EPISODE 219
What Still Works with Local SEO (and What Doesn’t)
with Bradley Benner
Have you ever wondered how some service businesses seem to dominate their local markets while others struggle to get seen? The secret might be simpler than you think – and it all starts with how you show up on Google.
Today’s guest breaks down what really works in local SEO, how to increase your visibility without increasing your workload, and why finding your niche might be the smartest move you can make.
Bradley Benner is a leading local SEO expert and the founder of multiple businesses, including TreeCareHQ, Semantic Mastery, Semantic Links, and Semantic SEO. With over a decade of experience in agency building, lead generation, and SEO coaching, Bradley helps both business owners and marketing professionals create systems that convert clicks into clients.
Why Local SEO Still Matters
Even with the rise of AI-driven search, Google Maps still drives the majority of local leads – nearly 70%, according to Bradley. But most business owners aren’t optimizing their Google Business Profiles the right way. From posting geo-tagged photos to writing location-specific content, Bradley shares actionable strategies that help local businesses get seen and generate results.
He also emphasizes why local businesses should aim to rank in both Maps and traditional search results. It’s not just about visibility – it’s about building long-term authority and creating a safety net when algorithms shift.
Why Niching Down Changes Everything
In 2020, Bradley made a pivotal shift by focusing solely on tree service contractors – a decision that helped him streamline his processes, scale faster, and build a thriving local agency. By specializing, he was able to reuse assets, simplify his marketing, and generate predictable results for his clients. Today, his white-label SEO agencies serve other marketers looking for efficient, proven systems.
Whether you’re a service-based business owner or a marketing pro supporting them, this episode is packed with practical SEO insights and long-term strategy.
Enjoy this episode with Bradley Benner…
Soundbytes
8:20-8:34
“Just because we may have a skill like being able to know how to get stuff to rank in Google, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to be effective at being able to convert that skill into money – not just for yourself as the SEO professional, but for the business that you’re selling that service to.”
10:14-10:34
“In 2020 I niched down. I finally decided to ignore anybody else other than tree contractors from my own local SEO agency. And boy, that was the biggest thing, the best thing I could have ever done. Because it simplified my business significantly from the workload.”
Quotes
“If you can build enough brand strength, you can typically rank well, even if you have terrible SEO.”
“About 70% of the leads that are generated from Google Search come from maps.”
“One of the most valuable things that they can do is just train their technicians to take three to five photos from a mobile device.”
“AI is changing search behavior fast. If your business isn’t feeding the model, you’re invisible.”
Links mentioned in this episode:
Connect with our Guest
Website: https://semanticmastery.com/
Connect with Bradley Benner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleybenner/
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