8 Best Local SEO Services for Small Businesses in 2023
Local search engine optimization (SEO) companies provide tools or services to help websites rank higher in location-based searches online. The best local SEO services use proven tools and strategies to bring more customers to your business. We compared the top local SEO providers, looking at costs, services, customer reviews, and more to help you find the right provider for your small business. Here’s what we found:
- Best overall local SEO provider: Rank by Monday
- Most affordable all-in-one option: SEO Discovery
- Best artificial intelligence (AI) driven services to boost return on investment (ROI): WebFX
- Best for building backlinks and domain authority: Straight North
- Best platform for self-managed strategies: BrightLocal
- Cheapest local SEO services: Fiverr
- Best all-in-one solution with no long-term commitment: 1SEO
- Best for content-based lead generation: Manta
Best Local SEO Services at a Glance
Provider | Transparent Pricing | Monthly Cost | Performance Dashboard | Dedicated Support | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
✓ | From $250 | ✕ | ✓ | ||
✓ | From $199 | ✕ | ✓ | ||
✓ | From $425 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
✕ | Custom | ✓ | ✓ | ||
✓ | From $35 | ✓ | ✕ | ||
✓ | From $5 | ✕ | ✕ | ||
✕ | Custom | ✓ | ✓ | ||
✓ | From $600 | ✓ | ✓ |
Take our quiz to find out which local SEO service works best for you.
Which local SEO service is best for you?
Are you not sure what to look for in a local SEO agency? Read our article explaining what local SEO is, including 10 essential local ranking factors.
Rank by Monday: Best Overall Local SEO Service
Rank by Monday offers one of the most affordable all-in-one solutions for local SEO we reviewed. Its plans provide comprehensive services, from web content creation to competitor analysis and ensuring technical aspects of your website are optimized for ranking on search results pages.
Among the core services offered, Rank by Monday will conduct comprehensive keyword grouping and mapping. These make sure your content is targeted at the right keywords to convert leads to customers and grow your brand presence. And tools will also be installed to ensure you are staying on top of the leads being generated.
One fairly unique feature of Rank by Monday is the company’s attention to social bookmarking–tagging your content and posts for easy location on social media search engines. This improves not only the performance of your social media content but also grows your audience on linked website content.
Plans include a dedicated project manager to oversee your local SEO efforts, as well as access to round-the-clock support Monday through Friday. Support is available via phone, email, or chat.
With affordable plans starting at $250 a month, robust customer support, and a suite of service offerings that rival much more expensive competitors, Rank by Monday is a formidable entry in the local SEO services category. Reach out for a free consultation to get started.
SEO Discovery: Cheapest Local SEO Services
SEO Discovery is a full-service digital marketing agency that offers local SEO services with an affordable entry point of $199 for maximizing your performance in local search results. It tailors its offerings to each client’s needs, providing clients with a free consultation before signing up for service. This gives clients an idea of how much they’ll be spending each month.
The company provides a full array of local SEO services, including Google Business Profile optimization, local citations, and paid local advertising. In addition, it also offers pay-per-click (PPC) advertising management, content marketing, and web design services. If you’re looking for an all-in-one agency, SEO Discovery has you covered.
Once you get started with SEO Discovery, you’ll have a monthly meeting with your support representative. They’ll go over progress in your campaign, address any questions you have, and offer suggestions about improving results. At any time, you can email your SEO professional with questions or concerns.
SEO Discovery also offers reputation management, meaning it will monitor reviews websites, social media, and more to provide support and help shape your online reputation. This can be a valuable add-on for small businesses trying to build their reputation in the marketplace.
Are you looking for an all-in-one solution? Check out our list of the best digital marketing agencies for small businesses.
WebFX: Best AI Data-driven Strategies for Local SEO to Improve ROI
WebFX is a digital marketing company that provides full-service marketing solutions using proprietary technology solutions. At the heart of WebFX’s service is MarketingCloudFX, an AI-driven software suite that tracks key metrics, such as keyword performance. MarketingCloudFX integrates with business platforms like client relationship managers (CRMs) and bookkeeping software to help you accomplish routine tasks.
After an initial consultation, WebFX crafts a strategy and installs proprietary software to execute your local SEO program. WebFX will conduct on-page local SEO, citation management, and reviews management to boost your online reputation. All of this is tracked with MarketingCloudFX.
When you sign up for WebFX, you’ll be assigned a dedicated support agent who is well-informed and responsive. You’ll also have access to digital marketing experts who specialize in the services you subscribe to. Monthly reporting helps keep you abreast of developments in your SEO efforts, and your support agent is available to answer your questions.
As a full-service agency, WebFX offers a wide range of additional services, making it easy to add PPC or e-commerce SEO services as your company grows. Additional services will come at additional cost, so proceed carefully, as it is possible to dramatically increase the cost of WebFX’s services. More information is available from WebFX.
Straight North: Best Local SEO Agency for Link Building
Straight North is a highly-rated digital marketing agency with lots of positive reviews. Among the tactics your local SEO strategy with Straight North will include are several that assist in gaining backlinks, which is a known ranking factor with Google. Examples include backlink campaigns and the creation of assets like infographics which are likely to help your website get backlinks, increasing domain authority.
Straight North offers comparable pricing for local SEO vs other agencies on this list. We specifically asked the team there whether small businesses can afford the services, and we’re pleased to learn that Straight North prides itself on serving startups and companies on a small budget. With a free consultation, the team will outline a plan based on your needs and budget, including ways to generate a return on investment in the short term.
In addition to local SEO, the agency offers local pay-per-click (PPC) ad management, allowing your campaigns to work hand in hand. Local SEO campaigns include keyword research and targeting, content creation, on-page and technical site optimizations, listings management, and link building. Get started with a free consultation to learn more today.
BrightLocal: Best for Self-managed, Affordable Local SEO Services
Unlike the agencies on this list that will do the work for you, BrightLocal is a self-service platform that can boost your marketing strategy. It’s one of the best local SEO tools for tracking rankings, citations, and reviews. This creates substantial cost savings over other, more service-focused options. If you want a low-cost SEO solution, BrightLocal may be what you’re looking for.
BrightLocal is easy to use and includes reporting options to see whether your efforts are paying off. BrightLocal’s tools enable you to improve your rankings and online reputation. A single dashboard gives you an overview of all the tools you can access within BrightLocal. You can use the platform to make better business decisions, pour more time or effort into generating reviews, build citations, or create more effective, affordable local SEO content for your site.
BrightLocal Local SEO Performance Dashboard (Source: BrightLocal)
Because BrightLocal is a self-service SEO solution, you’ll be on your own to execute most tasks. That’s not to say you’ll go without help. BrightLocal support staff is available 23 hours a day, Monday through Friday, via web chat. The support staff are experts at using BrightLocal tools to achieve results.
BrightLocal is a great do-it-yourself option for small businesses looking to get started with local SEO on a tight budget. You’ll need a little bit of knowledge about what local SEO is, but if you’re willing to put forth a little learning effort and invest the time, BrightLocal can be a viable option to help you land at the top of local searches.
Fiverr: Cheapest Project-based Local SEO Services
Fiverr offers the cheapest local SEO companies, although it’s not apples to apples compared to the managed services of SEO Discovery, WebFX, or others on this list. Each of the tasks on Fiverr is conducted by independent contractors you pick. The best way to use Fiverr is to build on your in-house efforts or to improve efficiency.
For example, citation building and updating can be very time-consuming. So this is a good example of a local SEO tactic well-suited for a freelance professional from Fiverr vs tactics you prefer to self-manage, such as writing local search-optimized content for your website. In addition, you can find freelance professionals on Fiverr for reputation and reviews management, link building, and website optimization.
Because you’re working with independent contractors, things like support and reporting will vary greatly. While contractors will provide you with a summary report after work is completed, you’ll most likely be on your own for the ongoing reporting needed to make sure your efforts are paying off. If you don’t have the time to track your SEO performance, another solution may be best.
Keep in mind that each freelance professional on the platform offers a different range of services, so vetting to find the best service for your business will take some time. Reviews are available for each provider, and pricing is transparent, which is a big plus for startups and small businesses on a budget that want a good return on investment. Start your search at Fiverr.
1SEO: Best Month-to-Month Solution for Local SEO
At 1SEO Digital Agency, you can get a comprehensive all-in-one solution for local SEO, from technical on-page SEO on your small business website to social media management on a month-to-month basis. If you find the service is not for you, you can cancel it without hefty cancellation fees. The service includes citations, listings, backlinks, and reputation management.
After auditing your business website, 1SEO will propose a digital marketing plan that may include redesigning your business’ website, adding metatags or changes to your headings and URLs, and other on-page SEO work. You’ll also get options to add content through local-search-optimized posts and recommendations regarding backlinks, listings, and citations.
Typically, 1SEO provides reports showing clients how well their local SEO company’s marketing plans work. However, it also has a proprietary dashboard that displays all the critical metrics for whatever you’re tracking, whether it’s site visitors, reviews, or citations.
1SEO Performance Metrics Dashboard (Source: 1SEO)
Small businesses that need help showing up in local search results would do well with 1SEO. With no long-term commitments, your small business can give 1SEO a try without worrying about expensive cancellation fees. You can also choose a la carte services, like SEO-driven content, so you aren’t paying for something your site or business may not need.
Manta: Best Local SEO Company for Content Lead Generation
Manta offers local SEO services tailored specifically for lead generation. Its suite of tools provides small businesses with all the resources they need to generate and track local leads. Its transparent reporting platform helps you know where the lead came from and tracks it through every stage of the conversion process. Manta also creates targeted local content to generate leads and convert sales.
Manta local SEO services are the most comprehensive offering with transparent pricing. Plans range from $600 to $2,100 a month, and Manta tells you exactly what you’re getting at each level of service. Among the services Manta provides are backlinking from business directories, article engagement, and on-page and off-page optimization. With the Silver and Gold packages, Manta will also create blog copy on your website to improve SEO performance.
Each month, you’ll receive a report on the performance of your local SEO plan. You’ll also receive monthly consultations with your SEO expert. Throughout the month, you can check performance on the Manta dashboard.
If Manta’s all-inclusive packages aren’t right for you, the company will build a custom quote to tailor a plan for your small business. Get started with Manta by visiting its website.
How We Evaluated the Best Local SEO Companies
The best local SEO solutions offer flexible pricing, multiple services, custom plans, dedicated account managers, performance dashboards, and monthly reports. In addition to cost, customer account management, and metrics, we also looked at reviews from current customers and the responsiveness of tech and customer support.
To determine which are the best, we specifically considered these factors:
- Cost: Although agency services aren’t always cheap, the minimal cost to get started (and get results) had to be fairly reasonable, even for a small business. We also examined whether plans can be customized, so you only pay for the services you need.
- Services: Most SEO agencies include the creation and management of citations, listings, and reviews. The top all-in-one solutions also offer social media management and additional services helpful for growing a small business.
- Contract length: Although efforts to optimize your website can take a while, having a short contract or a month-to-month commitment might be preferable for small businesses that only need a few things done or aren’t sure they want to stick with one company.
- Performance dashboard: If you don’t have time to execute optimization tactics yourself, you likely don’t have time to check on all new content and its performance, your site’s keyword rankings, and other metrics. A performance dashboard, or at the very least reports, gives you a quick glance at how your investment is paying off.
- Expert opinion: We leaned into our first-hand experience with local SEO to weigh how well each competitor’s offerings meet your local SEO needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can get started for free with local SEO by bootstrapping a solution or paying a provider anywhere from a few bucks via Fiverr to $1,000 or more. Using free tools like Semrush for keyword research or optimizing your Google Business Profile and other business directory listings is a great way to get started. If you feel you lack the time or expertise, Rank by Monday or SEO Discovery offers the most affordable managed services.
There are multiple tactics to help your website to rank higher in local search results. These include claiming your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and implementing an SEO content marketing plan. Also, update your business information on your site, social media profiles, and in any local SEO citations or other online listings that include your business.
Aside from your budget, how much you should pay for SEO services depends on the ROI produced. You can measure and track the ROI of services based on an increase in leads generated or sales made, for example. Also, the SEO company you’re using should be able to show you things like website traffic, forms filled out, and other metrics that indicate your investment is producing a return.
Bottom Line
It is possible to complete local search optimization tasks yourself to optimize your site’s position in searches and directories. However, it may be better to use your time and money to hire experts to handle it for you. Rank by Monday is our pick as the best local SEO company for small businesses that need a comprehensive marketing plan to improve their rank in local listings and their chances of being discovered by new audiences.