๐
FREE
+50 XP
Local SEO Foundations
๐
Local restaurant
"A corner pizza place: 0 backlinks, basic website, but a complete Google Business Profile with 200 reviews. For 'pizza near me' they're in the top 3. Local search is a different game with different rules."
๐ Local SEO โ optimization for local search results: Google Local Pack (map), Google Maps, geo-targeted queries.
Three Pillars of Local SEO
- Proximity โ physical distance from the user to the business
- Relevance โ how well the profile matches the query
- Prominence โ reviews, links, citations
Local Pack vs Organic Results
The Local Pack (3 map cards) uses a separate algorithm. You can rank in the Local Pack without good organic rankings, and vice versa.
Top local signals:
1. Google Business Profile (completeness)
2. Reviews (count and rating)
3. NAP consistency
4. Local links and citations
5. Behavioral factors
1. Google Business Profile (completeness)
2. Reviews (count and rating)
3. NAP consistency
4. Local links and citations
5. Behavioral factors
๐ฏ Fact: 46% of all Google searches have local intent. Local SEO is critical for offline businesses.
๐ฎ Test yourself: what is the #1 local search signal?
Lesson Task
Test your knowledge and earn +20 XP