What Is Local SEO? 

Local SEO is a set of techniques that can help your local business appear more prominently in unpaid, location-based search results on Google Search, Google Maps, and other search engines. 

For example, it can help your Google Business Profile rank higher in the local pack.

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And boost your website’s rankings in standard “blue link” results. 

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Almost all search results are personalized based on the user’s country. But local SEO is about reaching people in more specific locations, such as cities and districts.

So, it can benefit businesses with physical stores (restaurants, dentists, and mechanics, etc.). And local service providers (plumbers, tutors, and dog walkers, etc.). 

Why Is Local SEO Important? 

Google delivers billions of local search results every month. And if you appear prominently for relevant queries, you’re more likely to attract customers.

Google displays local results when it believes searchers are looking for products, services or amenities nearby. Or in a specified location.

Here are some examples of local keywords found with Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool:

• “mexican restaurants”
• “mexican restaurants near me”
• “mexican restaurants in dallas”

Businesses with the best local SEO tend to rank highest for local keywords like the ones above. So, users are more likely to discover and engage with those companies.

No matter what your business is or where you’re located, it’s likely that you can reach potential customers through search. 

How Local SEO Works 

Local SEO works by helping Google understand where your business is located and what it offers. It can also help Google perceive your business as more popular and trustworthy.

All these factors can help you rank higher when people search relevant queries.

When ranking businesses in Google Maps and the local pack, Google considers three main criteria:

• Relevance: How well the business matches what the user is looking for
• Distance: How far the likely search location is from the business location
• Prominence: How well-known and well-reviewed the business is

When ranking webpages in traditional search results, Google considers factors like:

• Relevance: How well your webpage matches what the user is looking for
• Quality: How helpful and trustworthy your content is 
• Usability: How strong your webpage’s performance is (based on things like speed and mobile-friendliness)

How to Do Local SEO

Now, it’s time to create a plan to increase your local rankings and boost traffic. The following steps will help you get started.