SEOBestie*
SEO · Search Engine Optimisationbeginner3 min read

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimising your online presence to appear in geographically-specific search results — queries like 'coffee shop near me', 'plumber in Manchester', or 'best accountant London'. Google shows a dedicated 'Local Pack' (the map with three business listings) for location-intent queries. Appearing there is separate from standard organic rankings and requires its own strategy.

46%
of all Google searches have local intent
Source: Google, 2023
Fact-checked against 3 sourcesLast updated 8 June 2026
Key Takeaways
  • Google Business Profile is the single most important local SEO asset — claim it, complete it fully, and keep it updated.
  • NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) across all online directories and your website is a foundational local signal.
  • Reviews on Google directly affect Local Pack rankings — the quantity, recency, and average rating all matter.
  • Local keyword targeting: add city/region modifiers to your meta titles, headings, and page content.
  • Local citations (mentions of your business on directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, industry directories) build local authority.
In this article
  1. 01Google Business Profile: Your Local SEO Foundation
  2. 02On-Page Local SEO

Google Business Profile: Your Local SEO Foundation

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the free listing that powers the Local Pack and Google Maps results. A complete, verified profile is the most direct lever for local visibility.

Complete every field: business category (choose the most specific primary category), description, hours, photos, services, and Q&A. Profiles with more information rank better.

Post regularly to your GBP: Google rewards active profiles. Weekly posts about offers, events, or new content keep your profile fresh and signal an active business.

Respond to every review — positive and negative. Review engagement is a local ranking signal, and a thoughtful response to a critical review demonstrates professionalism.

On-Page Local SEO

Create a dedicated location page if you serve multiple locations. Each page should have: the city/region in the H1 and meta title, your full address, an embedded Google Map, local phone number, and content specific to that location.

Implement LocalBusiness schema markup on your homepage and location pages. It explicitly tells Google your business type, address, hours, and contact details.

Build local citations by getting listed in relevant directories — Yelp, TripAdvisor, industry-specific directories, and local business associations. Ensure NAP is identical across all listings.

Stay sharp

Most guides are already outdated.

One email a week. The search stuff that actually matters — what shifted, what died, and what to do about it.

Subscribe free →
46%
of all Google searches have local intent
76%
of people who search locally visit a business within 24 hours
28%
of local searches result in a purchase
86%
of consumers use Google Maps to find local businesses
LOCAL PACK RANKING FACTORS BY WEIGHT
Google Business Profile signalsCompleteness, category, reviews, posts
On-page signalsNAP, localised content, schema markup
Review signalsVolume, velocity, and sentiment of reviews
Link signalsLocal and industry-relevant backlinks
Citation signalsNAP consistency across directories
✓ DO
✓

Use your exact legal business name on your GBP — no keyword stuffing

✓

Choose the most specific primary category available (e.g. 'Italian Restaurant' over 'Restaurant')

✓

Keep NAP identical across every directory, your website, and your GBP

✓

Upload geo-tagged photos regularly to your Google Business Profile

✓

Respond to reviews within 24–48 hours to signal engagement

✗ DON'T
✗

Create multiple GBP listings for the same location — this triggers a spam penalty

✗

Use a virtual office or PO Box address to fake a local presence

✗

Ignore negative reviews or respond defensively in public

✗

Stuff city names into your content unnaturally — Google penalises doorway pages

✗

Let NAP inconsistencies accumulate across citations — they erode trust signals

LOCAL SEO QUICK-START CHECKLIST
0/8 complete
Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
Complete every GBP field including services, attributes, and business description
Add LocalBusiness schema markup to your homepage and all location pages
Audit existing citations for NAP consistency using a tool like BrightLocal or Whitespark
Create a dedicated, unique location page for each city or region you serve
Embed a Google Map on each location page
Build a review acquisition strategy — email follow-ups, QR codes at point of sale
Publish at least one GBP post per week (offer, event, or update)
LOCAL PACK VS ORGANIC RANKINGS: KEY DIFFERENCES
FactorLocal Pack (Map Results)Standard Organic Results
Powered byGoogle Business ProfileWebsite content & backlinks
Primary ranking signalsProximity, relevance, prominenceDomain authority, E-E-A-T, keywords
Schema requiredLocalBusiness schema strongly advisedRelevant schema by content type
Review impactDirect ranking signalIndirect (CTR, trust)
Optimisation toolGoogle Business Profile dashboardOn-page SEO & link building
Appears forLocation-intent queriesInformational & transactional queries broadly
LOCAL SEO TERMINOLOGY
NAP

Name, Address, Phone number — the core business identity data that must be consistent across all online listings and your website.

Local Pack

The block of three business listings (with a map) that Google displays above organic results for location-intent queries.

Citation

Any online mention of your business's NAP data, typically in directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, or industry-specific listings.

Proximity

How physically close the searcher is to your business location — one of Google's three core local ranking factors alongside relevance and prominence.

LocalBusiness Schema

Structured data markup (JSON-LD) added to your website that explicitly communicates your business type, address, hours, and contact details to search engines.

Free Tool

How does your site score on SEO?

Paste your URL. Get a score and a fix list across all three disciplines. No form, no email.

Run Free Audit →

Frequently Asked Questions

No — the Local Pack (the map results) is a separate ranking system from organic results. A business with a great Google Business Profile and strong local signals can appear in the Local Pack even without strong organic rankings. However, appearing in both the Local Pack and organic results significantly increases your total SERP visibility.

The three main factors are: relevance (how well your business matches the query — accurate categories and complete profile), distance (proximity to the searcher — partially outside your control), and prominence (reviews, citations, and your overall online reputation). Focus on what you can control: reviews, profile completeness, and citation consistency.

Sources & Further Reading
  • 1.Google Business Profile Help Centre
  • 2.BrightLocal — Local SEO Industry Survey
  • 3.Moz — Local SEO Guide

Read next

SEObeginner

Keyword Research

Keyword research is the process of finding and analysing the search terms people use to discover content relat…

SEObeginner

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the practice of optimising the infrastructure of your website so search engines can efficient…

SEOintermediate

E-E-A-T

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It's a framework from Google…

SEOintermediate

Schema Markup

Schema markup (structured data) is code you add to your web pages — typically in JSON-LD format — that explici…