Field notes · Local search, explained plainly

Local SEO, written for shop owners

The same advice we give across the counter, written down. What actually moves Google Maps rankings, how to build a review flow that doesn't break the rules, and what AI search means for an independent business. No jargon, and nothing you'll be pitched on.

  1. July 9, 2026
    8 min readGoogle Maps

    Why your business isn't showing up on Google Maps (and how to fix it)

    Seven reasons a good business stays invisible on the map, in the order we actually find them during audits. Wrong category, thin profile, stale reviews, name games. Each one comes with the fix.

  2. July 9, 2026
    7 min readReviews

    How to get more Google reviews — without buying, begging, or breaking the rules

    The white-hat review system we set up for auto shops and groomers: who asks, when, with what words, and what to do when a bad one lands. Steady beats big, and nothing here risks a suspension.

  3. July 9, 2026
    6 min readAI search

    How ChatGPT picks the local businesses it recommends

    AI assistants now answer "who should fix my brakes?" with three names. Here's where those names actually come from, and the unglamorous seven-step checklist that gets yours on the list.

Reading is free. So is the audit.

The free 12-point audit applies all of this to your actual listing: your grade, your three biggest gaps, and a block-by-block map of where you rank. Delivered within 48 hours.