Want to attract more local customers? Location based keywords are the key to improving your local SEO and appearing in front of the right audience. With 46% of Google searches seeking local information, optimising for location-specific terms can put your business on the map – literally!
In this guide, we’ll explore how to effectively use geo-targeted keywords to dominate local search results and increase your visibility.
What Are Location Based Keywords?
Geo-targeted keywords (or location based keywords), are keywords you would use to target a specific location. For example, “plumber in San Francisco”. The reason you would target a keyword like this is because your business offers a service in this location – also, this is likely what your customers are going to be typing into Google to find what they want.
Location based keywords differ from broad keywords as they are very targeted towards a specific service and area, whereas broad keywords are usually very competitive and are not targeted towards anyone in particular i.e. “shampoo” is a broad keyword.
You can pretty much find location based keywords in any industry, as long as they are operating within the local area. In fact, a lot of businesses first start out by targeting specific locations as it is much less competitive. After they have initially built their brand name in several local areas, they can then go national.
The formula for a geo targeted keyword is very simple –
[service] in [location]. Or you can try variations of this formula – [location] [service].
Why Location Based Keywords Matter for Local SEO
Did you know that Google has a specific algorithm to match local keywords to local websites? For you to rank in the local search engine results page (SERP), you need to include mentions of your location either on a specific page on your website, or across all pages on your website if you are only trying to rank for one location.
This is also how your Google Business Profile (GBP) works. When setting up your GBP, you will have chosen a service your business offers and a location your business operates in. When someone comes to Google and types in “electrician Manchester”, and this is exactly what you put into your GBP, your business will be likely to appear at the top for this search term.
What about “near me” search terms? Never optimise for “near me” search terms, ever! The way Google uses “near me” is by tracking a user’s location on their phone and matching them to nearby businesses. Think about it, you wouldn’t want to be in Manchester searching for “electrician near me” and some electrician in Florida pops us because they’ve optimised for “electrician near me”!
How to Find the Best Location Based Keywords
To find the best location based keywords for your business, use the formula we showed you earlier and input it into a Keyword Research Tool. We have a free one you can use here at Click Shark, although there are more advanced tools available.
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool you can use for location based keyword research (it is for Google Ads, but we can also use it for local SEO). Once you have a search volume and difficulty for your keywords, you can also start to generate questions surrounding your keyword to create blog posts or add an FAQs section to your website.
For example, if my geo-location keyword was “car wraps Lincoln”, I would go over to People Also Ask, which would show me questions like “What is a car wrap, how to do a car wrap” etc. These are usually long tail keywords which have low search volumes and low competition, but they’re great for gaining topical authority through Google, and answering your customers’ dying questions.
Competitor Analysis
Another great way to find location based keywords is to have a look at what your competitors are targeting. Simply type your chosen keyword/s into Google and see what websites pop up. These are now all your competitors. Take a quick look at their pages and see what keywords they have in their title and content, you may be surprised at what they are targeting.
Where to Use Geo-Based Keywords for Maximum Impact
You can begin by doing a local SEO audit of your website to find where your site needs work. Here are the main areas you want to include location based keyword –
1. Website Optimisation
- Optimising title tags, meta descriptions, and headers with your target keywords
- Creating location-specific landing pages i.e. “Plumber in London”
- Adding location based keywords to your URL and alt text
2. Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimisation
- Optimising GBP description and categories for target keywords
- Using local-based keywords in Google posts and FAQs
3. Content Marketing
- Writing blog posts with a local focus (e.g., “Best Restaurants in [City]”) to generate traffic
- Utilizing customer testimonials and case studies with local keywords
4. Local Citations & Directories
- Ensuring NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency
- Submitting business details to local directories (Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc.)
When implementing all your location based keywords across these areas, make sure you don’t overdo your keyword mentions and maintain a keyword density of 1-2% (this is 1-2 keywords every 100 words of text). This will ensure you stay in Google’s good books and you won’t get done for keyword stuffing.
You can use our Keyword Density Checker to assist you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Location Based Keywords
So, you have done your keyword research and began to add these keywords into your content. Great, are you all done now? Hell no!
Here are some common pitfalls to watch out for when implementing your location based keywords (keyword stuffing and optimising for “near me” would go here too) –
- Ignoring mobile users: Apparently mobile users make up a whopping 95.32% of users globally! So do not forget to optimise your site for mobile.
- Not updating NAP information: If your business address changes, make sure to update the information across your business directories straight away, otherwise Google may lose trust in your website!
- Neglecting local backlinks: Make sure you don’t neglect backlinks. These will act as trust signals to Google, allowing your website to rank higher in the SERPs.
Tracking and Measuring Your Success
But wait, how will I know whether my local SEO campaign is working?
Don’t worry there are several tools you can use for tracking to make sure your campaign stays on track –
- Google Analytics and Google Search Console
- Google Business Profile Insights
- SEMrush or Ahrefs
- The free tools on Click Shark!
With all these tools at your disposal, you can ensure success in your local SEO plan, and adjust your strategy accordingly. Always remember, if you need any more help, just contact the team here at Click Shark, and I’m sure we will be able to assist you!
Conclusion
Location based keywords are a game changer for local businesses looking to improve their visibility. By strategically optimising your website, Google Business Profile, and content, you can attract more local customers and rank higher in geo-targeted searches. Start implementing these strategies today and watch your business dominate local search results!
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