SEO Free course · Certificate included
Local SEO & Google Business Profile
Get found by nearby customers: profile optimisation, reviews, citations, local pages, AI-era visibility and tracking
- Beginner
- 6 h 35 min
- 17 lessons in 7 modules
- 2 h 17 min of video lectures
- Updated Sep 2026
About this course
When people search "dentist near me", "AC repair Dubai" or "best karahi in Lahore" — or ask an AI assistant the same question — the businesses that appear win calls, visits and bookings. This practical course shows business owners, marketers and agency staff how local search really works in 2026 and how to compete within Google's rules.
You will learn Google's stated local factors (relevance, distance and prominence), how AI Overviews, AI Mode and Maps' AI features use your information, and how to set up, verify and protect a Google Business Profile. You will score a profile with a hands-on checklist, run a policy-compliant review system (including the latest rules on incentives, staff names and kiosks), turn reviews into insights, fix citations, build local pages that are not doorways, earn local links, and handle suspensions and competitor spam.
Finally, you will measure with grid tracking, Search Console, Business Profile data, GA4, Python and Sheets, and run a full audit with a 90-day plan. Examples come from the UK, US, UAE, KSA and Pakistan.
Tools you’ll use
- Google Business Profile
- Google Maps
- Google Search Console
- Search Console API
- Business Profile Performance API
- GA4
- Apple Business Connect
- Bing Places
- BrightLocal
- Google Sheets
- Python
- pandas
- Looker Studio
- Gemini
Skills
- Local SEO
- Google Business Profile
- Review management
- Citation building
- Local link building
- Local rank tracking
- Local AI visibility
- Local SEO analytics
What you’ll be able to do
- Explain how relevance, distance and prominence shape local results and how AI features use your information
- Set up, verify, score and protect a Google Business Profile within Google's guidelines
- Optimise categories, services, attributes, hours, photos, posts and tracking links
- Run a policy-compliant review programme, respond well and turn reviews into operational insights
- Build consistent citations and local pages that avoid doorway abuse, and earn local links
- Handle suspensions, appeals and competitor spam with evidence
- Measure local visibility and actions with grid tracking, Search Console, GBP data, GA4 and a full audit
Curriculum
Syllabus
- Modules
- 7
- Lessons
- 17
- Reading time
- 3.5 h
- Assessment questions
- 30
Understand how Google ranks local results, and set up and verify a Google Business Profile correctly from day one.
- How local search worksVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Local search in the AI era: AI Overviews, AI Mode and MapsVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Setting up and verifying your Google Business ProfileVideo lecture, 8′Video · 13 min
Choose categories strategically, complete services and attributes, and manage photos, posts, products and hours as ongoing work.
- Categories, services and attributesVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Photos, posts and ongoing profile managementVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Hands-on: the GBP optimisation checklist and scoring sheetVideo lecture, 8′13 min
Generate a steady flow of genuine reviews within Google's policies, respond well, and deal with fake or abusive reviews.
- Earning reviews the policy-compliant wayVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Responding to reviews and dealing with fake onesVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Hands-on: turning reviews into insights and operationsVideo lecture, 8′13 min
Understand why profiles get restricted or suspended, how to appeal with evidence, and how to deal with competitors who break the rules.
- Suspensions, restrictions, appeals and fighting local spamVideo lecture, 9′13 min
Make your business information consistent across the web, and build local pages that are genuinely useful rather than doorways.
- Citations and NAP consistencyVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Local landing pages that aren't doorwaysVideo lecture, 8′13 min
Earn local prominence through community links, and manage the extra complexity of multi-location brands and service-area businesses.
- Local link buildingVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Multi-location and service-area businessesVideo lecture, 8′13 min
Measure local visibility realistically with grid tracking and business metrics, and run a complete local SEO audit.
- Local rank tracking and reportingVideo lecture, 8′12 min
- Hands-on: local performance data with Search Console, GBP data, Python and SheetsVideo lecture, 8′14 min
- Local SEO audit and 90-day action planVideo lecture, 8′13 min
- Final assessment
Your certificate
Finish with a credential anyone can check
Earn the Certified Local SEO Specialist badge: The holder can set up, score and protect Google Business Profiles within Google's guidelines, run compliant review programmes and turn reviews into insights, build consistent citations and useful local pages, earn local links, manage multi-location and service-area businesses, handle suspensions and spam, and measure local and AI-era visibility with real business metrics.
Completed all lessons and scored ≥ 80% on the final assessment.
- A public verification page
- A PDF certificate to download
- An Open Badge you can share
- One click to your LinkedIn profile
Final assessment
- 30questions drawn from a larger pool
- 45 mintime limit
- 80%pass mark
- 3attempts per 24 hours
Start learning today. It’s free.
Every lesson is free to read. A free account saves your progress, unlocks the final assessment and issues your certificate.