Google My Business Optimization Seen as the Most Valuable Local Marketing Service

Google My Business optimization, rather than website optimization, emerged as the most valuable local marketing service in 2020.

BrightLocal’s annual local search industry survey indicates that on-site optimization is now the second most valuable local marketing service.

The survey, conducted among 475 local marketers, explores the business practices, pricing, salaries, and services offered in the local marketing industry.

According to the survey, the top 5 most valuable services are:

1. Google My Business optimization
2. On-site optimization
3. Reputation management
4. Citation management
5. Website design

Google My Business optimization is also the most frequently offered service by local marketers, surpassing traditional SEO offerings.

The top 5 most frequently offered services by local marketers include:

1. Google My Business (GMB) optimization
2. SEO audits/analysis
3. On-site optimization
4. Reporting/analytics
5. Citation management

The survey finds that link building is one of the less frequently offered services, with only half of local marketers providing it. This presents an opportunity for differentiation if you want to stand out by offering more unique services.

SEO is Best for Attracting New Clients

Although not the most offered or considered the most valuable, local marketers cite SEO as the best online tactic for attracting new clients. Content marketing, LinkedIn, and PPC were also mentioned as other valuable online channels.

By a large margin, word of mouth is considered the most valuable channel overall for winning clients. Local business groups and industry conferences are also seen as valuable methods for gaining clients.

Google Rankings Matter Most to Businesses

The survey reveals that the local marketing metric most valued by businesses is Google rankings. These rankings are deemed even more important than new customers and new leads.

The top 5 local marketing metrics valued by businesses are:

1. Google rankings
2. New customers
3. New leads/inquiries
4. Organic traffic
5. Number of new reviews

When preparing monthly reports for clients, make sure to highlight the above metrics.

For more insights on the local marketing industry in 2020, see the full survey results.

More Resources

• How to Completely Optimize Your Google My Business Listing
• 4 Tips to Boost Your Google My Business Profile