What is Local SEO? & How to Do It Right at Your SMB

SEO might sound technical, but it's really just what you do to make your website more visible on search engines like Google. And with a few improvements to your site, you can show up higher in search results and attract more potential customers to your business.

Google has a list of ranking factors - that is, the things about your site that make search engines want to rank it higher in search results. One of those factors is location, or how geographically close your business is to the search phrase. When people search for "businesses near me," Google uses location and other factors to find the best companies in a given area.

Today, we'll focus on local SEO and location-based search results. We'll review what local SEO is, why it matters, and how to use it to get your small business ranking higher on Google. Let's get started.

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is a type of SEO that focuses on location-based search results. For example, if I Google "HVAC company," my results will be different from yours because we probably live in different areas. If you own an HVAC company in the searcher's area, your goal is to appear in what's called the "local pack," which is in the image below.

So, how do you show up on this local pack? Through local SEO.

Local SEO differs from regular SEO because Google ranks websites for local searches using different criteria. Google uses over 200 ranking factors for non-location-based searches to determine what sites show up first.

However, Google ranks local searches like the one above based on the following information:

• Relevance: How well a business matches what the user is looking for.
• Distance: How far your business is from the searcher.
• Prominence: How well-known a business is.

But you might wonder, "How does Google know that information?" Well, each of those categories is judged on different factors, but a few of them include:

Relevance:

• Updated business info on Google Business Profile, your website, and other local listings sites (hours, contact info, website, etc.)
• Keywords or phrases throughout your site that signal what you do to Google
• Photos and videos of your business

Distance:

• Verified locations on Google Maps
• Updated service area on Google Business Profile
• Area pages
• Local keywords on your site

Prominence:

• Online reviews (number and quality)
• Overall rating
• Web presence (articles about your company, other websites linking to your company)
• How many directories you're listed on (sites like Yelp, Yellowpages, and more)

WATCH VIDEO: Small Business SEO Tips From Google

All of this to say, to be successful with local SEO, you need to make sure Google knows your company's:

• Name
• Address (plus your whole service area)
• Phone number
• Website
• Hours

What is local SEO marketing?

Local SEO marketing improves your site for local SEO factors like prominence and relevance. It includes keeping your website updated and your local listings (like on Google Business Profile) active. You should respond to reviews, add photos, and occasionally publish posts with new information like product details, discounts, and more.

Why is local SEO important?

Local SEO is important because small businesses rely heavily on location-based search results. For example, if I Google "best plumber near me," you want to be in those results if you own a plumbing business.

For small businesses, this is your chance to rank higher than bigger companies in your industry. The higher you appear in search results, the more customers you'll get from search engines. Plus, it improves brand awareness in your area and grows your online presence.

WATCH VIDEO: Why SEO Is Worth It for Small Businesses

To rank higher on local searches, Google needs accurate and updated information. Let's review how you can rank higher with local SEO in the section below.

1. Optimize your Google Business Profile and other local listings.

One of the most important factors in local SEO is having a presence on Google Business Profile because that shows up in local packs (like the one below). As discussed, Google ranks the local pack based on relevance, distance, and prominence. Your profile needs updated information about your business hours, contact information, photos, and reviews if you want to rank higher in local searches.

The primary information, often called NAP (name, address, phone number), must be on other local listings sites, including Yelp, Yellowpages, and industry-specific sites like Angi (formerly Angie's List) for home services. Google will use these sites to verify your information and provide more accurate results. That's why it's important to use an online listings management tool to keep all your local listings updated from one place.

Let's use the top result in this local pack as an example of what your Google Business Profile should look like:

1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning has a complete and updated Google Business Profile, which is why it appears first in these search results.

Below is an overview of its Google Business Profile. You'll notice the business's hours, phone number, website, services, service area, and address are readily available. Additionally, you'll see over 800 reviews with a 5-star average.

The service area section shows that the company doesn't just rely on its address. It also lists the surrounding cities so users can see if the company travels to their area.

When you click on the reviews section, you'll see recent reviews - all of which have been responded to by the company's owner.

In the update section, you'll find recent posts about the company's products and services.

Lastly, the photos section includes pictures of the business's storefront, products, and employees.

By keeping its Google Business Profile active and updated, 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning signals to Google that it's a relevant and prominent HVAC company in the area where the search took place.

2. List your locations on your site.

Listing your business locations on your website is as important as listing them in your Google Business Profile. It's another signal to search engines that tells them which cities you service so you can appear in search results for those areas.

Using 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning as our example, the company's home page shows all the cities it services. That helps the company appear in searches like "Best HVAC in Irvine, CA."

3. Add area pages to your website.

The next step is to add area pages to your website. These are individual web pages that describe your services at different locations. They help customers understand what you provide in each area and boost your local SEO by mentioning cities and towns on your website.

Again, let's use 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning as our example. When you click on the city names, you're sent to an area page for each location. The area page outlines the brand's services and links to other pages for more details, giving customers plenty of information about what this business offers.

These pages should always have a call-to-action (CTA) button to contact the business, and 1st Choice does this through the form shown below.

4. Conduct local keyword research.

Local keyword research is the process of identifying keywords based on location. Local keywords include the name of your city, neighborhoods, and other local identifiers. For example, "best dog groomers in Brooklyn" is a local keyword. Using these keywords on your website and local listings helps Google understand where your business is located.

Local keywords can also be used to create blogs. For example, if you own a pet grooming company, you can write posts about the best pet stores in your area. You can also create social media content about local events and news. Local content should be a regular part of your marketing strategy because you want it to be clear where your business is located.

There are a couple of ways you can look up local keywords:

1. Google Trends: Google Trends is a free tool that shows when users are searching for specific topics. It helps you plan your content marketing to post content as people search for different keywords. For example, let's look up "HVAC system repair." Below, you'll see that July is the best time to post about that topic in California. We can then use this information to launch timely social media campaigns or publish blog posts related to that topic.

1. SEMrush or other SEO tools: With these tools, you can see what keywords your competitors, like local companies in your area, are ranking for. You can create web pages and content around those keywords with this information.

This image shows you what these SEO tools look like. The green circle is the keywords your business currently ranks for, while the blue circle is the keywords other businesses rank for. If a competitor is doing well in your area, you can compare your website against theirs to see which topics you should target.

5. Encourage customers to review your business.

Prominence is an important ranking factor; you'll need good reviews to rank higher on search engines. Reviews show that people have used and liked your services. They tell search engines that you're credible and create positive customer experiences.

WATCH VIDEO: What Google Wants From Your Online Reviews

Google Reviews is the best place to focus, but you'll need social media and Yelp reviews, too. With reputation management tools, you can encourage customers to review your company by sending out surveys and links after completing a job. In the same tool, you can respond to reviews, which is another important factor in showing search engines that your company is active online.

Local SEO Management

Local SEO is the most important form of SEO for small businesses. These searches have a high-purchase intent, meaning customers are more likely to buy from you if you rank well in location-based search results. Use these tips to install a local SEO strategy at your business and keep your local listings updated over time to ensure you continuously rank for searches in your area.

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