Local SEO

Also called: local search optimization, local search seo, google business profile seo, map pack seo, near me seo

Local SEO is the work of getting a business to show up when nearby customers search for what it offers — in Google's map pack, local results, and "near me" queries.

When someone searches “HVAC repair near me” or “dentist open Saturday,” Google shows a map with three local businesses above the regular results. Local SEO is the practice of being one of those three. It's the highest-leverage search work a service business can do, because the people searching are nearby and ready to buy.

The core moves are concrete. Claim and fully complete your Google Business Profile — hours, services, service area, photos, and categories. Keep your name, address, and phone number identical everywhere they appear online, because inconsistency confuses both Google and AI engines. Earn recent reviews steadily, since volume and freshness both feed local ranking. And publish pages that answer the specific questions local customers ask, so you rank for the long-tail searches your competitors ignore.

Local SEO is also where traditional search and AI search overlap most. The same consistent, well-structured business information that wins the map pack is exactly what an AI engine needs to confidently recommend you when someone asks it for a local provider. Done right, one effort earns visibility in both places.