Local ranking is unforgiving in a specific way: the fundamentals matter far more than the clever stuff, and almost nobody does the fundamentals. Before you buy a single ad or write a single blog post, run this list.
Start with accuracy. Primary category, secondary categories, hours including holiday hours, service area, phone number matching your website, and a description that reads like a business rather than a keyword pile. Half of the profiles I audit fail on categories alone.
Then media. Ten current photos minimum, geotagged where possible, refreshed monthly. Exterior, interior, team, product, and work-in-progress. Listings with recent photos get more calls and direction requests, consistently.
Then the loop: reviews requested at the peak of satisfaction, answered within 48 hours regardless of rating, and posts published weekly. Ranking follows activity. A profile that goes quiet slides, every time.