Key Takeaways
- Getting new local SEO clients starts with selling results, not SEO services.
- Use a mix of inbound (SEO, content) and outbound (Loom, outreach) to get local SEO clients consistently.
- Target high-intent local businesses (plumbers, dentists, legal) for faster wins.
- Show proof first (audits, case studies, and quick wins help you win local SEO clients faster).
Getting new local SEO clients is essential for growing a digital marketing agency or a freelance consulting business.
You might have the technical skills to rank a website at the top of the local search results, but finding business owners willing to pay for that expertise requires a completely different skill set.
If you want to know how to get local SEO clients consistently, you need to change your approach from selling services to selling business growth and results.
This guide on how to find local SEO clients outlines some actionable methods used by successful marketing agencies to attract, nurture, and close local search engine optimization leads.
And if you stick to the end, we'll give new agency founders the single best strategy for getting their first local SEO client.
Before we get started, I’d like to thank the following marketers and agency founders for adding their valuable insights on how they get local SEO clients for their agencies:
- Maddison Ryan, Founder of The Digital Hub (Sydney, Australia)
- James Barber, Head of SEO Strategy at Go Up (London, United Kingdom)
- Mike Ginley, SEO Lead & Digital Marketing Consultant at MikeGinley.com (Chicago, United States)
- Andrew Shotland, Founder and CEO of Local SEO Guide (Pleasanton, United States)
- Phil Gregory, Managing Director at Peak District SEO (Derbyshire, United Kingdom)
- Ben Duffy, Client Development Manager at Quirky Digital (Liverpool, United Kingdom)
- Kumar Vaibhav Tanwar Founder & CEO, Clickworthy Digital Marketing (Mississauga, Canada)
Is Local SEO Still in Demand?
Yes, local SEO remains one of the most important marketing channels for brick-and-mortar businesses and service-type businesses.
When someone needs a plumber, a dentist, or a nearby restaurant, they do not reach for a phone book.
They pull out their smartphone and search Google.
And according to data from Wise Guy Reports, demand for local SEO services will continue to grow.
The global market for local SEO services was valued at around $2.29 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $5.8 billion by 2035, highlighting just how important local visibility has become for businesses.
Searches containing the phrase "near me" also continue to grow year over year, showing high purchase intent. In fact, “near me” searches have increased by more than 500% in recent years
Here's another great statistic on why local SEO is so important for busiensses:
88% of consumers who conduct a local search on their mobile device visit a related business within 24 hours.
The Problem Many Agencies Have
Many agency owners struggle to fill their sales pipelines because they use generic outreach methods that fail to resonate with local business owners.
A blanket approach like sending mass cold emails simply does not work when pitching local SEO services.
Instead, you need targeted strategies that build trust, demonstrate your expertise, and prove you understand the unique challenges of local business in your target town, city, or area.
If you want to improve your conversion rates, it’s worth learning how to create effective SEO sales pitches that actually speak to your prospects’ needs.
What Local SEO Clients Actually Care About
To successfully sell your SEO services, you must speak the language of your prospective clients.
Local business owners rarely care about technical metrics.
If you focus your pitch on canonical tags or schema markup, you will lose their attention immediately.
Here is what they actually care about:
Visibility in Google Map Pack
The Google Map Pack is the prime real estate of local search.
It appears at the very top of the results page and draws the vast majority of clicks.
Business owners know that if their competitors are showing up in those top three spots, they are losing money. They want to see their own business pinned at the top of that map for their most profitable services.
More Calls, Bookings, and Foot Traffic
At the end of the day, your clients are buying an outcome, not a service.
They want the phone to ring more often. They want their appointment calendar filled. They want more customers walking through their front doors.
When you explain how you will get local SEO clients for their business, frame it around how it drives these specific, revenue-generating actions.
Proof You Know What You’re Talking About
Many business owners have been burned in the past by agencies that promised the world and delivered nothing.
To win their trust, you must provide undeniable proof of your capabilities.
James Barber, Head of SEO Strategy at Go Up, a leading SEO agency in London, says that credibility and proof matter more than anything else.
The most effective way to win local SEO clients is to show real results in similar markets. Case studies, before-and-after data, and clear examples of how you improved visibility or leads for a local business go much further than general promises. Local businesses would prefer to see that you understand their environment, and not just SEO in theory.
- James Barber, Head of SEO Strategy at Go Up
Strategies to Get Local SEO Clients
Generating high-quality leads requires a mix of inbound marketing, cold outreach, and strategic networking.
Here are twelve effective strategies you can use to grow your agency and get more local SEO clients.
1. Rank Your Own GBP for Relevant SEO Keywords
The most convincing way to prove you can rank a local business is to rank your own.
Optimize your agency's Google Business Profile (GBP) for keywords like "SEO agency [your city]" or "local marketing [your city]."
When prospective clients search for marketing help in their area and find your business dominating the Map Pack, the sale is already half complete.
Practice what you preach by generating reviews, posting updates, and keeping your GBP highly optimized.
Pro Tip: Audit your site with SEOptimer and we'll show you how to improve your GBP listing. All of our SEO Audits check your Google Business Profile's completeness and evaluates your listing according to Google's best practices.
2. Loom Video Audits
Let's be honest, most people and business owners ignore traditional cold emails and sales pitches.
As Maddison Ryan, the founder of The Digital Hub puts it:
Agencies struggle to sign on local SEO clients because they often go in with a hard sell before showing value.
- Maddison Ryan, Founder of The Digital Hub
So how do you actually get someone to pay attention?
This is where personalized video outreach can be an effective strategy.
Use a screen-recording tool like Loom to record a short, three-minute video analyzing a prospect's website and Google Business Profile.
Open their website, run a quick analysis, and point out two or three specific things they are doing wrong.
Explain how fixing those issues will bring them more customers, and invite them to a quick discovery call to discuss it further. This tactic builds immediate trust and personalizes the outreach process.
3. Rank Your Own Website for Local SEO Keywords
Inbound leads are the best leads because they come to you already looking for a solution.
Invest time in optimizing your own agency website for local search terms.
Build out comprehensive service pages and target localized keywords.
When a local plumber searches for "how to get more plumbing leads in [City]," your agency's blog post should be the first thing they read.
This also helps in building your credibility and rapport with leads since they can see your own website is ranking for relevant terms.
Ben Duffy, Client Development Manager at Quirky Digital, attributes the success of their SEO agency to ranking for relevant keywords:
A reason that we have won local clients is that our website ranks number one for SEO in the areas they are searching from. We have even had clients tell us they chose us specifically because we rank at the top. To them, it proves that we practise what we preach.
- Ben Duffy, Client Development Manager at Quirky Digital
4. Create Service-Specific Local SEO Pages
Do not just use a generic "SEO Services" page on your website.
Create dedicated landing pages for specific industries you want to target.
If you provide local SEO services to dentists, build a page focusing specifically on "Local SEO for Dentists."
Likewise, agencies providing marketing services to law firms should create a page on their website targeting "Law Firm SEO."
When a business owner searches for marketing help, they want an expert in their specific field.
Industry-specific pages show prospects that you understand the nuances of their market.
5. Be Active on Community Forums
Many business owners turn to online communities for marketing advice.
Spend time in relevant subreddits, Facebook groups for local businesses, and industry-specific forums.
The secret is to not pitch your services immediately. Instead, answer questions, provide free advice, and establish yourself as a helpful expert.
Andrew Shotland, Founder and CEO of Local SEO Guide, a digital agency basesd in California, says that local businesses don't search for SEO agencies, they search for how to solve their problems. He gave us the following tip on how they get SEO clients at his agency:
If you appear in places businesses search and present yourself as someone who has experience solving their problems, they'll find their way to you sooner or later.
That means being active in various social media where these businesses actively seek help - Reddit, Facebook groups, local community sites, etc.
Give all your secrets away. Your peers will acknowledge you and you will be seen by potential clients as genuinely helpful and trustworthy, which is the first hurdle to them hiring you.
- Andrew Shotland, Founder and CEO of Local SEO Guide
When you consistently deliver value, members will naturally look at your profile, visit your website, and reach out when they need professional help.
6. Use Paid Search Ads
While SEO is one of the best channels for generating leads and offers a strong ROI, organic rankings take time. In contrast, paid search ads can deliver immediate visibility.
Take some funds out of your marketing budget and run highly targeted Google Ads for keywords related to local SEO services in your area.
You can also run retargeting ads to capture business owners who previously visited your website but did not fill out a contact form.
Offering a free consultation or a free website audit in your ad copy is a great way to boost conversion rates.
7. Create a Referral Program
Your current, satisfied clients are your best salespeople.
Create a structured referral program that rewards your existing clients for bringing you new business.
Offer them a discount on their monthly SEO retainer or a free service upgrade for every successful referral they provide.
Business owners network with other business owners.
And when a client is happy with the foot traffic you are generating, they will gladly share your name with their peers.
Mike Ginley is an SEO Lead & Digital Marketing Consultant and he told us that after 10+ years working with local businesses, he's found that treating clients like partners, not transactions, naturally leads to growth.
When you deliver real results and communicate clearly, asking for referrals becomes easy and expected. Local business owners are deeply connected within their communities.
A single successful engagement can quickly turn into multiple opportunities if you’ve built trust and proven your value. That’s why I always recommend agencies prioritize long-term relationships over short-term wins.
- Mike Ginley, SEO Lead & Digital Marketing Consultant at MikeGinley.com
8. Partner Up with Other Agencies
Another great tip we got from Peak District SEO, an agency with more than 27 years of experience in the industry, is to form strategic alliances with agencies that offer complementary services.
A lot of web design companies either do not offer SEO or do it poorly. Building relationships here has been invaluable. When a new website launches without a strategy behind it, it is an easy conversation to step in and help.
- Phil Gregory, Managing Director at Peak District SEO
You can offer to white-label your services for them, or set up a straightforward commission agreement where you pay them a percentage for every client they refer.
This allows you to tap into their established client base without spending a dime on marketing.
If you want to implement this effectively, our guide on building strategic agency partnerships walks through how to structure these relationships.
9. Network
Do not underestimate the power of offline relationship building.
Join your local Chamber of Commerce, attend BNI (Business Network International) meetings, and show up to industry trade shows.
Ask questions about their biggest business challenges rather than pitching your services right away.
When you build genuine relationships in your local community, you become the default choice whenever anyone needs digital marketing help.
10. Use Social Proof to Market Your Expertise
Gather testimonials, reviews, and detailed case studies from your most successful campaigns.
Put these prominently on your website's homepage, include them in your email signatures, and share them across your social media channels.
Before-and-after metrics showing a massive increase in organic traffic or phone calls will persuade hesitant prospects much faster than any technical explanation.
12. Become a Thought Leader
Position yourself as an authority in the local marketing space.
Host free webinars for local businesses, write detailed guides on optimizing Google Business Profiles, or start a local business podcast.
You can also reach out to local newspapers or business journals and offer to write a guest column about digital marketing trends. When people perceive you as an industry leader, they will actively seek out your agency.
One of the most popular voices in digital marketing and SEO is Neil Patel, and because of his online authority he drives a lot of traffic and clients to his digital agency.
He is an excellent example of how an agency founder can use their voice to get more clients.
13. Use Free Local SEO Audits
Offering a free, comprehensive website audit is an excellent lead generation tactic.
You can easily do this by using SEOptimer to run a detailed analysis of a prospect's website and their local SEO performance.
The tool evaluates critical data points and provides clear, actionable recommendations.
You can even embed SEOptimer's white-label audit widget directly onto your agency's website. This allows visitors to generate their own branded SEO reports in exchange for their email address, filling your inbox with warm leads automatically.
Best Types of Businesses to Target for Local SEO
Knowing how to find local SEO clients is only part of the equation; you also need to know who to target.
Some industries see a much higher return on investment from local search than others, these include:
Service-Area Businesses
Plumbers, electricians, roofers, and HVAC technicians are ideal targets.
These businesses travel to their customers, meaning their service areas cover entire cities or counties.
An emergency plumbing issue requires an immediate Google search, making Map Pack visibility incredibly lucrative for these trades.
Related Reading: Local SEO for Service Based Businesses
Multi-Location Businesses
Retail chains, self-storage facilities, and gym franchises that have multiple locations need specialized local strategies.
For instance, Anytime Fitness has more than several franchises and managing citations and unique localized content for all of these different locations is highly complex.
Because the scope of work is larger, these clients usually sign on for higher monthly retainers and offer excellent long-term revenue for your agency.
Medical Practices
Dentists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and urgent care clinics rely heavily on local patients.
The lifetime value of a single new patient for a medical practice is extremely high.
This makes it very easy to prove the return on investment of your monthly SEO fee.
Legal Firms
Personal injury lawyers, family law attorneys, and criminal defense lawyers operate in highly competitive local markets.
A single top-ranking position can result in massive legal settlements.
Because the financial stakes are so high, law firms generally have sizable marketing budgets and are willing to invest heavily in top-tier SEO services.
Restaurants & Hospitality
Boutique hotels, fine dining restaurants, and local cafes survive on foot traffic and local discovery.
Optimizing for "best restaurants near me" or managing customer reviews plays a massive role in their success.
Helping a local eatery boost their Friday night reservations is a clear, measurable win that ensures long-term client retention.
How to Get Your First Local SEO Client as a New Agency
If you're just starting out, the fastest way to land your first local SEO client is to reduce the risk for the business owner.
Instead of pitching a full monthly retainer upfront, offer a free or low-cost trial focused on delivering a specific, measurable outcome — such as improving Google Business Profile visibility, fixing key on-page issues, or increasing calls from local search.
As Kumar Vaibhav Tanwar from Clickworthy Digital Marketing puts it:
For starting agencies, my advice is to offer free or low-cost trial service. Let the client experience actual results first. It's a learning experience for the both of you. During the course of the trial, keep the client updated with the results.
- Kumar Vaibhav Tanwar, Founder & CEO at Clickworthy Digital Marketing
The key is to keep the scope small, communicate progress clearly, and demonstrate quick wins. Once the client sees tangible results, it becomes much easier to transition them into a long-term retainer.
FAQs
How much should I charge local businesses?
Local SEO pricing typically ranges from $500 to $3,000+ per month, depending on the scope of work, competition, and industry.
If you’re unsure how to structure your pricing, check out our detailed guide on agency pricing models.
How do I find local SEO clients?
You can find local SEO clients by combining inbound marketing with targeted outbound outreach.
Optimize your own agency's website to attract leads, network at local business events, offer free audits using SEOptimer, and use personalized video outreach to demonstrate the immediate value you can bring to a prospect's business.
Do I need experience to get local SEO clients?
No, but you do need proof of value. This can come from personal projects, trial campaigns, or audits. Showing real results, even on a small scale, is more important than years of experience.
How long does it take to get local SEO clients?
It depends on your approach. Outbound methods like cold outreach and video audits can generate clients within weeks, while inbound strategies like SEO and content marketing typically take a few months to build momentum.
Closing Thoughts on How to Get Local SEO Clients
Learning how to get local SEO clients takes time, persistence, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.
The most successful agencies do not rely on just one lead generation method.
They build comprehensive systems that attract inbound leads while simultaneously targeting high-value prospects through personalized outreach and strategic partnerships.
Remember to focus your messaging on the outcomes that business owners actually care about: revenue, foot traffic, and phone calls.
By positioning yourself as a growth partner rather than just an SEO vendor, you will build a loyal client base that trusts your expertise.
Start implementing these strategies today, run comprehensive audits with SEOptimer to prove your value, and watch your agency's local SEO client roster grows.
