The Local SEO Guide: Here is Everything You Need to Know to Rank Locally

Imagine this: You own a pizza shop in New York City. You make the best pizza in town, and you have a loyal customer base. But you want to grow your business and reach more people who are looking for a delicious slice of pizza near them.

How do you do that?

You could spend a lot of money on advertising, but that’s not very cost-effective or sustainable. You could rely on word-of-mouth, but that’s not very scalable or predictable. You could hope that people will find you on Google, but that’s not very easy or simple.

That’s where local SEO comes in.

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your online presence to get more business from local searches. These are searches that have a geographical intent, such as “pizza near me”, “best pizza in NYC”, or “pizza delivery in Manhattan”.

Local SEO is important because many people use search engines to find local businesses. In fact, according to Google:

30% of all mobile searches are related to location.
78% of people who search for something nearby on their phones visit the business within a day.
28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase.

In short, customers are searching for your business. If you’re not there, you’re leaving money on the table.

But how do you rank locally on Google?

That’s what this guide is all about. In this guide, you’ll learn:

What are the key factors that influence local SEO rankings
How to optimize your Google Business Profile, the most important asset for local SEO
How to create and optimize local landing pages for your website
How to build and manage your local citations, the online mentions of your business
How to get more and better reviews from your customers, the social proof of your business
How to generate and earn local links, the votes of trust from other websites
How to measure and improve your local SEO performance, the results of your efforts

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear and actionable plan to rank your business locally and get more customers through your door.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

Local SEO Guide: The Ranking Factors

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of local SEO, let’s first understand how Google ranks local businesses.

Google uses a different set of ranking factors to rank the local search results. These are the factors that Google considers when deciding which businesses to show in the map pack and the organic results.

According to Moz, a leading SEO software company, these are the main local SEO ranking factors:

Google Business Profile: This is the profile that you create and manage on Google My Business, the free tool that Google provides for local businesses. It contains information such as your name, address, phone number, website, hours, photos, reviews, and more. Your Google Business Profile is the most important factor for ranking in the map pack, and also influences your organic ranking.
Link Signals: These are the links that point to your website from other websites. Links are like votes of trust and authority for your website. The more and better links you have, the higher you can rank. Link signals are the most important factor for ranking organically, and also influence your map pack ranking.
Review Signals: These are the reviews that your customers leave on your Google Business Profile and other platforms, such as Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor, etc. Reviews are like social proof and reputation for your business. The more and better reviews you have, the higher you can rank. Review signals are the third most important factor for both map pack and organic ranking.
On-Page Signals: These are the signals that come from your website, such as your title tags, meta descriptions, headings, content, keywords, etc. On-page signals tell Google what your website and your business are about. The more relevant and optimized your website is, the higher you can rank. On-page signals are the fourth most important factor for both map pack and organic ranking.
Citation Signals: These are the online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites, such as directories, social media, blogs, etc. Citations help Google verify and validate your business information and location. The more consistent and accurate your citations are, the higher you can rank. Citation signals are the fifth most important factor for both map pack and organic ranking.
Behavioral Signals: These are the signals that come from the users’ behavior, such as click-through rate, bounce rate, dwell time, etc. Behavioral signals tell Google how users interact with your website and your business. The more positive and engaging your user experience is, the higher you can rank. Behavioral signals are the sixth most important factor for both map pack and organic ranking.
Personalization: This is the factor that depends on the user’s preferences, location, device, search history, etc. Personalization affects how Google tailors the search results to each individual user. The more relevant and personalized your website and your business are, the higher you can rank. Personalization is the seventh most important factor for both map pack and organic ranking.
Social Signals: These are the signals that come from your social media presence, such as your Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram profile, etc. Social signals show Google how popular and engaging your business is on social media. The more active and influential your social media presence is, the higher you can rank. Social signals are the eighth most important factor for both map pack and organic ranking.

As you can see, there are many factors that affect your local SEO rankings. But don’t worry, you don’t have to master them all at once. In the next sections, we’ll go through each factor in detail and show you how to optimize them for your business.

Google Business Profile Optimization

Your Google Business Profile is the most important asset for local SEO. It’s the first thing that most people see when they search for your business or your services on Google.

Your Google Business Profile contains information such as your name, address, phone number, website, hours, photos, reviews, and more. It also allows you to communicate with your customers, post updates, answer questions, and offer promotions.

Your Google Business Profile appears in three places on Google:

The map pack: This is the set of three local business listings that appear at the top of the search results, along with a map of their locations.
The knowledge panel: This is the box that appears on the right side of the search results, when someone searches for your business name or clicks on your listing in the map pack.
Google Maps: This is the app and website that people use to find directions, explore places, and discover businesses.

Here’s an example of how a Google Business Profile looks like in the map pack, the knowledge panel, and Google Maps:

As you can see, your Google Business Profile is a powerful and prominent way to showcase your business and attract customers. But to do that, you need to optimize it properly.

Here are the steps to optimize your Google Business Profile:

Step 1: Claim and verify your Google Business Profile

The first step is to claim and verify your Google Business Profile, if you haven’t done so already. This will allow you to access and manage your profile on Google My Business, the free tool that Google provides for local businesses.

To claim and verify your Google Business Profile, follow these steps:

Go to Google My Business and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, you can create one for free.
Search for your business name and address. If you see your business listed, click on it and follow the instructions to claim it. If you don’t see your business listed, click on “Add your business to Google” and follow the instructions to create it.
Choose a verification method. Google will ask you to verify your business by phone, email, postcard, or instant verification. The available methods depend on your business type and location. Follow the instructions to complete the verification process.

Once you verify your business, you’ll be able to access your Google Business Profile on Google My Business and update your information.

Step 2: Complete and update your information

The second step is to complete and update your information on your Google Business Profile. This will help Google and your customers understand your business better and find you more easily.

To complete and update your information, follow these steps:

Go to Google My Business and sign in with your Google account.
Click on “Info” on the left menu. You’ll see a list of fields that you can edit, such as your name, category, address, phone number, website, hours, services, attributes, description, and more.
Fill in as much information as possible, and make sure it’s accurate and consistent. Use your real business name, choose the most relevant category, provide your exact address and phone number, add your website URL, set your hours of operation, list your services and prices, select your attributes (such as wheelchair accessible, free wifi, etc.), write a brief and compelling description, and so on.
Check for any errors or warnings, and fix them if needed. Google may flag some issues with your information, such as duplicate listings, mismatched addresses, or incomplete fields. Follow the instructions to resolve them as soon as possible.
Review your information and save your changes.

Local Landing Page Optimization

Your local landing pages are the pages on your website that target a specific location, such as your city, state, or region. For example, if you have a pizza shop in New York City, you may have a local landing page for each of the neighborhoods that you serve, such as Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, etc.

Your local landing pages are important for local SEO because they help you rank for location-based keywords, such as “pizza in Manhattan”, “best pizza in Brooklyn”, or “pizza delivery in Queens”. These are the keywords that your potential customers use when they search for your services near them.

Your local landing pages also help you convert your visitors into customers, by providing them with relevant and persuasive information, such as your menu, prices, offers, testimonials, contact details, etc.

But to do that, you need to optimize your local landing pages properly.

Here are the steps to optimize your local landing pages:

Step 1: Create a local landing page for each location that you serve

The first step is to create a local landing page for each location that you serve, if you haven’t done so already. This will allow you to target each location individually and provide more specific and tailored information to your customers.

To create a local landing page for each location, follow these steps:

Choose a URL structure that reflects your location hierarchy. For example, if you have a pizza shop in New York City, you may use a URL structure like this: https://www.yourpizzashop.com/new-york-city/manhattan/, https://www.yourpizzashop.com/new-york-city/brooklyn/, https://www.yourpizzashop.com/new-york-city/queens/, etc.
Use a unique and descriptive title tag for each page. Your title tag is the text that appears at the top of your browser tab and in the search results. It should include your main keyword, your location, and your business name. For example, Pizza in Manhattan | Your Pizza Shop, Best Pizza in Brooklyn | Your Pizza Shop, Pizza Delivery in Queens | Your Pizza Shop, etc.
Use a unique and compelling meta description for each page. Your meta description is the text that appears below your title tag in the search results. It should summarize the content and the value proposition of your page, and include a call to action. For example, Looking for pizza in Manhattan? Your Pizza Shop offers the best pizza in town, with fresh ingredients, fast delivery, and great prices. Order online now!, Your Pizza Shop is the best pizza place in Brooklyn, with a variety of toppings, sizes, and crusts to choose from. Try our pizza today and get a free drink!, Need pizza delivery in Queens? Your Pizza Shop has you covered, with hot and delicious pizza delivered to your door in minutes. Call us now or order online!, etc.
Use a unique and informative heading for each page. Your heading is the text that appears at the top of your page, usually in a larger font size. It should capture the attention and interest of your visitors, and include your main keyword and your location. For example, Pizza in Manhattan: Why Your Pizza Shop is the Best Choice, Best Pizza in Brooklyn: How Your Pizza Shop Beats the Competition, Pizza Delivery in Queens: How Your Pizza Shop Makes It Easy and Fast, etc.
Use unique and relevant content for each page. Your content is the text that appears below your heading, usually in paragraphs, bullet points, images, videos, etc. It should provide more details and information about your services, your benefits, your features, your offers, your testimonials, your contact details, etc. It should also include your main keyword and your location several times, but naturally and not excessively. For example, If you're looking for pizza in Manhattan, you've come to the right place. Your Pizza Shop is the best pizza place in the city, and here's why: ..., Your Pizza Shop is not just another pizza place in Brooklyn. We are the best pizza place in Brooklyn, and we can prove it: ..., When you need pizza delivery in Queens, you don't want to wait for hours or pay a fortune. You want pizza that is hot, delicious, and affordable. And that's exactly what you get from Your Pizza Shop: ..., etc.
Use a clear and prominent call to action for each page. Your call to action is the text that tells your visitors what to do next, such as order online, call now, visit us, etc. It should be visible and clickable, and usually in the form of a button, a link, or a form. For example, Order Online Now, Call Us Now, Visit Us Today, etc.

By creating and optimizing a local landing page for each location that you serve, you’ll increase your chances of ranking for location-based keywords and converting your visitors into customers.

Local Citation Optimization

Your local citations are the online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites, such as directories, social media, blogs, etc. For example, if you have a pizza shop in New York City, you may have a local citation on Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages, etc.

Your local citations are important for local SEO because they help Google verify and validate your business information and location. The more consistent and accurate your citations are, the higher you can rank. Local citations also help you increase your online visibility and reputation, by exposing your business to more potential customers and platforms.

But to do that, you need to optimize your local citations properly.

Here are the steps to optimize your local citations:

Step 1: Audit your existing citations

The first step is to audit your existing citations, if you have any. This will allow you to identify and fix any issues or errors that may affect your local SEO rankings.

To audit your existing citations, follow these steps:

Use a tool like [Moz Local], [BrightLocal], or [Whitespark] to scan your business information across the web. These tools will show you where your business is listed, and how accurate and consistent your information is.
Review your citation report and look for any discrepancies or inconsistencies. For example, you may find that your business name is spelled differently, your address is incomplete or outdated, your phone number is incorrect or missing, etc.
Make a list of the citations that need to be corrected or updated, and prioritize them by importance and authority. For example, you may want to start with the most popular and relevant platforms, such as Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc.

By auditing your existing citations, you’ll be able to spot and fix any problems that may hurt your local SEO rankings.

Step 2: Update and correct your citations

The second step is to update and correct your citations, based on your audit results. This will help you improve your local SEO rankings and reputation, by ensuring that your business information is accurate and consistent across the web.

To update and correct your citations, follow these steps:

Go to each citation source and sign in with your account. If you don’t have an account, you may need to create one or claim your listing.
Edit your business information and make sure it matches your Google Business Profile and your website. Use your real business name, provide your exact address and phone number, add your website URL, set your hours of operation, list your services and prices, select your attributes, write a brief and compelling description, and so on.
Check for any errors or warnings, and fix them if needed. Some citation sources may require you to verify your changes by phone, email, or postcard. Follow the instructions to complete the verification process.
Review your changes and save them.

By updating and correcting your citations, you’ll make your business information more reliable and trustworthy to Google and your customers.

Review Generation and Management

Your reviews are the feedback that your customers leave on your Google Business Profile and other platforms, such as Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor, etc. For example, if you have a pizza shop in New York City, you may have reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc.

Your reviews are important for local SEO because they show Google and your customers how satisfied and loyal your customers are. The more and better reviews you have, the higher you can rank. Reviews also help you increase your online reputation and trust, by showcasing your customer testimonials and ratings.

But to do that, you need to generate and manage your reviews properly.

Ask for reviews from your customers

The first step is to ask for reviews from your customers, if you haven’t done so already. This will allow you to get more feedback and ratings from your customers, and encourage them to share their experiences with others.

To ask for reviews from your customers, follow these steps:

Identify your happy and loyal customers. These are the customers who are most likely to leave positive and detailed reviews for your business. You can identify them by using criteria such as repeat purchases, referrals, loyalty programs, surveys, etc.
Choose the right time and channel to ask for reviews. You want to ask for reviews when your customers are most satisfied and engaged with your business, and when they are most likely to respond. You also want to use the channel that is most convenient and preferred by your customers, such as email, text, phone, in-person, etc.
Craft a personalized and polite request for reviews. You want to make your request as personal and polite as possible, to show your appreciation and respect for your customers. You also want to make your request as clear and specific as possible, to guide your customers on how and where to leave a review. For example, Hi John, thank you for choosing Your Pizza Shop for your pizza delivery. We hope you enjoyed your pizza and our service. We would love to hear your feedback and share it with others. Could you please take a moment to leave us a review on Google? It would mean a lot to us. Here is the link to our Google Business Profile: https://g.page/yourpizzashop/review. Thank you for your support and loyalty., Hello Mary, we are so glad that you visited Your Pizza Shop today. We hope you had a great time and a delicious pizza. We value your opinion and we would appreciate it if you could leave us a review on Yelp. It would help us improve our service and reach more customers like you. Here is the link to our Yelp page: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yourpizzashop. Thank you for your kindness and trust., etc.
Follow up with a reminder and a thank you. You want to follow up with your customers after a few days, if they haven’t left a review yet. You want to remind them of your request and the benefits of leaving a review, without being pushy or annoying. You also want to thank them for their time and effort, if they have left a review. For example, Hi John, we hope you are doing well and enjoying your pizza. We just wanted to remind you of our request for a review on Google. Your feedback is very important to us and it would help us grow our business and serve you better. If you haven't done so yet, please take a moment to leave us a review on Google. Here is the link again: https://g.page/yourpizzashop/review. Thank you for your cooperation and loyalty., Hello Mary, we are so grateful that you left us a review on Yelp. Thank you for your kind words and your 5-star rating. We are happy that you loved our pizza and our service. Your review means a lot to us and it will help us attract more customers like you. We look forward to seeing you again soon., etc.

By asking for reviews from your customers, you’ll be able to get more feedback and ratings for your business, and boost your local SEO rankings and reputation.

Local SEO Performance Measurement and Improvement

Your local SEO performance is the result of your efforts to rank your business locally and get more customers through your door. It’s important to measure and improve your local SEO performance, to ensure that you’re on the right track and achieving your goals.

To measure and improve your local SEO performance, follow these steps:

Step 1: Track your local SEO metrics

The first step is to track your local SEO metrics, if you haven’t done so already. This will allow you to monitor and analyze your local SEO performance, and identify your strengths and weaknesses.

To track your local SEO metrics, follow these steps:

Use a tool like [Google Analytics], [Google Search Console], or [SEMrush] to track your website traffic, conversions, and rankings. These tools will show you how many people visit your website, how many of them become your customers, and how well you rank for your target keywords.
Use a tool like [Google My Business Insights], [Moz Local], or [BrightLocal] to track your Google Business Profile performance. These tools will show you how many people view, click, and call your Google Business Profile, and how they find you on Google.
Use a tool like [Yelp Analytics], [Facebook Insights], or [TripAdvisor Analytics] to track your review performance. These tools will show you how many reviews, ratings, and feedback you receive on your review platforms, and how they affect your online reputation and trust.

By tracking your local SEO metrics, you’ll be able to measure and evaluate your local SEO performance, and see how you compare to your competitors.

Step 2: Optimize and improve your local SEO strategy

The second step is to optimize and improve your local SEO strategy, based on your metric results. This will help you enhance your local SEO performance, and achieve your desired outcomes.

To optimize and improve your local SEO strategy, follow these steps:

Review your metric results and look for any gaps or opportunities. For example, you may find that your website traffic is low, your conversions are poor, your rankings are dropping, your Google Business Profile is incomplete, your citations are inconsistent, your reviews are negative, your links are weak, etc.
Make a list of the areas that need improvement, and prioritize them by impact and urgency. For example, you may want to focus on the areas that have the most potential to increase your local SEO performance, and the areas that have the most risk to damage your local SEO performance.
Implement the best practices and tactics to optimize and improve each area. For example, you may want to update your website content, optimize your website speed, fix your website errors, complete your Google Business Profile, correct your citations, generate more reviews, build more links, etc.
Test and measure the results of your optimization and improvement efforts. You want to see how your changes affect your local SEO metrics, and whether they bring you closer to your goals. You also want to see how your changes affect your user experience, and whether they satisfy your customers.

By optimizing and improving your local SEO strategy, you’ll be able to boost your local SEO performance, and get more customers through your door.

Conclusion

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your online presence to get more business from local searches. It’s a powerful and effective way to grow your business and reach more customers who are looking for your services near them.

In this guide, you learned:

What are the key factors that influence local SEO rankings
How to optimize your Google Business Profile, the most important asset for local SEO
How to create and optimize local landing pages for your website
How to build and manage your local citations, the online mentions of your business
How to get more and better reviews from your customers, the social proof of your business
How to generate and earn local links, the votes of trust from other websites
How to measure and improve your local SEO performance, the results of your efforts

By following this guide, you’ll have a clear and actionable plan to rank your business locally and get more customers through your door.

But remember, local SEO is not a one-time thing. It’s an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring, testing, and improvement. You need to keep up with the changes and trends in the local search landscape, and adapt your strategy accordingly.

That’s why we recommend you to partner with a professional and experienced local SEO agency, such as Opus Momentum. Opus Momentum is a digital marketing agency that specializes in local SEO and helps businesses like yours to achieve their local SEO goals.

Opus Momentum has a team of local SEO experts who know how to optimize your online presence for local searches, and how to get you more visibility, traffic, and conversions. They also have a proven track record of delivering results and satisfaction to their clients.

If you want to take your local SEO to the next level, and get more business from local searches, contact Opus Momentum today and get a free consultation and quote. They will help you create and execute a customized and effective local SEO strategy that suits your needs and budget.

Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your business and reach more customers with local SEO. Contact Opus Momentum today and let them help you rank locally and get more customers through your door