What is local SEO?

The fuller answer

What does local SEO include? Local SEO covers the signals that tell Google and other engines which business is the best nearby answer. Google names three: relevance, distance and prominence ([how Google local ranking works](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091)). You can influence two of them. - **Google Business Profile:** the listing that appears in Maps and in the local results. Correct categories, hours, services and photos feed relevance. - **Citations and listings:** your name, address and phone number on other sites. See [local citations](/guides/local-citations/). - **Reviews:** count, rating, recency and your replies feed prominence and click-through. - **Location pages:** a page on your site for each location, with its own details. - **Local links and mentions:** other sites in your area that reference you.

How is local SEO different from regular SEO? Regular SEO ranks pages for searches anywhere. Local SEO ranks a place for searches tied to where the searcher is. Two people typing the same words from different streets can see different results, so you also have to think about rank by location, not one number. The full comparison is in [the difference between SEO and local SEO](/questions/difference-between-seo-and-local-seo/).

Who needs local SEO? Any business customers visit, or any business that travels to customers within an area: clinics, restaurants, retailers, contractors, lawyers, dealerships, salons. If you have several locations, each one competes in its own neighborhood and needs its own profile, reviews and page. See [multi-location SEO](/guides/multi-location-seo/).

Why does local SEO matter? Local searches are often close to a decision: people want hours, directions or a phone number right now. Appearing in the [local pack](/questions/what-is-google-local-pack/) puts you in front of them at that moment, and clear, consistent business data also helps AI assistants name you when they answer local questions.

How do you get started with local SEO? - Claim and verify your Google Business Profile and complete every field. - Pick one accurate primary category. - Make your name, address and phone number match everywhere ([NAP consistency](/questions/what-is-nap-local-seo/)). - Ask real customers for reviews and reply to every one. - Build a page for each location. - Check where you rank from several points around each location, not one.

For the whole sequence, read the local SEO strategy or work through the local SEO checklist. To see where you stand today, run the free local SEO audit. Nobody can promise a ranking, since Google states there is no way to pay for a better local ranking.

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