Reddit’s SEO communities are packed with advice ranging from brilliant to downright harmful. After 16 years in digital marketing, I decided to dive into a popular local SEO thread to separate the valuable insights from the dangerous myths that could hurt your business.
The thread focused on a plumbing business owner asking whether to prioritize citations or backlinks for local SEO. The responses revealed both excellent strategies and concerning misinformation that could waste thousands of dollars.
The Best SEO Advice from Reddit
Google Business Profile Optimization Comes First
The top-rated comment got two out of three recommendations right. Google Business Profile optimization is absolutely crucial for local businesses. It’s often more important than website optimization itself.
Your Google Business Profile should include:
- Complete business information with accurate address and phone number
- Relevant primary and secondary categories
- All available attributes (24/7 availability, payment methods, etc.)
- Regular photo uploads showing your work and team
Reviews Are Marketing Gold
The Reddit community correctly emphasized review acquisition. Getting reviews requires a systematic approach, but it’s worth the effort. Each review is equivalent to about $1,000 in marketing value for most small businesses.
Here’s what actually works for getting reviews:
- Ask every satisfied customer immediately after completing work
- Send follow-up emails with direct links to your Google review page
- Don’t fear negative reviews – the customers who will leave bad reviews will do so whether you ask or not
- The ones who forget are typically your happiest customers
Hyper-Local Service Pages Done Right
One commenter recommended creating location-specific service pages, which is excellent advice. This strategy helps you rank for searches like “plumber in [neighborhood]” instead of competing citywide against massive companies.
The key is avoiding duplicate content. Each service area page needs roughly 70% unique content to prevent Google penalties. Include local landmarks, area-specific concerns, and testimonials from that neighborhood.
The Questionable SEO Advice
Google Posts Don’t Improve Rankings
Several comments suggested regular Google Business Profile posts to boost rankings. While these posts can increase conversions by showcasing offers and updates, they don’t directly influence local ranking factors.
Think of Google Posts as billboards on your profile – they catch attention but won’t move you up in search results.
The Citations Debate
One commenter recommended building 200 citations through automated services. Citations (mentions of your business name, address, and phone number) do help with local SEO, but there are diminishing returns after about 30 high-quality directories.
Focus on these essential citations first:
- Google Business Profile
- Apple Business Connect
- Bing Places
- Facebook Business
- Better Business Bureau
- Local Chamber of Commerce
Avoid monthly citation services like Yext that charge recurring fees. Citations don’t require maintenance – you just need to build them once.
The Terrible SEO Advice to Avoid
Never Buy Citations on Fiverr
The worst advice in the thread suggested hiring citation building on Fiverr. While some businesses see temporary ranking improvements from buying hundreds of low-quality citations, these gains rarely last. Worse, you risk Google penalties that could devastate your online presence.
Your business website deserves better than throwaway SEO tactics.
Social Media Followers Don’t Matter for SEO
Another comment suggested focusing on Facebook followers for SEO benefits. Follower count has no direct impact on search rankings. Google’s algorithms are sophisticated enough to recognize genuine brand authority versus vanity metrics.
Instead of chasing followers, focus on engagement and actual customer relationships.
The Page Speed Myth
One agency owner claimed their super-fast websites get “extra ranking” because of load times. While page speed affects user experience and conversion rates, it’s rarely a significant ranking factor unless your site is so slow it won’t load at all.
Don’t ignore page speed – fast sites convert better – but don’t expect dramatic ranking improvements from speed alone.
Citations vs. Backlinks: The Real Answer
The original question asked whether to prioritize citations or backlinks. The answer depends on where you are in your SEO journey.
Start with citations if you’re a new business. They help Google verify your legitimacy and are foundational for local rankings. Build 20-30 citations from authoritative directories before moving to link building.
Focus on backlinks once you have citation equity established. Quality backlinks from local partners, news sites, and industry resources build domain authority and help you compete against larger companies.
Joy Hawkins Gets It Right
The thread included advice from Joy Hawkins, one of the most respected names in local SEO. Her recommendation to leverage existing relationships for backlinks is spot-on.
Instead of buying expensive links, start with:
- Business partners who could mention you on their websites
- Local realtors who could quote you on home maintenance costs
- Trade associations that feature member businesses
- Community organizations you support
These organic relationships create the highest-quality backlinks that actually move rankings.
The Video Marketing Advantage
One Reddit user mentioned sharing personal expertise through video content. This insight deserves more attention. Video content is becoming essential for small businesses because it’s “golden content that can’t be generated by AI.”
Creating authentic videos about your services accomplishes several goals:
- Builds trust with potential customers
- Provides content for multiple marketing channels
- Helps you rank for voice and video searches
- Differentiates you from AI-generated content flooding the internet
Budget Reality Check
Local SEO requires realistic budget expectations. Small-town campaigns typically need $2,000-$4,000 monthly, while major metro areas might require $6,000-$10,000 monthly to compete effectively.
These numbers reflect the reality of competing against established companies with substantial marketing budgets. Anyone promising significant results for a few hundred dollars monthly or within 30 days isn’t being honest about what local SEO requires.
What This Means for Your Business
The Reddit local SEO community generally provides solid advice, especially compared to other online forums. The key is distinguishing between strategies that provide genuine value versus tactics that waste money or risk penalties.
Focus on these proven fundamentals:
- Optimize your Google Business Profile completely
- Build a systematic review acquisition process
- Create unique, location-specific service pages
- Develop genuine relationships for natural backlink opportunities
- Invest in long-term SEO efforts rather than quick fixes
Remember, local SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistent effort over 6-12 months typically produces meaningful results for small businesses.
Get Professional SEO Help
If you’re unsure whether your current SEO strategy follows these best practices, we offer free website audits for small business owners. We’ll review your digital marketing efforts and provide actionable recommendations to improve your local search performance.
Contact TJ Digital today to see how proper SEO implementation can help your business outrank the competition.