Local SEO starts with claiming and fully optimizing your Google Business Profile. Fill every field—categories, services, hours, attributes, photos. Post weekly updates. This single asset controls your map pack visibility, which typically gets more clicks than organic results for "near me" and city-name queries. We see GBP-optimized clients in Ottawa rank in the 3-pack within 4-8 weeks if competition is moderate. Next, build citation consistency. Your business name, address, and phone number must match exactly across directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps, and industry-specific platforms. Even small discrepancies ("Street" vs "St.") confuse Google's entity matching. Audit your existing citations with tools like BrightLocal or Moz Local, then correct or build missing ones. Prioritize Canadian directories—Canada411, Yelp.ca, BBB Canada. Reviews directly impact rankings and click-through. Aim for 5-10 new Google reviews monthly. Respond to all reviews within 48 hours, especially negatives. Never incentivize or buy reviews—Google's algorithms detect patterns and will penalize you. On-site, create location pages if you serve multiple cities. Each needs unique content—mention neighborhoods, landmarks, local testimonials. Embed a Google Map. Use schema markup (LocalBusiness type) so Google understands your service areas and contact info programmatically. Backlinks from local sources signal relevance. Sponsor a community event and get linked from the organizer's site. Join the local chamber of commerce. Get featured in Ottawa Business Journal or city blogs. One link from a .ca domain with local authority often outweighs five generic directory links. Track rankings for "service + city" terms in Google Search Console and monitor GBP insights for search queries and actions. If you're not in the 3-pack after 90 days, audit review velocity, citation accuracy, and whether competitors have stronger signals. Local SEO is a grind—it rewards consistency over shortcuts.