Initial commit — SEO Guidelines & SmartCrawl reference

SmartCrawl plugin reference (11 docs): - Overview, configuration, titles & meta, schema, sitemaps, social/OG, redirects, breadcrumbs, content analysis, hooks/filters, known issues SEO strategy playbook (6 docs): - Keyword research, per-page-type selection, on-page optimization, local SEO, technical SEO, content strategy Reusable templates (3): - Site audit checklist, keyword research worksheet, page optimization checklist Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-04-17 13:32:17 -05:00
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+# Local SEO
+
+For small businesses with physical locations or defined service areas, local SEO often has the highest ROI of any optimization effort. This is critical for Alaska, Nashville, and other location-specific client sites.
+
+## Google Business Profile (GBP)
+
+The single most important local ranking factor.
+
+### Setup Checklist
+
+- [ ] **Business name:** Exact legal name (no keyword stuffing)
+- [ ] **Address:** Full street address (or service area if no storefront)
+- [ ] **Phone:** Local number (not toll-free if possible)
+- [ ] **Hours:** Complete and accurate, including holidays
+- [ ] **Website URL:** Link to homepage
+- [ ] **Business description:** 750 characters max, include primary keywords naturally
+- [ ] **Primary category:** Choose carefully — strongest ranking signal
+- [ ] **Secondary categories:** Add all that apply (less weight but still help)
+- [ ] **Services/Products:** List all offerings with descriptions
+- [ ] **Attributes:** Check all applicable attributes (wheelchair accessible, etc.)
+- [ ] **Photos:** Add 10+ photos at setup, then monthly updates
+
+### Ongoing GBP Activities
+
+| Activity | Frequency | Impact |
+|----------|-----------|--------|
+| Google Posts | Weekly | Shows activity, appears in knowledge panel |
+| Photos | Monthly | 100+ photos = 520% more calls (BrightLocal data) |
+| Review responses | Within 24-48 hours | Directly impacts ranking + trust |
+| Q&A | Seed with common questions | Prevents random/incorrect answers |
+| Hours updates | As needed | Especially holidays and seasonal changes |
+
+### Getting Reviews
+
+- Ask satisfied customers directly (in person or follow-up email)
+- Share a direct review link: `search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=[YOUR_PLACE_ID]`
+- Respond to **every** review (positive and negative) professionally
+- Never buy or incentivize reviews — Google penalizes this
+
+## NAP Consistency
+
+**NAP = Name, Address, Phone number.** Must be identical everywhere.
+
+### The Rule
+
+Pick ONE format and use it everywhere:
+- "123 Main Street" vs "123 Main St." vs "123 Main St" — choose one
+- Include or exclude suite numbers consistently
+- Phone format: `(907) 555-0123` or `907-555-0123` — pick one
+
+### Where NAP Must Appear
+
+- Website (header, footer, contact page)
+- Google Business Profile
+- Yelp, Facebook, Instagram
+- Industry-specific directories
+- Chamber of Commerce, BBB
+- Apple Maps, Bing Places
+- Any citation or directory listing
+
+### Auditing Citations
+
+- Search your business name and manually check the top 20 results
+- Use Moz Local checker (free) for a broader scan
+- Fix inconsistencies immediately — they confuse Google
+
+## Local Schema Markup
+
+Add `LocalBusiness` schema to your website. See [Schema Markup](../smartcrawl/schema-markup.md) for SmartCrawl-specific implementation.
+
+### Minimum Required
+
+```json
+{
+  "@context": "https://schema.org",
+  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
+  "name": "Business Name",
+  "address": {
+    "@type": "PostalAddress",
+    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
+    "addressLocality": "Anchorage",
+    "addressRegion": "AK",
+    "postalCode": "99501",
+    "addressCountry": "US"
+  },
+  "telephone": "+1-907-555-0123",
+  "url": "https://example.com"
+}
+```
+
+### Recommended Additional
+
+- `openingHoursSpecification`
+- `geo` (latitude/longitude)
+- `areaServed`
+- `priceRange`
+- `image` (logo)
+- `sameAs` (social profiles, directory listings)
+
+Choose the most specific `@type` subtype that applies (e.g., `EducationalOrganization`, `ProfessionalService`).
+
+## Location-Based Keywords
+
+### Keyword Patterns
+
+| Pattern | Example |
+|---------|---------|
+| `[service] + [city]` | "motorcycle course Anchorage" |
+| `[service] + [state]` | "motorcycle safety training Alaska" |
+| `[service] + near me` | Handled by Google via GBP/location signals |
+| `[service] + [neighborhood]` | "riding lessons Eagle River" |
+| `[service] + [qualifier] + [location]` | "affordable motorcycle course Anchorage AK" |
+
+### Keyword Matrix
+
+List all services down one side and all locations across the top. Each intersection is a potential target:
+
+| | Anchorage | Fairbanks | Wasilla |
+|---|-----------|-----------|---------|
+| Basic Rider Course | Primary | Secondary | Assess |
+| Advanced Course | Primary | -- | -- |
+| Safety Clinic | Primary | Secondary | -- |
+
+### "Near Me" Optimization
+
+You do **NOT** optimize for "near me" by putting "near me" on your page. Google determines "near me" results based on:
+- Searcher's physical location
+- Your GBP location
+- Local relevance signals (NAP, citations, reviews, local content)
+
+**Optimize for `[service] + [city/state]` instead** — this covers both explicit geo-queries and implicit "near me" intent.
+
+## Location Pages
+
+### When to Create Them
+
+Only if you have genuinely unique content for each location:
+- Local landmarks, directions
+- Area-specific service details
+- Local testimonials
+- Unique offerings per location
+
+### When NOT to Create Them
+
+**Do not create thin location pages** that only swap city names. Google penalizes doorway pages. A page that says the same thing as another page but with "Fairbanks" instead of "Anchorage" is a doorway page.
+
+### Template for Good Location Pages
+
+```
+# [Service] in [City], [State]
+
+[2-3 paragraphs about the service specific to this location]
+
+## What to Expect
+[Location-specific details]
+
+## Getting Here
+[Directions, parking, landmarks]
+
+## Local Testimonials
+[Reviews from customers in this area]
+
+## Schedule & Pricing
+[Location-specific schedule if different]
+
+[CTA to register/contact]
+```
+
+## Local Content Ideas
+
+Content that signals local relevance to Google:
+
+- Event coverage (local events you participate in or sponsor)
+- Local partnerships and community involvement
+- Area guides related to your industry
+- Seasonal content specific to your region
+- Local news or industry updates
+- Customer success stories from the area
+
+## Mobile Optimization
+
+Most "near me" and local searches happen on mobile:
+
+- Font size minimum 16px
+- Tap targets minimum 48x48px
+- Click-to-call phone numbers
+- Embedded Google Map on contact page
+- Fast load times (especially on mobile networks)
+
+## Local SEO Checklist
+
+- [ ] Google Business Profile fully completed and verified
+- [ ] NAP consistent across all platforms
+- [ ] LocalBusiness schema on website (validated)
+- [ ] Location keywords in title tags and meta descriptions of key pages
+- [ ] Contact page has full NAP + Google Map
+- [ ] Collecting and responding to reviews
+- [ ] Listed in relevant local directories
+- [ ] Mobile-friendly and fast-loading
+- [ ] Google Posts published weekly
+- [ ] Photos updated monthly on GBP