Need Help Making Sense of Local SEO?

Sterling Sky Inc is owned by Joy Hawkins, who has been working in the Local SEO space since 2006.  Colan Nielsen is the VP of Local Search and has been in the Local SEO Space since 2010.  Here are some of our achievements:

Get the Latest Local SEO Tips Delivered Free to Your Inbox


By submitting this form, I agree to receive Sterling Sky’s weekly newsletter containing industry news and company updates. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time.

Recent Posts

GMB Clarifies Guidelines on Virtual Offices
February 11, 2019
GMB Clarifies Guidelines on Virtual Offices
We were recently alerted on Twitter by Kerry that Google has added four VERY important words to the eligibility requirements around virtual offices on Google My Business and Google Maps. The four words are “BY YOUR BUSINESS STAFF” as in:…
by Colan Nielsen
4 Comments
How Proximity Impacts Localized Google Organic Results for Law Firms
December 4, 2018
How Proximity Impacts Localized Google Organic Results for Law Firms
Two Keywords, One City, 72 Postal Codes, Five Different Law Firms Earlier this year Juris Digital released a great case study on How Proximity Impacts Law Firm Rankings in Google’s Local Pack. This was one of the most insightful studies that…
by Colan Nielsen
10 Comments
Review-Gating is Against the Google My Business Guidelines
November 12, 2018
Review-Gating is Against the Google My Business Guidelines
Updated: November 12, 2018 to reflect that review gating is not a new policy that Google initiated in April 2018 and added examples of cases where Google acted on businesses that were review gating. When I saw the review guidelines…
by Joy Hawkins
30 Comments
When Can Service-Based Businesses Have Multiple Google My Business Listings?
October 30, 2018
When Can Service-Based Businesses Have Multiple Google My Business Listings?
One of the most common reasons for Google My Business listings getting suspended is the fact that the address being used is not eligible for a listing according to the Google My Business Guidelines.  For many industries like car dealers,…
by Joy Hawkins
29 Comments
31 Words That Will Cause Your Google Posts to Fail and Filter Your Google Reviews.
October 18, 2018
31 Words That Will Cause Your Google Posts to Fail and Filter Your Google Reviews.
Google My Business has a system in place for quality purposes that automatically filters out content that contains certain “trigger words”.  This is often referred to as the Google Nanny Bot and is designed to help filter out inappropriate content. …
by Joy Hawkins
13 Comments
Diane Kramer
Diane Kramer

Colan reviewed our website and then delivered a report on how to optimize for local SEO. He presented factor after factor, accompanied by separate TO DO lists for each. MY partner and I both recognized the excellence and value of the information delivered. Colan, thank you.

Long Island Center for Divorce Mediation, https://www.lidivorcemediation.com/ 

Miriam Ellis
Miriam Ellis
Owner of Solas Web Design

Joy Hawkins’ awesome gift for problem-solving and for digging down to the roots of technical Local SEO issues has made her a highly-respected industry expert. She distills complex issues down into simple, logical language, making her an excellent communicator. Her publications surrounding this form of marketing have become references for the industry, bringing considerable strategical benefits to local businesses and Local SEOs. What an amazing combination of skills in a consultant!

http://www.solaswebdesign.net

Darren Shaw
Darren Shaw
Founder & President, Whitespark

Joy Hawkins is one of the most knowledgeable local search practitioners in the industry. She understands how to research, identify, and solve GMB ranking issues like no one else. If you’re struggling to rank in local search, Joy is the consultant that will get you on the right track.

www.whitespark.ca

Google Product Expert Badge