seo-local

# Local SEO Analysis (March 2026)
## Shared Data Cache

**Step 0 -- Check shared data cache:**

Before gathering, check `.seo-cache/` for reusable context from related SEO skills.
Reference: `../seo/references/shared-data-cache.md` for schemas and dependency map.

Check these cache files when present:
- `.seo-cache/site-meta.json` for domain, business type, industry, and crawl context
- `.seo-cache/audit-scores.json` for prior full-audit priorities
- `.seo-cache/pages/{url-slug}/page-analysis.json` for page-level context when a URL is provided

- If found: parse and use clearly valid fields (note "Using cached [X] from [date]")
- If missing, corrupt, or irrelevant: continue with fresh evidence
- If the user says "refresh" or "re-run": ignore cache reads and overwrite on write

## Key Statistics

| Metric | Value | Source |
|--------|-------|--------|
| GBP signals share of local pack weight | 32% | Whitespark 2026 |
| Proximity share of ranking variance | 55.2% | Search Atlas ML study |
| Review signals share (up from 16%) | ~20% | Whitespark 2026 |
| Google searches seeking local info | 46% | Industry data |
| Mobile "near me" searches leading to visit in 24h | 76% | Google confirmed |
| ChatGPT/AI usage for local recommendations | 45% (up from 6%) | BrightLocal LCRS 2026 |
| ChatGPT local conversion rate | 15.9% | Seer Interactive |
| Google organic local conversion rate | 1.76% | Seer Interactive |
| Local pack ads growth (Jan 2025 to Jan 2026) | 1% to 22% | Sterling Sky |

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## Business Type Detection

Detect from page signals before analysis. This determines which checks apply.

### Brick-and-Mortar
- Physical street address visible in page content or footer
- Google Maps embed with pin/directions
- "Visit us at", "Located at", "Come see us"
- Structured address in LocalBusiness schema

### Service Area Business (SAB)
- No visible physical address
- Service area mentions: "serving [city/region]", "service area includes"
- "We come to you", "On-site service", "Mobile [service]"
- `areaServed` in schema without `address.streetAddress`

### Hybrid
- Both physical address AND service area language present
- "Visit our showroom" combined with "We also serve [areas]"

**Impact on checks**: SABs skip embedded map verification and physical address consistency. Brick-and-mortar gets full NAP + map checks.

---

## Industry Vertical Detection

Detect from page signals and GBP category patterns. Routes to industry-specific checks from `references/local-schema-types.md`.

| Vertical | Detection Signals |
|----------|------------------|
| **Restaurant** | /menu, menu items, reservations, cuisine types, food ordering, "dine-in", "takeout" |
| **Healthcare** | insurance accepted, patients, appointments, NPI, medical terms, "Dr.", HIPAA notice |
| **Legal** | attorney, lawyer, practice areas, bar admission, case results, "free consultation" |
| **Home Services** | service area, emergency service, "free estimate", licensed/insured/bonded, "24/7" |
| **Real Estate** | listings, MLS, properties for sale/rent, agent bio, brokerage, "open house" |
| **Automotive** | inventory, VIN, test drive, dealership, service department, "new/used/certified" |

If no vertical detected, use generic `LocalBusiness` analysis path.

---

## Analysis Dimensions

### 1. GBP Signals (25%)

Primary category is the **single most important local pack factor** (Whitespark #1, score: 193). Incorrect primary category is the **#1 negative factor** (score: 176).

**Check for:**
- GBP embed or reference detectable on page (Maps iframe, place ID, reviews widget)
- Primary category appropriateness (infer from page content vs visible GBP data)
- Evidence of secondary categories (optimal: 4 additional per BrightLocal)
- GBP posts presence (no direct ranking impact per WebFX, but triggers Post Justifications)
- Photos/video evidence (45% more direction requests with photos, Agency Jet)
- Q&A content (deprecated Dec 2025, replaced by Ask Maps Gemini AI -- recommend recreating Q&A content as FAQ sections on website; GBP removed existing Q&A with no export available)
- Google Verified badge eligibility (replaced Guaranteed/Screened in Oct 2025)
- GBP link URL strategy: do NOT link to strongest website page (Sterling Sky Diversity Update -- risks suppressing organic rankings)
- Business hours visibility on page (businesses open at search time rank higher, factor #5)

**Scoring guide:**
- Full: GBP embed present, category signals align, posts active, photos present
- Partial: Some GBP signals present but incomplete
- Low: No visible GBP integration on website

### 2. Reviews & Reputation (20%)

Review velocity matters more than total count. The **18-day rule** (Sterling Sky): rankings cliff if no new reviews for 3 weeks.

**Check for:**
- Total Google review count visible on page or schema (magic threshold: 10, Sterling Sky)
- Star rating (31% of consumers only use 4.5+, 68% only use 4+, BrightLocal 2026)
- Review recency indicators (74% only care about reviews in last 3 months)
- `aggregateRating` in schema (ratingValue, reviewCount, bestRating)
- Third-party review presence (consumers use average of 6 review sites, BrightLocal 2026)
- Owner response patterns (88% would use business that responds, BrightLocal)
- Review gating detection: any pre-screening of satisfaction before directing to review platform is prohibited by Google (fake engagement policy) and FTC ($53,088/violation)

**Industry-specific:**
- Healthcare: HIPAA prohibits confirming/denying reviewer is a patient in responses
- Legal: attorney-client privilege considerations in review responses

**Scoring guide:**
- Full: 10+ reviews, 4.5+ stars, recent activity, owner responses, multi-platform presence
- Partial: Some reviews but gaps in recency, rating, or response rate
- Low: <10 reviews, no recent activity, no responses, single platform only

### 3. Local On-Page SEO (20%)

Dedicated service pages = **#1 local organic factor AND #2 AI visibility factor** (Whitespark 2026)