Compared to the wider SEO industry, local SEO tends to be a lot more welcoming, supportive, and collaborative, with a handful of top experts leading the way.
At BrightLocal, we’re committed to spotlighting the stories of those coming up in the industry and really making a name for themselves. It’s in this spirit that we created Rising Stars of Local SEO, an annual selection of the folks who represent a widening talent pool of local SEO expertise.
We asked several local SEO experts and contributors to nominate their favorite ‘rising star’, be that a colleague, a peer or just a real valuable Twitter follow. There will be faces you might recognize, but plenty you won’t, too!
Without further ado, then, here are BrightLocal’s Rising Stars of Local SEO 2023, as introduced by their nominees:
Elizabeth Rule
SEO Analyst at Sterling Sky
Nominated by: Joy Hawkins, Colan Nielsen, Claire Carlile, Krystal Taing, and Greg GiffordÂ
“I think Elizabeth Rule is an upcoming star. I’m biased as I work with her but she’s incredibly bright and her passion for Local SEO is very strong.” – Joy Hawkins
“I’ve had the opportunity to read her articles, listen to her podcasts, and hear her speak at a conference and her passion and dedication to local SEO is undeniable. It’s always refreshing to have and hear from unique perspectives in local.” – Krystal Taing
“There is so much I can say about Liz. Liz has a passion for local search, which seems to be a rare quality in our industry. On the public side of things, Liz is an upcoming speaker and writer. Liz recently delivered her first presentation at our virtual LocalU event in November 2022 and is on deck to present at the live LocalU event in Dallas in 2023. Watch out!Â
“On the internal side here behind the scenes at Sterling Sky, Liz is even more impressive. Liz has that rare trifecta in our industry where she can manage client relationships, create strategies, and do excellent local SEO tactical work. Watch out for Elizabeth Rule in 2023.” – Colan NielsenÂ
Twitter: @ownyourserp
Celeste Gonzalez
SEO Strategist at RicketyRoo
Nominated by: Amanda Jordan
“Celeste Gonzalez is definitely a rising star for 2023. There’s no doubt for me that she will be one of the top local SEO strategists. Her ability to think critically, problem solve, and consider scalability already rivals many experienced members of our industry.”
Twitter: @CelestexLili
Crystal Horton
Local Service Ads & Google Product Expert at Crystal Horton Digital
Nominated by: Ben Fisher
“I have had the privilege of seeing her grow. She is dedicated, and I am lucky as I work with Crystal all the time, she is super smart and very detail-oriented, and most importantly she has this never-ending desire to learn.”
Twitter: @imcrystalhorton
Amy Toman
SEO Analyst at Digital Law Marketing
Nominated by: Ben Fisher
“Amy is amazing, a down-to-earth nice person (even though she is from NJ, we won’t hold that against her) But seriously, she is wicked smart and so dedicated to what she does. and those that she helps.”
Twitter: @BubblesUp
Hannah Borchik
Senior Manager, Healthcare & Google Business Profile Product Expert at Reputation
Nominated by: Crystal Horton
“Hannah is a wealth of knowledge and an extremely accomplished Local SEO expert, her deep understanding of SEO produces results. Hannah is a Google Business and Google Maps Product Expert.”
Rachel Tinker
Manager of SEO at Blue Corona
Nominated by: Crystal Horton
“Rachel likes numbers. She pushes data beyond its limits, thinks outside the box, and uses local SEO as her tool to create incredible outcomes for local businesses.”
Twitter: @RachelBTinker
Stefan Somborac
Founder at Marketing Metrology
Nominated by: Miriam Ellis
“Stefan has been around for a few years, I think, but I only became aware of him in 2022 and I’m enjoying following him. He is really on top of spotting new local developments and sharing up-to-date information. I appreciate that so much!”
Twitter: @StefanSomborac
Elizabeth Linder
SEO Strategist at Kick Point
Nominated by: Dana DiTomaso
“When Liz says something is going to happen, you can trust that it will happen. She’s determined, reliable, and persistent. She had only been working with us for a few months when she “fell for” SEO and said she was committed to becoming an expert. She’s an example of what you can achieve when you put in the work and open yourself up to the joy and strife that comes from learning something like SEO.
“Liz is quick to share her knowledge with our team and clients, willing to experiment to seek continuous improvement, and dedicated to being a lifelong student (and teacher) in our industry. She’s always excited to share wins and successes that our clients have but often forgets to acknowledge that those things happened because she made them happen.
Everyone at Kick Point is proud to work with Liz and we’re so excited for her to be recognized for her work in this way! In addition to her SEO expertise, we also benefit from her incredible sense of humor — her (sometimes bleak) takes on life and deep commitment to callback jokes are unrivaled.”Â
Twitter: @Its_Liz_Linder
Emily Brady
Sr Manager, SEO at Podium
Nominated by: Claire Carlile
“Emily Brady is a total gift to our industry – with a tonne of experience of ACTUAL on-the-ground local marketing experience, plus the ability to distill this experience into actionable recommendations that can benefit anyone learning about and working within the local SEO field.
“She’s a super fun guest to host for podcasts and webinars, and you always know that she’ll bring the goods with regard to real-life examples plus proper marketing insight. Bravo Emily, we love you!”Â
Twitter: @Plotboilers
Harmony Huskinson
Local SEO Specialist at Portent
Nominated by: BrightLocal
“Harmony is making great strides in the world of local SEO and from any conversation we’ve had with her, it’s clear she is highly skilled, experienced with a range of clients, and confident at sharing her findings and knowledge with the industry. It’s been a pleasure reading her content and discussing insights with her. We’re sure Harmony has a strong future ahead of her in the world of local SEO, and we’re really excited to see where she goes”.Â
Twitter: @hhuskins
Who would you nominate?
A huge well done to all of our Rising Stars of Local SEO. We can’t wait to see what this year brings you!
Thanks for checking out BrightLocal’s Rising Stars of Local SEO 2023, and thanks to those experts who provided a nomination.
Who would you nominate as your personal rising star? Let us know over on Twitter or in our Facebook Community, The Local Pack.
Join The Local Pack—BrightLocal’s online community
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