BrightonSEO
Local SEO

Local SEO, Google Business Profile & Apple Business Connect Training

Learn how to elevate your online visibility in today’s search-first world. Shifts in consumer behaviour have made local search a critical starting point for nearly every purchase decision, with Google playing a central role. This course provides a clear, end-to-end overview of local search, designed for marketers of all experience levels. Attendees will leave with the practical skills and strategic insight needed to plan, implement, and optimise high-impact local search strategies for clients or within their own organisations. Your ticket to this training will also give you access to the full brightonSEO and Hero Conf conferences in San Diego, plus a bag of merch and invitation to an exclusive reception.

Matthew Swan

Matthew Swan

Solutions Consultant at Uberall

Courses: 01

Matthew is a seasoned local SEO strategist and Google Business Profile specialist, currently working as a Solutions Consultant at Uberall. In his role, he helps multi-location brands optimize their digital presence, mastering the intricacies of managing listings, reviews, and local search performance. A recognized authority in Google Business optimization, Matthew holds the esteemed designation of Google Product Expert for Google Business Profile. He’s frequently featured in community support forums, where his guidance on troubleshooting listings—ranging from adding clarity regarding guidelines to reinstatement queries—helps businesses maintain accurate and visible local listings. Matthew's work extends far beyond Google’s platform. He’s a strong advocate for the power of comprehensive citation management, educating marketers on how consistency across directories strengthens trust signals for local rankings. In a recent Uberall video, he emphasized: “Google uses extended directories to validate businesses and their information for their own GBP listings.” With a wealth of hands-on experience in optimizing business profiles, resolving local search challenges, and advising on best practices, Matthew brings practical, results-driven insights into local SEO. His sessions offer real-world strategies for improving visibility, increasing customer engagement, and mastering the nuances of local search in today’s competitive markets.

Why choose this course?

Local search isn’t just an option—it’s where your customers are starting every purchase journey. This hands-on workshop will show you the proven strategies to rank higher in Google’s local results and maximize visibility in Apple Maps.

You’ll get step-by-step guidance on technical implementation, plus insider tips on the ongoing marketing processes that drive long-term local search success. Walk away ready to turn local search into measurable business growth.

Who should attend this course?

This course is designed for marketers of all levels, whether you work in-house, at an agency, or as a solo freelancer. No matter your experience, you’ll gain actionable skills that can be applied immediately to deliver results for your business or clients.

Course content

1. The Case for Local Search & Its Evolution

  • Understand how local search has grown and why it’s critical today.
  • Explore opportunities to own your territory and engage hyper-local customers.
  • See how AI is changing local discovery with Google SGE, Apple Siri, and predictive search.

2. Google Business Profile: Optimize & Convert

  • Claim, verify, and manage your listings for maximum impact.
  • Leverage new GBP features—posts, Q&A, services, reviews, and media—to boost rankings and drive conversions.
  • Learn the key ranking factors and Google’s AI view of local results.

3. Apple Business Connect: Stand Out on Apple Maps

  • Activate and claim your listings to reach Apple Maps users, Siri searches, Wallet, and more.
  • Use unique engagement tools like Showcases, Actions, and business updates.
  • Best practices to increase visibility, build trust, and drive customer engagement.

4. Reviews & Reputation Management

  • Learn which review sites matter most.
  • Implement strategies for a steady stream of positive reviews that boost rankings and conversions.

5. Local Website Optimization

  • Walkthrough of actionable tactics to enhance your website for local search.
  • Improve visibility, engagement, and conversions from your own digital assets.

6. The Future of Local Marketing

  • Stay ahead of trends with a forward-looking view of local marketing.
  • Understand how AI and evolving consumer behaviour will shape your strategies.

Session Breakdown

Session 1: The Evolution of Search — AI Everywhere

  • Quick history of local search + why Google & Apple matter
  • How AI is reshaping local discovery
  • Real-world search journeys on Maps, voice, and mobile

Session 2: Mastering Google Business Profile

  • Claiming & managing listings
  • Optimization best practices: categories, posts, reviews, services, Q&A, media
  • Key ranking & visibility factors

Session 3: Apple Business Connect Deep Dive

  • Why Apple matters for local visibility
  • Step-by-step activation, claiming, and management
  • Engagement features: Showcases, Actions, business updates

Session 4: Local Optimization Strategies That Drive Revenue

  • Reframing “local SEO” through measurable outcomes (introducing Uberall’s LPO concept)
  • 5 Key Pillars of Local Optimization:
    1. Visibility: rankings & data accuracy
    2. Reputation: reviews & trust
    3. Engagement: content & platform features
    4. Conversion: calls, bookings, clicks
    5. Measurement: KPIs to prove ROI

What's included in your ticket?

Book onto this training course and you will get:

  • A full day's training on your chosen topic on Monday, September 14
  • Breakfast & lunch included on your training day
  • Full access to brightonSEO and Hero Conf conferences and all the talks on Tuesday 15 & Wednesday 16 September, 2026
  • Bag of merch
  • Drinks reception invitation

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Please note: Course content is subject to change.

We may cancel courses which don't have enough enrolments, and if so we’ll let you know and give you the opportunity to swap to an alternative course or have a refund.

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Available Tickets

San Diego Sep 2026

Mon 14 Sep, 2026 | 09:30 AM - 04:30 PM

$1520$2460Prices rise April 16, 2026
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100% satisfaction guaranteed

We do all we possibly can to make our courses the best you’ve attended but if you ever feel we didn’t live up to your expectations, we’ll give you a total refund, no questions asked.

Why train with brightonSEO

If a bonus day away from your desk isn't enough reason for you to book one of our training sessions, here are some other things that make our training great:

Experts, not trainers

We won’t waste your time sitting you in front of full-time trainers who haven’t got their hands dirty for god knows how long; we get experts from different fields of the industry on board to give you the information they know works, not just the theory of what’s supposed to.

Specific, detailed and unique

Most training providers are looking for a course they can run month after month, week after week, so they end up being general and catch-all. Not our courses … they’re more detailed and in-depth than you’ll find anywhere else.

You drive the agenda

We don’t drive the agenda, you do. Before each training course, we ask what you want to be taught, and we actually listen. All the workshops we run have been selected because they’re the most commonly requested training subjects useful to you.

Group sizes

The group sizes are ideal, more than a handful to offer a bit of diversity and substance to the day, but small enough that the training can remain hands-on and personal, making sure all questions are directly answered.

The perfect duration

The day runs from 10am-4.30pm to keep it punchy. Any longer than that and it starts to drag, any shorter and you’re not able to properly sink your teeth into what you’re covering. Don’t worry, you’ll also get plenty of breaks to network.

Proper food & drink

There’s a couple of coffee breaks, morning and afternoon, and we also provide a proper lunch. That’s right, we’re talking real food rather than soggy sandwiches or mush slopped from a tray.