How Long Does Local SEO Take To Get 50% Growth?

By NoxRank - Updated Aug. 16, 2023
how long does local seo take
Are you wondering how long it takes to achieve a 50% growth in local SEO? Whether you’re kicking off a new business or have been in the game for years, the timeframe can vary.
This blog post breaks down everything from white hat to black hat SEO techniques and highlights the specific timeframe required for both new and well-established businesses.

How Long Do Local SEO Results Take?

A 50% growth in local SEO is possible, taking 3–12 months depending on the approach taken and other factors. Here’s a breakdown of the time it takes for 50% growth in local SEO, considering:

  • Timeline for implementing local SEO approaches
  • Local SEO timeline for new businesses
  • Local SEO timeline for established businesses

Timeline by Implementing Local SEO Approaches

Let’s take a look at the results of implementing different SEO approaches.

White Hat Local SEO Techniques

Typically, it takes 12 months to see improvements, but it depends on how hard you work and how much competition you have.
White hat local SEO uses fair techniques that follow guidelines. It might take longer to see results, but they’re more sustainable and long-term. Learn what white hat SEO techniques will help your business grow 50% more:

1. 

Optimizing Google My Business Listing

Make sure you list your business on Google. Include your address, phone number, hours, and types of services.

2. 

Listing Your Business on Local Directories

You can list your information on local directories here. This website is for you. Find free local directories that suit Canadian businesses.

3. 

Keeping Consistent NAP Information

Making sure that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online platforms, directories, and websites.

4. 

Using Schema Markup

With schema, list your address and phone number on your site. Add as much as you can, like payment options and hours. Google might share this on other platforms.

5. 

Creating Link Worthy Content

Make content that others love to read and share. Infographics, How-to Guides, and Case Studies are examples.

6. 

Using Local Keywords Naturally

Include relevant local keywords in your content, meta titles, and descriptions in a natural and meaningful way.

7. 

Getting Genuine Reviews

Ask happy customers to share positive feedback on GMB listing and Yelp. Don’t force them to put keywords in their reviews. The text in the reviews should be added naturally.

8. 

Uploading photos on Google Profile

Use photos on your Google Profile. This lets people see the real you. They’ll trust you more and spot you quickly.

Gray Hat Local SEO Techniques

With Gray hat local SEO, you can see 50% growth in 6 months. Remember, these strategies come with risks:

1. 

Inconsistent Address for Multiple Listings

People sometimes tweak their address to make multiple listings. It seems like it will work, but it doesn’t. The temporary boost in ranks won’t last long.

2. 

Keyword Stuffing in GMB Profile Title

In their GMB profile title, businesses may use keywords to target specific terms. An example is “XYZ” in Toronto, which could have this title: XYZ | Online Marketing services in Toronto.

3. 

Keyword Stuffing on the Web Pages

You might hear that 2% is the right keyword density. It doesn’t matter because Google’s Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology knows the context of the content written.

4. 

Doorway Pages or Thin Content

This involves changing the city names in the same content to create similar local pages for different locations, e.g.

  • Online marketing services in Toronto
  • Online marketing services in Mississauga
  • Online marketing services in Markham

5. 

Buying Reviews

Buying reviews or getting them unfairly doesn’t work. See how Google finds them:

  • Most email IDs used for this purpose stay unused. When Google connects with browsing data, it learns why these email IDs exist.
  • Real email IDs use a local phone number. The so-called SEO experts selling reviews might be from another country.

Black Hat Local SEO Techniques

It’s possible to achieve a 50% growth in just 3 months using black hat local SEO techniques. Keep in mind, there’s a risk with these strategies:

1. 

Creating Fake GMB Listings

You have put a business in a place where it isn’t. That’s misleading. If someone complains to Google, they can remove your listing.

2. 

Using Competitor’s Name in Your Content

You could add your competitor’s name to your content. But this move won’t help you. Even if you rank higher, there’s no real benefit.

3. 

Building Spammy Local Backlinks

Making or buying links affects local search ranks. Google’s Penguin system understands unnatural links. It knows what sites people get these links from.

4. 

Keyword Stuffing in Local Directories

Some SEO experts add their business-related keywords to local online directories. Google’s Panda algorithm can spot this and penalize your business.

5. 

Fake Review Posting for Competitor Listings

You can harm others by leaving fake reviews on their listings. If you do this, they can complain to Google. Those reviews could be removed after some time.

Local SEO Timeline for New and Old Businesses

New businesses take 6 months, while older ones take 4 months, to achieve a 50% growth in business. Let’s explore how this is possible.

Local SEO Timeline for New Businesses

If you’re starting a new business, local SEO strategies can help. Many see a 50% increase in local growth. It takes 6 months. To find out in detail, look at these five factors:

1. 

Setting Up an Online Presence from Zero

List your business on Google My Business, build a site that’s user-friendly, and set up social media profiles. The whole thing may need at least one month, considering how much you do and the competitors.

2. 

Creating Optimized Content and On-Page SEO

Quality local content helps people find you. On-page SEO is a must. It will be an ongoing process, and it usually takes a minimum of 3 months to put some quality content on your website.

3. 

Developing a Local Citation and Backlink Strategy

Citations can take a maximum of 1 week. Earning backlinks is an ongoing process, and it may take years.

4. 

Getting Positive Reviews

If you get 20 to 30 genuine reviews consistently, you can achieve 50% growth easily. It’s up to you. How many customers you deal with matters. The task will keep happening, so we’re not setting a time for it to end.

5. 

Monitoring Performance and Adjusting Strategies

Keep track of how your local SEO is doing. Monitoring performance, adjusting strategies, and working on it can take 2 months easily.

Local SEO Timeline for Established Businesses

Do you have an old business? You might see a 50% increase in 4 months. Check these five factors to learn more:

1. 

Analyzing and Updating Existing Online Presence

It can take up to 1 week to audit your website, GMB listing, and social media profiles. How long updates take depends on your old content.

2. 

Improving On-Page SEO and Content Quality

Doing this can take time if you have a big website. Optimizing the most important pages is recommended, and it can take 1.5 months as per our experience.

3. 

Optimizing Local Citations and Backlink Profiles

Using the BrightLocal tool, you can audit your business’s citations and find out the mistakes in them. Correcting citation mistakes is possible in less than 1 week. If your competitors are making spammy backlinks to harm you, disavow these links.
To find out these spammy links, you need a tool like Moz Pro, which will help you do this task within 2 days, and submitting the disavowed link list to Google takes a few minutes.

4. 

Creating New Content

Making a strategy and creating new content for achieving 50% growth using local SEO will take around 2 months. For better results, you need to focus on one category while writing. For example, a locksmith might write about key duplication.

5. 

Monitoring Results and Adjusting Strategy

Track how your local SEO is doing. Make changes based on information. It helps keep you in sight online. You might notice improvements in 3 months. Remember, you must continue to work on it.

Takeaways

Achieving 50% growth using local SEO depends on your approach. White hat methods take about 12 months, gray hat can show results in 6 months, and black hat may work in just 3 months. New businesses typically need 6 months, while established ones may see results in 4 months.
Some inexperienced people could be costly for your business. Hire a team of professional local SEO experts to avoid frustration and achieve 50% growth in your business within the timeline.