Local SEO is SEO that accounts for geographic location: it puts a business with a physical location in front of nearby people searching for what it offers, in local results, Google Maps and the 3-pack. It matters because it brings local traffic, better conversion rates and reviews that compound over time, and most businesses still neglect it while chasing immediate results. A local plan stands on three pillars: technical (errors, URL structure, hierarchy, speed), content, and authority from trustworthy sites.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of setting up your website and all of your content to appeal to the algorithms that search engines use to rank quality content. While general SEO focuses on ranking highly for niche-specific queries, local SEO accounts for geographic location. This is especially important for brick-and-mortar locations. For example, if you own a local car dealership in Beaverton, Oregon, you want to be the first result when someone in your area searches for a "car dealership near me."
Tip: If you're interested in learning more, Semrush Academy has a local SEO course covering Google Business Profile, local keyword research and tracking. It's a useful place to get the basics in order.
A local SEO plan stands on three pillars
TechnicalContentAuthority
The three pillars from this post, each built of one kind of piece.
How local SEO works
Search engines use artificial intelligence to crawl, index, and rank all online content and filter out the best results. Your position on the results page relies on your content containing the necessary elements Google is looking for, while not implementing penalizing elements. In short, local SEO works to gain preference from these platforms with a more specific geographical target. Instead of competing with the major companies in your market, you'll be working to stand out in your local community.
Every SEO dreads the almost weekly algorithm changes, but it's important to adjust and be on your toes.
Semrush also keeps a list of free SEO tools. Pick the tool that answers the question you actually have.
The three pillars of a local SEO plan
Try to establish these pillars when building your local SEO plan:
Technical. This includes tasks like fixing technical errors, using the proper URL structure, setting up the right website hierarchy, managing page speed, etc.
Content. While more exciting and creative than technical SEO, content is time-consuming and expensive (if outsourced). Having said that, it's the fuel to any good SEO strategy. Without it, you aren't going anywhere.
Authority. You need to tap into the authority of other websites to set your brand apart. The more you align with other trustworthy sites, the faster you'll grow.
First published on my old site January 26, 2026 and moved here October 11, 2026.
