Top Local SEO Blogs 2018

Welcome to the Best Local SEO Blogs of 2018 List

Local SEO professionals are a busy bunch, and staying on top of the latest trends and changes in the industry’s many local SEO blogs can feel like a little like a full-time job. Our industry excels in providing intelligent, high-quality content from real experts – but with so many great blogs out there, it can feel hard to know where to start.

So which local SEO blogs should you be regularly reading to keep up-to-date with local search news and insights?

Every year we ask our customers, readers, and the local search industry to share their favorite local SEO blogs. We use these insights to create a definitive reading list of content and resources to help the industry stay on top of the latest trends.

A huge thank you to the 415 people who shared their choices this year. Each respondent had 3 votes to choose their favorites from our shortlist of 43 publications that regularly provided local SEO insights in the last year. Respondents could also comment their favorites – but if there’s anyone you think deserves a place in next year’s Top Blogs, let us know in the comments below.

– Jump to the top 20 –

The Best Local SEO Blogs

1. DealerOn
2. Moz
3. Search Engine Land
4. BrightLocal: Local SEO Insights
5. Blumenthals

1. DealerOn

Congratulations to DealerOn, which is this year’s most voted-for source of local SEO insights. The automotive specialist is a new entry to our Top Local SEO Blogs rankings this year following a write-in vote. Congratulations to Greg Gifford and the team for their efforts here!

DealerOn’s content stretches beyond the automotive industry, with actionable insights that can be useful for any SEO professional. In particular, their excellent videos make keeping on top of trends simple. Watch out for their Wednesday Workshop and Feature Friday series for bite-sized advice, and make sure to follow Greg on Twitter for up-to-the-minute search insights (and pop culture references, of course).

2. Moz

For another year, the Moz blog has been named a favorite in our list. Moz’s long list of brilliant contributors share excellent insights into what’s happening in the search industry.  

Moz’s Whiteboard Friday has long been a weekly source of inspiration for many SEO professionals – whether you’re a beginner to the industry or an SEO pro, there will be plenty here for you. Their excellent videos are a quick and easy way to digest new ideas and concepts. And, for those of you who prefer reading to watching videos, they provide an in-depth transcription.

3. Search Engine Land

Search Engine Land is an well-esteemed leader when it comes to SEO news and opinions that cover the whole search industry. Their local channel regularly provides breaking news and analysis of what’s changing in our industry, with a mix of insights from their great team of journalists and guest contributors.

We’re really pleased that our Head of Content, Jamie Pitman, became a Search Engine Land regular columnist in 2017, with his first articles available to read now. Jamie will be writing a monthly column throughout 2018 with regular insights into our latest research and data </shamelessplug>.

4. BrightLocal

We’re really happy that so many respondents chose us as one of their favorite sources of local search information. We want to provide our users with the ideas and facts that help them win and keep clients in our blog, research pieces, and monthly InsideLocal webinars.

For further reading, check out some of our recent favorites:

• Local Consumer Review Survey
• Local Search Industry Survey
• Comparison of Local Review Sites: Which Platform is Growing the Fastest?
• SEO Agencies vs Freelancers: Comparison of Income, Hours Worked, and More
• 40 Online Review Statistics for Local Marketers
• The State of Local Search 2018 [Webinar recap]
• The Human Impact of Google Algorithm Updates

We’ve got a lot planned for 2018 – sign up for our newsletter if you’d like to see what we’re up to!

5. Blumenthals

Blumenthals’ Mike Blumenthal is a fountain of knowledge on all things local – sharing his insights across social media, SEO publications, and webinars on a near-daily basis. You’ll also find him on the Local University blog – another entry in our top 20 list.

It’s no wonder his excellent ‘Understanding Google My Business & Local Search’ blog received so many votes in our survey. His no-nonsense approach focuses on changes in Google as they appear, with reliable predictions into what’s next for the local search industry.

The Top 10 Local Search Blogs

Here are the ten most popular local SEO blogs of 2018, as voted for by readers in the industry. The list contains plenty of familiar faces – with notable new entries in the top ten from DealerOn, Sterling Sky, and ReachLocal.

These three businesses have replaced some of the more traditional sources of search news in the top ten: Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Watch, and Search Engine Roundtable. It’s so great to see businesses sharing their knowledge – and readers relying on these great blogs for continued learning from those at the coalface.

Top 20 Local SEO Blogs of 2018

Below are the twenty most popular local SEO blogs, complete with links to visit their sites. Remember to join their mailing lists for regular local search news and views straight to your inboxes (and, sign up for ours here!)

Did your favorite make the list? Let us know who you rate in the comments below.

About the author

Rosie Murphy

Rosie managed BrightLocal's delivery of research and survey pieces. She headed up data-driven content such as regular polls, webinars and whitepapers, including the Local Consumer Review Survey.

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