Local SEO

What is Local SEO

Local SEO is the process of optimizing a business's visibility in unpaid, location-based search results on Google Search, Google Maps, and other search engines.

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

Local SEO can also boost your website’s rankings in standard search results (the blue links).

Most search results are personalized based on the user’s country. Local SEO goes beyond the country and focuses on reaching people in more specific locations, such as cities and districts.

Targeted SEO like this benefits businesses with physical stores (like restaurants, dentists, and mechanics) and local service providers (such as plumbers, tutors, and dog walkers).

Why Is Local SEO Important?

Local SEO is important because it increases a business's visibility in local search results, helping attract nearby customers and boosting sales.

Google delivers billions of local search results every month, which means appearing prominently for relevant queries increases your chances of attracting customers.

Google shows local results when it believes users are searching for nearby products, services, or amenities—or in a specified location.

Examples of local keywords found with Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool include:

"mexican restaurants"

"mexican restaurants near me"

"mexican restaurants in dallas"

Businesses with strong local SEO tend to rank highest for these keywords, making users more likely to discover and engage with them.

Regardless of your business type or location, you can likely reach potential customers through search.

How Local SEO Works

Local SEO can contribute to higher rankings when people search relevant queries because it helps Google understand your business's location and offerings—and it can also enhance Google's perception of your business as popular and trustworthy.

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

Relevance: How well the business matches what the user is looking for

Distance: How far the user's likely location is from the business

Prominence: How well-known and well-reviewed the business is

When ranking webpages in traditional search results, Google considers:

Relevance: How well your webpage matches what the user is looking for

Quality: How helpful and trustworthy your content is

Usability: How well your webpage performs (based on factors like speed and mobile-friendliness)