Google My Business optimization, not website optimization, is considered the most valuable local marketing service in 2020.

According to BrightLocal’s annual local search industry survey, on-site optimization is now the second most valuable local marketing service.

The survey of 475 local marketers looks at the business practices, pricing, salary, and services offered by local marketers.

According to the survey, the top 5 most valuable services are:

Google My Business optimization is also the most frequently offered service by local marketers, with more marketers offering GMB optimization than traditional SEO.

The top 5 most frequently offered services by local marketers include:

Link building is one of the less frequently offered services, the survey finds, with only half of local marketers offering it. So there’s an opportunity to stand out as a local marketer if you want to differentiate your service offerings from others.

SEO is Best for Attracting New Clients

Although it’s not the most offered service, or considered the most valuable, local marketers say SEO is the best online tactic for attracting new clients. Content marketing, LinkedIn, and PPC were cited as other valuable online channels.

By a large margin, word of mouth is considered the most valuable channel overall for winning clients. Local business groups and industry conferences are also considered valuable ways to gain clients.

Google Rankings Matter Most to Businesses

The local marketing metrics most valued by local businesses are Google rankings. According to the survey, Google rankings are even more important to businesses than new customers and new leads.

The top 5 local marketing metrics valued by businesses are:

When preparing monthly reports for clients, focus on the highlighting the above metics.

For more insights on the local marketing industry in 2020, see the full survey here.