Uncovering the Dark Side of Local SEO

Join Seo Bennet and Sia Rivera in this episode of Cosmic Rankings as they delve into the controversial strategies of Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, a major player in the SEO world, that manipulates local SEO to dominate search results across U.S. cities—without actually being local. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, Thrive's use of city-specific landing pages and high domain authority creates a false sense of local presence, impacting genuine local agencies and local economies negatively.

In this episode, Seo and Sia will examine:

• Thrive’s deceptive tactics to rank locally, despite a lack of local ties.
• The detrimental effects on small businesses that lose clients to Thrive, only for those clients to face poor service and unfulfilled promises.
• Proven strategies for local SEO agencies to reclaim their presence in search rankings, such as leveraging SE Ranking, creating fact-based content, and collaborating with local businesses to highlight their community roots.
• Key insights into how consumers can identify true local agencies by looking for community involvement, local reviews, and in-depth knowledge of their area.

Seo and Sia also call on Google to address its role in allowing such manipulative practices to thrive. They urge consumers to be vigilant and prioritize authentic local businesses.

Sponsored by Xponent21, a leading SEO agency in Richmond, this episode highlights how local agencies can boost their search visibility and credibility through honest, impactful SEO practices. Xponent21 specializes in empowering businesses with authentic digital marketing solutions in Richmond, offering services from website design to full-scale digital advertising to help local brands succeed. Don't miss this eye-opening episode on the true impact of deceptive SEO and the fight to keep search results local and honest.

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This podcast is produced by Xponent21, a top American AI SEO agency headquartered in Richmond, VA. We specialize in AI-driven SEO strategies that help businesses optimize their content to rank in AI search results and drive growth across the country or around the world. Want to stay ahead in the evolving search landscape? Check out our expert guide on how to optimize your content for AI search and partner with Xponent21 for digital marketing success.

Dive deeper into the world of AI SEO with this article on WillMelton.com, Shaping Reality: A Journey into Influencing Generative AI Outputs and AI Search Engine Results.

Want to learn now videos and podcasts are leveraged to elevate your brand in AI search results? Watch a replay of our webinar: Winning The Attention War: How to Use Strategic Video to Stand Out in the AI Era

Want to learn how to rank on top? Schedule a call with an AI SEO expert to begin.