Backed by Local Disrupts the SERP Monopoly by Leveling the Advertising Playing Field for Small Businesses in CO, WA, and OR

Denver, CO – October 1, 2025 – Backed by Local, a revolutionary community-first answer engine, today announced its launch across 15 communities in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon. This marks the beginning of a phased national rollout targeting 1,500 U.S. cities by 2027 and 2,500 by 2028, with plans to expand into Canada.

In a $1.55 trillion U.S. and Canada local services market (U.S. $1.5T + Canada $50B) where small businesses lose 79% of customers to ad-dominated search engine results pages (SERPs), Backed by Local offers a smarter, scalable alternative. Founded by 17-year marketing veteran Ric Gollhofer, the platform uses a proprietary algorithm—leveraging relevance, user behavior, local trends, and community input—to ensure visibility is earned, not bought. Unlike traditional directories, Backed by Local’s answer engine curates results across eight key categories—Home Services, Real Estate, Medical, Mental Health, Personal Care, Professional Services, Automotive, and Cannabis & Wellness—based on real community needs.

“Our model is built on five core pillars: visibility, community, answer engine, support for the local economy, and scalable digital infrastructure,” said Gollhofer. “We’re not just another directory—we’re a movement connecting people with trusted local businesses like plumbers, realtors, and wellness providers, keeping dollars local and growth sustainable.”

Backed by Local’s Five Pillars of Commitment

  • Visibility – Guaranteed top placement where locals search, giving businesses a chance to shine.
  • Community – Every listing reinforces trust and loyalty within neighborhoods.
  • Answer Engine – Curated results driven by relevance and proximity, not ad spend.
  • Support for Local Economy – Revenue and features strengthen the local economic backbone.
  • Scalable Digital Infrastructure – Designed to preserve city identity while expanding nationally.

Currently in beta, Backed by Local targets the $201.35 billion U.S. and Canada digital local search market (growing at 12-19% CAGR through 2030), with a performance-based model and 62% projected margins. The platform aims to scale its innovative approach across a vast market, covering categories from Medical to Automotive.

Key Features

  • City-Specific Hubs for hyper-local visibility across 15 initial cities, expanding to 2,500, covering categories like Home Services and Real Estate.
  • Performance-Based Pricing tied to results.
  • Trust-First Rankings based on a multi-factor algorithm.
  • Mobile App Coming Soon for seamless access and engagement.

Visit https://backedbylocal.com to learn more about joining the movement.

Media Contact

Ric Gollhofer, Founder
info@backedbylocal.com

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