Google doesn’t just read business names, categories, and reviews, it also quietly picks up on "neighborhood-level signals" from other local businesses mentioned around yours online.

If your client’s business is in a lesser-known area like a rural town or small community, try building "local proximity context" by getting mentions from nearby businesses in local directories, hyperlocal news sites, or blogs. Even co-mentions in press releases or neighborhood event pages (e.g. “Smith Plumbing & Ethan’s Garage sponsored Vouluner Cleanup Day”) can help Google associate your business more strongly with the real-world community.

It’s not just about NAP citations anymore, it’s about local context and being seen as part of the neighbourhood ecosystem.

Worth testing if you’re optimizing for smaller towns or semi-rural areas.