What Is Local SEO?

What local SEO is (and isn't)

Local SEO is a specialized branch of search engine optimization that focuses on improving visibility for businesses that serve a specific geographic area. This differs from traditional SEO, which often targets a national or international audience for general keywords. Local SEO aims to connect businesses with customers searching for products or services near their physical location.

For example, a search for "best pizza near me" or "plumber in Austin, TX" will trigger local search results. These results often include a map, a list of businesses, and relevant contact information. A national e-commerce store selling clothes online would typically focus on traditional SEO rather than local SEO, as physical proximity is not a factor for their customers. Conversely, a local restaurant, a dentist's office, or a car repair shop relies heavily on local SEO to attract nearby customers.

The Local Pack: 3 spots, everyone wants them

The "Local Pack" is a prominent feature on Google's search results pages (SERPs) for location-based queries. It displays a map along with a curated list of typically three local businesses directly below the search bar, above the traditional organic search results. These three spots receive significant visibility and clicks, making them highly coveted by local businesses.

Businesses appearing in the Local Pack often have strong Google Business Profile listings, positive customer reviews, and relevant location signals. The Local Pack sometimes appears even without an explicit location in the search query, like "coffee shops" if Google determines a local intent for the searcher.

Google Business Profile: the foundation

Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business, is a free tool provided by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google Search and Google Maps. A comprehensive and optimized GBP listing is the cornerstone of local SEO.

Key elements to optimize within your Google Business Profile include:

• Accurate business name, address, and phone number (NAP): Ensure these details are consistent with how they appear elsewhere online.
• Business categories: Select the most accurate and specific categories for your business.
• Hours of operation: Keep these updated, especially for holidays or special events.
• Description: Write a compelling and keyword-rich description of your business.
• Photos and videos: Upload high-quality images of your business, products, and services.
• Services/Products: Detail the specific offerings of your business.
• Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews and respond to all feedback, both positive and negative.
• Posts: Use GBP posts to share updates, offers, and events.

LemRank tracks Google Maps rankings as a separate search engine. For any keyword, you can monitor your position specifically within the Google Maps interface, which is distinct from your organic ranking among general web results.

NAP consistency across citations

NAP consistency refers to ensuring your business's Name, Address, and Phone number are identical across all online directories and platforms where your business is listed. These listings are often called "citations." Examples of citation sources include online directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites, as well as social media profiles.

Inconsistent NAP information can confuse search engines and reduce your credibility, making it harder for your business to rank well in local searches. For instance, if your business is listed as "John's Plumbing" on Google Business Profile, "John Plumbing Services" on Yelp, and has two different phone numbers across various sites, search engines may struggle to identify these as the same entity.

Maintaining consistent NAP details signals to search engines that your business information is reliable and accurate, which is a factor in local search ranking algorithms. Regular audits of your online citations are recommended to correct discrepancies.

Local schema and location pages

Local schema markup is a type of structured data that you can add to your website's HTML to provide search engines with explicit information about your business. This markup uses specific vocabulary to define elements like your business type, address, phone number, opening hours, and geographic coordinates.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "http://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Example Business Name",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "Anytown",
    "addressRegion": "CA",
    "postalCode": "90210"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-555-555-1234",
  "url": "https://www.example.com",
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": "34.052235",
    "longitude": "-118.243683"
  }
}
</script>

Implementing local schema can help search engines better understand your business's local relevance, potentially leading to richer snippets in search results (e.g., displaying your business hours or star rating directly on the SERP).

Location pages are dedicated webpages on your website designed specifically for physical business locations. For businesses with multiple locations, each location should ideally have its own dedicated page. These pages provide specific information for that particular branch, including its unique NAP, localized content, specific services offered at that location, and directions. This helps both users and search engines find relevant details for individual branches.

Tracking rankings from specific locations

Local search rankings are highly dependent on the searcher's physical proximity to the business. A business might rank highly for a specific keyword when searched from one side of a city but not at all from the other side. This is why accurately tracking local rankings requires the ability to specify the search location.

LemRank allows you to perform "geo-pinned" rank checks. This means you can specify a precise physical location (e.g., a specific street address, zip code, or latitude/longitude coordinates) from which to simulate a search. This provides a precise view of how your business ranks for target keywords within specific service areas or neighborhoods, rather than a generalized, less accurate city-wide rank. This helps in understanding performance in the immediate vicinity of your business and identifying areas where local SEO efforts need to be intensified.

Related

• SERP features explained
• How to Do Competitor Gap Analysis