Local SEO has become more crucial than ever for businesses aiming to attract nearby customers. As of 2024, nearly half of all Google searches carry local intent. That means when consumers search online, they’re often looking for products or services in their area.
According to Google, 88% of people who do a local search on a smartphone visit or call a business within 24 hours. In other words, showing up in local search results isn’t just about visibility; it directly translates into foot traffic and sales.
What is Local SEO Keyword Research?
Local SEO keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing the search terms people use when looking for services near them. It’s similar to traditional keyword research but with a geographic twist.
How to Research Local Keywords?
Step 1 – Define Your Service Area and Target Audience
Successful local SEO starts with clearly defining where and whom you’re trying to reach. Before you even generate keyword ideas, think about your service area and your customer profile. This will ensure you focus on the right local terms from the outset.
Understand Where Your Customers Come From:
First, pinpoint the geographic area that your business serves or draws customers from. Are most of your customers within a 5-mile radius?
Do you serve an entire city, multiple cities, or an entire region/state? Understanding this is crucial because local search ranking factors heavily depends in distance.
Typically, users will search for businesses that are convenient to them. Studies show that 72% of consumers who perform a local search end up visiting a store within 5 miles of their location.
In practice, this means if your bakery is in downtown Denver, you’re more likely to attract and convert searchers in Denver proper than someone 50 miles away.
So, tailor your keyword targeting to the areas from which customers are willing to travel.
Identify Cities, Neighborhoods, and Regional Terms
With your service radius in mind, list the specific geographic terms relevant to your business. These can include:
- City Names: The primary city or cities you serve. If you’re a home tutor in New York City, that might be “Manhattan” or “NYC” as keywords.
- Neighborhoods and Districts: In large cities or spread-out service areas, neighborhood-level targeting can help. For example, a real estate agent in Los Angeles might want keywords for “Santa Monica” or “Silver Lake” depending on their niche.
- Regional Terms: Sometimes broader region terms (like “Bay Area”, “Tri-state area”, or county names) are useful if customers use those. For educational institutions, for instance, parents might search “best schools in Orange County” rather than a specific city.
- “Near Me” and Informal Geography: While not a specific place name, phrases like “near me” or “nearby” are essentially the user’s shorthand for “within my vicinity.” Google interprets these based on the user’s current location.
After listing all relevant geographic modifiers, you might have something like: City (e.g., Dallas), major suburbs (e.g., Plano, Irving), colloquial area names (e.g., “DFW area”), and perhaps adjoining towns you serve. These will become building blocks when brainstorming keyword phrases in the next steps.
Prioritize by Service Value and Search Potential:
Not every location or service in your list is equally valuable. It’s important to prioritize which combinations of services and locations to focus on first. Consider two factors: business value and search volume.
- Service/Location Value: Think about which services bring you the most revenue or strategic value, and which locations are most important.
- Search Potential: A keyword is only useful if people are actually searching for it. A small town name might be ultra-specific, but if virtually no one searches for your service with that town in the query, it might not be worth creating content solely for it.
Balance these two aspects. Ideally, you want the sweet spot: locations important to your business and with solid search volume.
Early on, focus on core terms like “[service] [main city]”, since these often have decent volume (e.g., “personal trainer Chicago”). But don’t ignore smaller locales if they show promise. Sometimes, a secondary city or neighborhood with slightly fewer searches might still be very worthwhile if competition is low there, you could capture a top ranking more easily.
Step 2 – Brainstorm Local Keyword Ideas
With your service area and audience in mind, it’s time to brainstorm the actual keywords those people might use. This step is about creativity and thoroughness, generating a broad list of candidate search terms before we refine them with data.
We’ll start with basic “seed” keywords and then expand using modifiers and competitive insights.
Start with Seed Keywords (Services + Locations)
Seed keywords are the fundamental terms directly related to your business offerings essentially, what you do, plus possibly where you do it. Begin by listing your core services or products without any fluff.
If you run a home cleaning business, seed terms could be “house cleaning”, “office cleaning”, “carpet cleaning”, etc. If you’re a private school, seeds might be “college prep school”, “Montessori school”, etc.
Think like a customer: what service or solution are they searching for?
Now, combine these service terms with your primary location terms from Step 1. For instance, take “house cleaning” and pair it with your city: “house cleaning services in Dallas”.
Use Modifiers Like “near me,” “best,” or “open now”:
Once you have seed keywords, expand them by adding modifiers, extra words that people often use to refine their search. These modifiers can indicate quality, urgency, or proximity, and they are especially common in local searches. Some powerful ones to consider:
- “near me” – This is ubiquitous in local search. Terms like “pizza near me”, “pharmacy near me”, or “open now near me” are extremely popular when someone wants immediate results close by.
Pro tip: While you can’t put “near me” in your site text naturally, ensure your site and Google listing are optimized for local context so that you can rank when someone nearby searches “[service] near me”.
Google’s own data showed a 900% increase in searches containing “near me today/tonight” over a two-year span, highlighting how users tack on time qualifiers as well. - “best” – Many users search for “best [service] + [location]” when they want top-rated options. E.g., “best Mexican restaurant in [City]”, or “best pediatrician near me”. If you have strong reviews or a premium offering, you’ll want to appear for these.
- “open now” / “24 hour” / specific hours – Especially for urgent needs (medical, food, services at odd hours), people add these. “24/7 locksmith [City]”, “open now”, “after hours [service] [City]” are common variations.
- “affordable” / “cheap” / “free” – Price-related modifiers are also used (e.g., “affordable wedding venues [City]”, “cheap plumbers near me”). Use with caution: you want to attract budget-conscious customers only if that aligns with your business model.
- Niche qualifiers – Depending on your field, people might include specific needs: “kids friendly”, “LGBT-friendly”, “pet-friendly”, “same-day”, “emergency”, etc. For example, “emergency vet near me”, “same-day appliance repair [City]”. These indicate very high intent (someone needing immediate or specific service).
Take your list of seed keywords and systematically add these modifiers in front or behind to see what makes sense. For example, from “plumber Dallas,” you get “best plumber Dallas,” “Dallas plumber near me,” “24-hour plumber Dallas,” “emergency plumber Dallas,” etc. Not every combination will be logical or commonly searched, but you’re casting a wide net for now.
Competitor Website Review for Ideas:
One often overlooked goldmine for keyword ideas is your competitors’ websites. Your competitors especially the ones ranking well may already be targeting effective local keywords. Here’s how to leverage that:
- Scan Their Pages: Visit the websites of the top competitors in your local market. Look at their homepage and service pages. What terms do they emphasize in their titles and headings? For example, a competitor’s homepage title might say “Trusted Heating and Cooling in Phoenix – 24/7 HVAC Service.”
- Services and Locations Listed: Check if they have a “Services” page or “Areas We Serve” page. These often list out specific service keywords and location names. If a competitor lists “Plumbing Drain Cleaning, Water Heater Repair in Denver,” you just gathered several service/location combos they believe are important.
- Meta Tags and SEO Clues: If you’re savvy, look at the HTML title tag or meta description (sometimes visible on the browser tab or via “view source”). Competitors might include keywords there that aren’t obvious on the surface.
- Use Tools on Competitor Domains: You can use SEO tools (free or paid) to input a competitor’s domain and see their top keywords. For example, tools like Semrush or Ahrefs can list which keywords a competitor ranks for.
- Review Their Google Business Profile (GBP): On their Google listing (if accessible), sometimes the Q&A or Google posts reveal keywords (“Does [Business] offer emergency plumbing?” etc.). Also, reviews on their GBP often mention services in plain language – e.g., a review might say “This bakery has the best gluten-free cupcakes in [City].” That phrase “gluten-free cupcakes [City]” could be a niche keyword to consider if relevant to you.
By studying competitors, you validate your brainstorming. You might find, for instance, that every top competitor in home cleaning uses the phrase “maid service [City]” in addition to “house cleaning [City]” a hint that you should target it too.
At this stage, you should have a hefty list of potential local keywords: core service+location terms, various “near me” or modifier variations, and ideas gleaned from competitors. Next, we’ll bring in some data to refine and expand this list using keyword research tools.
Brainstorming gives you a raw list of ideas; now it’s time to validate and expand those ideas with data. Keyword research tools can tell you how often people search for your terms (search volume), how competitive those terms might be, and even suggest new related keywords you hadn’t considered. For local SEO, we’ll want to use tools with a geo-specific lens. Here are several go-to tools and how to use them for local keyword research:
Google Keyword Planner (with Geo Filters):
Google Keyword Planner (GKP) is a free tool inside Google Ads. Despite being designed for advertisers, it’s incredibly useful for SEO keyword research. One of its strengths is the ability to filter by location. Here’s how to use it:
- Input your seed keywords: Enter the core terms (and maybe a few with modifiers) into GKP. Make sure to set the location filter to your target area, you can specify a country, state, city, or even a radius around a location. For example, you could set it to “United States” for national data, or narrow to “Austin, TX” to see just Austin-specific search volumes.
- Analyze local search volume: The planner will show you average monthly searches for the terms. Pay attention to these numbers within your target geography. If “plumber” shows 10,000 searches nationally but only 1,000 in your city, that local figure (1,000) is what matters to you. The tool may show ranges (e.g., 100–1K) if you’re not running ads; even so, it’s directionally useful.
- Discover new keywords: GKP suggests related keywords. For example, if you entered “lawyer [City]”, it might suggest “attorney [City]”, “best [City] law firm”, etc. It will also show variants like “personal injury lawyer [City]” if data exists. This can reveal services you offer that you didn’t list or synonyms that are popular.
- Geo-modified vs. broad: An interesting use of GKP is to compare the volume of a term with and without a location. For example, check “dentist” vs “dentist [City]”. If “dentist [City]” has, say, 1,600 searches/month in your area, that’s likely your relevant pool. Meanwhile “dentist” might have millions nationally, but those are spread out and not as actionable for you. The localized volume helps justify which location combos to prioritize.
- Competition and bid estimates: GKP will show an “competition” level (for ads) and suggested bids. While these are for paid ads, they indirectly tell you about commercial value.
Because it’s Google’s own data, Keyword Planner is pretty reliable for search volumes. Just remember to always apply the geo filter, otherwise you might be looking at irrelevant national data. If you serve multiple locations, check each major location, search habits can differ city to city. One city might use “attorney” more while another says “lawyer” more, for instance. GKP will help you spot those nuances.
Google Trends (Regional Interest):
Where Keyword Planner gives hard numbers, Google Trends provides insights into relative popularity and trends over time. It’s a great tool for understanding seasonality and regional interest for various terms:
- Compare interest by region: In Google Trends, you can enter a search term and see which metro areas or states search it the most. If you enter a broad term like “roof repair”, Trends might show higher interest in places prone to, say, storm damage. More concretely, use it within your state or city if possible. For example, check interest in “online MBA” in different states or cities if you run an educational program, you might find your city has a higher (or lower) demand than average.
- City-level insights: Trends allows you to filter by country and then by subregion or metro. For a truly local business, it might not give detail down to a small town, but you can often get state or large-city data. For instance, you could set it to “Past 12 months, U.S., city = New York” and compare “coffee shop” vs “café” to see what terminology New Yorkers use more. If “café” shows higher interest in your city compared to the national norm, you’d know to use “café” on your site content in addition to “coffee shop”.
- Seasonality: Many local businesses have seasonal swings. Google Trends can show you if certain searches spike at particular times. A landscaping company might see searches for “lawn care [City]” peak in spring. An educational tutor might see “SAT classes [City]” spike in summer/fall. By viewing a multi-year timeline in Trends, you can anticipate when to ramp up certain content or ads. For example, “HVAC repair” might spike each summer in hot climates; “heating repair [City]” might spike in winter. Trends will make these patterns clear.
- Rising queries: Trends also has a section for related queries that are “rising”. These can clue you in to new phrases gaining popularity. Perhaps suddenly “near me” or “open on Sunday” attached to your service is trending upward. A real case: searches like “restaurants near me” tend to surge on mobile in the evenings, if Trends shows a breakout for “brunch near me [City]”, a local eatery could capitalize on that by creating a brunch page or Google post.
Using Google Trends is more exploratory and less precise than other tools, but it complements them. It ensures you capture the context around your keywords, how they flow, and how language usage might differ in your locale versus elsewhere.
A Harvard-worthy tip: understand the cultural or regional vernacular. If you’re targeting New Englanders, know that “rotary” means “roundabout” (road term) there – a driving school might use that local term in content. Google Trends can sometimes hint at those differences through regional comparisons of terms.
GSC and GA for Existing Search Queries:
Don’t forget the data you already own: Google Search Console (GSC) and Google Analytics (GA) for your website. These tools reveal what queries are already leading people to your site, which can uncover easy wins and gaps in your keyword strategy:
- Google Search Console: In GSC, navigate to the Performance report and you’ll see the search queries that triggered impressions or clicks for your site. Filter this data for your country or region (e.g., filter to U.S. if that’s your market). Look specifically for any queries that contain your city or area names, these are local searches you’re appearing for.
- Google Analytics: GA can show you the traffic by location and the pages that users from those locations visit. While GA no longer shows detailed keyword data (thanks to Google’s privacy move “(not provided)” for organic keywords), you can glean insights.
For instance, if you have location-specific landing pages, see which get the most organic traffic, that hints which city’s keywords are performing. Also, under Audience > Geo > Location, you can see which cities your organic visitors come from. If you serve multiple cities but notice one city provides much more traffic, ensure you’re well-optimized for that city’s terms. Conversely, if a city is in your service area but not bringing traffic, you might be missing content for it.
- Conversion data: If you have goals or conversions set up (like form fills, calls), check if certain local pages or local queries (in GSC) drive conversions. It’s one thing to rank, but we want those rankings to bring business.
Suppose your “HVAC repair [City]” page gets a lot of hits and conversions, that validates focusing on similar service+city combinations. GA can also show local user behavior – maybe folks from City A spend more time on site than City B, perhaps indicating more intent or better resonance of your content in City A.
One concrete example: let’s say you run an educational summer camp with locations in three counties. GSC might show that you’re getting impressions for “STEM camp [CountyName]” for two counties but not the third.
That could mean you need a page or better SEO for that third county. Or GA might show hardly any traffic from one of the areas you thought you served – maybe people there use a different term (like “science camp” instead of “STEM camp”). These insights ground your keyword research in real user data.
Importantly, most companies rely on Google’s own tools like Search Console and Analytics to guide SEO decisions. These tools are free and provide first-party data – essentially feedback from Google on how it sees your site.
Use that feedback to refine your keyword targets continuously. If GSC shows new queries cropping up, fold them into your strategy. If Analytics shows a page isn’t performing, maybe the keyword isn’t right. This is an iterative process.
Tools Like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Ubersuggest:
Beyond Google’s toolkit, there are excellent third-party SEO tools that can supercharge your local keyword research. Semrush, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, and others like Moz or Mangools (KWFinder) offer robust data and features. Here’s how they can help:
- Broader Keyword Discovery: Tools like Semrush and Ahrefs have huge keyword databases. They often return hundreds or thousands of suggestions from a single seed. You can typically include a location in the search (e.g., search for keywords containing “Nashville” to find all sorts of Nashville-related searches people do). This can reveal long-tail gems.
- Keyword Difficulty and Competitive Analysis: These tools provide a metric for how hard it might be to rank for a term (often based on current top pages’ strength). This tool scale difficulty in 0-100. The more number is harder, means 50 is harder than 40.
- Local Search Features: Some tools now incorporate local SERP analysis. For example, Semrush’s Local features or Ahrefs’ ability to show if a keyword triggers a local pack. Semrush even has a “Local Pack” tracking or local listing management in its toolkit. These features help you specifically target appearing in Google Maps results as well as organic.
- Ubersuggest and Others for Simplicity: Ubersuggest (by Neil Patel) is a more entry-level tool that provides keyword ideas and SEO difficulty at a lower cost (and some free usage). It can be quite handy for quick checks.
Type in “florist [City]” and Ubersuggest might not only give volume and difficulty, but also content ideas. Tools like Hike SEO or Moz Keyword Explorer can also be useful if you have access, each with their own twist on suggestions and data visualization.
- Volume and Trend Accuracy: Third-party tools sometimes have more precise volume numbers than Google’s broad ranges (especially if you’re not running ads). They may also show trends over time for each keyword.
If you notice a local keyword’s volume increasing month-over-month, that could inform your priorities (for instance, rising interest in “outdoor dining [City]” post-pandemic could spur a restaurant to optimize for that).
One caution: these tools might not always capture extremely geo-specific long-tails if volume is low. For example, “marathon trainer in Smallville” might not register on their radar if searches are sparse.
That’s where your local intuition and the earlier brainstorming come in, if you know it’s relevant, you might still target it even if the tool says 0 searches (sometimes they under-count or round down small numbers).
Using professional SEO tools is common practice in fact, over 80% of companies report using paid SEO tools to support their efforts. They are worth the investment if you’re serious, as they save time and reveal opportunities you might miss manually.
In summary, leverage a mix of tools: Google’s Keyword Planner and Trends for raw and relative data, your own site’s analytics for reality checks, and advanced tools like Semrush or Ahrefs for deeper analysis and expansion.
This multi-tool approach will give you a well-rounded view of which local keywords are worth targeting. Next, we’ll look at making sense of all this data, specifically, how to analyze search volume vs. competition and prioritize the best keywords.
Step 4 – Analyze Search Volume and Competition
At this stage, you likely have a long list of potential local keywords. Now comes the critical analysis: figuring out which keywords are the best opportunities. “Best” means a combination of high intent, decent search volume, and feasible competition level. It’s a balancing act, you want terms that lots of people search and that you can realistically rank for and that will actually convert into business.
Here’s how to approach this analysis:
Look for High-Intent, Low-Competition Keywords:
Not all searches are equal. A keyword that clearly signals a person wants your product/service has high intent, these are gold. For example, “emergency roof repair Dallas” is high-intent (the person likely has a leaky roof and will call someone immediately).
Compare that to “roofing ideas Dallas” which might be a researcher or DIY query (lower immediate business intent). Whenever possible, prioritize the keywords that indicate the searcher is ready to act or buy.
Next, consider competition.
Big, broad terms like “dentist New York” or “hotels in Los Angeles” are going to be fiercely competitive (tons of businesses want to rank). A smaller niche or longer phrase might be easier.
Maybe “pediatric dentist Queens NYC” has fewer competitors optimizing for that exact term. If you’re a smaller or newer site, you stand a better chance targeting those specific terms that big players overlook.
How to gauge competition? A quick way is to actually search the term in Google and see what comes up:
- If the results are dominated by super-authority sites (Yelp, TripAdvisor, national chains, Wikipedia, etc.), that’s tougher.
- If you see other local businesses like yours, check if they have well-optimized pages. If the top result for “wedding photographer [YourCity]” is just a basic directory listing or a Facebook page, that indicates a potentially low-competition scenario – a strong website page could overtake that.
SEO tools’ “difficulty” metrics can help here as well, as mentioned. They often score keywords on a 0-100 scale. Focus on the ones in a range you can handle (for instance, if your site is new, maybe target difficulty <30 to start).
The sweet spot is high-intent + low-competition. These might not always be the highest volume terms, but they can be incredibly efficient.
For instance, a long-tail like “same day AC repair Phoenix” might have modest search volume, but anyone searching it is desperate for service (high intent) and few companies may have optimized specifically for “same day” (so competition is moderate). If you find a dozen such terms, collectively they can bring substantial business.
A data point to reinforce this approach: it’s found that long-tail keywords (which are often high-intent and lower competition) account for the majority of searches, over 75% of search queries are long-tail, and they boast an average conversion rate of 36%.
This means those specific multi-word phrases can be incredibly valuable, converting at a rate far higher than generic terms. So don’t be afraid to target keywords that are a bit longer or very specific, as long as the intent is strong.
Consider “near me” and Long-Tail Variations:
We touched on “near me” earlier, but it’s worth reiterating: “near me” searches are huge in local SEO. These are implicitly high-intent (the user wants something nearby now). The challenge is you can’t optimize your page for “near me” the way you do for a city name, instead, Google uses location signals.
To capture “near me” traffic, ensure your Google Business Profile is robust and that your site has clear local info. Additionally, focus on related phrases you can control, like including your city/neighborhood names (so Google knows you are local, increasing the chance you appear for someone’s “near me” query in your area).
Also, consider long-tail variations as a strategy. Long-tail keywords often include 4+ words and represent very specific queries. For example, instead of “gym [City]”, a long-tail could be “24 hour gym with childcare [City]”.
The search volume for that exact phrase might be low, but the person searching it has a very specific need – if you meet it, you’re likely to get the conversion. And, fewer sites will be optimized for that full phrase, making it easier to rank.
One approach: take a broad keyword and look at Google’s “People Also Ask” or the auto-complete suggestions for inspiration on long-tails. If you type “lawyer [City] ” and Google suggests “affordable lawyer [City]” or “lawyer [City] free consultation”, those are long-tail clues.
You could create content or pages around those (e.g., a page discussing how your firm offers free consultations in that city).
It’s also useful to cluster variants. Many long-tails might effectively be answered by the same page. For instance, “how much does HVAC repair cost in [City]” and “[City] HVAC repair pricing” have the same intent – you might create one strong page about HVAC repair costs and target both phrases. Group similar ones so you don’t create dozens of thin pages.
Remember that long-tail doesn’t always mean rare. Cumulatively, lots of people search using specific phrases. As an example, in home services SEO, a strategy might list out numerous neighborhood-level terms (like “plumber in [NeighborhoodName]”).
Each one alone isn’t searched a ton, but having content for each neighborhood might collectively drive a lot of traffic. And often, those searchers experience more personalized results (Google might show a hyper-local business for a neighborhood term that it wouldn’t for a city-wide term).
In essence, leverage “near me” and long-tails to capture ready-to-buy customers. These terms may be easier to rank for since not all competitors target them, and they tend to have less competition.
Case in point: a marketing study noted that the benefit of long-tail queries is not just in traffic but in conversion, they can convert 2-3 times higher than generic terms.
For local SEO, that’s often because long-tails include the who/what/where details that align precisely with a buyer’s need (e.g., “same-day dry cleaning downtown Boston”, if you can fulfill that, you’re exactly what they want).
Balance Between Traffic and Conversion Likelihood:
When choosing keywords, you’re always balancing volume vs. intent (and competition as discussed). It might be tempting to go after that big juicy keyword everyone searches (say, “real estate [City]” if you’re a realtor).
But if that term is super competitive or broad, it might bring lots of traffic with little conversion (some of those searchers might be looking for market trends, not necessarily an agent). Meanwhile, a slightly more specific term like “buy home [City] downtown” might bring fewer visitors but more serious buyers.
Ideally, your keyword strategy mixes a few “head” terms (popular keywords) with a lot of “long-tail” terms (specific ones).
The head terms build general visibility and awareness (and if you can rank for one, it’s great), while the long-tails steadily bring in the qualified leads. In fact, over 70% of all searches are long-tail keywords, so collectively those outrank the big terms in importance.
To practically balance:
- Identify a handful of primary keywords (maybe 5-10) that are your “must-win” terms (e.g., your main service + city). These likely have decent volume and are core to your business. You’ll optimize key pages (like homepage or main service pages) for these.
- Then identify clusters of secondary keywords (dozens of them) that have lower volume but high relevance. These might become blog topics, FAQ pages, or specific service area pages.
Each might individually not bring huge traffic, but together they attract a lot, and with higher conversion rates. An SEO proverb is that the long tail can wag the dog – meaning lots of small sources can beat one big source.
Also consider conversion likelihood: some keywords inherently convert better. “Cheap” keywords might draw bargain-hunters who are less loyal or lower-budget; “best” keywords might attract quality-seekers who convert if you truly appear top-notch.
“Buy” or “hire” in a query is a good sign. And any query that implies a real problem (e.g., “broken air conditioner [City]”) is likely a high-conversion lead if you address it.
One way to gauge a keyword’s value is to look at the presence of ads on that search. If a search term has multiple Google Ads on it, businesses are willing to pay for clicks – a hint that term converts well (or leads to valuable clients).
For example, you’ll often see several ads for “personal injury lawyer [City]” because a single case could be worth thousands. If your SEO can capture that same traffic, the ROI is huge. Not every term with ads will be easy (they’re usually competitive), but it tells you what’s lucrative.
On the flip side, a keyword with high volume but no ads at all might be more informational in nature (though not always). For instance, “history of [City]” might be searched a lot by students, but no lawyer or plumber is bidding on that because it doesn’t convert to business.
Ultimately, aim for a balanced portfolio of keywords:
- Some that are your broad “brand/category” terms to establish your presence (even if they mostly bring awareness).
- Many that are specific “money” terms that bring leads (even if each is small).
- Don’t ignore the moderate ones in between either, mid-volume, mid-competition terms often get overlooked by those chasing the extremes, and there lies opportunity.
To illustrate, imagine you are optimizing for a home services company:
- High-volume head term: “plumber [City]” (everyone wants it, we’ll try for it on homepage, but it’s tough).
- Mid-term: “water heater repair [City]” (fewer searches, more specific, optimize a service page for this).
- Long-tail: “tankless water heater installation in [Neighborhood] [City]” (low volume but high intent – maybe a blog or subpage targeting this exact service in that area).
If you get that mid and long-tail, you’ll likely generate steady business, even if the head term is still climbing in ranking.
In summary, use your data from tools to map out which keywords have significant volume and which indicate strong intent.
Prioritize those that hit the sweet spot of enough searches to matter plus clear intent to convert, and aren’t completely dominated by big competitors. By doing this analysis, you’ll focus your efforts on keywords that can really move the needle for your local business.
Step 5 – Group and Map Keywords to Pages
With your refined list of target keywords, the next step is to organize them and assign them to the appropriate pages on your website.
This process is known as keyword mapping, and it’s crucial for two reasons: it helps you cover all your keywords without overlap, and it prevents your own pages from competing against each other (known as cannibalization).
In local SEO, mapping is especially important because you’ll often have different pages for different locations or services. Let’s break down how to group your keywords and map them to your site structure.
Homepage vs. Location Pages vs. Service Pages:
Start by thinking about your website’s structure. Commonly, a local business site might have:
- A Homepage (often targeting your broadest, highest-priority keyword).
- Service pages (dedicated pages for each main service you offer).
- Location pages (if you have multiple locations or serve different cities/areas, you might have a page for each).
- Other pages like about, contact, blog, etc.
You want to decide which keywords fit best on which type of page:
- Homepage: This is typically optimized for your primary offering in your primary location. It should cast a wide net but still be focused.
For example, your homepage title might be “Home Cleaning Services in Dallas | [BrandName]” targeting the concept of what you do + main city. It’s common to target a top-level keyword like “[industry/service] + [city]” on the homepage, especially if you’re a single-location business.
The homepage can also sprinkle in a few other related terms in the copy (like synonyms or adjacent services), but don’t try to target 10 different cities on the homepage; that’s what location pages are for.
- Service Pages: Each key service gets its own page, where you can go deep into details. Map the specific keywords relevant to that service here. For instance, a plumbing company might have separate pages for “Water Heater Repair”, “Drain Cleaning”, “Sewer Line Replacement”, etc.
Each of those pages would target that service + location. So the Water Heater Repair page might target “water heater repair [City]” as the primary keyword, plus variations like “hot water heater fix [City]”.
By isolating services, you ensure someone searching specifically for that service finds a page exactly about it. It’s good UX and good for SEO relevance.
Important: include the location on these pages too (in headings or content) if you want them to rank for local queries; e.g., an H1 might say “Water Heater Repair in [City], [State]”.
- Location Pages: If you have multiple brick-and-mortar locations or distinct service areas, you may create pages for each. For example, a medical practice with offices in Austin, Houston, and Dallas would have a page for each city.
Or a roofing contractor might have a page per suburb or neighboring town they serve. These pages target “Roofing in [TownName]” etc., and provide content specific to that area (testimonials from that area, projects done there, etc., to avoid being thin content).
A location page is often like a mini-homepage for that location, summarizing services in that area. If you’re a single-location business, you might not need separate location pages (your homepage covers your city).
But if you serve a wide region, location pages help you rank in searches for those other towns. For example, “plumber in Round Rock” might not easily rank your main Austin page, but a dedicated Round Rock page could.
To illustrate a clear structure, consider this simple mapping for a plumbing business based in Austin that also serves a nearby town (Round Rock):
- Homepage: Targets “Austin Plumber” (broadly covers plumbing services in the main city).
- Service Page: “Austin Water Heater Repair” (content all about water heater repairs, optimized for Austin).
- Service Page: “Austin Drain Cleaning” (another service-specific page for Austin).
- Location Page: “Plumber in Round Rock” (covers that you serve Round Rock, includes perhaps all services but framed for that town).
- Blog/FAQ: Could tackle questions like “How to fix a running toilet” which might not be location-specific, or could be lightly localized (“... in Austin homes”).
By mapping this way, each page has a clear primary keyword focus. Your homepage won’t try to rank for every single service + city combo, it sticks to the top theme. Service pages capture those searching for the service with the city. Location pages capture those searching just the location with a general term.
Avoid Cannibalization by Clustering Related Terms:
“Keyword cannibalization” happens when multiple pages on your site are trying to rank for the same or very similar keywords, causing them to compete and potentially all perform poorly.
To avoid this, you need to cluster related terms and assign one page to target that cluster.
From the mapping above, you might cluster like this:
- All “plumber [City]” type terms -> Homepage (for main city) or Location pages (for other areas). You wouldn’t target “plumber Austin” on every service page; that stays mainly on homepage.
- All “[Service] [City]” terms -> their specific Service page. E.g., “drain cleaning Austin” and “clogged drain repair Austin” are essentially the same intent – target them on the Drain Cleaning page rather than separate pages for each phrasing.
- If two services overlap in meaning (say “furnace repair” and “heater repair”), decide if they warrant separate pages or one combined page. If customers view them as the same thing, combine to avoid splitting SEO power.
- For multiple locations: ensure each location page targets its unique area. Don’t have two pages both trying to rank for the same city’s keyword – that confuses Google which to show. One city, one page (aside from blog content).
A simple test: look at each page of your site and ask, “What keyword would I Google to find this page?” If two pages answer the same question or keyword, consider merging or refocusing them. A clear site structure means one target page per major keyword topic.
Done right, keyword mapping gives your site a clear hierarchy that search engines understand. It also helps users: your content will be more focused and relevant to their specific search.
An SEO guide notes that this practice gives your site a clear structure and prevents internal competition. Think of it as building a library catalog for your site, every topic (keyword) has its designated “book” (page) on the shelf.
Example Keyword Map for a Local Business
Let’s bring this to life with a concrete example. Suppose we have a home services company say a plumbing and HVAC company serving Home City and a couple of surrounding towns. Here’s a simplified keyword map:
- Homepage:
Target: “Plumbing & HVAC in Home City” (broad brand offering in main city)
Keywords: plumber Home City, HVAC Home City, heating and cooling Home City (broad terms combined on one strong homepage).
- Service Page – Plumbing:
Target: “Plumbing Services in Home City”
Keywords: plumbing Home City, emergency plumber Home City, clogged pipes Home City (anything core to plumbing in that city).
- Service Page – HVAC Repair:
Target: “Home City HVAC Repair & Installation”
Keywords: HVAC repair Home City, AC repair Home City, furnace repair Home City, heating repair Home City (all HVAC-related but for Home City).
- Service Page – Water Heater Repair:
Target: “Home City Water Heater Repair”
Keywords: water heater repair Home City, water heater installation Home City, hot water heater fix Home City.
- Location Page – Neighbor Town A:
Target: “Plumbing & HVAC in Neighbor Town A”
Keywords: plumber Neighbor Town A, HVAC Neighbor Town A, emergency plumber Neighbor Town A (covers both services but geared to Town A audience).
- Location Page – Neighbor Town B:
Target: “Plumbing Services in Neighbor Town B”
Keywords: plumber Neighbor Town B, water heater repair Neighbor Town B, drain cleaning Neighbor Town B (maybe Town B is smaller, so one page highlights a few specific popular services).
- Blog/FAQ examples:
- “How to Unclog a Drain Yourself – Tips from [Home City] Plumbers” (targets: long-tail queries like “how to unclog drain [Home City]” – informational content).
- “5 Signs You Need Furnace Repair this Winter in [Home City]” (targets: “signs you need furnace repair [City]” – mixes info with a local pitch, capturing folks who may soon search for an HVAC company).
In this map, every keyword idea we cared about has a home. We’re not trying to get the “plumber [City]” traffic on every single page, just the relevant one. And our location pages ensure we can capture searches from the other towns without diluting the main city pages.
This structure aligns with advice from SEO experts: each service gets its own page targeting a specific keyword, each key location gets its own page. By doing so, you avoid confusion and maximize relevance.
It’s worth creating a simple spreadsheet for your keyword map: one column for the page (URL), one for the primary keyword(s) assigned to that page, and maybe notes on secondary keywords.
This becomes your blueprint for on-page SEO, ensuring each page’s title tag, heading, and content is aligned with its target terms.
It also highlights if you left any important keyword unassigned (if so, you might need to create a new page or expand content on an existing one).
To sum up, grouping and mapping keywords is like architecting your website’s SEO foundation. It gives clarity, to you, to your website visitors, and to search engines, about what each page is about.
A well-mapped site will rank more effectively and avoid internal competition, allowing you to dominate a range of local search terms in an organized way.
Step 6 – Track Rankings and Refine Over Time
Keyword research and optimization isn’t a one-and-done deal. The digital landscape (and your business) will evolve new competitors emerge, search trends shift, and you might expand to new services or locations.
That’s why a crucial final step is to track your rankings and continuously refine your strategy. By monitoring how you’re performing in local search, you can celebrate wins, catch slips in time, and spot new opportunities to adjust your keyword targeting.
Use Local Rank Tracking Tools (BrightLocal, Local Falcon):
General rank tracking tools tell you your position in search results, but for local SEO you often need more sophisticated tracking because results can vary by location.
Tools like BrightLocal and Local Falcon are designed for local rank tracking and can provide powerful insights:
- BrightLocal: This is a popular platform for local SEO. Its rank tracker can monitor your search rankings across both regular organic results and the local pack (Google Maps results).
You can specify target locations (zip codes or city names) to see how you rank in different areas. For example, you might track “dentist” in the zip code 10001 versus 10002 to see if your ranking changes (proximity can matter that much!).
BrightLocal also offers reports and competitor benchmarking, you can see how you stack up against other local players and get notified of changes. Agencies like it for multi-location businesses because you can track dozens of locations easily.
In a list of top local SEO tools, BrightLocal is noted for its robust geo-specific SERP tracking and custom reports.
- Local Falcon: This tool provides a very interesting visual way to track local rankings. It uses a geo-grid system: essentially, it will show your Google Maps rank at various points on a map grid around your business.
For example, it might display that you’re #1 in the local pack when the search is made from downtown, but #5 five miles north, and #8 ten miles east, etc., plotted on a map. This grid view reveals how your visibility fades or increases with distance.
If you serve a big metro area, this is invaluable – you might realize you need more efforts (like local content or another office) to improve rankings on the other side of town.
Local Falcon specifically tracks Google Maps rankings and is praised for pinpoint accuracy by ZIP code or radius. It’s like a heatmap of your local SEO strength.
- Other tools: There are others like Whitespark’s Local Rank Tracker, SEMrush’s position tracker with local settings, or even ProRankTracker. Many tools now let you specify a city or ZIP for rank tracking. The key is to simulate a local searcher’s results.
A person searching in one suburb may see a different order of results than someone in another – local rank trackers help capture that nuance.
Using these tools regularly is important. In fact, about 50% of companies check their search rankings at least once a day, and ~80% monitor for both drops and increases. That might sound like a lot, but it shows how critical staying on top of rankings is to many businesses.
Frequent monitoring means you can quickly notice if a competitor leaps ahead or if a Google algorithm update affected your positions, and then react.
Track Impressions, Clicks, and Conversions
Ranking is a means to an end – the end is getting traffic and business. So in addition to raw rankings, track how your improvements are translating into impressions, clicks, and conversions:
- Impressions (Visibility): Google Search Console will tell you how many impressions (views) your site got in search results for various queries. As your rankings improve, impressions for those keywords should rise (because you’re showing up on page 1 more often instead of page 3, for instance).
It’s satisfying to see impression counts go up, it means more eyeballs are seeing your listing. You might track impressions per keyword or per page. If you optimize a “dentist near me” page and impressions jump, your visibility expanded. GSC is your friend here – set up a monthly or weekly check.
- Clicks (Traffic): Ultimately, you want clicks through to your site. Again, GSC can show clicks per query or page. You can also look in Google Analytics for organic traffic growth overall or to key pages.
Did the new “HVAC repair [City]” page you created start pulling in visits? How many? Keep an eye on click-through rates (CTR) too – if you rank but have a low CTR, maybe your title/meta snippet isn’t enticing enough.
On average, the top 3 organic positions get the lion’s share of clicks (position #1 around 25% of clicks, #2 about 13%, #3 about 10%), so as you climb the ranks, clicks should follow a non-linear boost.
- Conversions (Leads/Sales): This is the real bottom line. Define what a conversion is for you – a phone call, form submission, purchase, booking, etc. Track these in Analytics or any CRM you have.
Over time, check if the volume of conversions from organic search is rising. Also, track by location if possible. Are you getting more calls from the new neighborhood you targeted? More appointment requests for the service you optimized for? If you have call tracking that ties into Google Ads or Analytics, leverage that data.
It’s one thing to rank #1 for “plumber [City]” (nice ego boost), but if that doesn’t result in more calls, something’s off (maybe the site content or user experience isn’t converting, or perhaps the keyword is drawing the wrong sub-audience). Typically though, better local SEO yields tangible results: more inquiries and customers.
Set up a dashboard or regular report to summarize these metrics. Many marketers report on key SEO metrics monthly, typically including organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversions. By looking at these together, you get the full picture of success.
For example, you might see that after 3 months of work, you went from rank 9 to rank 3 for “insurance agent [City]”, impressions doubled, clicks increased 50%, and you got 10 extra quote requests. That’s demonstrable ROI from your keyword strategy.
Adjust Based on New Services or Shifting Demand
Refinement means being responsive to change. A few scenarios where you should adjust your keyword strategy over time:
- You Add or Change Services: If your business expands into a new service, you’ll need to do fresh keyword research and likely create new pages. For instance, a clinic offering a new treatment should research how locals search for it and optimize accordingly.
Similarly, if you discontinue a service, you might repurpose or remove those pages (and possibly redirect them) so you’re not attracting queries for something you no longer do.
- Seasonal & Trend Shifts: Keep an eye on Google Trends or your own seasonal traffic. If demand for certain keywords picks up at specific times, prepare. For example, pool services might see a surge in spring, that’s when to push those keywords with fresh content or special offers (and ensure you rank well before the rush).
On a larger scale, watch for new trends – e.g., the rise of “near me” a few years back, or voice search queries phrased as questions (“who is the best...”). The market is dynamic; COVID-19 taught many businesses to pivot to keywords like “online classes [City]” or “takeout restaurants near me” when circumstances changed.
- Competitor Moves: Occasionally audit what competitors are doing. Did a new competitor optimize a page and start outranking you for a term? If so, you might need to update your content, build a few more backlinks to that page, or refine your on-page SEO to reclaim your spot.
If competitors begin targeting a keyword you ignored (“eco-friendly [service] [City]” for instance), consider if it’s worthwhile for you too.
- Google Algorithm Updates: Google frequently updates how it ranks pages. Sometimes local ranking factors weight differently after an update (e.g., more emphasis on reviews, or on content quality).
If you see a drop, investigate if it was an algorithm change and read the SEO community’s take on it. Perhaps you need to beef up your site’s expertise, or maybe Google started showing more directory sites for a query, meaning you might then focus on getting listed on those directories too. Flexibility is key.
- User Behavior Changes: As technology evolves, so do search habits. More voice searches might mean more queries like “Where can I find a… in [City]?” which are longer and more conversational.
If you suspect voice search growth in your field, tailor some content to answer those natural language questions (FAQ pages are great for this). Keep an ear out (pun intended) for how customers mention finding you.
If several say “I asked Siri for you,” ensure you’re optimized for voice (often that means being mobile-friendly, having strong reviews, and concise answers on your site).
Continuous improvement is the motto. One survey indicated that most companies use a mix of metrics and monitor them regularly to iterate their SEO strategy. For local SEO, be prepared to update your keywords and content perhaps quarterly or at least yearly to align with any new opportunities or changes.
Even adding a new neighborhood page because a lot of customers came from there can be a smart refinement.
Finally, treat your keyword research process as ongoing research. Revisit your keyword tools every so often, you might discover new phrases gaining traction.
Maybe a new slang or local nickname emerges that people start searching for (e.g., a new shopping district name). Or a competitor drops out and you can take their spot.
In conclusion, tracking and refining ensures that all the hard work from Steps 1-5 keeps paying off. By using local rank trackers, you get a clear view of your performance across your service area. By watching impressions, clicks, and conversions, you tie that performance to real business outcomes.
How to Track Your Local Keyword Rankings?
Even after implementing a local SEO strategy, you need to actively track your rankings to know where you stand and how to improve further.
Local rankings have two main components: your ranking on regular Google Search (the typical blue link results, including the local “Map Pack” snippet) and your ranking within Google Maps itself.
Both matter: one user might search on Google web, another might go straight to Google Maps or use a Maps app. Below we break down how to monitor and optimize for each.
Track Your Google Search Rankings
When we talk about Google Search rankings for local keywords, we mean where you appear on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) when someone types a query like “[service] in [city]” or “[service] near me” on google.com (or their browser).
This includes the local pack snippet (the map and 3 listings that often show on top for local intent searches) as well as the regular organic listings below it.
Here’s how to track and measure these:
- Use Rank Tracking Tools: As mentioned, tools like BrightLocal or Whitespark can track your search rankings for specific keywords in specific locales. If you’re doing it manually, you need to mimic a local search.
One way is to use Google’s AdPreview tool or set your browser to a certain location (using VPN or Chrome’s developer tools sensor feature) to see unbiased local results. Manually Googling can be misleading because results are personalized and based on your current location.
- Monitor the Local Pack vs Organic: Note whether your site appears in the Local Pack (the 3 listings with map). That often comes from your Google Business Profile rather than your website directly. If you’re not in the pack for a core term, that’s something to improve via GBP optimizations (reviews, category selection, etc.).
Also see if you rank just below the pack as an organic result, sometimes the pack takes up prime space, so being #1 organic might effectively mean position #4 overall. Aim to be in both if possible: pack for visibility and organic for those who scroll.
- Check Multi-device: Local search results can differ on mobile vs desktop. Mobile tends to show the local pack more prominently (often it’s the first thing one sees). Ensure you track mobile rankings too.
Given that a huge portion of local searches happen on mobile (someone on-the-go looking for a quick answer), your mobile ranking is crucial.
For instance, a mobile user might only see the pack and maybe one organic result without scrolling, so cracking that pack or top spot is even more important on phones.
- Key Metrics: Beyond just position, track your click-through-rate from search (GSC provides this).
If you rank #2 but get fewer clicks than expected, consider optimizing your title/meta description to be more compelling or to include a keyword that matches what people seek (like “Open 24/7” or “Award-Winning”, etc., if relevant). Also, keep an eye on how often you show up in the pack vs out of it.
- Local Features: Google Search for local queries may also show other features: Google Maps embed, knowledge panel, “People also ask”, etc. Being aware of these helps. For example, “People also ask” might reveal other keyword opportunities or questions to answer on your site.
If search results show a lot of directory sites (Yelp, HomeAdvisor, etc.), you may want to ensure your business is listed well on those since not every user will go past them to find individual websites.
One pragmatic tip: set up Google Alerts or use a tool for when your ranking changes significantly for a valuable keyword. Also, many SEO experts suggest keeping a spreadsheet or using a service that logs your ranking history over time, this helps correlate any changes you made (or Google updates) with ranking moves.
The key is consistency: track the same keywords each week or month and note the trends. If you drop from #3 to #7 for “best restaurant [City]”, dig in to find out why (did a competitor get a bunch of new reviews? Did someone publish a viral list of restaurants that bumped you?). The sooner you catch a decline, the sooner you can respond.
Track Your Google Maps Rankings
Google Maps (and the Google Maps app) is its own search ecosystem. Many users go directly to Maps to find, say, “coffee near me” or “hardware store [City]”. Your ranking in Maps is primarily tied to your Google Business Profile rather than your website. To track and improve your Maps presence:
- Use Geo-Grid Tools: As discussed, tools like Local Falcon excel here. They visualize your Maps rank across a geographic area. This is important because in Google Maps, proximity is a big factor.
You might rank #1 when the user is close to your location, but #10 when they are across town. A geo-grid shows that pattern. It might reveal, for instance, that east of your location you drop off quickly, maybe because another competitor is over there soaking up visibility.
This can guide hyper-local marketing (maybe you need more reviews or local content referencing that part of town).
- Manual Spot Checks: You can do some manual checks by zooming in/out in Google Maps and searching for your service. Try searching in Maps for “[service] near [landmark/neighborhood]” to simulate various points. However, manual checks are time-consuming and can vary; tools are more systematic.
- Rank Factors in Maps: In Google Maps results, things like your average review rating, number of reviews, and completeness of your profile play big roles. Track those as part of “rank tracking.”
For example, if a competitor outranks you and they have 150 reviews at 4.8 stars while you have 50 reviews at 4.3, that’s a clue – working on getting more positive reviews could boost your Maps ranking (and definitely your conversion).
Also, ensure your business categories are correct and you’ve filled out all info (hours, photos, etc.) – businesses with complete profiles are 2.7× more likely to be considered reputable, which indirectly affects rank.
- Local Finder: When you click “More places” under the map pack on Google Search, you go to the Local Finder (which is basically Google Maps interface for that query). Track where you appear there.
It might show you within top 10 or 20 even if you weren’t in the initial 3-pack. Moving up in the Local Finder means you’re closer to pack inclusion.
- Competitor Monitoring: Look at who’s ranking ahead of you on Maps and analyze their profiles. Do they have certain keywords in their business name or description? (E.g., if their name is “Chicago Plumbing & Heating” they naturally might rank better for plumbing in Chicago, not that you should spam your name, but it’s insight.)
Do they post frequently on their Google Business Profile? Are they categorized in a specific way? Also, note if any are using paid promoted pins or ads in Maps (Google allows some local ads).
- Maps Analytics: Your Google Business Profile provides some analytics (“Insights” section) which shows how many times you appeared in searches (and whether it was via Search or Maps), and what actions users took (calls, direction requests, website clicks). This is kind of like tracking your performance on Maps indirectly. If those numbers rise, you’re doing well. It also shows query strings people used to find you – see if any important ones stand out and ensure you’re optimized for them.
In essence, tracking Maps ranking is about ensuring when someone is nearby or explicitly looking on the map, you show up prominently. It can be the difference between a customer walking in your door or not.
Many local businesses get the bulk of their calls from being top 3 in Maps for common searches (like “pharmacy near me” or “hotel in [City]”). Maps is particularly crucial for mobile users and those in immediate need.
To tie it all together: You might, for instance, generate a monthly report that says:
- Google Search (Organic): e.g., “Rank #2 for ‘Italian restaurant [City]’ (up from #5 last month), Rank #5 for ‘pizza near me’”, etc.
- Google Maps (Local Pack): e.g., “In the 3-pack for ‘Italian restaurant [City]’ citywide; #1 within 2-mile radius for ‘pizza’, #4 at 5-mile radius (Northside drops to #7).”
- Traffic & Engagement: “Organic visits up 20%, Google Maps direction requests up 30% after local schema added and 10 new reviews.”
This kind of tracking and analysis will highlight what’s working and where to focus next. If you see good rankings but low conversions, maybe work on your site or offer.
If you see weak areas in rankings (say one neighborhood you’re not ranking well in), maybe create a location page or get involved in that community online to boost presence.
By diligently tracking both Search and Maps rankings, you maintain a 360° view of your local SEO performance.
It helps ensure that your earlier keyword research and optimizations are actually translating into prominence where customers are searching. And when they’re not, you’ll have the data needed to troubleshoot and refine.
Conclusion
Local SEO keyword research is not just a preliminary task – it’s the foundation of a successful local marketing strategy. By understanding how your community searches and speaking their language online, you position your business to be discovered by the very people most likely to become customers.
Remember, nearly 46% of Google searches have local intent, and a huge share of those searches lead to real-world action within hours or days. In practical terms, investing time in local keyword research means tapping into the steady stream of nearby consumers actively looking for what you offer.
We’ve seen why local SEO matters in 2026: consumers are searching frequently for local solutions, and they’re making quick decisions based on those results.
Keyword research plays the starring role in helping you rank locally because it ensures your website and listings align with what people are actually searching for, whether it’s “emergency AC repair near me” at midnight or “best preschool in [town]” during school enrollment season.
By following this step-by-step guide, you’ve essentially built a roadmap: from defining your service area and audience, brainstorming keyword ideas, validating them with tools, carefully mapping them to your site, and then tracking and refining over time.
