25 August 2025

When’s the Best Time to Start SEO? Yesterday. The Next Best Time? Today.

You’ve probably heard that old saying: “The best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is today.” When it comes to Local Search SEO, that couldn’t be more true.

Most businesses wait too long. They put it off until “the busy season,” or until sales slow down, or until they think they have more time and budget. But here’s the thing: SEO is like compound interest. The earlier you start, the more powerful the results become over time.

Why Waiting Hurts Your SEO

Unlike paid ads, SEO doesn’t deliver results overnight. It’s a slow burn. It takes time to build authority, credibility, and visibility in Google’s eyes. If you wait six months to start, you’ve already lost six months of potential growth.

Think of it like planting a tree. If you want shade in the summer, you don’t wait until July to dig the hole. You plant early, water consistently, and let the roots take hold. SEO works the same way.

Consistency is the Secret Sauce

Here’s the truth: starting SEO is important, but sticking with it is what makes it work.
A lot of businesses dabble. They post a few blogs, tweak some keywords, maybe list themselves on a directory or two. Then they stop. Months later, they wonder why nothing’s working.

SEO rewards consistency. The longer you keep at it—optimizing pages, earning reviews, posting content, improving your Google Business Profile—the stronger your results get. Google loves signals that say, “This business is active, relevant, and trustworthy.”

The “Go Figure It Out” Phase

The other part of starting SEO is learning what actually works for your business. Every market, every city, every industry has its own quirks. Maybe you get the most traction from local directory listings. Maybe it’s reviews. Maybe it’s creating a ton of useful blog content.

But you won’t know until you start. That’s the “figure it out” phase—where data, results, and trial-and-error teach you what actually moves the needle. The sooner you start, the sooner you hit that stride.

Start Small, But Start Now

The best news? You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with your Google Business Profile. Make sure your info is accurate, add photos, and ask for reviews. Then move into optimizing your website for local keywords. Post content regularly.

One step at a time adds up to huge progress over months and years.

Bottom Line

SEO isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. But the sooner you get on the track, the sooner you’ll see results.

So when’s the best time to start your Local Search SEO campaign?
Yesterday.
When’s the next best time?
Today.

Don’t wait for the “perfect moment.” There isn’t one. The perfect time is right now.