What are Local Keywords?

Local SEO keywords, also referred to as location-based keywords, are the words and phrases most likely to be Googled by consumers seeking the desired thing in a specific location. If your focus is on increasing the visibility of a local business, they are integral in building up your strategy, analytics, and marketing content.

Instead of just searching for “plumbing services”, people in New York might search for “plumbing services in Brooklyn”. In this case, “plumbing services in Brooklyn” is the local keyword. These keywords signal to search engines that a search intends to look for geographically relevant results. The better you incorporate local keywords within your website and content, the better assurance you will have that your small business shows up for searches from users in your immediate service area.

Examples of local keywords:

“Best coffee shop in Austin”

“Affordable locksmith near Miami”

“Family dentist in Seattle”

How to Do Keyword Research for Local Business Listings

Keyword research is a crucial first step when optimizing your local business for search engines. To get started with local keyword research, follow these steps:

• Understand Your Audience: Think about who your ideal customer is and what type of language they might use to search for your services. Create a list of potential search terms they might use.
• Use Google Auto-Suggestions: Start typing your business-related keywords into Google’s search bar and pay attention to the auto-suggestions. These are common search terms that users have previously entered and can give you ideas for relevant keywords.
• Leverage Google’s “People Also Ask” Section: When you enter a search term, Google will often provide related questions in the “People Also Ask” section. Use these related queries as ideas for local keywords you can target.
• Competitor Research: Check out the local keywords your competitors are using by looking at their website’s metadata and page content. You can also use tools to analyze their rankings and keywords to help guide your strategy.
• Niche Down: Find long-tail local keywords that are highly specific. For example, instead of targeting a generic phrase like “Italian restaurant,” you could target “authentic Italian restaurant in Denver.” These specific keywords might have a lower search volume but will attract more qualified traffic.

What is the Keyword Search Volume?

Keyword search volume here refers to the number of searches targeted on a given keyword within a specific period, which is normally measured monthly. While conducting local SEO keyword research, one has to create some balance between search volume and the relevance and competition of the keyword.

When targeting high-volume keywords for a small business, sometimes those keywords happen to be super competitive, which makes it less effective. Instead, try to focus on a keyword that’s much more location-and service-based, even though the search volume may be low. Many times, these long-tail local keywords are easier to rank for and might turn into customers more often.

Best Keyword Research Tools That Will Help You With Analysis

Selecting the right tools can make your local keyword research more efficient and effective. Below are some of the best keyword research tools for local SEO:

• Google Keyword Planner: Free and reliable, this tool allows you to search for keywords and get data on search volumes, competition, and related terms.
• Moz Local: You could build keyword ideas with Moz Local for your location and show you where your business stands as far as local SEO performance.
• SEMrush: All-in-one tool will find the best keywords for your location through keyword research, rank tracking, and competitive analysis.
• Ahrefs: Ahrefs does a deep dive into keyword research. Apart from that, it has all the tools to analyze your competitors and find new opportunities for local SEO.
• Google Trends: Google Trends shows you the relative popularity of certain search terms over time to help you find which keywords are trending locally.

Why is performing local keyword research necessary?

It is vital to conduct local research for keywords, as though such a strategy, small businesses can: 

Target the Right Audience: Using the target keyword of a geographic area would mean you show up in searches for people who are most likely to show up in your business.

Improve Local Search Rankings: Using keywords about your area in your SEO can help increase your visibility on search and Google Maps.

Less Competition: The competition is thinner than broad, general keywords, which will enable small businesses to stand out a little better in the results.

Higher Conversions: If customers find your business via a relevant local search, they can convert more easily, whatever that action may be, from visiting your store to scheduling an appointment. Without appropriate keywords, even a brilliant website design may not capture the audience that matters most: the customers around your corner.

How Can I Track Local Keyword Rankings?

Tracking your local keyword rankings ensures that your SEO efforts are delivering results. Here’s how you can monitor your rankings over time:

• Google Search Console: This free tool allows you to track your keyword performance directly from Google. It also shows how your website is performing in local searches.
• SEMrush: With SEMrush, you can track keyword positions specifically for your geographic location. It also provides insights into competitors’ keyword rankings.
• BrightLocal: This tool is designed for local businesses and helps track rankings in Google Maps, mobile, and desktop searches within specific locations.
• Whitespark: Known for its local citation management, Whitespark also allows you to monitor your local search rankings and track improvements over time.
• Moz Pro: Moz Pro’s rank tracking feature gives you data on where your local keywords rank on search engines, enabling you to adjust your strategy as needed.

Summary

Choosing the right keywords for local SEO is going to make all the difference in the world for your business. Focus on local keywords targeting your audience and geographic area; this will help you keep your visibility higher and drive more local traffic, hence increasing your conversions. Understand your audience and do thorough keyword research with the proper tools at hand. It helps one see how their websites are ranked, and when necessary, changes to strategy can be met with a continued competitive advantage in the digital world for your small business.