Local Keyword Research 2024

Quick Answer

Its my view that local keyword research is finding the search terms people use to look for local businesses online, like “Chiropractor in Islington.” It involves identifying location-based keywords with geographic modifiers to optimize your online presence for nearby consumers.

For a more in-depth look at local seo keyword research please read on.

Why is Local Keyword Research Important

Local SEO research is important because it helps put small local businesses like your directly in front of your ideal customers looking for your services.

We all search online everyday with different intents in mind. Sometimes we are ready to buy other times we are just looking to learn something we didn’t know before.

When proper keyword research is carried we are able to know these exact type of intent keywords that a potential customer is typing in their search bar and allows us to target on the website.

How to Do Local SEO Keyword Research

To do effective keyword research for your small business you need to first identify your core services or that your business offers.

1. Identify Your Core Services

Before you use any tools, simply sit down with a piece of A4 paper and write down what services you want to be found for. This will form the basis before brain storming your seed keywords.

Seed keywords are all the keywords a customer could potentially use to search for services that you provide.

Imagine you are the customer what words would you type in? You should be able to come up with at least 20 very easy. Once you have a bunch of seed we can put them to one side and start to do some sneaky local SEO competitor analysis to see what type of keywords they are ranking for and you can do to.

Here is an example.

1. Identify Your Core Services/Products

Start by listing all the products, service keywords, and solutions your business provides.

Once you’ve identified your services, you’ll need to create a thorough list, including the seed keywords people search with.

This list of keywords you want will serve as the foundation for intent keyword mapping, helping to optimize your visibility for customers looking for services or products.

Service/Product	Potential Keyword	Customer Need
Handmade Jewellery	Local Handmade Rings	Unique accessories
Organic Bakery	Locally Baked Bread	Health-conscious eating
Auto Repair	Trusted Local Mechanic	Reliable car service

This table exemplifies how to align your offerings with specific local searches, maximizing relevance and attracting the right customer base. Keep the focus tight and relevant.

2. Add Location Modifiers

After identifying your core services and products, you’ll want to expand your keywords list by incorporating location modifiers to target specific markets.

By integrating geographic terms such as city names, neighbourhoods, and postcodes with your seed keywords, you improve search engine optimization and boost visibility in searches.

For instance, combining ‘joiner’ with ‘Newcastle’ or adding ‘near me’ to ‘tattoo shop’ tailors your keywords to the audience. This strategy is crucial for attracting potential customers who are searching for specific services in their area.

You’ll often find that when you search for example “plumber” on Google you are given suggested words to search with. These are often with city locations or ‘near me’

These are suggested because they are commonly used by people just liek you when wanting this type of service. This approach not only narrows your focus but helps you

Furthermore, while regular keywords might pull in higher total search volumes, local keywords typically boast a higher conversion rate.

They speak directly to potential customers who are actively searching for services or products in their immediate vicinity.

This specificity in SEO can be a game-changer for businesses aiming to capitalize on nearby consumers.

Best For businesses seeking to attract customers within a specific geographical area for immediate and high-intent interactions.

Pros:

• Targets potential customers with high commercial intent who are searching for immediate solutions.
• Increases the likelihood of conversion by focusing on users in close proximity.
• Enhances visibility in search results, which is critical for local business success.

Cons:

• Limited audience reach due to the focus on specific areas.
• Lower overall search volumes compared to non-localized keywords.
• May require more frequent optimization due to competition and changing local search trends.

Local keyword research helps guarantee that your business appears prominently in search results, making it easier for customers to find you when they need your services the most.

3. Use Tools

You’ll find tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and SEMrush invaluable for uncovering high-volume keywords, and locally targeted search terms.

These platforms help you pinpoint keywords with explicit intent that are vital for your local research.

Start by exploring Google Ads Keyword Planner to identify popular search terms specific to your area.

Then, explore the SEMrush keywords magic tool to broaden your scope and uncover additional relevant terms.

These tools not only suggest keywords but also provide insights into search trends, helping you to tailor your content more effectively.

4. Analyze Search Volume and Competition

Once you’ve identified potential seed keywords, analyze their search volumes and competition levels to prioritize those offering the best chances for high rankings.

Focusing on local search volume and competition is crucial. The search volume for keywords gives you an idea of how many people are looking for local services, specifically in your area.

At the same time, competition metrics for keywords help you understand how many businesses are competing for the same terms.

Aim to find a balance between decent search volumes and manageable competition to improve your ranking opportunities.

This strategy guarantees you’re not wasting efforts on highly contested keywords but rather capitalizing on those with enough interest and lesser competition.

5. Categorize by Intent

Now, categorize your final list of local keywords by their search intent—be it commercial, informational, or navigational—to target them effectively on your site’s relevant pages.

Understanding intent is essential for optimizing your content and enhancing user experience.

• Commercial Keywords: Focus on users ready to purchase. Examples include ‘buy,’ ‘discount,’ and product names.
• Informational Keywords: These answer users’ questions and provide insights. Look for ‘how to,’ ‘guide,’ and ‘tutorial.’
• Navigational Keywords: Used when searching for a specific website or location. Commonly include brand names and service types.
• Keyword Categorization: Organize keywords methodically to streamline content creation and make sure each page targets the right audience with appropriate intent.

6. Monitor and Refine Targets

After categorizing your local keywords by intent, it’s important to keep track of their performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Continuously monitor your rankings and search trends to gauge the effectiveness of your current SEO tactics.

As you observe these trends, you’ll need to refine your keywords list, adding new keywords that emerge as relevant and discarding those that aren’t performing well.

This ongoing process helps to maintain your SEO performance to remain strong and responsive to market changes.

Keep a close eye on how these keywords perform in real time, and don’t hesitate to tweak your strategy to better align with current search behaviours and preferences.

This proactive adjustment is key to maintaining your visibility and relevance in search results.

Examples of Typical Local Search Queries

Let’s investigate some common search queries that potential customers might use when looking for services in your area.

These queries often include modifiers highlighting this keyword has intent, such as ‘near me’ or specific locality names like cities or neighbourhoods.

These terms not only guide the search engine results but also impact search volumes greatly.

“plumbers near me”
“pizza delivery in [city]”
“dentists in [neighbourhood]”
“car repair shops [postcode]”
“best restaurants [city]”
“emergency locksmith [city] open now.”
“hair salons near [landmark]”
“[service] + [city]” (e.g. “roof repair Cheshire”)
“[product] + [neighbourhood]” (e.g. “furniture stores Hackney”)
“open [business type] [city] today
These local keyword searches often include geographic modifiers like:
City names (e.g. Southampton, Bradford)
Neighbourhoods (e.g. Boldmere, Mere Green)
Postal codes (e.g. G45 2TY, G77 5NE)
Landmarks (e.g. London Bridge, Edinburgh Castle)
Proximity terms like “near me”, “closest”, and “nearby.”
They also frequently contain:
Business categories/types (e.g. plumbers, restaurants, stores)
Services (e.g. delivery, repair, installation)
Qualifiers (e.g. best, open now, emergency, affordable)

Best Tools for Process

To enhance your local SEO strategies, it’s essential to use tools designed for the purpose. Begin with Google Keyword Planner to gather broad keyword ideas.

Further, refine your search using advanced tools.

Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner, a free tool, lets you filter ideas by specific locations—be it country, region, city, or postcode—to pinpoint the keywords your target audience is searching for.

Here’s how you can make the most of this tool.

1. Identify Local Intent: Use the tool to distinguish keywords with a high search volume, indicating a strong local intent.
2. Analyze Competition: Evaluate the competition level for each keyword to strategize your SEO efforts better.
3. Customize Search Filters: Tailor your searches to focus on specific localities relevant to your target audience.
4. Track Trends: Monitor how search trends evolve to adjust your strategies in real-time.

Semrush Keyword Magic Tool

Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool offers an extensive database that allows you to pinpoint local keywords effectively by incorporating location modifiers and filtering options.

When you’re diving into research, it’s important to target keywords with local intent that reflect the subtleties of search engine behaviours.

Using Semrush magic tool, you can discover a variety of keywords specific to regions and cities, making your marketing efforts more precise and impactful.

If you’re looking to optimize for local visibility, use a tool like this to sift through the options and identify the most promising ones.

Local research tells a story of community-focused strategies that can greatly improve your visibility in regional searches.

Ahrefs Keyword Explorer

While Semrush offers powerful tools, Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer greatly enhances your ability to conduct with its detailed metrics and location-specific data.

Here’s how you can utilize this tool:

1. Search Volumes: Assess the popularity of keywords specific to your area, helping you prioritize your efforts.
2. Local Rankings: Track how well keywords perform in specific locales, giving you a clearer picture of competitive landscapes.
3. Location-Based Keyword Groups: Use the ‘Parent Topic’ filter to find new, relevant keywords grouped by location.
4. Detailed SEO Metrics: Analyze clicks, ranking difficulty, and more to refine your strategy and increase local visibility.
   These features empower you to optimize your local SEO strategy effectively.

Moz Keyword Explorer

Moz’s Keyword Explorer offers another comprehensive option for delving into local keywords, featuring extensive data such as search volumes, difficulty scores, and SERP features like the local pack.

This tool delves deep into the specifics, providing you with the insights needed to target regional audiences effectively

The Keyword Explorer doesn’t just provide numbers; it gives context to these metrics, helping you understand what makes a word competitive or worth pursuing.

By analyzing search volumes and difficulty scores, you can prioritize which keywords are most likely to drive localized traffic to your site.

Understanding SERP features, such as the local pack, allows you to tailor your SEO strategies to boost visibility in specific geographic areas.

BrightLocal Local Search Rank Checker

Bright Local’s Local Search Rank Checker offers a valuable tool for tracking rankings in various cities and zip codes.

It is essential for those involved in local word research and seeking to enhance visibility in local searches. Here are some key reasons why this tool is indispensable:

1. Targeted Local Data: The tool captures precise rankings for local intent searches, providing insights into your position in specific markets.
2. Competitive Analysis: Users can compare their local rankings with competitors, gaining a better understanding of the competitive landscape.
3. Historical Tracking: The tool monitors changes over time, allowing users to evaluate the impact of their SEO strategies on local rankings.
4. User-friendly Reports: It generates clear, actionable reports that simplify complex data, enabling users to make well-informed decisions.
   

How to Choose the Right Keyword Tool

You should carefully select a local research tool that aligns with your business size, budget, and specific SEO needs.

For detailed data, larger firms might lean towards premium SEO tools like Semrush, while smaller enterprises might find a tool like Google Keyword Planner, a free keyword research tool, sufficient.

Make sure the tool you choose can filter data by location to capture local intent keywords effectively.

It’s vital to check whether the tool offers important data points like search volumes and word difficulty.

Also, the ease of use and integration capabilities with other platforms should be considered. Testing different tools through free trials helps in making the right choice.

Conclusion

In summary, mastering local keyword research is essential for enhancing your business’s online visibility.

By tailoring searches to local contexts, you can effectively target potential customers in specific areas.

Utilize powerful tools to streamline the process, and always refine your strategies based on analytical insights.

Remember, choosing the right keywords impacts your SEO success greatly, thereby influencing your business’s growth and local relevance.

Start implementing these strategies today and witness a tangible transformation in your digital marketing effectiveness.

Get In Touch

I can help get your small local business to the top of the search engines with affordable local seo services. Download my FREE pdf guide to local SEO guide via this link.