Brand Butler: Local Authority Engine — the white-glove SEO and AEO system for local service businesses. Use this skill immediately when the user asks about SEO rankings, backlinks, citations, site audits, Google Search Console indexing problems, competitor backlink analysis, directory submissions, schema markup, content placement articles, local map pack visibility, or AI answer engine optimization (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews). Also triggers for any local business growth, online visibility, or 'why isn't my site ranking?' conversation. Works for agencies managing clients and business owners doing their own SEO. Covers HVAC, plumbing, electrical, law, dental, roofing, and any local service business. Built by Adrian Boysel.
Brand Butler: Local Authority Engine — the white-glove SEO and AEO system for local service businesses. Use this skill immediately when the user asks about SEO rankings, backlinks, citations, site audits, Google Search Console indexing problems, competitor backlink analysis, directory submissions, schema markup, content placement articles, local map pack visibility, or AI answer engine optimization (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews). Also triggers for any local business growth, online visibility, or 'why isn't my site ranking?' conversation. Works for agencies managing clients and business owners doing their own SEO. Covers HVAC, plumbing, electrical, law, dental, roofing, and any local service business. Built by Adrian Boysel.
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🎩 Brand Butler: Local Authority Engine
The SEO & citation system that builds unshakeable local presence.
Brand Butler: Local Authority Engine handles the full SEO and AEO lifecycle for local service businesses — from technical audits to citation campaigns to AI answer engine optimization. Whether you're an agency managing clients or a business owner building your own presence, this skill works as your dedicated local search strategist.
⛔ AGENT RULES — READ BEFORE DOING ANYTHING
Always run Phase 0 intake first. Never skip NAP collection. Every audit, campaign, and content piece depends on it.
Foundation before paint. Fix technical SEO and schema before building backlinks. Advanced tactics don't fix a broken foundation.
NAP must be identical everywhere. Even "St." vs "Street" can suppress rankings. Establish canonical NAP and use it on every submission.
Never guess — gather context. If GCT information is missing, ask. Optimizing without knowing the business's goals, content, and targets produces generic, ineffective output.
Track submissions in an external tracker. Instruct the user to log directory submissions (name, URL, login, status, listing URL, dofollow) in their own spreadsheet or doc. This skill never stores, logs, or requests passwords — always direct the user to record credentials in their own secure tool.
Never ask for passwords in chat. If directory access is needed, instruct the user to log in themselves or use a password manager. Never collect or repeat credentials conversationally.
Hand off blockers gracefully. reCAPTCHA, phone verification, and Cloudflare blocks get handed to the business owner with exact step-by-step instructions — never leave them stranded.
All network actions are user-performed. This skill provides instructions and strategy. Fetching sitemaps, accessing GSC, submitting to directories — all of these are actions the user takes in their own browser or tools, not actions this skill performs autonomously.
When to Use This Skill
Use when the user asks to:
Audit a website for SEO issues or indexing problems
Build backlinks or citations for a local business
Analyze competitor backlinks and find directory opportunities
Fix Google Search Console indexing issues
Write SEO-optimized content for link placements (guest posts, sponsored content)
Submit a business to directories and citation sites
Create a citation/backlink campaign plan
Improve local search rankings or map pack visibility
Optimize for AI answer engines (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews)
Answer "why isn't my site ranking?" or "how do I get more leads from Google?"
Phase 0: Client Intake (Always Start Here)
Before any SEO work, gather the business fundamentals. Never skip this phase.
The GCT Framework
Goals: What services generate the most revenue? What does the business want more of?
Content: What does the business actually offer? What makes them different from competitors?
Targeting: Who is the ideal customer? What locations? What search intent are they typing?
NAP — Canonical Identity
Establish this exact format first. It will be used identically on every directory, citation, and schema block:
Field
Example
Business Name
Apex Plumbing & Drain (not "Apex Plumbing and Drain")
CRITICAL: Search for existing listings immediately. Multiple phone numbers, address variations, or name variations actively suppress rankings. Document all inconsistencies and flag for the owner before campaign launch.
Business Profile to Collect
Owner name + preferred contact
Year founded
Licenses/certifications (state contractor license #, NATE cert, bar number, etc.)
Full service list
Service area (every city, neighborhood, ZIP)
Google Business Profile URL + current rating/review count
Existing Yelp listing
Standard description (150-200 words) — used for most directories
Short description (50 words) — used for character-limited listings
Phase 1: Technical SEO Audit
Read references/technical-audit-checklist.md for the complete audit checklist and scoring rubric.
Priority Order
Keyword placement — Target keyword in URL, title tag, H1, meta description, first paragraph on every page
Schema markup — LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ, Article, BreadcrumbList as appropriate
Core Web Vitals — LCP < 2.5s, INP < 200ms, CLS < 0.1 (mobile is primary)
Mobile interstitials — Pop-ups that block content trigger Google ranking penalties
Trust signals — NAP in footer, about page, contact page; real staff photos; bios
Sitemap audit — Compare sitemap.xml count vs GSC submitted vs actually indexed
If the client reports low indexation (e.g., 29 of 129 pages indexed):
Step 1: Compare sitemap.xml page count vs GSC submitted count.
If GSC shows more URLs than the sitemap → Google is discovering junk URLs (parameters, tags, pagination).
"Discovered – currently not indexed" = crawl priority/budget issue
"Crawled – currently not indexed" = content quality or duplication issue
"Duplicate without user-selected canonical" = missing or wrong canonical tags
Step 3: Apply the right fix:
Thin city-swap pages → add 600-800 words of genuine local content per page
Overlapping blog posts → consolidate into one authoritative article with 301 redirects
Parameter/tag URLs → noindex or robots.txt disallow
Goal: 50 strong pages that all get indexed beats 129 pages where 100 are ignored
Phase 2: Backlink & Citation Campaign
Read references/directory-master-list.md for the complete directory database, exclusion list, and submission notes.
Campaign Execution Order
Step 1 — Data Aggregators(do first — they feed 100+ downstream sites automatically)
Data Axle, Foursquare Places, TransUnion/Neustar Localeze
Step 2 — Tier 1 High-Authority (DA 80+)
Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Yelp, BBB, Nextdoor, Trustpilot, LinkedIn Company Page, Facebook Business
Step 3 — Industry-Specific Directories
Find directories for the client's exact trade (HVAC, plumbing, legal, dental, roofing, etc.), utility/certification directories (SMUD, PG&E, state licensing boards). These deliver maximum topical relevance — prioritize over generic directories.
Step 4 — General Business Directories (DA 40-75)
Manta, Brownbook, Storeboard, Hotfrog, Cybo, APSense, Callupcontact, etc.
Step 5 — Local & Regional Directories
Chambers of Commerce (paid but high value — dofollow, strong local authority signal), city-specific portals, local news site directories, regional "best of" lists (Expertise.com, etc.)
Step 6 — Competitor Backlink Gap Analysis
Export competitor backlinks from Ahrefs/SEMrush/Ubersuggest. Filter: DA ≥ 10, not spam. Cross-reference against client's existing listings. Submit to every qualifying free directory the competitor has that the client doesn't.
Submission Rules
NAP must be identical across every submission — verify against canonical NAP before each entry
Use the standard business description — do not spin or randomize
Always include website URL — that's where link equity flows from
Select the most specific category available
Add all service area cities wherever the directory allows
Track every submission in your own external spreadsheet: directory name, URL, status, listing URL, dofollow/nofollow — never share or paste passwords directly into chat
Handling Blockers
Blocker
Action
reCAPTCHA
Note in tracker; give owner exact URL + pre-filled fields to complete manually
Email verification
Flag which inbox to check; provide login credentials
Phone verification
Flag for owner — cannot be done remotely
Cloudflare/bot blocking
Must be completed from a real browser session
Paid only
Exclude unless client explicitly approves the cost
Phase 3: Content Placement Articles
Read references/content-placement-guide.md for full article templates, anchor text strategy, and platform-specific requirements.
Article Requirements
Minimum 750 words (aim for 1,000+ for maximum placement value)
Maximum 2 links to client site unless placement explicitly allows more
Anchor text: Use target keyword phrases — "Rocklin AC repair", "Sacramento plumbing services"
No images unless the placement specifically includes them
Match host site's tone — read 3-5 of their existing articles before writing
AEO Optimization
Primary keyword in the title (H1)
Keywords naturally in H2 subheadings
Question-answering H2s that match conversational/voice queries
Local geo signals: city names, neighborhoods, landmarks, regional conditions
Supporting semantic terms for topical depth
Write for humans. Optimize for machines. Never stuff.
Meta Block for Placement's Special Requirements Field
Meta Title: [Primary Keyword] | [City/Service Area]
Meta Description: [150-160 chars with primary + secondary keywords]
Please keep anchor text links exactly as written in the article.
Do not add additional outbound links.
Category: [Most relevant category on host site]
Phase 4: AEO — Answer Engine Optimization
Optimizing for Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Google AI Overviews requires a different playbook than traditional SEO.
AEO Content Principles
Structured answers first. Each page directly answers "What is [service]?", "How much does [service] cost in [city]?", "How long does [service] take?" — one question, one direct answer, then supporting detail.
FAQ schema is mandatory. Every service page needs FAQ schema with 5-10 Q&A pairs targeting conversational queries.
Cite credible sources. Link out to manufacturer specs, city permit offices, state licensing boards. AI engines favor pages that reference authoritative sources.
Kill the fluff intro. AI engines scrape the most direct answer — put it in the first paragraph, not after three sentences of throat-clearing.
