A comprehensive local search marketing strategy is the key to success for local businesses, including brick-and-mortar SMBs, service-area businesses, and even multi-location businesses. But what exactly is local search marketing, and how can you implement it effectively as a business owner or marketer?
Whether you want to promote your own business or market local businesses for clients, this guide will cover all the basics you need to know to get started.
What Is Local Search Marketing?
Local search marketing is a digital marketing strategy focused on promoting a business to customers in a specific geographic area. The main goal is to help local businesses appear in search results when people nearby are searching for products or services they offer.
Not only does local search marketing increase a business's online visibility in their local area, it also drives high-intent traffic, or people actively searching for nearby solutions and close to making a purchase decision.
Because of the potential to drive action and sales, a strong local search marketing strategy is one of the best ways for smaller brands to compete with larger ones.
While local search marketing has traditionally revolved around ranking in the local pack and Google Maps, and Google Business Profile metrics like website clicks, calls, and direction requests, we're seeing an increased need for a focus on expanding overall brand presence in non-traditional local search results. This is largely due to the proliferation of AI-powered search tools, such as ChatGPT, and features like Google's AI Overviews, which are driving more "zero-click" traffic.
Local SEO: The Core of Every Local Search Marketing Strategy
Central to every local search marketing strategy, local search engine optimization differs from traditional SEO in that it only cares about ranking in searches within a specific geographic area. And, since Google accounts for the majority of local search traffic, this means it's mainly worried about ranking within Google's search ecosystem, in the local pack (the Google Business Profile results above blue-link results), in Google Maps, and in organic Google Search results.
To a lesser degree, local SEO also involves improving a business's visibility in Apple Maps (Apple Business Connect visibility) and, now, in AI-generated summaries and answers (local AI visibility).
How Can You Implement a Successful Local Search Marketing Strategy for Your Business or Clients?
To build a local search marketing strategy that delivers real results, you'll need to cover several key areas, from the basics like claiming business listings to more advanced tactics like localized content creation and AI-era visibility tracking.
1. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Your Google Business Profile is the foundation of your local visibility on Google. Claim your listing, choose the right categories, write a compelling business description, upload high-quality photos, set accurate hours, and keep everything updated regularly.
Make sure to fill out every section Google offers, as businesses with complete profiles consistently outperform those with incomplete ones.
2. Don't Overlook Apple Business Connect
While Google dominates local search, Apple Maps still plays a significant role, especially on iOS devices. Claim your business on Apple Business Connect to ensure your listing is accurate and visually appealing. Include photos, promotions, and location-specific details that can boost visibility on Apple Maps.
3. Track Local Rankings (With a Geo-Grid Rank Tracker)
Traditional rank tracking only shows performance for one location or ZIP code. Use geo-grid rank tracking to see how your business performs at precise points on the map across an entire service area and identify specific pockets of opportunity or weakness.
Track both Google and Apple Maps rankings, and monitor how your visibility shifts over time or in response to optimizations.
4. Analyze the Competition
To win in local search marketing, you need to know exactly who you're up against. Use Local Falcon's AI-powered insights to analyze competitors' Google Business Profiles, review strategies, and keyword usage. Look for content gaps, review gaps, or service offerings they rank for that you don't, and turn those into opportunities.
5. Manage and Analyze Reviews
Online reviews are one of the top local ranking factors and a key trust signal for potential customers. Make sure to:
- Actively request reviews from happy customers.
- Respond to all reviews (positive and negative).
- Do sentiment analysis to spot trends in customer feedback and identify opportunities to improve your services or highlight strengths.
Pro Tip: Conducting sentiment analysis for your competitors' reviews can provide invaluable insights that you can use to reinforce your own local marketing strategies.
6. Build High-Quality Citations and Strong Secondary Listing Profiles
List your business on high-authority, relevant local directories and review sites, making sure your business info is up to date and consistent across the web. This helps search engines verify your legitimacy and strengthens your local authority. Consider industry-specific directories in addition to general platforms like Yelp and Tripadvisor.
7. Develop a Local Link Building Strategy
Links from other local businesses, publications, or chambers of commerce can boost your credibility in local search. Try sponsoring local events, collaborating with neighborhood blogs, or offering guest posts to nearby, non-competing businesses to earn quality backlinks.
8. Create Localized Website Content
Don't rely solely on your home page to drive web traffic. Build out location pages (for each city, neighborhood, or service area), and service-specific pages that are optimized with local keywords. Additionally, consider publishing localized blog posts to target informational queries and locally relevant topics as well as creating FAQs to address common queries.
9. Don't Forget On-Page and Technical SEO
Ensure your website loads fast, is mobile-friendly, and uses proper schema markup (especially LocalBusiness schema). Make sure every page is crawlable, indexable, and optimized with relevant metadata.
10. Use Local Keyword Research Tools
Generic keyword tools don't cut it for local SEO. Instead, use a purpose-built tool like Local Falcon's Local Keyword Tool to find hyperlocal keyword opportunities based on actual local search trends, rather than national estimates.
11. Add Visual Media to Boost Engagement
Photos and videos improve your click-through rate on Google Business Profile and help customers trust your brand. There's also some correlation between higher local search rankings and photos that match user search intent. So, post media regularly on GBP and across your other listings and social channels.
12. Layer On Paid Advertising (Once the Foundations Are Set)
Once your organic local search marketing strategy is strong, consider paid local ads like Google Ads with location extensions or Local Services Ads (LSAs) to reach even more potential customers. Paid campaigns work best when your listings, reviews, and website are already dialed in.
Pro Tip: Not sure where to invest in paid advertising vs SEO? Local Falcon's Competitor Reports can help!
Key Takeaways
- Local search marketing helps small and medium-sized, brick-and-mortar, service-area, and multi-location businesses stand out in local results, reach more nearby customers, and drive high-intent traffic.
- Google Business Profile optimization and geo-grid rank tracking are foundational steps.
- Local content, reviews, listing management, and link building are crucial for success.
- AI-generated results and visual content are becoming more important in influencing local discovery.
- Once your organic foundation is solid, layering in paid ads can amplify your reach and lead generation efforts.
Whether you're marketing your own business or managing local search for clients, following these steps will give you a strong, measurable local search marketing strategy that works!
