Like asking ChatGPT, but much slower
Ask the SEO Wizard
Questions about getting found on Google, Google Maps, and ChatGPT, answered in plain language.
The Wizard is me, Chris Bolton. I have done SEO for twenty years. The robe is optional.
The Wizard has answered
- Dear O Mighty SEO Wizard,We're moving our clinic to a busier area. How do we get found there?— a co-owner of a dental hygiene clinic in Beaverton, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessThe most important thing: move your Google Business Profile. Don't create a new one. Update the address on the profile you already have so you keep every review you've earned. Creating a fresh listing throws all of…Read the answer →
- Most Illuminated Oracle of the Search Results,My restaurant has never spent a dollar on marketing. Where do I start?— an owner of a restaurant in Happy Valley, adapted from a question on r/restaurantownersFirst, three years with no marketing means people like your food and tell their friends. That's the hard part, and you've already done it.Read the answer →
- Dear O Mighty SEO Wizard (please hurry),Google suspended my auto body shop's profile. What now?— an owner of an auto body shop in Milwaukie, adapted from a question on r/localseoYou're reading the situation right. Customers bring cars to you, so you're a storefront, and switching to a service-area business to dodge the signage rule would just get you suspended again.Read the answer →
- Great and Glorious Keeper of the Map Pack,Will hiding my address help me rank in more towns?— an owner of a handyman business in Tigard, adapted from a question on r/localseoYou should hide it, but not for the reason you think.Read the answer →
- Dear O Mighty SEO Wizard,A job candidate I turned down left a bad review. Can I remove it?— an owner of a bakery in Sellwood, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessMaybe. This is one of the few cases where removal has a real chance.Read the answer →
- Great and Glorious Keeper of the Map Pack,I only have a Facebook page. Website or Google profile first?— an owner of a junk removal business in Vancouver, WA, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessGoogle Business Profile first. Easy call.Read the answer →
- Kind and Patient Wizard of Second Chances,I bought a store with terrible Google reviews. How do I recover?— an owner of a franchise store in Hillsboro, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessYou can't delete the old reviews. Real reviews of real experiences stay up, even if the people behind them are gone. But you can bury them, and faster than you'd think.Read the answer →
- Most Illuminated Oracle of the Search Results,Customers review us in our booking app but won't touch Google. Why?— an owner of an appointment-based business in NE Portland, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessYou found the real problem. Leaving a Google review means being signed in to Google, and every extra step loses people. A tap that opens a login screen loses almost everyone.Read the answer →
- Esteemed Wizard of the Search Box,Do I need a Google Business Profile if I work from home?— an owner of a finance consulting practice in Lake Oswego, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessMaybe not. And that surprises people.Read the answer →
- Dear O Mighty SEO Wizard,Google's AI summary of my business quotes one old bad review. Help?— a founder of a B2B software company in Beaverton, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessYou can't edit an AI Overview directly. But you can change what it has to work with, and you're in a better spot than most, because the person who wrote that review still works with you.Read the answer →
- Dear O Mighty SEO Wizard,Is $3,500 a month for local SEO worth it for a plumber?— an owner of a plumbing business in Gresham, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessSEO services range from $1k to $10k a month in the U.S. I do not recommend paying less than $1k. I've never seen that work out well. I would enroll in an SEO class instead.Read the answer →
- Wise and Mysterious Wizard of the Machines,Why does ChatGPT recommend my competitors and never me?— an owner of an app design studio in Portland, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessWell, first, you have to run an LLM hundreds of times before you start getting repeat answers, so unless you are using an AI tracking tool to measure, your data is likely suspect.Read the answer →
- Most Illuminated Oracle of the Search Results,We spent $17,000 on SEO and can't tell if it worked. Is that normal?— a co-owner of a family business in North Portland, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessIt's common. It shouldn't be normal.Read the answer →
- Great and Glorious Keeper of the Map Pack,How does a rival with two reviews and a fake address beat me on Maps?— an owner of a roofing company in Gresham, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessThis can be frustrating. Google is far from perfect at recognizing the best result for a given search. I won't be able to tell you exactly why this is happening without more detail, but I can tell you about some…Read the answer →
- Wizard Who Champions the Little Guy,How does a small shop outrank the big chains on Google?— an owner of a tech refurbishing shop in SE Portland, adapted from a question on r/smallbusinessDon't fight them head on. You'll lose the broad searches, like "laptop store," for a long time. Chains have years of links, brand searches, and budget. That's fine. You don't need those searches.Read the answer →