Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a business website and Google Business Profile to attract customers within a specific geographic region. It combines keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and content creation to increase visibility in local search results. Citation building and Google Business Posts are among the most critical strategies, and a Listing Management tool can make that work manageable so you can focus on expanding the business.
Keyword Research
Start by identifying the search terms potential customers use to find businesses like yours on search engine results pages. Free or paid tools such as Ubersuggest (developed by Neil Patel), Keyword Shitter, and Answer the Public help surface those terms.
Next, separate keywords by local intent. Implicit local keywords do not name a location but signal that the user wants results near them, while explicit local keywords name a city or neighborhood. With those two lists, narrowing down a relevant keyword set becomes straightforward.
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization matters for search in general, but it is especially important for local search. According to BrightLocal, 34% of SEOs view on-page signals as the top contributor to regular organic rankings, and 16% consider them crucial for ranking in the map pack.
Practical on-page work includes adding keywords to content, making the site easy for search engines to crawl, placing NAP (name, address, and phone number) in crawlable HTML text throughout the site, and tagging photos and videos with descriptive keywords so Google can understand what each file contains.
Avoid keyword stuffing, which hurts rankings. Optimize each page for one primary keyword while still targeting a few related terms.
Link Building
Link building, also called off-page SEO, sends external links to your site as a vote of confidence from a third party, which lifts search rankings and brings more customers. Common local tactics include directory listings, reviews submitted to relevant sites, and reclaiming unlinked brand mentions. Tools like Ubersuggest help find backlink opportunities, including links pointing to competitors that you can request for your own site.
Manual outreach takes more effort than automated alternatives, but it can produce stronger SERP results.
Content Creation
Directory listings and an optimized Google Business Profile do the heavy lifting in local SEO, but content still plays an important role. Blog posts built around local topics and keyword research raise visibility, and an authentic local voice gives them an edge. Kanuka Digital added a FAQ page with local-focused keywords for PlumbGas customers and saw conversions rise 400%.
Google Business Posts also share news and updates with local consumers, including events, promotions, and new products or services. Creating and optimizing these posts at scale is challenging, and Mailchimp provides a way to handle it.
Google Business Posts
GMB Posts let businesses engage users directly inside their Google listing, whether posting daily specials, local events, or links that drive click-throughs to a landing page. The right post can give users a one-click path to make reservations, subscribe to a mailing list, or buy products from your website, lifting both SEO ranking and local search visibility.
Google also reads these posts to better understand the business and match it to queries, which ties into its E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness) framework.
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