TL;DR
Yext analyzed 8.7 million Google search results across 6 industries and 4 regions to uncover what actually drives local search visibility. Key findings:
- One universal truth: Active review engagement is the most powerful ranking signal everywhere
- The industry trap: What works for restaurants can hurt hotels—hospitality businesses with more photos actually ranked lower
- Regional differences matter: Northeast markets ignore traditional SEO signals that dominate in the South and West
- Response time varies: Slow responses kill rankings in the South/West but matter less in the Northeast
- The big mistake: Following generic "best practices" instead of industry and location-specific strategies
Bottom line: Stop following generic SEO advice. Your local business needs a strategy tailored to your specific industry and geographic market.
You've read the blog posts. You've followed the "best practices." You've checked every box on the local SEO checklist.
So why is your competitor with a mediocre Google Business Profile outranking you?
Because those best practices were never designed for your specific business.
The Myth of Universal Best Practices
Yext's research team analyzed 8.7 million Google search results, examining over 200 structured data points per business location across 6 industries and 4 U.S. Census regions.
The research scope:
- 6 industry categories: Food & Dining, Healthcare, Retail, Financial Services, Hospitality, and Miscellaneous Services
- 4 Census regions: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West
- 2,500 ZIP codes: The most populous markets across the United States
- 100+ keywords: Industry-specific search terms representing real customer queries
- 3,000+ Primary Categories: Covering the full spectrum of local business types
The analytical rigor: The researchers didn't just count correlations. They used logarithmic scaling for count variables, power transformations for skewed distributions, and calculated separate correlations for each region-industry combination. This level of statistical sophistication means the findings aren't just observations—they're statistically significant patterns that hold up across massive sample sizes.
Their conclusion shattered conventional wisdom: there is no one-size-fits-all local SEO strategy.
The "best practices" recommended by most digital marketing guides are based on averages—watered down to apply broadly but optimized for no one. Following them puts you squarely in the middle of the pack, competing with everyone else doing the exact same thing.
But the businesses dominating local search? They're playing a different game entirely.
The One Thing That Works Everywhere
Before we dive into the differences, here's the universal truth that emerged from 8.7 million search results:
Active review management is the most powerful ranking signal across every industry and region studied.
After analyzing over 200 structured data points per business location across 2,500 of the most populous ZIP codes in America, Yext's researchers found one consistent pattern that transcended all geographic and industry boundaries: businesses with strong, active review engagement dominated local search results.
But here's the critical distinction: not just having reviews. Not just having good reviews. Active engagement with reviews:
High volume of positive reviews: The data showed correlation between review volume and rankings, but with an important caveat—volume alone isn't enough. The reviews need to maintain high ratings (4+ stars).
Recent reviews: Particularly important in food/dining, but relevant across all industries. Google's algorithm can identify review recency patterns and weights recent feedback more heavily. A business that hasn't received a review in months sends a negative signal.
Prompt owner responses to both positive and negative reviews: The research identified response rate and response speed as distinct ranking factors. Businesses that respond to every review (or close to it) consistently outranked competitors with similar review volumes but lower response rates.
Consistent flow of new reviews over time: The pattern matters as much as the total count. Businesses with steady review generation (even if modest) outperformed businesses with sporadic bursts of reviews followed by long quiet periods. Google recognizes authentic, ongoing customer engagement.
What most businesses get wrong: They treat reviews as passive accumulation—something that just happens over time. The data reveals that's a fundamental misunderstanding. Reviews are an active ranking signal that requires systematic management.
This isn't surprising to most business owners—you already know reviews matter. But here's what the research reveals that most miss: the way reviews impact rankings varies dramatically by industry and location.
When Best Practices Backfire: The Hospitality Photo Paradox
Here's where it gets interesting—and where following generic advice can actually hurt you.
Conventional wisdom: Add as many photos as possible to your Google Business Profile. More photos = better engagement = higher rankings.
The reality for hospitality businesses: Yext's data showed a negative correlation between photo quantity and rankings in the hospitality industry.
Hotels and vacation rentals with tons of photos actually ranked lower than competitors with fewer, more curated images.
Why? The research suggests that in hospitality, quality and curation matter more than volume. Potential guests want to see specific, professional images that answer their key questions—not every angle of every amenity.
Meanwhile, that same "add more photos" advice might work perfectly for a local restaurant or retail shop where variety and authenticity drive trust.
The lesson: What's "best practice" for one industry can be actively harmful for another.
Regional Differences: Why Your Location Changes Everything
If you thought industry variations were significant, wait until you see how dramatically local SEO effectiveness changes by region.
Northeast Markets: The SEO Contrarians
Businesses in the Northeast (New York, Pennsylvania, New England, etc.) showed significantly less responsiveness to traditional SEO signals that dominate elsewhere.
The research team analyzed the data across all four U.S. Census regions and found that Northeastern markets behaved fundamentally differently. Technical optimization factors that showed strong correlation with rankings in the South, West, and Midwest showed weak or no correlation in the Northeast.
Why this might be happening: The researchers speculate that Northeast markets have higher baseline competition and more established businesses, creating different algorithmic weightings. In mature, highly competitive markets, Google may rely more heavily on user engagement signals (clicks, time on site, return visits) than on profile optimization factors.
Translation for small business owners: If you're in Boston, New York, or Philadelphia, obsessing over technical SEO factors that work in Dallas might be wasting your time and budget. Focus instead on the factors that create actual customer engagement: reputation, reviews, and real-world visibility.
The practical difference: A Brooklyn restaurant shouldn't necessarily follow the same optimization playbook as a comparable restaurant in Austin, even though both are serving similar customers in similar markets.
South and West: Speed and Engagement Rule
In Southern and Western markets, Google's algorithm showed much higher sensitivity to:
- Response time to customer reviews
- Engagement speed with customer questions
- Timely updates to business information
The research specifically noted that businesses in these regions face ranking penalties for slow response times that don't apply as heavily in Northeastern markets.
The Midwest finding: The study highlighted that Midwestern businesses risk losing weekend visibility by delaying responses. A review left Friday afternoon that doesn't get a response until Monday could cost you the crucial weekend search traffic.
Translation: If you're running a Phoenix bakery or an Atlanta salon, slow responses to reviews could be killing your rankings—even if everything else is perfect. Same applies to businesses across Texas, California, the Mountain States, and Midwest.
Why geography changes algorithms: Google likely adapts its ranking factors based on user behavior patterns in different regions. If users in Southern and Western markets show higher sensitivity to business responsiveness (perhaps due to cultural expectations or competitive dynamics), Google's algorithm will weight that factor more heavily.
Industry-Specific Insights: What Actually Works for Your Business
Let's break down what the research revealed for specific industries:
Food and Dining: Recency Over Volume
Restaurants, cafes, and food businesses showed the highest sensitivity to recent, high-rated reviews.
The research revealed that Google's algorithm for food and dining weighs review freshness more heavily than in any other category. A restaurant with 50 reviews, 20 of them from the last month averaging 4.8 stars, will outrank a competitor with 200 older reviews averaging 4.5 stars.
Why this matters: The dining landscape changes constantly—new chefs, menu updates, seasonal variations. Google knows that a three-year-old review of a restaurant tells customers very little about their experience today. Fresh reviews signal that a business is currently active and maintaining quality.
The compound effect: Recent positive reviews also drive more customer traffic, which generates more reviews, creating a virtuous cycle. Restaurants that go weeks without new reviews signal to Google (and potential customers) that something might be wrong.
Action items for food businesses:
- Implement a system to consistently generate fresh reviews (aim for at least 2-4 per week)
- Focus on maintaining high ratings rather than just accumulating volume
- Respond quickly to every review—recency applies to responses too
- Train staff to request reviews immediately after positive dining experiences
- Use table tents, receipts, or follow-up texts to make review requests easy
Hospitality: Clarity and Curation Win
This is where the research revealed one of its most counterintuitive findings: hotels and vacation rentals with more photos actually ranked lower than competitors with fewer, more carefully curated images.
This negative correlation flies in the face of conventional SEO wisdom, but makes perfect sense when you understand guest psychology. Travelers making accommodation decisions need specific information answered quickly:
- What does the room actually look like?
- How clean is it?
- What's the view?
- Are the amenities modern?
A profile with 200 mediocre photos creates decision fatigue and erodes trust. A profile with 15-20 professional, well-composed images that answer key questions builds confidence.
What hospitality businesses actually need:
- Clear, specific business descriptions that address common guest concerns
- Curated, professional photography focused on quality over quantity
- Comprehensive amenity information (WiFi speed, parking, accessibility, etc.)
- Prompt responses to questions and reviews (especially important for booking confidence)
The trust factor: In hospitality more than any other industry, potential customers are making high-stakes decisions. They're committing to spend a night (or several) in your property. Visual clutter and information overload undermine the trust necessary to make that commitment.
Action items for hospitality:
- Audit your current photos and remove any that are poorly lit, low quality, or redundant
- Invest in professional photography of your 10-15 best features
- Write detailed descriptions that proactively answer the questions guests ask most
- Ensure your amenity list is complete and accurate
- Monitor and respond to questions within hours, not days
Professional Services: Trust Signals Dominate
Professional services face a unique challenge: potential clients are often making decisions that could significantly impact their finances, health, or legal standing. The research found that for lawyers, accountants, consultants, and similar businesses, traditional SEO signals take a backseat to credibility and trust markers.
What matters most for professional services:
Detailed service descriptions: Generic listings like "family law attorney" underperform compared to specific descriptions: "family law attorney specializing in uncontested divorces, child custody agreements, and parenting plan modifications in King County."
Professional credentials and certifications: The research showed that profiles highlighting specific credentials, board certifications, years of experience, and professional associations ranked significantly higher. These aren't just vanity metrics—they're the trust signals that help potential clients choose between otherwise similar providers.
Review content quality over quantity: A professional service with 15 detailed, thoughtful reviews that mention specific services and outcomes will outrank a competitor with 50 generic "great service!" reviews. Google's algorithm can parse review content and understands that substantive reviews carry more weight for high-stakes decisions.
Perfect NAP consistency: Professional services showed higher sensitivity to inconsistent Name, Address, Phone information across directories than any other category. Even small discrepancies (Suite 100 vs. Ste 100) can dilute your search authority.
Action items for professional services:
- Rewrite your business description to be specific about your specializations and service area
- Showcase credentials prominently: degrees, certifications, bar admissions, board memberships
- Encourage detailed reviews by asking clients to mention the specific service or problem you solved
- Audit every directory listing to ensure perfect NAP consistency
- Add service-specific pages or content to your Google Business Profile
- Respond professionally to all reviews—your responses are trust signals too
The Comprehensive Profile: Still Essential Everywhere
While specifics vary, one factor remained important across all industries and regions: profile completeness.
Businesses with comprehensive Google Business Profiles consistently outranked competitors with sparse information—but what "comprehensive" means varies.
For restaurants: Menus, hours (including holidays), popular dishes, dietary options, parking info
For retail: Product categories, brands carried, price range, accessibility features, parking
For services: Service list, pricing indicators, areas served, credentials, booking options
The key insight: Don't just fill out every field Google offers. Fill out every field your customers actually care about for your specific business type.
Four Critical Lessons for Small Business Owners
1. Stop Following Generic Advice
That blog post about "10 Local SEO Secrets" written for a national audience? It's probably costing you rankings.
Before implementing any "best practice," ask:
- Is this proven to work for my industry specifically?
- Is this proven to work in my geographic market?
- Is the source citing actual data or just repeating conventional wisdom?
2. Study Your Local Competitors—Not National Examples
The businesses outranking you in local pack results are your best teachers. What are they doing differently?
Don't just look at what they're doing—look at what they're not doing. If the top-ranked hotel in your area has fewer photos than competitors, that's data worth noting.
3. Invest in Active Review Management
This is the one universal finding: active review engagement matters everywhere.
"Active" means:
- Responding to every review within 24-48 hours
- Generating a consistent flow of new reviews (not sporadic campaigns)
- Addressing negative reviews constructively
- Monitoring and responding to questions promptly
Most small businesses treat reviews as a passive marketing channel. The data shows that's a costly mistake.
4. Test and Measure Everything
The research provided industry and regional averages—but your specific situation might differ.
Implement changes methodically:
- Make one significant change at a time
- Wait 2-4 weeks to see ranking impact
- Track not just rankings but actual customer calls/visits
- Double down on what works for your business
The AI Opportunity: Automating What Actually Matters
Here's where this research intersects with the future of local business marketing: AI tools can help you execute industry and region-specific strategies without hiring an agency.
Traditional approach: Pay thousands monthly for generic SEO services that apply the same checklist to every client.
AI-enabled approach: Deploy tools that:
- Help you monitor and track review activity
- Organize systematic review request workflows
- Optimize your profile based on local competitor analysis
- Adjust strategy based on your specific industry and market
The businesses that will dominate local search in the next few years won't be the ones with the biggest marketing budgets—they'll be the ones using AI to execute highly targeted strategies at scale.
Action Plan: Your Industry and Location-Specific Strategy
Let's make this practical. Here's how to apply these insights starting today:
Week 1: Audit and Analyze
- Identify your top 5 local competitors in Google Local Pack
- Document what they're doing differently than you
- Check your own profile completeness for fields that matter in your industry
- Review your current review response rate and speed
Week 2: Implement Quick Wins
- Set up review monitoring and response systems
- Update profile sections that are incomplete for your industry
- If you're in hospitality, audit your photos for quality over quantity
- If you're in food/dining, implement a fresh review generation system
Week 3: Regional Optimization
- Research whether you're in a market sensitive to response speed
- Adjust your review response goals accordingly
- Test different profile optimization approaches based on regional data
- Monitor local competitor changes
Week 4: Measure and Iterate
- Check ranking changes for your key search terms
- Track actual business impact (calls, visits, bookings)
- Identify what worked and what didn't
- Plan your next round of optimizations
The Bottom Line: Context Over Convention
The Yext research confirms what successful local businesses have always known intuitively: your business is unique, and your marketing strategy should be too.
The 8.7 million search results analyzed don't just provide data—they provide permission. Permission to ignore generic advice that doesn't fit your situation. Permission to try strategies that work for your industry even if they contradict "best practices." Permission to focus on what actually drives results rather than checking boxes on someone else's list.
The opportunity: Most of your competitors are still following those generic best practices. They're adding photos because everyone says to add photos. They're responding to reviews slowly because they don't know it matters more in some regions. They're treating all SEO signals equally because they don't know better.
You now know better.
The businesses that will dominate local search aren't the ones with the most resources—they're the ones with the most relevant strategies. Industry-specific. Location-specific. Customer-specific.
That's not just good marketing. That's competitive advantage.
About Kordless
Kordless helps local businesses dominate their local markets with AI-powered tools designed for your specific needs. Our suite includes:
- AI Sales Chat - Convert website visitors 24/7 with intelligent conversations
- Local SEO Services - Industry and location-optimized strategies that actually work
- Professional Websites - Built for local businesses, optimized for local search
- Free CRM - Keep every customer relationship organized and actionable
We believe in strategies tailored to your industry and market—not generic "best practices" that work for no one.
References
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Yext Research - Best Practices Will Only Take You So Far: Benchmarking Local SEO Across Industries and Regions
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Google Business Profile Guidelines - Google Business Profile Help
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Local Search Ranking Factors - Moz Local Search Ranking Factors