Our Editorial Mission
Local search changes fast. Google updates the map pack algorithm constantly. Most online advice trails months behind actual operational reality.
Bad advice costs you leads.
We built this editorial policy to define exactly how we source, verify, and publish content on portlandlocalseo.com. You need signal. We cut the noise. Our mission is simple. We test local SEO tactics on actual campaigns, document the friction, and publish the exact steps that move the needle in the map pack.
We do not publish theory. We do not rewrite Google press releases. We share operational reality from the trenches of Portland local search.
How We Choose Topics
We choose topics based on actual client friction. When three different HVAC contractors ask us why their Google Business Profile suspended after a simple address update, we write about it. We monitor search data across Multnomah County. We look for blind spots in existing local SEO advice.
You will not find articles here about global ecommerce link building. We ignore broad, generic SEO topics. We cover proximity signals, review velocity, NAP consistency. We cover what gets the phone ringing for local service businesses.
Research and Fact Verification Standards
We verify every claim before hitting publish. Google documentation provides the baseline. Actual testing provides the truth. We run tests across our own portfolio of local assets before recommending any tactic to you.
We compare ranking fluctuations with data from Whitespark and BrightLocal. We reject unverified algorithm rumors. If a new map pack feature rolls out, we test it for 90 days. We measure the actual impact on call volume. We publish the results.
Zero shortcuts. Real data. Absolute transparency.
Corrections Policy
We get things wrong sometimes. Google updates the rules without warning. When our published advice becomes outdated or incorrect, we fix it fast.
You can email our editorial team directly at [email protected]. We review all correction requests within 48 hours. If we verify an error, we update the page immediately. We add a visible correction notice at the top of the article. We detail exactly what changed and when.
Accountability matters.
Commercial Relationships and Independence
We run a local SEO agency. We sell local SEO services. Our content often demonstrates the exact methodologies we use for our paying clients. We also recommend specific software tools we use daily.
Sometimes we use affiliate links for tools like CallRail or Whitespark. We earn a small commission if you buy through those links. This never dictates our editorial direction. We recommend these tools because they survive our daily operational grind.
We rejected dozens of alternatives before settling on our current stack. No software company can buy a positive review on this site.
Editorial Independence
Our editorial team operates independently from our client sales pipeline. Advertisers do not dictate our content calendar. We write about the hard truths of local search. Sometimes that means telling you a popular tactic is a waste of time.
We protect our editorial integrity fiercely. Nobody outside our core team edits our posts.
We read it. We tested it. We published it.
Content Updates and Freshness
Stale SEO advice is dangerous. A tactic that worked last spring will get your profile suspended today.
We audit our entire content library quarterly. We check every guide against current Google Business Profile guidelines. We update screenshots. We verify that recommended tools still exist and perform well.
We stamp every article with a published date and a last updated date. If a strategy dies, we archive the post or rewrite it with a massive warning label.
We keep your local search strategy in high resolution.