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Most businesses win a local 'best of' award, get one backlink, and move on. That mention can actually do far more work than that. Here's how to turn it into ongoing local SEO value instead of a one-time press mention.
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A bakery in Richmond, VA won a local magazine's "Best Bakery" reader's choice award, got a single backlink from the publication's website when the article ran, and then moved on entirely, never mentioning the award again anywhere on their own online presence. That backlink provided some value, but it represented a small fraction of what a genuine local media recognition could have actually done for the business's local search visibility and customer trust over the following year.
A "best of" local media mention deserves far more strategic use than a single backlink and a brief moment of pride, since this kind of third-party recognition carries genuine trust and credibility signals that extend well beyond whatever direct link value the original article provides.
Content mentioning your "best of" recognition explicitly in your Google Business Profile description and as a dedicated post gives this credibility signal ongoing visibility to customers actively searching for your business type, not just to whoever happened to read the original publication article when it first ran.
This extends the recognition's actual value significantly, since most customers discovering your business through local search will never see the original media article, but they will see your Google Business Profile, making this the actual place where this trust signal does ongoing work for your business.
⚠️ Common Mistake: Treating a "best of" media recognition as a one-time press moment that ends once the original article's backlink is secured, missing the ongoing value this credibility signal could provide through your Google Business Profile and broader online presence.
Action Step: Add your "best of" recognition explicitly to your Google Business Profile description and as a dedicated post, since this gives the credibility signal ongoing visibility to searching customers, not just readers of the original article.
A "best of" recognition creates a natural, credible moment to request reviews, since customers often feel a genuine sense of pride or validation supporting a locally recognized business, and this specific timing can generate stronger review momentum than a generic, disconnected request would.
This connection matters because the recognition itself provides context and motivation for the request, a customer specifically choosing to support a locally recognized favorite is often more willing to publicly endorse that choice than they might be for a random, unprompted review request.
📊 Flento Data: Across businesses Flento has helped leverage a local media recognition, review requests timed around and referencing the recognition saw stronger response rates than the same businesses' typical, unconnected review request campaigns.
Action Step: Time a deliberate review request campaign around your "best of" recognition, referencing it directly in your outreach, since this context tends to generate stronger response than a disconnected, generic request.
Rather than mentioning the recognition once and moving on, reference it periodically in ongoing content, GBP posts, your website, social media, throughout the year the recognition remains current, since repeated, natural mentions reinforce the credibility signal far more effectively than a single announcement that quickly gets buried under newer content.
This doesn't mean repetitively announcing the same achievement constantly, but weaving genuine, natural references into your ongoing content, "as voted Best Bakery, we're excited to introduce...", keeps the recognition's credibility working continuously rather than fading after its initial moment.
💡 Pro Tip: Weave your "best of" recognition naturally into ongoing content throughout the year it remains current, rather than treating it as a single announcement, since repeated, natural reinforcement extends its credibility value significantly.
If the publication provides a "best of" badge or logo you're permitted to display, using this visually on your website and in your Google Business Profile photos provides an immediate, recognizable trust signal that customers process quickly, often more effectively than text alone.
This visual element gives customers a fast, familiar way to recognize local media validation, particularly if the publication or award is well-known within your specific local market, and it's worth confirming usage permissions and incorporating this visual signal wherever appropriate.
Action Step: If a visual badge or logo is available and permitted, incorporate it into your website and profile photos, since this provides a fast, recognizable trust signal that text alone doesn't communicate as immediately.
A "best of" recognition represents a genuine relationship opportunity with the local publication, worth nurturing beyond the single article, since publications often return to previously recognized businesses for future stories, expert commentary, or repeat recognition, and maintaining this relationship can generate additional coverage opportunities over time.
This long-term relationship view matters because local media coverage compounds when nurtured deliberately, and a business that simply takes the initial recognition and disappears misses the opportunity to become a publication's ongoing, trusted local source for future coverage.
🔥 Quick Win: Reach out to the publication or writer who recognized your business with a genuine thank-you, opening the door for future relationship and coverage opportunities beyond this single mention.
Local Business Content Automation helps businesses weave a "best of" recognition naturally into ongoing Google Business Profile content throughout the year it remains relevant, rather than letting it fade after a single announcement. Google Review Management Software helps time a genuine review request campaign around this exact kind of credible, motivating moment.
The Richmond bakery added its "Best Bakery" recognition explicitly to its Google Business Profile and ran a deliberate review request campaign referencing the award, and began seeing meaningfully more customer engagement from this single recognition than the original backlink alone had ever provided.
If you've earned local media recognition and let it fade after a single mention, try Flento free → and extend that credibility into the ongoing local search value it's actually capable of providing.
✅ Done? Extend that credibility into ongoing local search value → Try Flento free
Is a single backlink the main value of a "best of" media mention? No, it's only a small part of the potential value. Explicit mention in your Google Business Profile, review request momentum, and ongoing content reference all extend the recognition's credibility far beyond the original article's backlink.
Should I mention my "best of" recognition more than once? Yes, periodically and naturally throughout the year it remains current, rather than announcing it once and letting it fade. Repeated, genuine reference reinforces the credibility signal more effectively than a single mention.
Is a "best of" recognition a good moment to request reviews? Yes. Customers often feel genuine pride supporting a locally recognized business, and review requests referencing and timed around this recognition tend to generate stronger response than disconnected, generic requests.
Should I display a visual badge from the publication if available? Yes, if permitted. A recognizable visual signal is often processed faster by customers than text alone, particularly if the publication or award is well-known within your local market.
Is it worth maintaining a relationship with the publication after the initial mention? Yes. Publications often return to previously recognized businesses for future stories or coverage, and a genuine thank-you and ongoing relationship can generate additional coverage opportunities over time.
A "best of" local media mention carries genuine credibility that extends well beyond a single backlink, and businesses that leverage it deliberately, through their Google Business Profile, review requests, and ongoing content, get significantly more value from this recognition than those who let it fade after the initial article.
Read how to spot a local SEO scam and building local content around city events, festivals and local news for related local content strategy approaches. Start with what local SEO is if your business's fundamentals still need attention.