In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Barry Schwartz, one of the top names in all of SEO, founder and editor of Search Engine Roundtable, longtime contributor to Search Engine Land, and the guy who's been covering every Google update, big or small, for over 20 years. Barry has published tens of thousands of articles, interviewed Google's top search executives, and helped shape the SEO conversation around the globe. He's also the founder of Rusty Brick, a successful web development agency he started over 30 years ago.

Dan and Barry explore Barry's journey starting Rusty Brick with his twin brother Ronnie in high school, building software for everything from Chinese food restaurant websites to emergency room hospital software and even pest control software. Barry shares how a client asked him about ranking on Alta Vista in the late 1990s, sparking his obsession with the search marketing industry. He explains that Search Engine Roundtable started as a personal notebook blog to track interesting SEO conversations from forums that were hard to find, and he's been covering it consistently for over 20 years because "once I start something, I don't like to stop doing it."

The conversation covers Google's I/O update and the massive shift to AI mode, which Google's Liz Reed announced on stage as "the future of Google search." Barry explains that AI mode has rolled out to all US searchers without opt-in, marking the most drastic change to Google search since it started on day one. He reveals the concept of "the great decoupling"—where impressions stay flat or increase due to AI overviews ranking position #1, but clicks drastically decrease because people get their answers without clicking through to websites.

Barry dives deep into optimization strategies for the AI era, emphasizing that traditional SEO techniques remain the same for getting content indexed, but two new focuses emerge: branding (ensuring your brand gets mentioned in AI responses) and agentic AI services (building integrations that allow booking or purchases directly through AI interfaces). He stresses the critical importance of capturing email addresses and building direct relationships with visitors, since traffic diversification becomes essential when AI-generated answers reduce click-through rates.

Barry Schwartz, Founder of Search Engine Roundtable:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rustybrick/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/rustybrick

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/rustybrick

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barryschwartz/

Search Engine Roundtable: https://www.seroundtable.com/

RustyBrick: https://www.rustybrick.com/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Barry Schwartz

06:11 Google I/O Update: AI's Impact on Search

11:54 Advertising in the Age of AI Search

14:43 Ads in AI Mode: The Future of Advertising

17:44 The Landscape of LLMs: ChatGPT vs. Gemini

20:49 SEO Strategies in an Evolving Market

23:39 The Rise of Visual Search and Smart Glasses

26:56 The Future of Search: Beyond Glasses

29:43 Keyword Optimization: A Shift in Focus

32:50 Understanding EEAT: The New SEO Standard

41:48 The Future of AI in Content Creation

46:00 The Intersection of Search and Social Media

51:03 Advice for SEOs and Business Owners

#seo #google #aimode #aisearch #aio

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Al Levi, the third generation contractor turned business strategist who wrote the best-selling book "The Seven Power Contractor." Al co-founded the rapidly growing Zoom Drain franchise and created the signature operating manuals and staffing systems that thousands of trades businesses rely on every day. After scaling his family's plumbing and HVAC firm to 70+ employees and retiring at 48, Al has spent the last two decades helping contractors around the world run their companies with less stress and more success.

Dan and Al explore Al's journey being born into the family business, literally born with "a silver spoon covered with fuel oil." Al shares how his father's mantra was "you can't kill the golden goose," ensuring the core plumbing business remained central while diversifying into ice cream stores, liquor stores, and multi-state real estate. He reveals the critical lesson from his drill sergeant mentor Tommy: "It was humiliating enough to do it once, you never wanted to ask twice," emphasizing the power of learning through challenging experiences.

The conversation covers Al's famous "three personalities" that entrepreneurs must overcome: the Rescuer (coming in like cavalry to save the day), the Fireman (unconsciously setting fires to put out), and the Guru (hoarding knowledge instead of systematizing it). Al explains how these patterns kept him indispensable but prevented business growth until he recognized them. He shares the pivotal moment when his mentor Dan Holland asked while Al's beeper, 2-way radio, and cell phone were all ringing simultaneously: "You think that's normal?"—forcing Al to confront whether he truly wanted to be indispensable or build a scalable business.

Al dives deep into his Seven Power Framework: Planning, Operations, Staffing, Sales, Marketing, Sales Coaching (reward programs), and Financial. He emphasizes that you don't need to be a 10 out of 10 in all seven areas, but you absolutely cannot be a zero in any of them. Al shares the transformative story of working with Tommy Mello, revealing that at $15 million in sales, Tommy's company was "losing money every day" due to lack of systems. Al's brutal honesty about Tommy's first book—"This is not a book, it's a ransom note"—led to a complete operational overhaul that scaled the business to over $230 million across 19 states.

Al Levi, Founder of 7 Power Contractor:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/7powercontractor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlLevi7PowerContractor/

Website: https://7powercontractor.com/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com  

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Al Levy and His Journey

02:41 The Importance of Systems in Contracting

05:20 Lessons from Mentorship and Authenticity

10:57 The Seven Power Framework Explained

19:39 Implementing Systems in Small Trades Companies

25:31 Marketing as a Key to Business Growth

29:26 Navigating Information Overload

32:23 The Tommy Mello Success Story

39:10 Financial Strategies and Performance Pay

43:35 Long-Term Thinking for Business Success

48:15 The Importance of Systematic Growth

#localmarketing #localbusiness #homeservicebusiness #homeservicemarketing #homeserviceadvertising

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Aaron Weiche, co-founder of Leadferno, a SaaS platform that's changing the game for local businesses by turning more visitors into paying customers through text-based messaging. Aaron previously led Gather Up, growing the company so quickly it landed on the Inc. 5000 list before successfully exiting through acquisition. He's spoken at over 100 major industry conferences including MozCon Local, SMX Advanced, and Local U Advanced, and he's a trusted thought leader known for his practical results-focused approach to conversion optimization.

Dan and Aaron explore the fundamentals of conversion optimization, with Aaron explaining how conversion occurs at multiple stages in the funnel—from ad clicks to website conversions to closing sales. Aaron shares his philosophy that "the golden rule of business is how easy are you to work with," emphasizing that friction kills conversions. He identifies major mistakes businesses make: offering too few contact options, asking 18 questions on forms when prospects only want to ask 1-2 things, using weak calls to action, and failing to communicate their process clearly.

The conversation covers Aaron's groundbreaking research study of 225 contact forms across home services, professional services, and medical businesses. The results were shocking: average speed to lead was 17 hours and 49 minutes, only 15% sent auto-replies confirming receipt, 4% of forms were completely broken, 71% only used one communication channel for follow-up, and 65% made just one attempt to contact leads. Aaron explains how these failures create massive opportunities for businesses willing to improve their processes.

Aaron dives deep into why text messaging has become the dominant communication channel, citing research showing 37% of consumers prefer texting (compared to 30% for phone and 19.6% for email). The highest adopters are ages 35-54, not younger generations as commonly assumed, and this demographic represents the core target market for most home service businesses. Aaron explains that text messaging works because it's asynchronous, has low mental load, uses brevity naturally, and maintains a much cleaner signal-to-noise ratio than email inboxes cluttered with 20 years of spam and subscriptions.

Aaron Weiche, Founder of Leadferno:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronweiche/

Twitter: https://x.com/AaronWeiche

Leadferno: https://leadferno.com/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com  

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Aaron Weiche

02:58 Understanding the Conversion Funnel

06:02 Common Mistakes in Conversion Optimization

08:55 The Importance of Speed to Lead

15:11 Optimizing Contact Forms

17:56 Trends in Communication Preferences

25:28 The Shift to Text Messaging in Communication

30:39 Creating a Conversion Platform: The Vision Behind Leadferno

35:16 Understanding Leadferno: Features and Differentiation

40:20 The Role of Automation and AI in Customer Communication

#localmarketing #localbusiness #homeservicebusiness #homeservicemarketing

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Brigham Dickinson, founder of Powerselling Pros, the nation's top coaching organization for customer service representatives in the trades. Having trained over 1,250 CSRs across the US, Canada, and Australia, Brigham is the visionary behind the renowned Pattern for Excellence customer service framework and co-founder of the successful after-hours answering service Booked by PSP, known industry-wide for converting nearly every incoming call into revenue.

Dan and Brigham explore the fundamentals of customer service through a powerful story from Woodfin, a cause-driven heating and cooling company in Richmond, Virginia with 100 technicians and over 20 CSRs. Brigham reveals the critical mistake most companies make: asking "where are you located?" or using words like "unfortunately" at the beginning of calls instead of meeting customers where they are emotionally. He explains that customers have three emotional needs in the first 30 to 50 seconds: feeling understood, feeling cared about, and feeling reassured they've called the right place.

The conversation covers Brigham's revolutionary approach of meeting customers at their emotional level rather than maintaining professional distance. He shares the story of how Woodfin had been taught to avoid negative words entirely, which made CSRs come across as apathetic. Brigham explains: "If a customer says 'this sucks,' it's absolutely appropriate to say 'You're right, that does suck'" because meeting them emotionally builds trust and allows you to lift them up. He emphasizes that the goal is to be their friend, not necessarily professional, because friends meet people where they are emotionally.

Brigham dives deep into his Pattern for Excellence framework, a set of eight principles that create consistent wow experiences: positivity attracts people, preparation inspires confidence, understanding invites connection, empathy validates worth, assurance builds trust, asking encourages action, value creates commitment, and gratitude reinforces unity. Unlike traditional sales systems that teach step-by-step scripts, the Pattern teaches universal truths that people can apply across all relationships with customers, peers, bosses, spouses, and children.

This is a must-listen for home service business owners, CSRs, marketers, and anyone seeking to master the nuances of customer engagement. Tune in and transform the way your business connects with customers.

Brigham Dickinson, Founder of Power Selling Pros:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigham-dickinson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brigham.dickinson

Text "happy" to 385-247-3714

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Brigham Dickinson

01:12 Understanding Customer Service Fundamentals

10:27 The Importance of Emotional Connection in Customer Service

12:34 The Power of Storytelling in Communication

22:26 Exploring the Pattern for Excellence Framework

29:06 Overcoming Fear Through Inquiry

32:46 The Balance of Logic and Emotion in Sales

39:10 Transforming Customer Service Approaches

41:23 Lessons from the Bible on Sales and Influence

#homeservicesales #homeservicebusiness #homeservicemarketing #homeserviceadvertising

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Jim Klauck, who's been in radio for over 40 years and has spent the past 20 years helping major home service businesses grow through radio and podcasting. He's the founder of Check Pro, a trusted referral network that's connected thousands of homeowners with vetted pros since 2005. He's the host of the long-running Check Pro radio show and the nationally syndicated Bring on Success podcast. Jim has worked with brands like A1 Garage Door and Abacus Plumbing, authored The Radio Pitchman's Podcast Playbook, and has spoken on stages like Vertical Track.

Dan and Jim explore how most people approach radio wrong by just buying 30 or 60-second commercials. Jim reveals his secret weapon: long-form programming, which means 30 minutes to 1 hour infomercial-style shows. The economics are shocking. A 30-second commercial might cost $50, but an entire hour of programming could cost only $500. Jim explains this approach allows you to tell a complete story, build trust, and generate appointments rather than just leads because listeners already know the owner, the product or service, and the special offer before they call.

The conversation covers Jim's proven formula for effective radio advertising. First, be interviewed by an expert rather than hosting your own show because people identify with the interviewer. Second, offer a product with a discount, like attic insulation for $1 per square foot instead of $1.25. Third, always throw something in for free to create urgency. Jim emphasizes creating demand rather than waiting for problems, explaining how a 70-year-old listener might not be thinking about their garage door until they hear the show, then realize they should get it checked before the spring breaks.

Jim dives deep into the demographics that make radio so powerful for home services. The target audience is 50 plus, predominantly conservative talk radio listeners who are incredibly loyal to their stations. These listeners are often empty nesters or retirees who are home all day, have paid-off houses, receive pensions or social security, and invest heavily in their home comfort. They're financially stable, available for appointments, and make decisions without the time pressure of working midlife professionals who are busy and up to their eyeballs in debt.

Jim Klauck, Founder of Check a Pro:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.klauck

Email: [email protected]

Check a Pro: https://www.checkapro.com/

The Radio Pitchman: https://www.theradiopitchman.com/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Jim Klauck

01:44 The Current State of Radio and Its Value

04:51 The Formula for Effective Radio Advertising

10:02 Understanding the Radio Demographic

14:51 Creating Demand Through Radio Advertising

25:41 Integrating Radio with Digital Marketing

29:13 Productizing Home Services for Better Sales

33:35 The Importance of Sales Techniques in Home Services

39:58 The Future of Radio in a Digital World

#homeservicebusiness #homeservicemarketing #homeserviceadvertising #radioads

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Dan Antonelli, the founder and creative force behind Kick Charge Creative, an agency that's rebranded over 2,500 local businesses, including several nine-figure home service businesses like A1 Garage, Goettl, and more. He's the author of the Amazon bestseller "Branded Not Blanded" and widely known as the guy behind the best looking service trucks on the road. His work has dominated the Tops in Trucks Awards, earning himself a spot in the HVAC Hall of Fame award, helping companies grow from six figures to eight and potentially even nine figures and beyond just by getting their brand right.

Dan and Dan explore the biggest branding mistakes local businesses make, starting with naming. Initial-based brand names like "TJS Pest Control" are the absolute worst because there's no promise or visual you can associate with them. Last name brands take much longer to establish meaning compared to names that evoke visuals like Viking Pest Control or Grasshopper HVAC. Dan explains that names should trigger a visual in the mind, deliver a brand promise, and make the company memorable so consumers recall them later when they actually need the service.

The conversation covers why truck wraps fail to deliver ROI. Most home service companies don't have a great foundation to begin with, so their truck wraps can't be effective. Dan sees common mistakes like putting way too much content on trucks, using dead bugs and scare tactics in pest control branding, and cluttering designs with elements that distract from the brand instead of accentuating it. He emphasizes keeping designs positive, premium-looking, and focused on the foreground brand with background elements that support but don't overpower.

Dan dives deep into why brands must appeal to women, who initiate over 85% of home purchasing decisions. The branding needs to make her feel comfortable about who's coming to her house, whether they'll be professional, honest, and trustworthy. He explains how perception becomes reality. Companies can raise prices 20% immediately after rebranding because they look like a company that deserves to be paid a premium. Average tickets increase post-rebrand because prospects feel there's a reason to pay more for the service.

Dan Antonelli, Founder of KickCharge Creative:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.antonelli

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danantonelli/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danantonelli_kickcharge/

KickCharge Creative: https://www.kickcharge.com/

Branded Not Blanded Book: https://www.amazon.com/Branded-Not-Blanded-KickChargeTM-Service-ebook/dp/B0BBL1CCJ9

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Dan Antonelli

01:25 Common Branding Mistakes by Home Service Companies

06:26 Creating Memorable Brand Names

12:20 Appealing to Women in Branding

17:58 Branding's Impact on Recruitment

23:56 The Cost of Poor Branding

25:49 The Tommy Mello Rebranding Success Story

29:52 Understanding the Costs of Rebranding

36:00 The Importance of Brand Cohesion

41:54 Fundamentals of Effective Branding

47:11 When to Consider Rebranding

#branding #brand #localbusinessbrand #homeservicebusiness #homeservicemarketing

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Adam Coffey, a three-time CEO of national private equity-backed service companies, two of which he scaled to over a billion dollars in enterprise value. Over the course of his career, he's led 58 acquisitions, delivered an average of 5x return for investors, and overseen more than $2.5 billion in deal value. He's also the number one best-selling author of "The Private Equity Playbook," "The Exit Strategy Playbook," and "Empire Builder," with all of his books topping Amazon's charts in the business category.

Dan and Adam explore the four stages of building a billion-dollar company. Before even starting, Adam emphasizes choosing the right business model: needs versus wants (a leaking roof versus new tires for your truck), contracted revenue versus project-based revenue (monthly pest control versus one-time roofing), and low capital expenditure versus high capital expenditure (pest control trucks versus heavy construction equipment). Adam reveals shocking statistics: only 7% of business owners ever reach $1 million in revenue, and of those, only 4% ever reach $10 million.

The conversation covers Adam's critical 30-20-10 rule for the zero to $1 million stage. Companies must achieve at least 30% gross profit, less than 20% sales and general administration costs, and earn at least a dime on every dollar. Adam explains the concept of unit level economics, using pest control as a perfect example. If one truck with one technician generates $250,000 in revenue, you need four trucks to reach $1 million. This stage requires being an anal retentive control freak focused on perfecting the smallest unit before scaling.

Adam dives deep into scaling from $1 million to $10 million by replicating those proven unit level economics. Companies should gain economies of scale by buying trucks, sprayers, and chemicals in bulk quantities, improving profitability. The key is building the back office strategically with a wish list approach. For every dollar of new revenue generating 30 cents gross profit with 20 cents allowed for back office costs, entrepreneurs can "go shopping" from their prioritized wish list of hires like dispatchers, service managers, or controllers.

Adam Coffey, Founder of The Chairman Group:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamecoffey/

Website: https://adamecoffey.com/

The Chairman Group: https://chairmangroup.us/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Adam Coffey

01:37 Understanding Zero to One Million 

14:30 Scaling from One Million to Ten Million

26:57 Ten Million to One Hundred Million

32:19 Creating a C-Suite

38:59 Diversifying and Securing Your Future

40:29 M&A as a Growth Strategy

47:18 Choosing the Right Private Equity Partner

#privateequity #homeservices #homeservice #homeservicebusiness

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Ben Heath, one of the top names in Facebook ads with over a million followers across social media and over 300,000 subscribers on his main YouTube channel. He's been running his agency Heath Media for over 9 years, which now has over 50 employees. Over those nine years, they have managed over $150 million of Facebook and Google ads and generated over $600 million in client revenue.

Dan and Ben explore how to think about Facebook ads as interruption advertising on platforms where people spend massive amounts of time. Unlike Google ads which has strong search intent, Facebook ads require interrupting users from what they originally planned to do and convincing them to take action. Ben explains that Meta is now incredibly smart at optimizing campaigns through AI and algorithms, allowing advertisers to focus on what really matters like offers and ad creative rather than manual targeting decisions.

The conversation covers why local businesses should optimize for lead campaigns rather than other objectives. Ben emphasizes telling Meta exactly what you want so the platform can work out who to advertise to, what time of day, and how often people need to see ads to convert. He introduces the concept of Advantage Plus campaigns, which provide more automated systems with less advertiser input, though he recommends most local businesses use manual campaigns for better control over lead quality.

Ben dives deep into the critical importance of testing, using a tennis analogy to explain skill development. No one plays tennis for three days and expects to win tournaments. Similarly, Facebook ads require continuous testing and experimentation to find what works specifically for your business and niche. He explains that the best ad out of 100 might produce triple the return compared to the best ad out of 10, but you have to create 100 ads to find it.

Ben Heath, Founder of Heath Media:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BenHeath

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-heath-marketing/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bheathmarketing

Heath Media: https://heathmedia.co.uk/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Ben Heath

03:07 Understanding Facebook Ads: The Basics

09:00 Optimizing for Leads: The Local Business Perspective

15:07 Instagram vs. Facebook: Advertising Strategies

20:52 Website vs. Instant Forms: Lead Quality Discussion

25:05 Crafting Irresistible Offers for Facebook Ads

31:24 Lead Magnets vs. Direct Offers

34:44 Rapid Fire FAQs on Facebook Ads

#facebookads #metaads #benheath #localmarketing

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Craig Campbell, one of the top names in SEO with over 22 years of experience in the industry. Craig was voted the number one most influential SEO in the world in 2020 and has spoken at major conferences internationally including Brighton SEO, Chiang Mai SEO, Affiliate World and more. He has a huge following on social media with over a million subscribers on YouTube, over 160K on TikTok and over 100K on Twitter. He's also built and flipped countless profitable websites and even landed a six-figure sponsorship deal with Ahrefs for his content.

Dan and Craig explore the real definitions of white hat versus black hat SEO. Craig explains that black hat isn't spam or hacking. It's about bending the rules slightly or being creative with certain tactics like leveraging aged domains with 20 years of history and backlink profiles. He emphasizes the critical principle: you have to match what your competition is doing to survive. If competitors have 20 GMB listings and you only have one, you're leaving money on the table while they clean up.

The conversation covers Google's evolving crackdown on manipulation tactics. Craig shares how Google has become more aggressive with suspensions, manual reviews requiring footage outside premises, and deleting fake reviews by wiping inactive Gmail accounts. He reveals specific hacks like the GMB edit vulnerability that allowed competitors to shut down listings by changing the business date, which was patched but reopened recently. Craig emphasizes that what worked two years ago may not work now, but equally, tactics that stopped working may work again after core updates.

Craig dives deep into the harsh reality of link building. He dismantles the white hat myth by asking a simple question: have any home service websites ever received natural links from Google for amazing content? The answer is basically zero. Whether you call it outreach fees, admin fees, or dinner with an editor, you're still buying the link. Craig explains that Google can't see the transaction anyway, so a link is a link, and everyone who's ever ranked a website has bought links whether they admit it or not.

Craig Campbell, Founder of Craig Campbell SEO:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCPeOzstGV1FB0cGSBg2piDg 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigcampbell0302/?originalSubdomain=uk

Twitter: https://x.com/craigcampbell03?lang=en

Craig Campbell SEO: https://www.craigcampbellseo.com/

Links For You: https://www.linksforyou.com/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Craig Campbell

01:10 Understanding White Hat vs Black Hat SEO

07:50 The Grey Areas of SEO

12:20 Navigating Competitive Landscapes

17:10 Google's Evolving Algorithms

25:26 The Future of SEO and AI Content

31:20 The Role of AI in Content Creation and SEO

38:47 Link Building: White Hat vs Black Hat

49:41 Rapid Fire SEO Questions and Insights

#seo #blackhatseo #google #seostrategy

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Dan Leibrandt interviews Andrew Shotland, CEO of Local SEO Guide, which does local SEO consulting for multi-location businesses and started over 18 years ago. They've worked with some of the biggest companies in the space such as Angie's List, HomeAdvisor, Local.com, Bing Maps, Thumbtack and many more. Andrew is also a board member and vice president for Bay Area Search, an SEO community in San Francisco, and is quoted in major publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal for his expertise in search marketing.

Dan and Andrew explore SERP Summary, Andrew's new tool that tracks 100,000 keywords across five major cities (New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, and Seattle) to show volatility, winners and losers, and SERP features over time. Unlike Moz Cast which just shows if search results are "hot or cold," SERP Summary reveals who actually went up and down and what SERP features are present. This allows marketers to quickly understand who's winning across entire topics rather than individual keywords after Google updates.

The conversation covers shocking data about Reddit and Quora dominating home services search results. Reddit and Quora are now the two most popular domains showing up across all home services keywords. Andrew explains this happened because Google believes personal experience is key, they did a deal with Reddit to train their AI, and every domain with the word "forum" in it grew at astronomical rates. Google wants to elevate these sites both because they claim it's helpful and because they want people interacting so they can crawl conversations to train their AI.

Andrew dives deep into analyzing winners and losers after Google updates. When the January 27th volatile update hit, SERP Summary revealed that inline videos jumped from 26% to 40% presence across all results, local service ads tanked in December (Google moved them into map packs), and This Old House cranked up while Forbes got crushed. The tool allows users to filter by specific date ranges and categories to see exactly which domains and URLs are gaining or losing ground in real time.

Andrew Shotland, Founder of Local SEO Guide:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/localseoguide/

Twitter: https://x.com/localseoguide

Local SEO Guide: https://www.localseoguide.com/

SERP Summary: https://serpsummary.localseoguide.com/

Dan Leibrandt, Host of Local Marketing Secrets:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DanLeibrandtOfficial  

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/danleibrandt/   

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanLeibrandt   

Website: https://danleibrandt.com 

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782 

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets 

Audible: https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Local-Marketeer/B0D1FCN28S?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp 

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Andrew Schottland

05:02 Utilizing SERP Summary for Home Services

10:39 The Rise of Reddit and Quora in Search Results

17:20 Analyzing Winners and Losers in Home Services SEO

25:12 Analyzing Traffic Trends and Google Updates

29:06 Leveraging Reddit and Quora for Local Marketing

36:05 Rapid Fire FAQ on Local SEO Misconceptions

40:17 Insights on Google Algorithm and SEO Tools

45:40 Local Marketing Secrets and Effective Strategies

#localseo #localseoexpert #localseotips #localmarketing