or organization needs to prove its authority to Google, and all other search engines, to be considered worthy of visibility in search engine results.

The authority of a local business can be established in a few different ways, but most notably:

• Via the helpful, high-quality, well-structured content it creates for its target audience/customers.
• Through validation of its offerings via industry-specific backlinks it maintains to its primary product, service, or other relevant content.
• Via the engagement of its content.
• Through validation of its “localness” via its local existence, appearance, community participation, and engagement.

We are obviously going to focus here on the fourth, often underestimated and overlooked, aspect of local business authority.

However, you’ll see that experience, expertise, and trustworthiness are also prominently referenced here, as all can be boosted via solid partnerships.

It only stands to reason: If a business wants to be visible locally, it needs to truly be visible in the community, with the digital local community merely being an extension of the real world.

While traditional SEO techniques like keyword optimization, content marketing, and link building are still essential, savvy business owners and digital marketers will look beyond these tactics to stand out from the local competition.

Leveraging local business partnerships and collaborations to build your local online authority and extend your web presence will most certainly help increase your visibility.

In this post, we’ll explore the power of forging partnerships with other local businesses and organizations to extend reach, build trust, and drive growth.

Building Authority and Trust Through Partnerships

Authority in the digital realm refers to your brand’s credibility, trustworthiness, and expertise in your industry and/or your location.

For small, local businesses, all this matters.

A business needs to convince its customers and Google, by extension, that it is the definitive local source of answers to their questions about its products and services. In other words, it is not the only game in town, but the primary one.

Partnering with other reputable, authoritative businesses effectively gets those businesses to validate your existence, expertise, and authority.

Google and other search engines consider authoritative websites more relevant and rank them higher in organic search results and local map packs.

Here’s how forging reciprocal local business partnerships can help build authority:

Co-Branding And Trust-Building

Partnering with reputable local businesses and organizations can create a co-branding effect.

When consumers (or search engines) see your business/brand associated with other businesses they already trust, it naturally enhances credibility, trustworthiness, and authority.

Local business organizations like Chambers of Commerce, Business Network International (BNI), and many others have been established, at least in part, to help small local businesses extend their reach, build trust, and, thereby, earn authority.

Many of these organizations have categorized online directories, content distribution opportunities (e.g., email newsletters or blogs), and business awards. They also have staff responsible for helping local business partners take advantage of these programs.

All local businesses should inquire, sign up, and take advantage of what these important local groups offer.

Maintaining listings, content, or recognition here provides search engines with potentially powerful local and topical signals.

Basic membership is important, but the more a business owner can do to boost their local offline and online profile through active engagement, the better.

Expertise And Resource Sharing

Collaborating with local, like-minded businesses will enable you to demonstrate your experience and expertise, along with your partner’s, and then showcase it on each other’s platforms.

This can be accomplished through guest blog posts, joint webinars, offline events, or social media takeovers – all of which can enhance your reputation as a trusted local information contributor.

One of the challenges of content marketing, especially for small local businesses, is simply having the time to create the content.

Thoughtful partnering with other business owners provides a viable means to share this burden of feeding the content machine.

For example, a local tax lawyer may partner with a local bookkeeping service or tax preparation firm to create a monthly tax tips newsletter or annual tax prep checklist, to which both firms can contribute.

Content Syndication And Social Collaboration

Similarly, two businesses that choose to share each other’s content on their respective platforms expose each other’s brands to a wider audience and can establish each as a go-to source for local information.

The key is to identify topics and content that will be relevant and interesting to each other’s audience.

While social signals, such as likes and shares, are not Google ranking factors, having partners occasionally like, share, and effectively validate any of your content will certainly extend its potential audience, where it will perhaps again be read, liked, and shared.

Content will typically only be shared once it has been validated by trustworthy sources, which your partner becomes on your behalf.

An example here may be a local auto body shop sharing car maintenance tips from a local mechanic via a customer newsletter. Meanwhile, the mechanic shares paint and detailing information through a series of Google Business Profile or social media posts.

Content sharing, depending on where and how it’s done, may result in the creation of valuable local backlinks and citations.

Backlinks

Backlinks remain valuable in SEO because search engines interpret them as votes of confidence.

Where possible, these links should be put in the proper context relative to your partnership and the related products or services offered.

For example, a local auto body shop might establish a partnership with a local full-service mechanic. Each could link to the other’s respective service pages as a reference for those customers looking for a trusted referral.

However, even a non-service-specific link for a local partner can be beneficial, too – as it is at least a local, if not topical, validation.

And yes, Google’s algorithm is sophisticated enough to identify when one local business has linked to another.

All backlinks (except for those without any relevant value) contribute to authority.

Supporting Local Organizations And Events To Gain Citations

Another aspect of growing local trust and authority is becoming involved in local service organizations, sports teams, clubs, or local events.

Whether you provide monetary or volunteer support, most organizations have websites or social media presences where a logo, contact info, perhaps a short business overview, and preferably a link can be shared.

These types of mentions, with a link or not, are considered citations and can have significant value.

These types of relationships serve to bolster localness online and provide more evidence of your business’s role as a contributing, engaged member of the community.

Furthermore, if approved by the supported organization(s), who are no doubt also looking for any positive local exposure, content and links to their websites, programs, events, etc., should be published on yours.

Typically, this is done in the “About Us” section or perhaps on a page dedicated to your business’s community support initiatives.

Local Competition And Content Differentiation

Depending on your location and level of competition, establishing local partnerships and collaborations may simply be a way of differentiating your business from all others when competitors don’t have the time, resources, or foresight to leverage this important opportunity.

The introduction of generative AI used to produce content has raised fears in some circles around the potential for a lack of “unique” informational content, as some marketers, while not advisable, will post what AI has generated verbatim.

Local collaborations can be a great way to complement what AI has to offer by injecting local partner contributions into standard service-related blog posts and FAQs.

A Local Collaboration Case Study: Fitness Food

Here’s a quick example of a local business partnership scenario and some of the potential benefits to be realized.

The Collab

A local fitness studio partners with a healthy café, offering a stay-fit meal deal to gym members.

The café provides fitness class discount vouchers with qualifying fitness-focused meal purchases, which are prominently promoted on the homepage of their websites while linking to each other.

They also collaborate on a weekly Fitness Food blog post with reciprocal links, which they publish and share on their respective websites and social media platforms.

Lastly, they create a health challenge and contest on social media for their customers, where participants are asked to share their fitness and nutrition journeys – again, cross-promoted.

The Results

• Combined, the businesses positioned themselves as leading community advocates for healthier lifestyles, reinforcing their authority as wellness experts.
• Blogs linked to their offers and primary service pages, shared via each other’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, trigger a boost in each business’s service page rank in organic search and, subsequently, organic search traffic and conversions.
• The program attracts local influencers who post user-generated content with links to their offers and blog posts, further enhancing their reach and authority.
• The health challenge and contest become a trending topic on local social media platforms, leading to likes and shares and thereby attracting a broader audience.
• The partnership created a mutually beneficial cycle – as more people joined the fitness studio, they frequented the café, and vice versa.

Practical Steps To Building Local Business Partnerships

With the potential benefits of local business partnerships outlined above, here are some practical steps to establishing and maintaining effective relationships:

Identify Compatible Businesses Or Organizations

Seek out local businesses and groups that ideally complement your products or services and share your target audience, as shown above with tax, automobile, and wellness-related businesses.

Ensure their values and marketing goals align with yours. This will form the foundation of a successful partnership.

You will naturally want to identify a business whose online presence reflects its understanding and commitment to this important marketing channel.

A few quick Google searches should quickly reveal solid prospective partners who can be easily found via organic search.

Develop A Clear Value Proposition

Clearly define what each party brings to the table and what outcomes are possible.

Consider how you can benefit each other, whether through collaborative content creation and distribution, co-promotion, shared events, or other tactics.

Create A Partnership Agreement

Consider putting a written agreement in place outlining the terms and responsibilities of each party.

This document should include details like the duration of the partnership, resource/time contributions, content ownership considerations, and any other mutual expectations.

Leverage Both Online And Offline Channels

Promote your partnership through various channels, both online and offline.

Depending on the promotion and budget, utilize your website, social media platforms, email marketing, or pay-per-click advertising, as well as in-store physical signage or offline documents, to showcase your collaborations.

Collaborate On Content

Partnering on content creation, such as blog or social media posts, is an excellent way to leverage each other’s expertise and resources.

If the plan is to create a joint blog post or email newsletter per week or month, alternate scheduling can be used to spread out the workload.

This will no doubt resonate with most local business owners who are generally taxed for time.

Monitor, Measure, And Adjust

Any good digital marketing campaign should be monitored and measured to see what’s working and what isn’t, i.e., messaging, channels, etc.

Part of your campaign planning should include a determination of what to measure and the goals you both hope to meet.

Start small with simple metrics both parties can easily obtain, such as newsletter signups, website traffic, or campaign-specific measurements.

Analyze organic search results, website traffic (and particularly referral traffic from your partners or other local sites), social media engagement, and sales at regular intervals to gauge impact.

Consider creating unique branded campaign URLs or QR codes to differentiate traffic or business received via the partnership.

With smaller businesses, it may be simple enough to measure new social media followers or shared content anecdotally.

Analytics is meant to be actionable, so be ready to suggest and adjust if something isn’t working as expected.

Ultimately, analytics will help you determine where to focus your attention, especially if one channel or source produces noticeable results.

Plan, Engage, Collaborate, Grow

Growing your business in your local community is all about extending your reach to the broadest audience possible.

Partnering with like-minded, non-competitive businesses and organizations is a quick and effective way to amplify your message – online and offline.

When done purposefully and properly online, the result is a boost in your all-important local and perhaps topical authority.

Consumers, particularly local consumers, buy from businesses they know and trust.

We all ask our friends, family, and those we do business with for advice or references when we need certain products or services.

Well-established partners can become trust proxies to bring in customers you might otherwise not have access to.

In short, building local online authority and trust boils down to being a highly visible and sincerely engaged member of your broad community that Google cannot ignore.

More Resources:

• Utilizing Local Influencers For Digital Marketing Success
• How Local Businesses Can Rank For Popular Near Me Searches
• A Guide To Local SEO

Featured Image: SvetaZi/Shutterstock