Local SEO: Getting Found in Your Neighborhood
For businesses that serve specific geographic areas, Local SEO ensures you're visible to people searching in your community. It's about becoming the go-to "local expert" and appearing when nearby customers need your services.
In this section
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. These searches take place on Google and other search engines, specifically when users are looking for products or services in their area.
Learn More About Local SEO:
Examples of local searches include:
- "real estate agent near me"
- "best pizza in Chicago"
- "plumber in Boston"
- "hair salon downtown Seattle"
Local SEO is particularly important for businesses with physical locations or those that serve specific geographic areas. When done right, local SEO puts your business on the map—literally—in the local search results, which typically appear in three key places:
- Local pack results: The map and three local listings that often appear above organic results
- Google Maps results: Listings that appear when users search directly in Google Maps
- Regular organic search results: Standard listings with a local focus
The Housing Agent Analogy
"Local SEO is like a housing agent becoming well-known in their specific neighborhood."
Suppose our housing agent specializes in one city or neighborhood. To succeed locally, they would:
- Join the local chamber of commerce (Google Business Profile)
- Ensure their contact info is consistent across directories (NAP consistency)
- Get mentioned in the local newspaper (local citations)
- Build a reputation for knowing the neighborhood well (local content)
- Collect testimonials from happy local clients (reviews)
- Sponsor community events (local link building)
When someone in town asks about renting or buying property, the locals say, "Oh, Jane's Real Estate is who you need." Similarly, local SEO ensures that when people nearby search for services you offer, they find your business.
Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the cornerstone of local SEO. It's a free tool that allows businesses to manage how they appear on Google Search and Maps.
Why Google Business Profile Matters:
- Powers your listing in the Google local pack and Google Maps
- Provides valuable business information to potential customers
- Allows customers to leave reviews (a major local ranking factor)
- Offers insights about how customers find your listing
- Gives you a platform to post updates, events, and offers
Optimizing Your Profile
A complete, accurate, and up-to-date Google Business Profile significantly improves your chances of appearing in local search results.
Essential Profile Elements
- Business Name: Use your exact business name (don't keyword stuff)
- Business Category: Choose the most accurate primary category
- Address: Enter your complete physical address
- Service Area: Define regions you serve (if you're not location-specific)
- Hours: Keep your hours accurate and update for holidays
- Phone Number: Use a local phone number when possible
- Website: Link to your homepage or location-specific landing page
Engagement Elements
- Photos: Add high-quality photos of your business (interior, exterior, team, products)
- Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews
- Q&A: Monitor and answer questions customers ask on your profile
- Attributes: Add relevant attributes (e.g., "wheelchair accessible," "outdoor seating")
- Description: Write a compelling business description with relevant keywords
- Products/Services: Add your product catalog or service list if applicable
Google Business Posts
Google Business Posts allow you to publish updates directly to your Business Profile. These posts appear when customers find your business on Google.
Types of Google Business Posts:
- What's New: General updates about your business
- Events: Upcoming happenings with date and time
- Offers: Special promotions with start/end dates
- Products: Showcase specific products with prices
Tips for Effective Posts:
- Include eye-catching images with each post
- Keep text concise and action-oriented
- Add a clear call-to-action button
- Post regularly (posts expire after 7 days)
- Use local keywords naturally in post content
Local Ranking Signals
Google considers numerous factors when determining which businesses to show in local search results. Here are the key ranking signals to focus on:
NAP Consistency
What is NAP?
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. Consistency in how this information appears across the web is crucial for local SEO.
Example of Consistent NAP:
Name: Smith & Associates Real Estate
Address: 123 Main Street, Suite 101, Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (713) 555-1234
This exact format should be used everywhere your business is listed online.
Common NAP Inconsistencies to Avoid:
• Different company name variations (e.g., "Smith & Associates" vs. "Smith and Associates")
• Address abbreviations ("St." vs. "Street")
• Missing suite numbers
• Different phone numbers across listings
• Old addresses after relocating
When Google sees consistent NAP information across multiple sources, it gains confidence in your business's existence and location, which can improve your local rankings.
Local Citations
Citations are online mentions of your business's name, address, and phone number, whether or not they include a link to your website.
Types of Citations:
- Primary Citations: Major directories and platforms (Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing Places, Facebook)
- Secondary Citations: Industry-specific directories (Zillow, Avvo, OpenTable)
- Local Citations: Local chambers of commerce, community websites, local news sites
Top Citation Sources to Target:
Housing Agent Analogy: Citations are like having your housing agent's business card displayed in multiple locations around town—the local coffee shop, community center, and library. The more places people can find your information, the more they trust you're established in the area.
Reviews & Reputation
Reviews are crucial for local SEO, acting as both a ranking factor and a major influence on consumer decisions.
Pro Tools for Local SEO:
Learn which tools professionals use for local SEO monitoring in this guide to using Ahrefs for local ranking tracking.
How Reviews Impact Local SEO:
- Quantity: The number of reviews you have (more is generally better)
- Recency: How recently you've received reviews (fresh reviews matter)
- Rating: Your average star rating (aim for 4-5 stars)
- Keywords: Terms used in reviews can help you rank for those terms
- Engagement: Whether you respond to reviews (especially negative ones)
Review Management Best Practices:
- Create a simple process for requesting reviews from satisfied customers
- Send follow-up emails with direct links to your review profile
- Respond to all reviews, positive and negative, in a professional manner
- Address negative reviews with solutions and take the conversation offline when appropriate
- Never buy fake reviews or offer incentives for positive reviews (against most platforms' policies)
Sample Review Request Email:
Subject: How was your experience with [Your Business]?
Hi [Customer Name],
Thank you for choosing [Your Business]. We hope you had a great experience with us! If you have a moment, we'd appreciate your honest feedback through a Google review.
It's quick and easy - just click the link below:
[Direct link to your Google Business Profile review form]
Your feedback helps us improve and helps others find us online.
Thanks again for your business!
[Your Name]
[Your Business]
Local Content Strategy
Creating location-specific content signals to search engines that you're an authority in your local area.
Creating Localized Pages
Types of Local Content:
- Location Pages: Dedicated pages for each service area or neighborhood you serve
- Local Guides: Neighborhood guides, "best of" local resources, or area information
- Local Case Studies: Success stories featuring local clients or projects
- Local Events: Coverage of community happenings or events you sponsor
- FAQ Pages: Answers to common questions specifically for your local audience
Tips for Effective Local Content:
- Include local landmarks, neighborhoods, and points of interest
- Use natural language that includes local terminology
- Create unique content for each location (avoid duplicating and simply changing the location name)
- Include location-specific testimonials and case studies
- Add local schema markup to help search engines understand the geographic focus
- Incorporate locally relevant images with geo-tagged metadata and descriptive alt text
Example Local Content Ideas for a Real Estate Agent:
- "Ultimate Guide to Houston's Heights Neighborhood: Schools, Parks, and Property Values"
- "10 Best Coffee Shops in Downtown Houston Near Popular Condo Buildings"
- "Houston Real Estate Market Report: Spring 2023 Price Trends by Neighborhood"
- "Moving to Midtown Houston: Everything You Need to Know"
- "How School Districts Affect Houston Home Values: 5-Year Analysis"
Local Link Building
Earning backlinks from local websites is particularly valuable for local SEO. These links demonstrate your connection to the community and local relevance.
Local Link Building Opportunities:
- Local Sponsorships: Support local events, sports teams, or charities
- Community Involvement: Participate in community service projects or events
- Local Partnerships: Collaborate with complementary local businesses
- Local Press Coverage: Share newsworthy stories with local media outlets
- Local Business Associations: Join chambers of commerce and industry groups
- Local Resource Pages: Get listed on "best of" or resource pages for your area
Housing Agent Analogy: A housing agent might sponsor a local Little League team, contribute to the neighborhood newsletter, or partner with local mortgage brokers and home inspectors. Each of these activities strengthens their local presence and credibility.
Key Takeaways from Local SEO
- Create and optimize a complete Google Business Profile—it's the foundation of local SEO
- Maintain consistent NAP information across all online platforms
- Build citations on relevant directories and local websites
- Actively manage your online reviews and reputation
- Create location-specific content that demonstrates local expertise
- Build relationships with other local businesses and organizations
- Track your local rankings and adjust your strategy based on results
Measuring Local SEO Success
Track these key metrics to gauge the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts:
- Local pack rankings for your target keywords
- Google Business Profile insights (views, actions, direction requests)
- Local organic traffic to your website (filtered by geography in Google Analytics)
- Phone calls, direction requests, and form submissions from local searches
- Review quantity and quality on Google and other platforms
Official Resources:
For more information on implementing local SEO best practices, refer to Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide.