Everything you need to know about local SEO

Local SEO is essential if you want to improve your visibility in search engines within your area. It’s a key part of any SEO strategy and helps businesses boost their local reputation, attract nearby customers, and increase brand awareness. Below, we’ll explain what local SEO is, why it matters, and how you can start implementing it effectively.

What is Local SEO and why is it important?

Local SEO focuses on optimizing your online presence for local search results. While traditional SEO targets general keywords, local SEO hones in on location-based search terms, helping your business appear when people nearby are looking for products or services you offer.

This approach is especially valuable for businesses with physical locations or service areas. For example, if you’re an electrician in Manchester or a hairdresser in Leeds, you’ll want to rank for search terms like “electrician in Manchester” or “hairdresser Leeds.”

When someone searches for those terms, your goal is to appear at the top of Google’s local results. Or even better, in Google Maps. Ranking in those top spots can significantly boost your visibility, click-through rate, and ultimately, the number of customers who find you.

The benefits of local SEO

Local SEO offers several key advantages:

• Stronger visibility in Google Search and Google Maps
• Less competition compared to broad national keywords
• Easier to implement than full-scale SEO campaigns
• Higher rankings, more clicks, and more qualified leads

How to implement local SEO

If you want to increase your visibility in a specific area, local SEO should be a core part of your digital marketing strategy. Here’s how to get started:

1. Set up your Google Business Profile

The first step is to create or claim your Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business). When people search for your business name, this profile appears on the right-hand side of Google’s search results.

You can add key details such as:

• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• Website
• Opening hours
• Categories and services

You can also upload photos and videos, and customers can leave reviews, which you should respond to. Reviews are a major trust factor: many people read them before deciding to contact or visit a business.

2. Keep your NAP details consistent

Your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information must be consistent across all platforms: your website, directories, social media profiles, and your Google Business Profile.

Accurate NAP details not only help users contact you easily but also build credibility with Google, which rewards consistency with higher rankings.

3. Use local keywords and create location-based content

Keyword research is just as crucial for local SEO as it is for general SEO. Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or Google Search Console can help identify which local search terms people use most often.

Once you’ve found the right keywords, integrate them naturally into your website: on blog posts, service pages, and location-specific landing pages.

You can also collaborate with local news websites or blogs to publish relevant content containing your local keywords and a backlink to your site. This type of local linkbuilding can strengthen both your visibility and authority.

4. Build local links and citations

Link building remains one of the most powerful ranking factors in SEO. Quality backlinks from relevant, trustworthy websites signal to Google that your site is credible.

For local SEO, aim to get backlinks from local websites: such as community pages, directories, or news outlets. You can also use platforms like Popi, which helps businesses connect with local websites for link building opportunities.

Don’t forget internal linking within your own website. It helps both users and search engines navigate your site more efficiently.

5. Collect online reviews and manage your reputation

Encourage happy customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Facebook, or Trustpilot. Positive reviews can influence new customers and strengthen your local ranking signals.

Engage with your reviewers by replying to their comments. This shows that you value feedback and maintain strong customer relationships.

6. Implement structured data

Structured data (also known as schema markup) helps Google understand your business details more clearly. By adding structured data for your business—such as address, opening hours, FAQs, and reviews - you can increase your chances of appearing with rich snippets in search results.

Use Google’s LocalBusiness structured data to improve how your business is matched to local searches and displayed in Google Maps.

7. Optimize for mobile users

Local searches often happen on mobile devices. Whether someone is looking for the nearest coffee shop or a nearby plumber, they’re likely searching on the go.

That’s why mobile optimization is crucial. A mobile-friendly website enhances user experience, improves conversions, and is also favored by Google’s mobile-first indexing.

8. Prepare for voice search

Voice search continues to grow, especially for local queries like “Where’s the nearest bakery?”

To optimize for voice, focus on conversational, long-tail keywords and include questions and answers in your content. This helps your business appear in voice search results that use natural language patterns.

9. Use social media to boost local visibility

While social media doesn’t directly impact rankings, it does help build local brand awareness and generate traffic to your website. Stay active on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to engage your community and strengthen your online presence.

10. Measure your local SEO results

Use tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics to monitor your local performance. You can track metrics such as which locations generate the most traffic, which keywords are ranking, and how users engage with your site.

Tools like Moz Local and your Google Business dashboard also provide useful insights into visibility and engagement.

Start improving your local SEO today

Local SEO is one of the most effective ways to attract nearby customers and grow your business presence in search results. By optimizing your Google profile, maintaining consistent NAP details, creating local content, and building high-quality links, you’ll increase visibility, credibility, and conversions - all within your target region.