Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the bare minimum for local SEO these days. If you’re only optimizing your Google Business profile, you’re fighting for the same pixels as everyone else — and leaving real traffic on the table. Winning local search in 2025 means building a broader footprint across the map ecosystem, publishing genuinely useful local content, earning local links, and converting visitors once they land.
We’ll show you 5 local SEO tactics that are proven and practical so you can reach more locals, show up in more places, and turn discovery into revenue.
Local Partnerships
If there is another complementary business in town that serves a similar audience, cross-promotion works extremely well and can boost SEO through social media mentions and co-author content.
Here’s a few ways to accomplish a local partnership:
- Create value bundles: Offer a joint promotion/coupon
- Cross-promote: Swap one email mention, 2-3 social posts, and maybe even a spotlight on each other’s homepage like “Featured Local Partner”
- Co-author blog content: Publish a blog for one another such as “Local Expert Q&A” and link to one another naturally
- Guest mini-workshops: Teach a 30-minute class inside a partner’s space and they’ll invite their client list, you invite yours
Getting cold feet writing the email? Here’s a simple outreach script you can steal from us:
Hello [business owner’s name],
We serve a similar audience and I believe a simple collaboration could help both of us! Here’s my idea: 30-day cross-promo (one email + 2 social posts each) and a small bundled offer. We’ll handle the graphics and tracking links.
Interested? I can send some mockups or we can hop on a call.Thanks,
[Your name]
Tracking success will come down to unique URLs with UTM tags or you can use partner-specific promo codes.
Schema Markup
Structured data (schema) helps search engines understand your pages and unlocks rich results (FAQs, events, etc.). You can add it as JSON-LD with no design changes needed. There’s even a LocalBusiness (yes, no space between) schema you can use on your home or contact page. Here’s where you should implement it:
- Home/Contact (LocalBusiness or subtype like ProfessionalService)
- Services pages (Service)
- Blog posts/guides (Article)
- FAQ sections (FAQPage)
- Event pages (Event)
Some SEO plugins have a schema generator built in. If not, a local SEO expert should be able to help you out here if you’re not a DIYer.
Local Events
Local events help boost local SEO rankings through earning you backlinks (another website linking to your content) and lets you meet buyers in real life. What type of event could you host?
- How-to workshops: “DIY Social Content for Local Retailers (Bring Your Phone)”
- Collaboration events: Co-host with a partner with a similar audience, in the same industry, etc.
- Community spotlights: “Local Business Open House” featuring 3-5 other vendors
How do you get the word out?
- Publish a page on your site with details + Event schema.
- Create Facebook Event and Eventbrite listings; invite partner email lists.
- Submit to local calendars (chamber, city, neighborhood groups).
- Ask partners to post it on their Blogs/News pages (hello, local links).
- Film 60-second clips at the event; post Reels/Shorts with location tags.
Again, it’d be smart to measure it by:
- Use a short lead form on the event page (name, email, “What’s your #1 marketing question?”).
- Track UTM-tagged traffic from calendars/partners.
- After the event, send attendees useful event materials such as PowerPoint slides, checklists, etc. and then add them to your email list with consent.
Micro-Influencers
Micro-influencers (those with a smaller amount of followers but ones that are more engaged) build their communities around authenticity and shared interests. They genuinely connect with their followers through real-life experiences and relatable content. This authenticity generates higher trust and engagement which is obviously valuable in terms of marketing and local SEO.
But how do you pick someone to partner with?
- Local first: (1,000+ followers and influencer is in your city/region)
- Engagement rate: 3-8% on recent posts (we’re not just looking for big follower counts)
- Content fit: Do they already post about things in your industry or causes you care about?
Once you’ve picked a micro-influencer, you can start with:
- 1 Reel/TikTok at your location
- 3 Stories with location tag and link sticker
- 1 feed post (savable carousel with helpful info, not just an ad)
- Make sure posts feature #ad or other “Paid Partnership” disclosure for FTC compliance
Here’s how to compensate the influencer and track their effectiveness:
- Pay a flat fee and offer an exclusive promo code (e.g., ODDBALLS10)
- Use a dedicated landing page with UTM for each creator
Localized Content
Do you want web pages and blog posts that actually convert? Then you want to build useful, specific, local content that answers real search intent.
How do you do that? In a very condensed version, here’s a simple page format you can follow:
- Heading 1: Should contain a clear benefit along with location (“Local SEO for Springfield Businesses”)
- Intro: Introduce the question or “pain,” your promise, and your proof
- 3-5 scannable sections: Your services, process, pricing cues, local examples
- Trust block: Your logos, reviews, statistics
- FAQ section: Don’t forget the schema!
- CTA: Book a call/Get a quote
Local SEO doesn’t have to be a pain
You don’t need 50 tactics to improve your local SEO. Just these five done well.
As a recap, our suggestions are:
- Partner locally and share audiences
- Add schema to clarify your pages (and unlock rich results)
- Host/events to earn links and meet buyers
- Activate micro-influencers with clear briefs and tracking
- Publish localized content that solves real problems
Why not pick one tactic to begin working on this week? If you need a helping hand, 2oddballs Creative is always here to help Springfield businesses grow their local SEO. Reach out today for a no-commitment meeting!
