In local search, small businesses often find themselves up against powerful aggregators like Yelp, Angi, and TripAdvisor. These platforms publish massive amounts of content, earning broad authority across multiple industries and locations. Competing directly on volume is unrealistic for most small businesses, and unnecessary.
In 2025, the winning approach isn’t producing endless posts; it’s creating less content that’s more intentional, optimized, and targeted. A focused content strategy can help your business rank higher in your niche, attract more qualified clicks, and convert those clicks into customers.
Why Aggregators Dominate and Where You Can Outperform Them
Aggregators win on:
- Domain Authority – Years of backlinks from reputable sources.
- Content Scale – Thousands of location and service pages.
- User-Generated Content – Reviews, Q&A, and photos from customers.
Where small businesses can compete:
- Relevance – Highly specific, locally optimized pages that match search intent better than generic aggregator content.
- Depth – Comprehensive, first-hand expertise and original insights that AI-driven ranking systems now prioritize.
- User Experience – A clear, conversion-focused site that’s faster and more engaging than aggregator pages filled with ads.
The 2025 Shift — Why “Less Content” Can Rank Higher
The old “publish as much as possible” mindset doesn’t work the way it used to. Google and generative AI search engines now value:
- Topical authority over sheer volume.
- Freshness with intent, not random updates.
- Structured content that’s easy for algorithms to interpret.
Publishing fewer, higher-quality pieces gives you more time to:
- Do deep keyword research for underserved local search terms.
- Optimize each page with schema, rich media, and clear internal linking.
- Keep content updated so it remains relevant and competitive.
Content Strategy Framework — Creating Less, Ranking More
1. Target Gaps Aggregators Miss
Aggregators often create broad, generic pages like “Best Plumbers in Florida”, which lack depth for specific local services. You can target:
- Long-tail local keywords (“emergency AC repair in Clearwater”)
- Service + neighborhood combinations
- Seasonal or event-based searches relevant to your area
2. Create “Evergreen Power Pages”
Instead of pumping out dozens of short blogs, create a smaller number of pillar pages that:
- Fully explain the topic
- Include FAQs based on Google’s “People Also Ask” data
- Feature authentic photos, reviews, and case studies
These pages can drive traffic for years with periodic updates.
3. Layer In Supporting Content
Once a power page is live, create shorter, targeted posts that link back to it. For example:
- Pillar: Complete Guide to Moving in St. Petersburg
- Support posts: How to Pack for a Move During Hurricane Season or Top Storage Tips for Pinellas County Residents
4. Optimize for AI Search Results
Generative AI search results favor direct, concise answers and clear structure. Include:
- Headings phrased as questions
- Short, precise answers in the first 1–2 sentences
- Rich schema markup to increase the likelihood of inclusion in AI-generated snippets
5. Prioritize Local E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Google is leaning heavily on local expertise as a ranking signal. Build this by:
- Including author bios with local credentials
- Adding unique case studies or project examples
- Citing local news, statistics, and community involvement
Example — Florida Tour Operator vs. TripAdvisor
A Sarasota boat tour company decided to stop writing weekly generic blog posts and instead focused on:
- A single, optimized page for “Dolphin Tours Sarasota” with custom video, a booking calendar, and FAQs.
- Seasonal posts like “Best Months for Dolphin Watching in Sarasota Bay.”
- Adding local schema for tours and events.
Within six months, their pillar page began outranking TripAdvisor for “dolphin tours Sarasota” in the map pack and organic results.
You don’t need to out-publish aggregators to beat them, you just need to out-relevance and out-optimize them. By focusing on fewer, higher-impact pages and aligning your content strategy with 2025’s search priorities, your business can claim more visibility, more clicks, and more conversions in local search.
Action Step: Audit your existing content. Identify your top-performing pages and reallocate time from producing new, low-value posts to strengthening and expanding your best assets.
