If you’ve noticed a shift in your website traffic or Google rankings lately, you’re not imagining it. Over the past few months, Google has rolled out one of its largest algorithm changes in recent memory, the June 2025 Core Update, and it’s made waves across nearly every corner of search. While most headlines focus on publishers and e-commerce brands, local businesses are quietly feeling the impact too.
At Bradford Strategies, we live and breathe local visibility and that means staying on top of how each Google update affects contractors, service providers, and small business owners who depend on showing up in that top three map pack. Let’s unpack what’s changing and how we help our clients stay strong, visible, and trusted in this evolving landscape.
A Bigger Shift Than Most Updates
Google’s June 2025 Core Update wasn’t just a tweak. It was a broad realignment designed to highlight “relevant, satisfying content” across all types of websites. For local businesses, that translates into one simple truth: if your content feels thin, outdated, or purely promotional, you’re going to have a harder time ranking.
Our clients often think of SEO as something that happens “on the website.” In reality, it’s a connected ecosystem. Your Google Business Profile, your reviews, your content quality, your location accuracy, and even how you describe your services all influence whether you show up when someone nearby searches “roof repair in Bethlehem” or “karate classes for kids near me.”
Local Search Signals Are Getting Smarter
Over the summer, Google quietly tightened how it evaluates business profiles. We’ve seen more notices about inaccurate pin locations, overly broad service areas, and keyword-stuffed business names. Those details may seem small, but they play a major role in how your profile ranks and whether your business even shows up in the local pack.
For Bradford Strategies clients, this is where our local management process comes in. We don’t just “set up” your profile and call it a day. We actively monitor it for accuracy, respond to reviews, adjust categories when needed, and post fresh updates every month. That consistent activity sends a clear signal to Google that your business is active, legitimate, and relevant to your service area.
Content Quality and Real-World Relevance
The days of writing “keyword-stuffed” service pages are over. Google’s latest changes are tuned to detect whether a page truly answers user intent. When someone searches “bathroom remodeling in Freehold,” the algorithm isn’t just looking for those words; it’s assessing whether your page demonstrates expertise, shows examples of past projects, includes helpful context, and feels authentic.
At Bradford Strategies, we build content that reflects how you actually do business. That means writing location-specific service pages, adding project highlights with photos, using schema markup to connect your local data, and aligning your web copy with the real language your customers use.
“Google is getting better at rewarding real businesses that act like real businesses,” says Brad Blecker, founder of Bradford Strategies. “That means the more your digital presence matches what you do in the real world, accurate details, genuine reviews, useful content…the better you perform long-term.”
Reviews, Recency, and Reputation
One of the biggest ranking shifts we’ve seen this year is tied to reviews; not just how many you have, but how recent and detailed they are. Google’s system now places higher weight on current feedback, so a business with ten fresh reviews this month can outrank one with fifty older ones.
For our clients, review generation isn’t an afterthought; it’s a structured part of our monthly strategy. We help you collect authentic feedback, respond publicly, and use that content as part of your overall reputation footprint. Every new review adds trust, activity, and engagement, the exact signals Google’s algorithm loves to see.
Accuracy and Consistency Are the Foundation
Small inconsistencies used to be minor; today they can quietly chip away at your visibility. A different phone number on a directory, an outdated address, or missing hours can all create friction that hurts your rankings. Google is watching how your digital ecosystem fits together. Website, map listing, social presence, and third-party citations.
Our team handles this foundational work every month. We audit listings, correct NAP data, and align your messaging so it looks cohesive wherever customers find you. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s what separates a business that floats at the bottom of page two from one that dominates its local map pack.
The Human Layer Behind the Algorithm
It’s tempting to treat every Google update as a technical event, but behind the code is a very human principle: Google wants search results that help people. That’s why we focus on clarity, accuracy, and helpful storytelling in every digital asset we manage. When you combine that with the right local optimization tactics such as on-page SEO, schema, reviews, and profile management – you get a presence that’s both algorithm-friendly and customer-friendly.
What’s Next for Local Business Marketing
The truth is, there’s no finish line. Google’s systems evolve constantly, and the businesses that thrive are the ones that adapt. That’s why every Bradford Strategies local client has an ongoing action plan; from website content updates to monthly profile management and backlink outreach.
These aren’t “extra” services. They’re the maintenance and momentum that keep your digital footprint current, credible, and competitive, especially after major algorithm changes like this summer’s core update.
Final Thoughts
If your website traffic feels off or your map visibility slipped recently, it’s not a sign to panic; it’s a sign to adapt. Google’s updates aren’t meant to punish small businesses; they’re meant to highlight the ones that are authentic, active, and providing value.
That’s exactly what we help our clients do every day. By blending strong strategy with ongoing hands-on management, Bradford Strategies helps local businesses stand out in a world where Google’s rules are always changing.
If you’d like to talk about where your visibility stands post-update, reach out. We’ll take a look at your profile, your site, and your content, and build a plan to keep you visible…no guesswork, no gimmicks, just steady growth built on doing things the right way.
