Local SEO
Optimization for local searches: 'shoe store in [city],' 'pizza near me.' Includes Google Business Profile, Google reviews, local citations, and local schema.
In practice
Local SEO is essential for any business with a physical store. 46% of Google searches are local searches. A store not appearing on Google Maps and the Local Pack is missing half of its potential nearby customers.
Common misconception
'Google Business Profile is free, so it's not important.' Google Business Profile is the biggest digital asset for a physical store. Cost: $0. Visitors who find a store via Maps convert 28% better than those who arrived through the website alone.
How to fix it
Not appearing in the Local Pack? (1) Make sure your Google Business Profile is complete and verified, (2) request reviews from customers — 10+ reviews is a baseline, (3) keep hours and photos current, (4) build local citations: local directories, Yelp, Waze.
Example
A shoe store had an unverified Google Business Profile with 2 reviews. A competitor had 87 reviews and a full profile. Fixing the profile plus adding 25 new reviews in a month got them into the Local Pack. Foot traffic rose 34% within 60 days.
Priority
Set up your Google Business Profile before any other SEO for a physical store. 30 minutes of setup plus 10 initial reviews forms the local SEO baseline. Make sure your NAP (name, address, phone) is identical everywhere the store is mentioned.
Related terms
Keep learning. Metrics that touch the same area:
- SEO – Search Engine OptimizationSEOThe process of optimizing for high rankings in organic search results. Includes: technical SEO (speed, structure), on-page (content, keywords), off-page (inbound links).
- Google Search Console (GSC)SEOA free Google tool: keywords, clicks, impressions, CTR, ranking, crawl errors, and indexing issues.
- Keyword ResearchSEOThe process of identifying what your target audience searches for: search volume, competition, and search intent (informational/transactional/navigational). The foundation of all SEO and paid advertising.
- On-Page SEOSEOImprovements made directly on a page: H1-H3 headings, meta descriptions, URLs, content, alt text, internal links, schema markup. Fully within your control.
- BacklinksSEOLinks from external sites — a 'vote of confidence' in Google's eyes. Quality links (from authoritative sites) impact ranking. Quantity matters less than quality.
- Core Web VitalsSEOThree site performance metrics: LCP (main content load < 2.5s), INP (interaction responsiveness < 200ms), CLS (visual stability < 0.1). Google factors these into rankings.
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