22/09/2026
π "Should I invest in local SEO?" β here's the honest answer most agencies won't give you.
If you're a brand new business, local SEO probably isn't the right move yet. Why? No foundation = no fast ROI. You could be pouring $3,000-$5,000/month into it for a full year before seeing results β and if you're just starting out, you likely don't have that kind of budget to spare anyway.
The better move early on? Stick with ads. Focus on getting reviews. Build a base of loyal customers first.
Once your business has 5-10 years of foundation? That's when local SEO can turn things around FAST.
Here's a real example: One law firm client had 7-8 locations. They've now doubled that β and the secret wasn't just "do more SEO." It was figuring out WHERE to expand.
The mistake most businesses make: they assume bigger cities = better opportunity. Not true. Some big cities have so much competition, it could take years just to catch up to the businesses already dominating there.
The sweet spot? Medium-sized markets β not the smallest towns, not the biggest cities.
Another client (a foundation repair company) had a different problem: their offices were physically located in tiny suburb towns instead of the larger cities they wanted to actually rank in. Huge disconnect, and it was quietly killing their visibility.
Local SEO isn't just about optimizing a website. Sometimes it's literally acting like a real estate agent β telling a business WHERE their next office should go.
π§ Full episode is linked in the comments β worth a listen if you're thinking about growing a local business.
Are you a new business sticking with ads for now, or established and ready to dig into local SEO? Let us know below π