Google Business Profile Expert: You Won’t Believe This New Ranking Factor! - Claudia Tomina

In this episode of Local Marketing Secrets, Danny Leibrandt is joined by Claudia Tomina, the founder of ReputationArm and one of the most respected experts in local SEO and Google Business Profiles. Claudia is a Platinum Product Expert for GBP, a contributor to Search Engine Land and the Local Search Ranking Factors study, and someone who’s helped countless businesses—from national restaurant chains to mom-and-pop shops—rank in the map pack and recover from suspensions.

We cover everything from the suspension crisis and video verification to bulk verification strategies, the truth about keywords in reviews, why photos are more powerful than ever, and what actually helps a business rank locally. Claudia breaks down how Google’s systems really work, what signals matter most, how AI is changing local search, and what every business owner should stop fearing.

Whether you're a marketer, agency, or local business owner, this is an absolute masterclass on navigating Google’s local ecosystem in 2025 and beyond.

Claudia Tomina, Founder of Reputation ARM:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-tomina-ab78692a

X (Twitter): https://x.com/claudiatomina

Website: https://reputationarm.com/

Danny Leibrandt, Founder of Pest Control SEO:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/DannyLeibrandt

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dannyleibrandt/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DannyLeibrandt

Website: https://dannyleibrandt.com

Pest Control SEO: https://pestcontrolseo.com/

Local Marketing Secrets Platforms:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LocalMarketingSecrets

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TCL0LhZbsJS6mzanqnnT1?si=224075c9fbda42f5

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-marketing-secrets/id1741176782

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0bb5254-5d6c-4940-8211-085157cc1239/local-marketing-secrets

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Claudia Tomina

06:11 Challenges in Google Business Profile Management

14:55 The Importance of Review Keywords

21:01 The Role of Categories in Local SEO

25:26 The Importance of Business Categories

29:58 The Role of Photos in Local SEO

35:18 The Value of Video Content in Local SEO

39:18 The Future of Local Search

47:04 Final Thoughts for Local Business Owners

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