Table of Contents
About Local Keyword Research
How do you find which keywords are most relevant to your business and services? How do you know which keywords will drive the most qualified traffic to your website?
If you’re an entrepreneur working within the local area, how do you find the keywords that best match the services and products that your business offers? Here’s how to do local keyword research like a pro.
Local SEO keyword research, if you’re unfamiliar with the term, is the practice of researching keywords relevant to your business or area.
It’s important because it helps you learn about what people are searching for locally, which can lead to higher conversion rates on your website and greater relevance in your marketing strategy as well as social media advertising.
Moreover, if you want to make sure that your business thrives in the local search results, here’s how to do local business keyword research like a pro.
Get Familiar With SEO
Therefore, If you want your local business to show up in search engine results, you need to make sure you’re using the right keywords. And that’s where local keyword research comes in.
By targeting keywords that are relevant to your city or town, you can ensure that your website appears when people search for businesses like yours.
However, here’s how to get started
1) Search for your type of business on Google and find out what words people are typing into the search bar. You can also use YouTube and other social media sites to see what customers ask about your products and services.
2) Use this information to create an Excel spreadsheet with all of the different keywords and phrases you think could be related to your company.
3) Rank them by their relevance, importance, popularity, and competitiveness on a scale from 1-10.
Use Webmaster Tools
If you want to get ahead of the competition, you need to know how to do local keyword research like a pro. Local intent keywords are key phrases that indicate that the searcher is looking for something in their local area.
For example, a garage sale around here is an example of a local intent keyword because it indicates that the person searching for it intends to travel somewhere near them rather than ordering something online. Therefore, the best way to find local intent keywords is by using Google Webmaster Tools.
Therefore, using this free tool will show you search queries specific to your website and location so that you can see what people are really searching for when they visit your site and plan accordingly.
Look At Similar Keywords
The first step is to come up with a list of similar keywords that you can use in your research. To do this, you can use a keyword research tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner or Moz Keyword Explorer.
However, simply enter a seed keyword into the tool and it will generate a list of related keywords. For example, if I entered SEO as my seed keyword, it would suggest search engine optimization and local SEO as related keywords.
Check Local Search Results
Local intent research is vital for any business that wants to be visible in local search results. Here’s how to do it like a pro:
- Start with broad keyword categories relevant to your business.
- Narrow down your list by considering what each keyword category implies about the searcher’s intent.
- Look at local search results for each keyword category to get an idea of what kind of businesses are ranking.
- Consider the competition for each keyword category.
- Make a list of the keyword categories that make the most sense for your business to target.
- Research specific keywords within each category that have high search volume and low competition.
Know The Competition
However, any good local keyword research strategy is understanding the competition. After all, if you don’t know who your competition is, how can you hope to beat them?
The good news is that there are plenty of tools out there that can help you get a handle on who’s ranking for what keywords. Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Moz’s Keyword Explorer are two great options.
The latter lets you input the types of keywords or phrases you’re interested in (like lawn care) and it will return a list of related search terms.
If this sounds like something up your alley, try searching for lawn care and then scrolling down to Related searches at the bottom of the page.
You’ll see more suggestions like the best lawn mower, maintaining the lawn, etc, which may give you some ideas about where to go next with your local intent research efforts.
Consider Your Business Model
Local keyword research is important for businesses that rely on local customers. If you’re not sure how to get started, this guide will help you.
To start, consider your business model and what kind of customer you’re trying to attract. Are you a brick-and-mortar store targeting people who live near you? Or are you an online store that ships nationwide? Knowing this will help you determine which keywords to target.
Next, think about what kind of keywords your customers are likely to use. If you’re not sure, try asking them directly or doing some market research. Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to start your research.
There Are A Few Different Ways To Do Local Keyword Research
One way is to start with local intent research. If you already have your keywords, enter them into one of these sites: Google AdWords or MozBar.
They’ll return suggested search terms based on the words you’ve entered. Sort the results by popularity (usually indicated by clicks) to see what terms are being searched most often in your area.
From there, sort the results by relevance (usually indicated by impressions) so you can find search terms that may be less popular but more relevant to your niche.
Another option is starting with broad intent research like chocolate bars and narrowing down from there. For example, if chocolate bars were one of your original search terms, go ahead and enter it into Google Ads or Ubersuggest just like before.
Do It for Free
There are plenty of great keywords research tools out there, but most of them come with a price tag. If you’re on a budget, don’t worry! There are still plenty of ways to do local search keyword research without spending a dime.
Here’s how :
1) Type your city and jobs into Google search
2) Type jobs near me into Google Maps
3) Type your city and apartments for rent into Google search
4) Type your city and rental properties into Zillow
5) Check Yelp for keywords about the restaurant or business that is near you
Focus On What Works
Moreover, when it comes to local SEO research, the most important thing is to focus on what works. There are a lot of different tools and resources out there, but not all of them will be relevant to your business or your location.
The best way to find out what works is to ask around. Talk to other businesses in your area and see what keywords they are targeting. You can also use online resources like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Google Trends.
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to start testing them out. Use them in your website content, social media posts, and even in your offline marketing materials. Track your results over time and see which keywords are driving the most traffic and leads.
Find Underutilized Keywords
However, local SEO research is all about finding keywords that are relevant to your business that is not being utilized by your competitors. Here are a few tips on how to find underutilized keywords that can help improve your local SEO efforts:
- Use keyword research tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer.
- Set your location filter to the city or region you want to target.
- Look for keywords with low competition and high search volume.
- Try different variations of your target keywords.
- Check out your competitor’s websites and see what keywords they are targeting.
- Use keyword data to create informative and keyword-rich content on your website.
Start With A Brainstorm
The first step in any keyword research project is to brainstorm a list of potential keywords. But when you’re doing local keyword research, it’s important to keep your target location in mind. That’s because people in different areas search for different things.
For example, someone in New York City might search for pizza delivery while someone in rural Montana might search for a pizza restaurant. If you’re running a local business and want to rank high in Google searches, you need to know what the locals are searching for.
However, a great way to get started with local SEO research is by using tools like Google Maps or Yelp Reviews. These tools can help you find more niche-specific words that have local relevance (ex: Budget Truck Rental). Once you’ve compiled your list of keywords, the next step is coming up with some ideas on how to optimize them so they will be easier for searchers to find.
