What Is Local SEO? A Starter Guide for Businesses

When a customer searches for “hair salon in Denver”, “lawyer in Sheridan” or “pharmacy near me”, Google tries to show the businesses that are closest to them and most relevant to their need. Local SEO is the set of work that makes your business visible in these location-based searches, on Google Maps and in the local results box.

Who is local SEO important for?

It matters for every business that meets customers in person or serves a specific area:

• businesses with a physical address, such as clinics, salons, restaurants and shops,
• service businesses that go to the customer’s address, such as plumbers, movers and cleaning companies,
• professionals who want to be known in their area, such as lawyers, accountants and real estate offices.

The difference between local SEO and classic SEO

Classic SEO aims to get your pages ranking for topic-based searches. Local SEO adds location to that: where the searcher is, which city or neighbourhood is mentioned in the search and how well known your business is in that area all directly affect the results. That is why, in local SEO, your Google Business Profile, reviews and directory listings come into play alongside your website.

The core steps of local SEO

1. Google Business Profile

The first requirement for appearing in map results is a verified, complete Business Profile. For category choice, services, photos and review management, read our Google Business Profile optimisation guide.

2. Consistent business information (NAP)

Your business name, address and phone number (NAP) should be the same on your website, Business Profile, social media and directory sites. Different spellings and old phone numbers make it harder for search engines to identify your business correctly.

3. Pages focused on location and service

Create a separate page for each service and state clearly where that service is offered. If you serve more than one city or area, prepare pages for each area that contain information specific to it. Copied pages where only the city name changes do not help; Google may treat them as low-quality content.

4. Real customer reviews

The number, rating and recency of reviews affect both rankings and click-through rate. Make asking satisfied customers for reviews a habit and reply to every review.

5. Structured data

Add LocalBusiness structured data to your website to present your address, phone, opening hours and service area in a form search engines can read easily. FAQPage markup can also be used for your frequently asked questions section.

6. Mobile-friendliness and speed

Most local searches happen on phones. A fast-loading page, a phone number that can be called with one tap and easy directions all directly affect conversions.

7. Local links and mentions

Being listed by associations, chambers of commerce, industry directories, local news sites and the websites of your business partners in your area shows that your business is known there.

When does local SEO show results?

The effect of Business Profile improvements and technical fixes usually starts to show within a few weeks. In competitive cities and industries, lasting results take a few months of regular work. The timeline depends on your industry, your competitors and the current state of your website.

Local SEO depends on your market

Every city has different industries and search habits. A dental clinic in a large city and an industrial supplier in a smaller town do not have the same local SEO needs. That is why we start every local SEO project by looking at your market, your competitors and how your customers search. You can see how we work on our SEO services page.