Local Keyword Research for SEO: What It Is & How to Do It

What Is Local SEO Keyword Research?

Local SEO keyword probe is the process of uncovering keywords radical hunt for erstwhile looking for products, services, oregon amenities successful their areas. Which tells you precisely what imaginable customers are searching for. 

If you trust connected section business, that's invaluable information.

Optimizing your pages for these keywords helps you:

• Enhance your visibility successful hunt motor results pages (SERPs)
• Attract much integrated postulation to your website
• Increase ft postulation and inquiries
• Boost sales

For example, see the keyword "plumbers successful san diego." Anderson Plumbing ranks astatine the apical of integrated (unpaid) hunt results for this section term:

If we usage Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool, we tin spot the leafage gets an estimated 7.6K visits a period from integrated hunt alone. (It apt besides attracts postulation via societal media, backlinks, and different sources.)

This concern besides appears successful the section battalion (the conception with concern listings and a map). Which gets the concern adjacent much attention.

Using keyword probe for local SEO tin assistance gain your concern a coveted apical placement successful the integrated results. And the section pack.

Implicit vs. Explicit Local Keywords

When radical hunt for section products oregon services, their queries person local intent. Meaning they’re looking for thing successful a circumstantial area.

This section intent tin beryllium explicit oregon implicit.

Explicit section keywords specify a determination oregon see a spatial word similar “near me.” And marque it evident that the idiosyncratic is searching by location.

For example, a London nonmigratory who has mislaid their keys mightiness hunt “locksmith adjacent me.” Or “locksmith London.”

But implicit section keywords don’t specify a determination oregon see a spatial term. Even though the idiosyncratic is inactive searching for thing nearby.

For example, idiosyncratic mightiness hunt “locksmith.” Because they cognize Google volition recognize their tendency for section results. 

Google has blase algorithms to observe section intent and various ways of determining a user’s location. So it tin present section results whether the intent is implicit oregon explicit.

How to Do Local Keyword Research

Follow the five-step process beneath to bash section keyword probe for SEO.

And arsenic a bonus, we’ll besides screen however you tin usage section keywords to optimize your Google Business Profile.

1. List Your Solutions and Locations

Listing words and phrases that are applicable to your concern volition assistance you find section keywords later.

Start by brainstorming the solutions you offer. These volition beryllium starting points (seed keywords) for your keyword research.

Think astir the wide presumption radical mightiness usage erstwhile searching for your benignant of business:

• Auto repair
• Car shop
• Mechanic

The circumstantial products and services radical mightiness hunt for:

• Tire repair
• Brake replacement
• Car oil

And your customers’ problems oregon symptom points:

• Punctured tire
• Check motor light
• Steering problems

Next, database location terms. These are keyword modifiers searchers usage to marque their section intent explicit.

People often usage spatial presumption similar “local,” “nearby,” and “near me” to hunt locally. So, adhd these to your list.

Then adhd spot names circumstantial to your people location. The cities, towns, and different areas that customers mightiness basal their hunt around. 

For example, if your concern serves the Twin Cities country of Minnesota, you mightiness adhd the pursuing locations to your list:

• Minneapolis
• St. Paul
• Maplewood
• Brooklyn Park

You’ll usage your solution effect keywords and determination modifiers successful the adjacent step.

2. Find Relevant Local Keywords

You’re present acceptable to usage section keyword probe tools. Which archer you precisely what radical hunt for. And springiness you associated data, similar the mean fig of searches per month.

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool draws connected the biggest keyword database connected the market. And you tin usage it to find tons of applicable section keywords.

Open the instrumentality and participate 1 of your solution effect keywords from measurement one. And adhd your website’s URL for domain-specific insights (we’ll spell implicit however to usage those successful the adjacent section). 

Choose your people state and prime “Search.”

You’ll spot a database of keywords that incorporate the effect keyword oregon a variation. 

To constrictive down to keywords with section intent, use filters.

The quickest mode to find explicit section keywords is to adhd your keyword determination modifiers to the “Include keywords” filter. 

Make definite to usage the “Any keywords” option. Then, click “Apply.”

Review the filtered keyword list. 

Look for presumption that marque consciousness for your business. And your section audience’s circumstantial needs. 

If you entered your domain sanction erstwhile you added your effect keyword, cheque the Personal Keyword Difficulty (“PKD %”) column. 

This metric tells you however hard it volition apt beryllium for your circumstantial website to fertile for each keyword—based connected your site's authorization and contented relevance compared to top-ranking competitors.

Narrow down your database by clicking the “Personal KD %” drop-down and mounting a scope of 0-49 (which correspond presumption you person a coagulated accidental of ranking for). Then, click “Apply.”

Aim for a equilibrium of precocious hunt measurement and realistic Personal Keyword Difficulty to find keywords you tin feasibly fertile for that volition besides pull capable searches to marque your efforts worthwhile.

Next, prevention each the applicable keywords you recovered by selecting the checkboxes adjacent to them and clicking the “+ Add to keyword list” button.

The keywords you prevention tin beryllium utilized successful Keyword Strategy Builder aboriginal on.

Alternatively, usage the “Export” fastener to download your keyword data.

Next, look for implicit keywords.

Move your determination modifiers to the “Exclude keywords” filter. This hides the explicit keywords you’ve already found.

Then, filter for hunt queries that trigger the section pack. Which volition amusement keywords that person section intent.

To bash this, click “Advanced filters,” prime the “Any” drop-down nether SERP features, cheque the container adjacent to “Local pack,” and click “Apply.”

Again, cautiously reappraisal the filtered database of implicit section keywords by considering hunt measurement and Personal Keyword Difficulty. And adhd applicable keywords to the database you started earlier.

3. Evaluate Local Metrics 

Now that you person a database of section keywords, prioritize them by checking each idiosyncratic keyword’s metrics successful your people locations.

The cardinal volition beryllium to people low-hanging section SEO keywords first. These are the keywords you’ll person the champion accidental to fertile for in your circumstantial location. 

Do this with the Keyword Overview tool. 

Open the tool, participate the keyword you privation to larn much about, and prime your location. Then, click “Search.”

You'll spot an overview study with section information (like measurement and keyword difficulty) astatine the top.

Check the section metrics for each your saved keywords.

If immoderate of the information points suggest the word mightiness not beryllium a large acceptable (perhaps there’s nary hunt measurement successful your determination oregon the location-specific keyword trouble is incredibly high), see removing them from your list. 

This way, you tin allocate your SEO resources wherever they person the highest imaginable to summation your section visibility and pull applicable traffic.

4. Find Competitors’ Keywords

Fill immoderate gaps successful your section SEO keyword probe by looking astatine your competitors’ keywords.

To start, find your biggest online competitors by searching a section keyword successful Google. 

Let’s accidental you ain an car store successful Philadelphia. Based connected results for “auto store philadelphia,” Don’s Auto Repair and Philly Auto Repair could beryllium 2 of your main rivals. 

You tin besides usage Semrush’s Domain Overview instrumentality to find competitors that fertile for akin keywords.

Open the instrumentality and participate your domain. Then, prime your state and click “Search.”

If you person antithetic pages for antithetic locations, spell backmost to the hunt barroom astatine the top. Replace the domain with your location-specific URL (e.g., “site.com/locations/city”). 

Then alteration “Subfolder” to “Exact URL” and click “Search” again. That way, you tin find competitors for this circumstantial location.

Scroll down to the “Main Organic Competitors” section. Jot down your apical competitors’ domains consecutive away. Or click “View details” to spot more.

Once you’ve identified your biggest online competitors, find keywords they’re ranking for but you’re not with Semrush’s Keyword Gap tool. 

Open the tool, participate your URL and up to 4 competitors’ URLs. (Again, usage location-specific URLs wherever required, making definite to hunt by “Exact URL.”)

Then, prime your people determination and click “Compare.”

Switch from “Desktop” to “Mobile” results. Because galore section searches are performed connected mobile devices.

To find presumption your rivals fertile highly for, spell to “Position” > “Competitors” > “Top 10.” And click “Apply.”

Then, exclude keywords that incorporate your competitors’ marque names. (You apt don’t privation to people these, though determination whitethorn beryllium immoderate uncommon exceptions.) 

Go to “Advanced filters” and acceptable the fields to “Exclude,”“Keyword,” and “Containing.” Then, participate “[Competitor Name]” successful the past field.

Finally, filter for explicit section intent utilizing the determination keywords you gathered earlier. 

Go to “Advanced filters” and acceptable the fields to “Include,” “Keyword,” and “Containing.” And participate “[Location Keyword].”

Scroll down to the “Untapped” tab. These are keywords astatine slightest 1 rival ranks highly for but you don’t fertile for astatine all.

Review the keywords and prime the astir applicable ones. And adhd them to your list.

5. Map Your Keywords to URLs

You should present person a broad database of section SEO keywords to target.

The adjacent measurement is keyword mapping. Which is matching each people keyword to the existing oregon aboriginal leafage you’ll people it on.

That way, you tin guarantee there’s an optimized leafage for each hunt word you privation to look for.

Keyword Strategy Builder tin automatically radical your keywords into pages based connected relevancy and hunt intent. Making it casual to commencement readying your content.

When you spell to the tool, scroll down and unfastened the keyword database you created earlier.

If you’ve saved your keywords successful a spreadsheet, click connected “Create a regular list.” 

Then, click the “Add keywords” button. And adhd each your presumption successful the abstraction provided. 

Once you’ve opened oregon created your list, spell to the “Topics and pages” tab and click “Cluster this list.”

You’ll spot your keywords grouped into pages. And each leafage is focused connected a superior (main) keyword.

Click connected the arrow adjacent to immoderate leafage taxable to see:

• A database of secondary keywords to people with that page
• A database of top-ranking results for inspiration

Study the top-ranking results to get a amended knowing of what benignant of contented you’ll request to make to rank. And past find which pages you’ll request to make and which ones you already person but request to optimize.

If the leafage doesn’t yet exist, you’ll request to delegate it a people URL. And make a leafage that meets search intent—that gives the searcher (and Google) what they’re looking for. 

For immoderate pages that you person and program to optimize, delegate it the existing URL. 

This is casual to bash utilizing a elemental spreadsheet. 

Download our free keyword mapping template. And database each your pages, keywords, and people URLs.

Bonus Tip: Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Don’t halt astatine optimizing your website for section keywords. Optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP), too.

Google tin usage your GBP accusation successful the section pack. 

And different Google Maps results.

Adding section keywords to your concern statement tin assistance Google lucifer your GBP to applicable queries. Which tin mean much eyes connected your business.

It tin besides reassure imaginable customers that you person what they’re looking for. 

Here’s an illustration of what a GBP statement looks like:

Local keyword probe tin assistance you prime concern categories, too. (Another origin that tin affect your section rankings.)

But you should lone take categories that are circumstantial and representative. Adding extras for SEO purposes is against Google’s guidelines.

Note that simply adding keywords to assorted parts of your GBP isn’t guaranteed to positively interaction your rankings. But it tin assistance imaginable customers recognize what your concern is astir to find if it’s the close prime for them.

How to Handle Multiple Locations

If you person aggregate concern locations, bash section SEO keyword probe for each of them. 

People hunt otherwise successful antithetic locations. And Google displays antithetic results. 

So, if you conscionable swap retired the determination names successful your keywords, you could miss retired connected invaluable SEO opportunities.

Once you person location-specific keywords, representation them to idiosyncratic determination pages (pages that are optimized for each location). That way, you tin people your keywords much explicitly. 

For example, let’s look astatine Fat Hippo, a burger edifice concatenation successful the U.K.

Its Newcastle determination leafage (“fathippo.co.uk/locations/newcastle”) targets keywords similar “best burgers successful newcastle.” As the SERP shows:

While its Cardiff determination leafage (“fathippo.co.uk/locations/cardiff”) targets keywords similar “best burgers successful cardiff.”

These determination pages besides supply highly applicable accusation to searchers successful each area. Which tin assistance the edifice people much customers.

For example, they each incorporate a photograph of the circumstantial location. Along with a database of amenities astatine that circumstantial restaurant.

There are besides location-specific interaction details and opening hours. 

Fat Hippo has a Google Business Profile for each location, too. This tin assistance their rankings successful the section battalion and Google Maps. And guarantee users get the astir applicable information.

How to Track Your Local Keyword Rankings

Tracking your section keyword rankings shows whether your section SEO efforts are paying off.

In different words, are you ranking for caller keywords? Are your existent keywords improving?

It’s besides a bully thought to ticker retired for immoderate ranking drops truthful you tin instrumentality enactment consecutive away.

Here’s however to support tabs connected your section rankings successful Google Search and Maps:

Track Your Google Search Rankings

You tin way your Google Search rankings with Semrush’s Position Tracking tool.

It shows wherever you look successful the integrated results. And whether you look successful the section battalion (as good arsenic different SERP features).

To get started, participate your domain and click “Set up tracking.”

If you person aggregate locations, acceptable up tracking for each determination URL:

Otherwise, spell up and implicit the page. And cognize that it’s a bully thought to:

• Set the “Device” to “Mobile” to way mobile rankings
• Set the “Location” to way rankings by searcher location
• Enter your concern sanction (exactly arsenic it appears successful the section pack) to way section battalion rankings

Then, click “Continue To Keywords.”

Add the keywords from your mapping spreadsheet. Or, spell backmost to Keyword Strategy Builder and usage the “Send to” fastener to nonstop each your keywords straight to Position Tracking. 

Once the instrumentality is ready, spell to the “Overview” tab and scroll down to the “Rankings Overview” table. This displays your existent and erstwhile ranking for each keyword (based connected the clip scope you select).

The “SERP Features” file shows whether the keyword triggers a section pack. And if so, whether your concern appears successful it. 

Triggers alert you astir important movements. Like erstwhile a keyword you fertile for enters oregon leaves the apical 3 hunt results. 

To acceptable up your own, click the cogwheel icon and prime “Triggers.”

Then click “Add caller trigger.” You tin acceptable triggers for erstwhile immoderate of your rankings changes by a definite amount, enters oregon leaves a circumstantial position, etc.

Track Your Google Maps Rankings

Track your Google Maps rankings with Semrush’s Map Rank Tracker. This instrumentality is built specifically to fto you spot wherever you fertile successful antithetic areas of your people location.

To get started, participate your concern sanction and take the close 1 from the list.

Add the keywords you privation to way (from the database you created earlier). 

Choose your representation grid size (the fig of pins depends connected the size). 

Finally, take however often you privation the information to beryllium updated. Then, click “Create campaign.”

You’ll past spot a heatmap of your business’s section rankings astatine each pin astir your people location. Along with which competitors are ranking alongside you.

Improve Your Local Visibility

Local keyword probe is the instauration of an effectual section SEO strategy.

It enables you to find and people presumption that tin pull adjacent audiences. To thrust much web traffic, ft traffic, and sales.

Use the Keyword Magic Tool to find invaluable presumption that are close for your section business.