Buyer’s directory · evidence graded

Best Local SEO Consultants in 2026

Local search has a different evidence base from SaaS or enterprise SEO. These rankings favour local-search depth, multi-location experience and documented expertise around Google Business Profiles.

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RANKED FOR THIS CATEGORY

22 consultants matched

Reviewed September 11, 2026

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Fredrick Eghosa

SEO and digital-marketing strategist

Evidence C

Best for: Nigerian local-service businesses, healthcare practices and practitioners seeking practical SEO training

Technical SEOLocal searchContent strategySEO training

LocationLagos, Nigeria

2026 activityA May 2025 Instagram result describes his use of AI prompts in working SEO practice. Current indexed evidence remains mostly social rather than case-study based.

Clients & collaboratorsNo current named-client roster was independently verified.

Credentials & productsPractical publishing and training. No formal certification was independently verified. Course, training or education offer.

Experience & resultsPractical publishing and training. No formal certification was independently verified. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofPublic Instagram and LinkedIn activity exists. Reliable follower totals were not captured.

Main buying checkVerify years of experience, official LinkedIn identity, case-study metrics and client permission before publishing a recommendation.

What people sayNo defensible independent review pattern was established. Request two recent, comparable client references before making a service-quality claim.Separate from the 4/5 editorial fit score

Category score81/100

Pricing$500-$3,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4/5

Official site

Oyejobi Adeola

SEO agency founder and digital-marketing educator

Evidence C

Best for: Nigerian businesses needing SEO delivery, local visibility and team training

Nigeria SEO marketAgency leadershipDigital-marketing trainingSmall-business visibility

LocationNigeria

2026 activityThe current agency biography reports more than 10 years of experience and ongoing leadership of both businesses.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with the NiveDigital agency team; current named clients were not verified in this pass.

Credentials & productsAgency founder and lead trainer; awards are claimed by the official site but require independent validation. Course, training or education offer; Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsAgency founder and lead trainer; awards are claimed by the official site but require independent validation. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofEstablished Nigerian agency and training platform; follower count not captured.

Main buying checkClient outcomes and awards should be supported with dated third-party or case-study evidence before publication.

Category score80/100

Pricing$2,000-$9,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆4/5

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Joy Hawkins

Local SEO consultant and agency founder

Evidence C

Best for: Google Business Profile problems, local ranking, suspensions and multi-location local SEO

Local SEOEnterprise SEOFounder of Sterling Sky

LocationOntario, Canada

2026 activityIn 2025 Sterling Sky acquired Ranking Academy; in 2026 Joy leads local-search testing, client work and education.

Clients & collaboratorsSterling Sky publishes case studies across legal, home services and healthcare; Luc Durand and Darren Shaw are recent public collaborators.

Credentials & productsGoogle Product Expert, Local Search Forum leader, conference speaker and agency founder. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsGoogle Product Expert, Local Search Forum leader, conference speaker and agency founder. Sterling Sky publishes case studies across legal, home services and healthcare; Luc Durand and Darren Shaw are recent public collaborators. Large local-SEO following and agency review footprint; exact personal follower count not captured. Treat outcome claims as first-party unless the source is independent.

Social proofLarge local-SEO following and agency review footprint; exact personal follower count not captured.

Main buying checkSterling Sky client results are agency-level. Confirm the assigned strategist and whether Joy participates directly.

Category score78/100

Pricing$10,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

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Darren Shaw

Local SEO consultant and software founder

Evidence C

Best for: Local SEO, citations, Google Business Profiles and local ranking research

Local SEOEnterprise SEOFounder of Whitespark

LocationEdmonton, Canada

2026 activityThe 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors survey included 47 experts and 187 factors across four areas including AI search.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with Whitespark staff and local-search contributors including Joy Hawkins, Claire Carlile and Krystal Taing.

Credentials & productsCreator of an influential recurring industry survey, speaker and local-search software founder. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsCreator of an influential recurring industry survey, speaker and local-search software founder. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofAbout 38,000 LinkedIn followers at the research date.

Main buying checkThe ranking-factor survey records expert opinion, not a controlled ranking experiment. Use it as prioritization evidence.

What people sayAbout 38,000 LinkedIn followers at the research date. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 3.9/5 editorial fit score

Category score78/100

Pricing$12,000-$40,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

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Greg Gifford

Local SEO consultant and industry speaker

Evidence C

Best for: Automotive, multi-location and practical local SEO training

Local SEOEnterprise SEOLongstanding local-search speaker with automotive specialism

LocationTexas, United States

2026 activityIn 2026 he remains active in local-search events and practitioner discussions.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with SearchLab teams and local-search peers; current account names were not verified.

Credentials & productsInternational keynote speaker and long-running local SEO operator. No separate book, course or product was documented in this pass.

Experience & resultsInternational keynote speaker and long-running local SEO operator. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofLarge conference following; exact social count not captured.

Main buying checkConfirm his current title and direct account involvement because senior agency roles can change.

What people sayLarge conference following; exact social count not captured. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 3.9/5 editorial fit score

Category score78/100

Pricing$3,000-$10,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

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Amanda Jordan

Local SEO strategy consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Local SEO, multi-location strategy and aligning reputation, content and broader marketing

Local SEOContent SEOLocal-search strategist at RicketyRoo and industry educator

LocationUnited States · Remote

2026 activityIn 2026 she continues client strategy, Moz education and local-search speaking.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with RicketyRoo clients and collaborates publicly with Moz and local-search experts.

Credentials & productsSenior agency strategy role and recognized local-search educator. No separate book, course or product was documented in this pass.

Experience & resultsSenior agency strategy role and recognized local-search educator. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofStrong specialist audience; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkHer remit is broader than Google Business Profile tactics. Confirm whether your need is strategy, execution or both.

What people sayStrong specialist audience; exact follower count not captured. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 3.9/5 editorial fit score

Category score78/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

Official site

Ben Fisher

Google Business Profile and local SEO consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Google Business Profile suspensions, reinstatement, spam and multi-location operations

Local SEOEnterprise SEOGoogle Business Profile product expert and Steady Demand founder

LocationUnited States · Remote

2026 activityIn 2026 he continues developing local-search tools and advising on suspension risk and profile governance.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with Steady Demand clients and peers including Colan Nielsen and Sterling Sky practitioners.

Credentials & productsGoogle Business Profile Product Expert, speaker and specialist tool builder. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsGoogle Business Profile Product Expert, speaker and specialist tool builder. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofRecognized within the local-search community; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkGoogle Product Expert status is a community role, not employment by Google or guaranteed reinstatement access.

Category score78/100

Pricing$8,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

Official site

Sherry Bonelli

Local SEO and Google Business Profile consultant

Evidence C

Best for: Small businesses needing Google Business Profile, reviews and practical local SEO

Local SEOContent SEOGoogle Business Profile product expert and local-search educator

LocationIowa, United States

2026 activityHer 2026 work continues to focus on Google Business Profile changes, reviews and local visibility.

Clients & collaboratorsCurrent named clients are not broadly public; visible collaborations include Search Engine Land and local-search platforms.

Credentials & productsGoogle Business Profile Product Expert, columnist and conference presenter. Course, training or education offer.

Experience & resultsGoogle Business Profile Product Expert, columnist and conference presenter. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofEstablished local-search readership; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkBest suited to local and small-business needs rather than enterprise technical architecture.

Category score78/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

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Colan Nielsen

Local SEO strategist

Evidence C

Best for: Google Business Profile, local SEO, sales-led discovery and professional-services firms

Local SEOSenior local-search practitioner at Sterling Sky

LocationOntario, Canada

2026 activityIn 2026 he is publishing about review incentives, suspensions and treating search as a compounding asset.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with Sterling Sky clients and leaders including Joy Hawkins; current client-specific involvement is not public.

Credentials & productsGoogle Product Expert, keynote speaker and senior local-search operator. No separate book, course or product was documented in this pass.

Experience & resultsGoogle Product Expert, keynote speaker and senior local-search operator. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofAbout 2,100 LinkedIn followers at the research date.

Main buying checkHis sales and leadership responsibilities may mean account delivery comes from another Sterling Sky strategist.

What people sayAbout 2,100 LinkedIn followers at the research date. This demonstrates visibility and peer recognition, not client satisfaction or delivery quality.Separate from the 3.9/5 editorial fit score

Category score78/100

Pricing$6,000-$18,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

#10

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Claire Carlile

Local SEO consultant and trainer

Evidence C

Best for: Google Business Profile, reviews, local content and small multi-location brands

Local SEOContent SEOIndependent local-search consultant and educator

LocationWales, United Kingdom

2026 activityIn 2026 she continues local-search research and public analysis with Darren Shaw and other practitioners.

Clients & collaboratorsPublic collaborations include Whitespark and BrightLocal; client identities are usually private.

Credentials & productsExperienced trainer, writer and local-search conference speaker. Course, training or education offer.

Experience & resultsExperienced trainer, writer and local-search conference speaker. Authority and current role are supported, but a buyer should still request a comparable case study with dates and measurement scope.

Social proofEstablished specialist following; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkCurrent commercial availability and delivery capacity should be confirmed directly.

Category score78/100

Pricing$8,000-$30,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

#11

Official site

Carrie Hill

Local SEO consultant and community educator

Evidence C

Best for: Small businesses, tourism, local content and Google Business Profile strategy

Local SEOContent SEOLongtime local-search practitioner and LocalU contributor

LocationUnited States · Remote

2026 activityCurrent work remains focused on practical local-search education and client strategy.

Clients & collaboratorsWorks with local businesses and industry educators; no current named-client roster was verified.

Credentials & productsLong-running LocalU faculty member and conference presenter. Course, training or education offer.

Experience & resultsLong-running LocalU faculty member and conference presenter. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofRecognized within the local-search community; exact follower count not captured.

Main buying checkPublic evidence is stronger for education than for recent named case studies; request a comparable client example.

Category score78/100

Pricing$3,000-$10,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

#12

Official site

Jason Brown

Local SEO and review-spam specialist

Evidence C

Best for: Brands, agencies and local-search teams dealing with Google Business Profile spam, fake reviews or listing abuse

Local SEOLocal-search practitioner known for review-spam research

LocationUnited States · Remote

2026 activityA 2026 practitioner interview identifies him as the founder of Review Fraud, a former platinum Google Business Profile Product Expert and BrightLocal's resident spam specialist.

Clients & collaboratorsPublic work centers on BrightLocal education and the Review Fraud project. No current named consulting-client roster was verified.

Credentials & productsFormer platinum Google Business Profile Product Expert status and specialist interview record. Tool, platform, newsletter or owned product.

Experience & resultsFormer platinum Google Business Profile Product Expert status and specialist interview record. No comparable current case study with baseline, intervention, timeframe and attribution was publicly established.

Social proofStrong niche recognition in local SEO. A reliable current personal follower count was not captured.

Main buying checkSeveral unrelated professionals share his name. Use the Review Fraud and local-search identifiers in the page title and confirm the current contracting route.

What people sayLocal-search interviews describe him as a specialist in spam and review abuse. That establishes niche reputation, not a broad independent client-review pattern.Separate from the 3.9/5 editorial fit score

Category score78/100

Pricing$3,000-$10,000/month · estimated

Editorial fit★★★★☆3.9/5

Independent matching

Not sure who fits? Send the brief.

I’ll review your company, problem and budget, then send a focused shortlist. No pay-to-rank placements and no generic agency spreadsheet.

What you get2–3 relevant optionsTrade-offs explainedA direct recommendation

Methodology

A ranking should explain its judgment.

Scores are a starting point, not a substitute for fit. Each category changes the weighting so a technical-recovery specialist is not judged like a SaaS growth lead.

35%

Public evidence

Documented roles, case studies, specialist work and verifiable results, not follower count.

30%

Problem fit

How closely the consultant's visible specialism matches the company, problem and intended outcome.

20%

Delivery fit

Whether the buyer needs an audit, advisory, fractional ownership or hands-on execution.

15%

Consensus

Repeated inclusion in current expert comparisons, discounted when a source ranks its own publisher.

Strong public record

Official evidence plus multiple relevant third-party sources or attributable results.

Supported profile

Official evidence plus at least one meaningful corroborating source.

Provisional profile

Identity and specialism are visible, but independent results or reviews remain limited.

Score and publisher disclosure

Dan Akeju created this directory and is included in it. No consultant paid for placement. The 5-point directory assessment is the editorial score divided by 20. Credentials, results, reviews and testimonials receive evidence-coverage scores based on attributable public sourcing. These are not customer ratings or invented outcomes. Age receives 0/100 when no reliable public source exists and is never estimated.

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