Plan 8–12 focused hours per week on local SEO, then scale your time with results, competition, and seasonality.
Small businesses ask this all the time because time is money. You don’t need 40 hours a week to move the needle, but you do need steady, focused work. A simple baseline looks like this: a weekly block for Google Business Profile upkeep and reviews, a content slot, a technical pass, and a short analytics check. From there, raise or lower the throttle based on competition and goals.
Time Spent On Local SEO Each Week: A Practical Range
Here’s a workable range for most local firms. Solo operators in quiet niches can start at the low end. Multi-location shops in busy towns should lean higher. New sites or rebrands need an extra setup sprint in month one, then settle into a maintenance cadence.
| Task | Frequency | Typical Time |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile edits, posts, Q&A | Weekly | 60–90 min |
| Review intake & responses | 2–3x weekly | 45–60 min |
| Content work (one helpful page or post) | Weekly | 2–4 hrs |
| On-page cleanups (titles, internal links) | Weekly | 45–60 min |
| Citation checks & local listings | Biweekly | 45–60 min |
| Analytics & call tracking review | Weekly | 30–45 min |
| Link outreach & partnerships | Weekly | 60–90 min |
Why This Range Works For Local Brands
Local visibility lives at the intersection of your website, your Business Profile, and real-world signals. You win by staying accurate, helpful, and active where customers look. Google’s own SEO Starter Guide frames SEO as a steady effort that builds over time. That aligns with a weekly routine rather than random sprints.
Your Business Profile is a major lever. Google explains that complete and up-to-date info, fresh updates, and real reviews feed local visibility. See Google’s help page on how to improve your local ranking for the exact items it expects. That’s why this plan reserves time each week for Profile edits, posts, photos, and replies.
Month-One Setup Vs. Ongoing Maintenance
New sites and messy profiles need an upfront push. Expect a heavier month-one load to set a clean base, then shift into weekly rhythm. Here’s a simple way to split it:
Initial Setup Sprint (Weeks 1–4)
- Claim and verify the Business Profile, fill every field, add categories, hours, services, and high-quality photos.
- Fix name-address-phone consistency across key listings. Pick one canonical format and stick to it.
- Map target pages to search intents in your area (service + city). Draft a content plan for the next 8–12 weeks.
- Baseline the site: titles, meta descriptions, headings, internal links, and page speed checks.
- Set up analytics and call tracking so you can measure calls, forms, and foot traffic signals.
Maintenance Rhythm (Week 5 and Beyond)
- Keep the Profile fresh with posts, offers, and seasonal hours.
- Publish one useful page or post per week or every other week.
- Reply to every review. Ask happy customers for new ones in a steady, natural stream.
- Tune titles, add internal links, and trim thin or overlapping pages.
- Build local links through partners, charities, and events.
How To Budget Time By Competition Level
Not all markets look the same. A small town plumber plays a different game than an injury lawyer in a dense city. Use this ladder to size your weekly effort.
Low Competition
Fewer active rivals. Basic coverage wins. A steady 6–8 hours per week can carry you once the base is set.
Medium Competition
Several active rivals with fresh sites. Aim for 8–12 hours per week with a strong focus on reviews and content that answers local questions.
High Competition
Many active rivals, ads everywhere, and content arms races. Plan 12–20 hours per week for multi-location polish, rich service pages, local PR, and real partnership links.
What To Do During Those Hours
Keep The Business Profile In Shape
Fill every field, add real photos, keep hours tight, post weekly, and use Q&A to pre-answer common questions. Flag and correct edits that users submit. Add services and menus where your category allows.
Publish Helpful, Local Content
Write pages that match customer intent near you: service pages, “service + suburb” pages where it makes sense, and short posts that answer common pre-sale questions. Add pricing context, process steps, and before/after proof where you can.
Tune On-Page Basics
Draft clear titles, compelling meta descriptions, and scannable headings. Use plain phrases that match how customers search. Link between related pages so visitors (and crawlers) find the next step fast.
Earn Reviews The Right Way
Ask after a completed job with a short message and a direct link. Reply to every review. Thank people for praise and address issues with a calm tone and a solution.
Build Local Links
Look to chambers, charities, clubs, suppliers, and neighborhood news sites. Sponsor a small event, share photos, and request a mention with a link to a helpful page.
Measure, Then Adjust
Watch calls, direction requests, message leads, page views, and conversions. Keep a simple weekly log so you can see what moved after a change.
How Long Until You See Movement?
Search visibility grows in waves. Small wins can show in weeks, while harder phrases take longer. New domains and brand-new categories take more patience. Seasonality and local news can swing demand too. Keep the weekly routine and look for signals that compound: better click-through, more calls, and review growth. The steady weekly plan above is built for momentum without burnout.
Sample 90-Day Plan With Time Blocks
Here’s a simple three-month arc that fits a 8–12 hour week. Adjust the dials if you’re in a busier niche or if you’re running a fresh site.
Weeks 1–4
- Finish all Profile fields and verify. Post twice a week. Add 10–15 original photos.
- Fix the top listings. Lock in a single name-address-phone format.
- Publish two core service pages and one location page.
- Set up call tracking and goals. Log baseline numbers.
Weeks 5–8
- Publish 2–3 more service or guide pages. Link them from the home page where it helps.
- Run a light speed pass: image sizes, caching, and lazy load.
- Ask for 5–10 new reviews. Reply to all new reviews within 48 hours.
- Pitch one local partnership or sponsor slot for a link and mention.
Weeks 9–12
- Refresh titles and meta on the first wave of pages based on clicks and calls.
- Post weekly on the Profile with offers or seasonal notes.
- Publish 2 more pages that answer common questions from sales calls.
- Pitch two light PR ideas to neighborhood blogs or trade groups.
When To Add Or Trim Hours
Raise your weekly time if you see flat calls for a month, rivals out-posting you, or new entrants with better pages. Trim hours if leads grow while backlogs form, or after you win the phrases that pay the bills and only need light upkeep. Keep a monthly review to reset time and goals.
Role Split: Owner, Staff, Or Agency
You can split work across people. Owners often handle reviews and final approvals. A trusted staffer can run photos, posts, and basic edits. An outside pro can bring speed on site fixes, content, and link outreach. The weekly budget still lands in the same range; you just divide who does what.
Costs, Tools, And Simple KPIs
You don’t need fancy tools to run this plan. Start with free analytics, call tracking, and your Profile dashboard. Add a rank tracker if you like, but don’t chase vanity charts. Track calls, forms, booked jobs, direction taps, and photo views. Those tell the real story. Keep a light spreadsheet with a weekly row: actions taken, content shipped, reviews gained, calls, and revenue tied to organic leads.
Seasonality And Local Events
Many trades see demand spikes: tax season, lawn care months, wedding season, cold snaps. Shift hours into content and posts a few weeks ahead of each wave. Tie posts to offers with dates. Add fresh photos that match the season.
Quarterly And Annual Tasks
Some jobs don’t need weekly attention. Park them on a longer cycle so your weekly plan stays lean.
| Task | Cadence | Time Per Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Content audit & merge thin pages | Quarterly | 2–4 hrs |
| Speed & Core Web Vitals pass | Quarterly | 1–2 hrs |
| Listings sweep & new directories | Quarterly | 1–2 hrs |
| Photo refresh & short brand video | Quarterly | 1–2 hrs |
| Competitor scan & gap list | Quarterly | 1–2 hrs |
| Tracking, goals, and form testing | Quarterly | 45–60 min |
| Content calendar for seasonal spikes | Annually | 2–3 hrs |
Common Time Sinks To Skip
- Bloated posts with fluff that never lead to a call or a booking.
- Chasing phrases that won’t bring buyers in your area.
- Low-quality links that add risk and no leads.
- Endless design tweaks that slow pages and delay shipping.
Simple Guardrails For Quality
Match the person who will hire you. Plain language. Real photos. Clear next steps. If you cite rules or data, link to a trusted source. The two links above are direct from Google and fit this topic. Keep titles direct. Keep posts lean and helpful. Ship every week.
Your Action Plan
- Pick a weekly budget: 8–12 hours for most single-location shops; more if you’re in a crowded field.
- Block the time on your calendar like any job.
- Follow the weekly table for tasks. Don’t skip reviews or the Profile.
- Ship one helpful page or post each week or every other week.
- Log actions and leads. Raise or trim hours monthly based on results.
With a steady rhythm and clean priorities, local search becomes a habit that feeds the business. The hours pay back in calls, bookings, and walk-ins you can track.