Local Keyword Research: Finding the Terms Your Neighbors Search
Local keyword research is the practice of finding terms people search for near your business. This guide explains how to do it.
Local keyword research is the process of finding the search terms people use near your business.
What It Is
Local keyword research is finding the phrases people type when they are searching for a business or service in your area.
The terms carry a location or local intent baked in.
Why It Differs from Regular Research
National terms may have bigger volumes, but local terms bring the customers who can actually reach you.
A modest volume of nearby searchers usually beats a huge volume of wrong-market traffic.
What to Look For
- City and neighborhood names paired with your services.
- Near me and nearby phrases with local intent.
- Terms your competitors in the area already rank for.
- Questions locals ask about your industry.
How to Do It
- List your services and your service areas.
- Combine them with location names.
- Check search volume and local competition.
- Match each term to a page or profile.
The research: a bakery lists its services and neighborhood names.
The terms: birthday cake plus the city, and near me searches.
The match: each term maps to a relevant page or profile.
The result: the bakery ranks for searches from people close enough to visit.
Quick Tip
Match local keywords to the pages that can actually rank, because a term with no matching page is just a missed opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Local Keyword Research, Bottom Line
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