2025 has just come around, and the world of local SEO is evolving faster than ever! Did you know that 78% of location based mobile searches result in an offline purchase? That stat alone shows the power of local SEO for small businesses in driving growth.
In this article, we’ll dive into the top five local SEO trends you can’t afford to ignore in 2025. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or SEO enthusiast, understanding these trends will give you the edge you need to dominate your local market. Let’s get started!
Trend 1: The Rise of Voice Search Optimisation
Look out, voice search is taking over! Just joking (partially).
Search engines like Google and smart speakers like Alexa are starting to compete as consumers these days have two choices – “Do I want to type, or do I want to speak?”. That’s it.
In fact, the release of the Alexa prompted the release of the Google Assistant two years later, because Google realised how convenient the technology was for consumers. Basically, if people eventually decide it’s easier to speak over type, Google search dies.
So, how does all this relate to local SEO trends? Because if the usage of voice search is rising, then you need to start optimising for it! If you knew a flood was coming, wouldn’t you build a boat?
Optimising for Voice Search
To optimise for voice search and ensure a snippet of your website get’s read out by a smart speaker, you need to be answering questions the types of questions people are going to be asking their smart speakers i.e. long-tail keywords.
These don’t necessarily need to be questions about your service, but questions about your local area. For example, write a blog post on “things to do in Manchester”, if you operate in Manchester. Also try to add a conversational tone to your answer, you know, write like you’re an actual human. Shouldn’t be too difficult, right?
Near me?
It’s simple, if you optimise your website for local SEO, you are more likely to show up for “near me” search terms, both in Google and in voice search.
“Hey Google, what are the best restaurants near me?”. You could be appearing for this search term if your have your Google My Business (GMB) set up!
Trend 2: Mobile First Indexing Takes Centre Stage
Ever opened your phone to search for something near you? Yes, I have too. This is why, as a local business, you must optimise your website for mobile as well as desktop.
In fact, I would argue mobile is more important as Google prioritises mobile friendly websites! This is known as Mobile First Indexing, and means websites that are optimised for mobile are more likely to appear in search results and receive more traffic.
User Experience
Improving your site speed and mobile usability will greatly enhance your user experience. Here are a few tips to get you started –
- Test your site speed using our Speed Test. If your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, you can add a plugin to speed up your website. Here are 5 of the best plugins to speed up your website.
- Compress your images using TingPNG
- Use responsive design to customise the mobile appearance of your website.
Call To Actions
Finally, make sure you have “Call Us” or “Get in Touch” buttons on your mobile design, otherwise your customers won’t be able to contact you! Increasing the size of your Call To Action button can increase your website’s Click Through Rate (CTR) by 90%, so get them buttons on your service pages.
Trend 3: AI and Machine Learning in Local SEO
I’m sure you have all heard of the famous Chat-GPT. Well, AI tools such as Chat-GPT and Claude AI are revolutionising local SEO tasks, like keyword research and content creation, as they allow the user to generate large amounts of text in a matter of seconds.
These tools can also quickly generate keywords to target within your generated content, streamlining the content creation process. But make sure you only use AI for content frameworks, as Google does not like AI generated content only.
Personalisation with Machine Learning
Imagine you’re on holiday in Italy – nice right? You search for “best cafes near me” on your mobile phone, because you love a cappuccino. Only cafes with the best cappuccinos in Italy are showing up in the search results, but why?
Google uses machine learning to make predictions about your preference. In the previous example, Google will have used past search results to determine that the user likes cappuccino coffee the most – so it will prioritise the best coffee shops for cappuccinos.
Obviously this is a generic example, but the point still stands!
AI for Data Insights
It’s no secret that AI can sift through large amounts of data in seconds. So why not try using AI to give you recommendations on your local SEO reports?
Leveraging AI tools can allow you to quickly make recommendations in your local SEO strategy. Just export whatever data you have collected from Google Analytics or Google Search Console, import it into Chat-GPT, and ask it to summarise the data and make recommendations for the future.
Why not work smarter rather than harder? Give AI tools a try today!
Trend 4: E-E-A-T and Local Brand Authority
E-E-A-T stand for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This is the bread and butter of content creation and it’s the formula to how Google will analyse your pieces of content. You want to make sure you check each box of E-E-A-T before publishing.
In terms of local SEO, Google will be more prominent of E-E-A-T now that AI can write content. So, how do you, as a local business owner, optimise for it? Just make sure you have the following –
- Local reviews
- Photos from customers
- Google My Business profile and posts
- Employee bios (a short description of the people on your team)
All of the above will help contribute to E-E-A-T, and allow your local business to stand out above the ones that are only using AI to optimise for local SEO.
Backlinking for Trust
To fulfil the E-E-A-T, you need trust, which is where backlinks come into play. Did you know when another website links to your site it increases the trust Google holds to you?
You can gain backlinks by networking with other local businesses and asking for a link to your website, and you can also sign up to local business directories to get your official business listed. Cool right? Both of these tasks will increase Google’s trust in your website overtime.
Trend 5: Google My Business Profile (GMB) Optimisation
As mentioned above, AI is beginning to take over content creation. This is why it is more important than ever to convey to Google that you are a legitimate business in your local area, with experience and expertise in your service.
The best way I know to show this to Google is through your Google My Business profile. Be sure you have the following all set up on your GMB –
- Services: Make sure to list all the services you provide.
- Photos: Add photos of your business, services, and logo.
- Posts: Regularly (1-2 times a month) post on your GMB listing to increase authority and expertise with Google.
- Reviews: Ensure you have a Google reviews card and are handing them out to your customers, otherwise they may not leave a review!
When you do receive reviews, you should also respond to them – good or bad. For tips on how to respond to reviews effectively, or how to set up your Google My Business profile – see our local SEO plan guide.
Conclusion
Local SEO in 2025 is more competitive and dynamic than ever. By embracing trends like voice search, mobile first indexing, and AI insights, you’ll set your business up for success. Don’t forget the power of building trust and leveraging your Google Business Profile to connect with your audience on a local level.
You can start implementing these strategies today, and watch your local rankings soar!
