THE Multi-Location SEO/AEOWell, maybe not the AEO stuff until recently…
experts since 2006.
Oh yeah, and SMBs B2B SaaS Franchises eCommerce Media Startups and whatever else ya got.
We had AI listen to our sales conversations for the past year & identify the most common client problems.
Let’s build a road map for you to conquer Google. And the AI answers that now sit on top of it.
Learn more →02Let’s pull your site out of Google’s ditch. Dev-ready tickets, then we QA the release.
Learn more →03Whether you need 10 blog posts or 10,000 location pages. Now with AI!
Learn more →04Profile suspended or stuck in verification? We figure out why, fix it and get you back on the map.
Learn more →05Google treats links like votes. We earn them with stories journalists actually want to cover.
Learn more →06Search campaigns that pull their weight, plus Meta, Local Services Ads and Apple Maps Ads when they make sense.
Learn more →07Redesign, replatform or rebrand without losing what you’ve built: URL mapping, redirects, templates and launch-day QA.
Learn more →Google considers testimonials a “trust signal,” particularly those you haven’t paid clients to write. Although the paid ones work pretty well too…
“The Local SEO Guide team has been instrumental in us re-thinking everything related to all things SEO. Their entire team is always available, incredibly insightful, and keeps their advice specific to each of our properties. We have had great success with non-stop experimentation, continuous learning cycles, and massive traffic growth. It is no wonder that they have been our sole provider of SEO advice for the last 6 years!”
“There are really not too many people in the SEO business with LSG’s level of expertise, know-how and practical approach. Andrew is simultaneously professional and fun, and has put together a brilliant, cross-disciplined team at LocalSEOGuide. … There’s nothing that these guys do that comes across as pre-packaged.”
“When it comes to SEO, there is no substitute…”
Howard doesn’t have much else to add. He’s busy building the future of Cloud HQs at Ro.am.
Twenty years after signing his first SEO client, Andrew Shotland looks back at the people, clients, and oddball moments that built Local SEO Guide.
Read the postApple launched Apple Maps Ads on 8/25/26. Despite how much that sucks, we digital marketers like nothing more than a new service we can figure out and take advantage of before the rest of the…
Read the postOver the past 20 years I have been contacted by Yelp numerous times to buy an ad - given my experience I was always highly skeptical that Yelp could drive meaningful local leads. It doesn't have…
Read the postThe idea behind Yext Research, of which I am an unpaid advisor/board member or something fancy like that, is to take the massive amount of local search data Yext has at its disposal, give it to…
Read the postA small, fully remote team of senior SEOs. The people on the first call are the people who do the work.
A plan tied to revenue, locations and the way your team actually ships.
Learn more → 02Location pages, store locators, Business Profiles and reviews at scale.
Learn more → 03Audits, architecture and dev-ready tickets for large sites with in-house engineering.
Learn more → 04Where your brand shows up in Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, and how to fix the gaps.
Learn more → 05Whether you need 10 blog posts or 10,000 location pages. Now with AI!
Learn more → 06Links earned with stories journalists actually want to cover.
Learn more → 07Rankings, calls, leads and AI visibility in one place leadership will actually open.
Learn more → 08Google Ads, plus Meta, Local Services Ads and Apple Maps Ads when they make sense.
Learn more → 09Redesign, replatform or rebrand without losing rankings: URL mapping, redirects, templates and launch-day QA.
Learn more → 10Categories, reviews, posts, photos and suspension fixes for one location or thousands.
Learn more → 11Suspended profile? Verification stuck? We diagnose it, fix it and file the appeal.
Learn more → 12Expert reports, depositions and damages analysis when SEO, local search or AI search ends up in a lawsuit.
Learn more →Search works differently depending on how your business makes money.
Brands with dozens to thousands of locations.
See how we help →Consistent listings, pages and reviews without slowing franchisees down.
See how we help →Large catalogs where crawl, facets and product data decide what ranks and what AI agents can buy.
See how we help →Publishers and streaming sites where Discover, Top Stories and AI answers decide who gets the click.
See how we help →Pipeline, not just traffic, with SEO built in before the site gets hard to change.
See how we help →Tired of SEO agencies that don’t tell you what they’re doing and blame “authority” and “the algorithm” for everything? That’s not us.
See how we help →Directories, marketplaces and listing platforms that want more of their pages to rank.
See how we help →Need a second opinion? We often do. SOP audits, troubleshooting, shoulders to cry on, etc.
See how we help →Organic growth and AI visibility across your portfolio, from due diligence to exit.
See how we help →Every category has its own Map Pack quirks, review patterns and search habits. Here are some we’ve spent wayyyy too much time on.
Before we pitch you a monthly retainer, we spend two weeks digging into your business, your site, your Google Business Profile, your competitors and how your customers actually search. You come out of it with a prioritized execution plan and a budget sized to what the work will really take.
Unlike a lot of agencies and consultants, we don’t hand you a cookie-cutter strategy that came straight out of Claude. Your plan is built around your business.
Ask about a strategy project →“The first thing his team did for us was give us a heap load of changes to make our pretty lame website stand out a lot better on SEO. … We finally stabilized and started to look really good on SEO against our competitors.”
HLHansel LynnCEO, The Coder School
Yeah, I’ve been working with Andrew at Local SEO Guide for years now. We were first referred to him through a friend, and the first thing his team did for us was give us a heap load of changes to make our pretty lame website stand out a lot better on SEO. After a few rounds of copy changes, page edits, and whatnot, we finally stabilized and started to look really good on SEO against our competitors based on a lot of monthly reporting from the LSG folks.
As for Andrew himself, I love working with him. Not only is he super knowledgeable about SEO and, you know, now AEO and GEO, he’s just always thinking of new ideas. Now, sometimes there’s strange ideas, but he’s always thinking of new ideas to help give us a boost in some way.
On top of all that, he’s just a super chill and funny guy that I got to know really well, and I look forward to our meetings every month. I highly recommend them as long as Andrew is at the helm. Give LSG a shot, and you won’t regret it.
“When we have a client with a visibility problem, something where we can’t move the needle, we call LSG. When we have a sticky multi-location visibility situation, we call LSG.”
BSBob SheehanOwner/Partner, Growthline Marketing
Hello, this is Bob Sheehan from Growthline Marketing. We’ve been working with Andrew Shotland and Local SEO Guide for more than 15 years and I’m here to tell you that they’re the best. When you have an SEO problem and you want it to be better, there’s no one out there better than LSG.
When we have a client with a visibility problem, something where we can’t move the needle, we call LSG. When we have a sticky multi-location visibility situation, we call LSG. We’ve got a few of those happening right now and I know they’re going to get better.
I feel like LSG has a strong handle on what to do when things are not going right and you need a smart creative approach to fixing things. So I’m doing this video to strongly recommend Local SEO Guide to anyone considering them. I know you won’t be disappointed.
“LocalSEOGuide is one of the longstanding, authoritative voices in the noisy SEO landscape. Congratulations on 20 years of success and impact and here’s to another 20 years! I (we) have always known that our clients are in great hands when they work with Andrew and his team. Most importantly, Andrew is a great human being and super trustworthy!
Congratulations LSG team!!”
Wendi SturgisEVP Global Sales, Yext
“When we enlisted the LSG team, Reciprocity was doing $2 million in ARR. Less than five years in, they’re doing over $23 million.”
Ben LackFractional CMO, Reciprocity
“LSG has been my go-to SEO partner whenever one of my start-ups is ready for organic growth.”
Scott JonesFounder & President, ElevenFifty
What the problem was, what we did, and what changed. In no way are we cherry-picking and only showing you the good stuff ;)
Real Estate · GBP suspension2 weeksfrom a denied appeal to a reinstated profileA suspended profile, a denied appeal and a realtor who got his life back.
Read the story →Automotive · Multi-location+119%search impressions across 270 dealer sitesLocal intent and features to outperform the listings sites.
Read the story →B2B SaaS · Migration+63.87%traffic 7 months after relaunchA major migration that grew traffic instead of losing it.
Read the story →
Education · Local+1,780%page-one rankings in under a yearLocal SEO that put the academy on the map in new markets.
Read the story →
B2B SaaS900%increase in ARR in under five yearsMore revenue, traffic, leads and authority for a GRC platform.
Read the story →
Media+983%organic search trafficA creative SEO strategy that won more SERP real estate.
Read the story →
eCommerce · Migration60%+YoY organic traffic after moving to ShopifyAn ancient-CMS-to-Shopify migration that grew organic traffic instead of losing it.
Read the story →B2B marketplace · Domain migration5 daysfor rankings to beat pre-launch levels after the switchHow oDesk became Upwork on a brand-new domain without killing its SEO.
Read the story →Retail · Multi-location$2.3Buntapped local revenueMarket research and local SEO insights that found billions in local revenue.
Read the story →What we learn doing SEO for real clients.
What correlates with visibility in the Local Pack, organic local results and, new this year, AI answers.
Who we are, where we came from, and the people who actually do the work.
Local SEO Guide was founded in 2006 by Andrew Shotland, former GM of NBC.com & a founding member of InsiderPages, an early Yelp competitor that was known for its groundbreaking SEO program. When InsiderPages was acquired by CitySearch in 2006, Andrew left & started LSG.
Over the past 20+ years, LSG has grown from a solo consultant focused on SEO for local marketplaces & local businesses, to a team of 20+, with expertise in SEO for virtually any type of site.
2006
2016
2026
VP, SEO Consulting
Hood River, OR
“Smart SEO starts with listening — and ends with results.”
Playing the SEO game since 2010. Has worked with some amazing teams including those of PetSmart, Ripple, The Home Depot, and Square. When not SEOing or client whispering, Jessica can be found wandering the PNW with her kiddos.
Director of Tech Ops
Springfield, MO
“BigQuery Agentic Blockchain API Buzzword.”
Trained in the dark art of coding as a JavaScript developer, Sam now uses his powers only for good. When he isn’t writing code and squashing bugs, he enjoys composing music, watching films, and talking about himself in the third person.
Director, Content
Downington, PA
“Words define us, the right words connect us.”
Content strategist who turns words into revenue. 30+ years building content ecosystems that drive measurable growth. Expert in AI-enhanced content, SEO optimization, and omnichannel campaigns that connect brands with customers and exceed targets.
SEO Consulting * Google Business Profile Product Expert
Mazatlán, MX
Jannell has spent 13+ years in the local SEO trenches, helping businesses show up when customers are searching. As a Google Business Profile Product Expert, she regularly untangles suspensions, resolves duplicate listings, figures out how to squeeze more leads from a Google Maps listing, and answers many “why did my profile do that?” questions. When Jannell isn’t working, you’ll find her still trying to learn Spanish, or at the beach, or doomscrolling Instagram.
Associate Content Editor
Colfax, CA
“The intent of this copy is to keep you here a bit longer to increase your dwell time. Thanks for your help”
Jennifer has worked in all areas of content during the past 10 years. When she’s done proofreading, she enjoys cooking and baking, music, and exploring the Sierra Foothills that she calls home.
VP of Digital PR
Jill is responsible for getting LSG’s clients cited in both local and national media. Before joining LSG, Jill was SVP & Managing Director of PR at Carryon Communications in Los Angeles working with amazing brands like OREO Cookies, Nature Made Vitamins and Shiseido Cosmetics.
Founder & CEO
Pleasanton, CA
“SEO is always the lowest priority, until it’s not...”
Andrew has spent more time watching various analytics programs load than he has with his children. Harness his super power for your own quest for world domination.
Sure, we’re a little biased. But we have some of the coolest clients, and we’re working with them to take their SEO campaigns to the next level.
“I’ve followed Andrew’s career for quite some time (like 10+ years) and been a long-time fan. He’s one …”
“After having a great experience with Local SEO Guide while I was at oDesk, we hired them to do a top to bottom audit of …”
“The Local SEO Guide team has been instrumental in us re-thinking everything related to all things SEO. Their entire team …”
“When it comes to SEO, there is no substitute…”
“Andrew has worked closely with us on a number of high profile projects. In addition to being a real expert in SEO, Andre…”
“When we redesigned Fandango.com, Local SEO Guide had our backs. We have used them on all of our properties and the resul…”
“Local SEO Guide has been our go-to agency for SEO strategy across our portfolio companies. They have offered great suppo…”
“We’ve been partnered with Local SEO Guide for the better part of a decade, and truly seen significant impact to our se…”
“LSG has been my go-to SEO partner whenever one of my start-ups is ready for organic growth. Recently they developed a st…”
“There’s really not too many people in the SEO business with Andrew’s level of expertise, know-how and practi…”
Conference talks and webinars on local SEO, AEO and AI search, newest first.
Recent YouTube interviews, podcasts and webinars featuring Andrew Shotland.
A small, fully remote team. We hire experienced SEOs
who like doing the work and writing about what they find.
No open roles right now. When we’re hiring, roles appear here.
The rules for using localseoguide.com.
Draft · Last updated October 2026
This website is operated by Local SEO Guide (“LSG,” “we,” “us”). By using the site you agree to these terms. If you don’t agree, please don’t use the site.
The site shares information about our SEO, AEO and paid media services, our blog and related tools. Content is general information, not a guarantee of rankings, traffic or revenue, and not legal, financial or tax advice.
Consulting, citation packages and other paid services are governed by the proposal, order form or agreement you accept when you buy them. If those documents conflict with these terms, the signed agreement wins.
Text, graphics, logos, research and code on this site belong to LSG or our licensors. You may quote or link to our content with attribution. Don’t copy, republish or sell it in bulk without written permission. Client logos are shown to describe past or current work and remain the property of their owners.
Don’t use the site to break the law, send spam, probe or attack our systems, scrape it at a rate that degrades service, or submit false information through our forms.
We link to other websites, platforms and tools. We don’t control them and aren’t responsible for their content, policies or availability.
The site is provided “as is.” Search engines and AI platforms change constantly, so information may become outdated. To the fullest extent allowed by law, we disclaim implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
To the fullest extent allowed by law, LSG isn’t liable for indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising from your use of the site. Our total liability for any claim related to the site is limited to $100.
How we collect and use information is described in our Privacy Policy.
We may update these terms and will change the date above when we do. These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California.
Questions about these terms? Contact us.
How Local SEO Guide handles your information.
Draft · Last updated October 2026
When you fill out a contact form we collect your name, email, website, message and how you heard about us, plus the time you submitted it. We use it to reply, scope work and keep a record of the conversation in our CRM.
With your consent, we use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site: pages viewed, approximate location, device and browser, and how you arrived. Until you consent, analytics and advertising storage stay off.
The first time you visit, we ask what you’re comfortable with. You can accept all cookies, keep essential cookies only, or choose analytics and advertising separately. Change your mind any time with the Cookie settings link in the footer.
To respond to inquiries, provide and improve our services, measure site performance, send information you asked for, and meet legal obligations. We don’t sell your personal information.
Service providers that help us run the business, such as hosting, analytics, email, scheduling and our CRM, under contracts that limit how they use it. We may also disclose information when the law requires it.
Inquiry records are kept as long as needed to respond and maintain business records, then deleted or anonymized.
Depending on where you live, including California and the EU, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or port your personal information, and to opt out of certain processing. Contact us to make a request. We won’t discriminate against you for exercising your rights.
The site is meant for businesses and isn’t directed to children under 16.
We’ll update the date above when this policy changes. See also our Terms of Service.
A senior SEO reads every message and replies within one business day. Or skip the line and grab time with Andrew.
Pick a day and time that works for you. You’ll get a calendar invite right away.
Calendar not loading? Book in Andrew’s Ro.am Lobby ↗
Apple launched Apple Maps Ads on 8/25/26. Despite how much that sucks, we digital marketers like nothing more than a new service we can figure out and take advantage of before the rest of the world overruns the barricades. In that spirit, I have dived into Apple Maps Ads with both feet. Here’s what I know so far about how to advertise your business on Apple Maps:
Here’s a video on the first ad I set up for Sidetrack Bar & Grill in Pleasanton, CA:
Setting up an Apple Maps adWatch on YouTube ↗I am not going to go into every detail – it’s pretty easy, but here are some things to keep in mind:
Here are a few things I have figured out so far:
Here’s a quick walk-through of the Apple Maps Ads reporting dashboards along with how to track referrals from Apple Maps Ads in Google Analytics:
Apple Maps Ads reporting walk-throughWatch on YouTube ↗I forgot to note in the video that you can’t separate Apple Maps Ads referrals from all Apple Maps referrals in Google Analytics. I’ll have to figure out that one down the road.
And we have officially launched an Apple Maps Advertising Agency, so if you need help with your campaign, hit us up!
Get help with Apple Maps Ads →We looked at how AI Mode handles “near me” queries across a set of multi-location brands we track. The Map Pack still shows up, but more of the decision happens inside an answer that cites a handful of businesses by name.
Consistent entity data, reviews that mention the specific service, and location pages that answer the question directly.
Pack rank alone undercounts the problem. Track citation share in AI answers next to it, by market.
Check your AI visibility →Before you assume a ranking drop is an algorithm update, confirm every location still has the primary category you set. Bulk edits and suggested edits change more than people expect.
Managing dozens or thousands of profiles? Here’s how we handle Google Business Profile management.
← Back home“Improve page speed” is not a ticket. A good SEO ticket has four parts:
Then we QA the release ourselves, because the ticket isn’t done until the change is live and correct.
Get a technical audit →
