Local SEO: Get Found in Your Region | Knowledge Base

Local SEO is essential for businesses looking to reach customers in their region. Whether you have a physical store or provide services in a specific area - local visibility is crucial. In this guide, you will learn everything about local SEO.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO focuses on improving your visibility for searches with local intent:

"[service] + [city]" (web design rotterdam)
"[service] near me"
"[product] near me"

Local Search Results

Google displays local results in two ways:

1. Local Pack (Map Pack) The map with 3 businesses that appears for local searches.

2. Organic Local Results Regular search results with local relevance.

Why Local SEO Matters

46% of all Google searches have local intent
76% of local searches lead to a store visit within 24 hours
28% of local searches result in a purchase

Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the most important element of local SEO.

Creating/Claiming Your Profile

Go to business.google.com
Log in with your Google account
Search for your business or create a new one
Verify via postcard, phone, or email

Optimizing Your Profile

Basic information:

[ ] Official business name (do not add keywords)
[ ] Correct address
[ ] Phone number
[ ] Website URL
[ ] Opening hours

Category:

[ ] Choose primary category (most specific)
[ ] Add secondary categories
[ ] Maximum 10 categories

Description:

[ ] 750 characters available
[ ] Include keywords naturally
[ ] Mention unique selling points
[ ] Call-to-action

Photos:

[ ] Logo
[ ] Cover photo
[ ] Exterior photos
[ ] Interior photos
[ ] Team photos
[ ] Product/service photos

Attributes:

[ ] Select relevant attributes
[ ] Payment methods
[ ] Accessibility
[ ] Service-specific options

Publishing Posts

Google Posts are mini-updates on your profile:

Types:

Updates (news, announcements)
Events (with date)
Offers (with end date)
Products

Best practices:

Publish weekly
Add images
Use call-to-action buttons
Keep it short and relevant

Questions & Answers

Monitor and answer questions:

Respond quickly
Be helpful
Post frequently asked questions yourself and answer them

Reviews Strategy

Reviews are a crucial ranking factor for local SEO.

Collecting Reviews

Actively ask for reviews:

After successful transaction
Via email follow-up
With review cards
Via website link

Make it easy: Direct link to review form:

https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_PLACE_ID

Responding to Reviews

Positive reviews:

Thank the customer
Personalize the response
Mention specific details

Negative reviews:

Respond quickly and professionally
Take responsibility
Offer a solution
Take the conversation offline if necessary

Tips for Generating Reviews

Timing is key (right after a positive experience)
Make it personal
Do not follow up with repeated requests
Never buy fake reviews

NAP Consistency

NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. Consistency is essential.

Why It Matters

Google verifies your business information by comparing sources. Inconsistencies cause confusion and lower rankings.

NAP Audit

Check your information on:

Google Business Profile
Website (footer, contact page)
Social media profiles
Business directories
Review sites

Common Issues

Inconsistent spelling:

✗ Robuust Marketing BV
✗ Robuust Marketing B.V.
✗ Robuust Marketing
✓ Choose one spelling and use it everywhere

Outdated information:

Old addresses after moving
Old phone numbers
Old trade names

NAP Implementation

On your website:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Robuust Marketing",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "Street Name 123",
    "addressLocality": "The Hague",
    "postalCode": "1234 AB",
    "addressCountry": "NL"
  },
  "telephone": "+31-XX-XXXXXXX"
}
</script>

Local Citations

Citations are mentions of your business on other websites.

Important Citation Sources

General directories:

Google Business Profile
Bing Places
Apple Maps
Yelp

Local/Regional directories:

Chamber of Commerce register
Industry associations
Local business directories

Industry-specific:

Depending on your sector

Building Citations

Start with the major platforms
Add industry-specific directories
Ensure consistent NAP
Add additional information where possible

Citation Management Tools

BrightLocal
Moz Local
Yext (enterprise)

Local Content

Local Landing Pages

Create a page for each service area:

/services/web-design-the-hague
/services/web-design-rotterdam
/services/web-design-amsterdam

Per page:

Unique content (not just replacing the city name)
Local references
Local testimonials if possible
Embedded Google Maps

Local Content Ideas

Blog posts:

"Best [service] in [city]"
Local news/events
Case studies with local businesses
Collaborations with local organizations

Local guides:

"Complete guide to [topic] in [city]"
"Top 10 [industry] businesses in [region]"

Local Keywords

Structure:

[service] + [city]
[service] + [region/state]
[service] + "near me"
best [service] + [city]

Examples:

web design rotterdam
SEO specialist south holland
website development near me

Local Link Building

Local Link Sources

Local organizations:

Chamber of Commerce
Local business associations
BNI or other networks

Local media:

Regional newspapers
Local news websites
Community blogs

Partnerships:

Suppliers
Complementary businesses
Sponsorships

Community:

Sponsor local events
Support local charities
Give guest lectures

Link Building Tactics

Local PR: Share newsworthy news with local media
Sponsor local events: Get a link from the event website
Give testimonials: To local suppliers
Local collaborations: Guest posts on local blogs

Technical Local SEO

Local Schema Markup

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Robuust Marketing",
  "image": "https://robuustmarketing.nl/logo.png",
  "@id": "https://robuustmarketing.nl",
  "url": "https://robuustmarketing.nl",
  "telephone": "+31-XX-XXXXXXX",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "Street Name 123",
    "addressLocality": "The Hague",
    "postalCode": "1234 AB",
    "addressCountry": "NL"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 52.0705,
    "longitude": 4.3007
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [{
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
    "opens": "09:00",
    "closes": "17:00"
  }],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.facebook.com/robuustmarketing",
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/robuustmarketing"
  ]
}

Google Maps Embed

<iframe
  src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=..."
  width="600"
  height="450"
  style="border:0;"
  allowfullscreen=""
  loading="lazy"
  referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade">
</iframe>

Mobile Optimization

Local searches often happen on mobile:

Click-to-call buttons
Clear directions information
Fast loading time
Easy navigation

Local SEO Monitoring

Metrics to Track

Rankings:

Position for local keywords
Local Pack ranking
Organic local ranking

Google Business Profile:

Profile views
Actions (calls, directions, website clicks)
Search terms that lead to your listing

Reviews:

Number of new reviews
Average rating
Response rate and time

Tools

Free:

Google Business Profile Insights
Google Search Console

Paid:

BrightLocal
Whitespark
Local Falcon

Local SEO Checklist

One-time Setup

[ ] Google Business Profile claimed and verified
[ ] NAP consistent across all platforms
[ ] Local schema markup implemented
[ ] Local landing pages created
[ ] Citations built in important directories

Ongoing Activities

[ ] Publish Google Posts weekly
[ ] Monitor and respond to reviews
[ ] Add new citations monthly
[ ] Create local content
[ ] Local link building

Periodic Audits

[ ] Check NAP consistency
[ ] Competitor analysis
[ ] Evaluate review strategy
[ ] Monitor rankings

Common Mistakes

1. Keywords in Business Name

Google can suspend you for keyword stuffing in your business name.

2. Fake Reviews

Against Google's guidelines and leads to suspension.

3. Inconsistent NAP

Causes confusion for Google and users.

4. Outdated Information

Wrong opening hours or address damages trust.

5. Duplicate Location Content

Avoid copy-paste content with just the city name replaced.

Conclusion

Local SEO requires consistent attention:

Foundation: Optimize Google Business Profile
Reputation: Actively collect and manage reviews
Consistency: Keep NAP the same everywhere
Content: Create relevant local content
Links: Build local backlinks

Start by optimizing your Google Business Profile and build from there.

Need help with local SEO? Contact us for an analysis of your local visibility.

Local SEO for SMBs - Practical tips
Keyword Research Strategy - Finding local keywords
5 Steps to Online Visibility - Getting started