Keyword research for local companies: an SEO guide for beginners

So you have a local company and you have always heard that the keyword research is a must if you appear in Google results, attract more customers and ultimately want to increase sales. But how do you master local SEO keyword research without losing yourself in unusual terms or describing it for expensive tools?

In this guide we guide you step by step through local SEO keyword research and focus on implementable tips that are specially tailored for local companies. We kept things accessible and uncomplicated so that you can start immediately.

Here are eight feasible steps to start with the local SEO keyword research:

Why local keyword research is important

Local keyword research is about finding that Exact sentences Use potential customers in your region if you search for products or services such as yours. For example, if you have a café in Brooklyn, it is not enough to go for a rank “Best coffee beans.” You also have to for a rank for “Best Café in Brooklyn” or even hyper-local phrases like “Coffee near Williamsburg.”

• High intent: People looking for local services often have an immediate intention to visit or buy. When someone is looking for “Café near me” You are probably ready to go out of the door and buy.
• Less competition (normally): Compared to purely global or national keywords, local are often exposed to less competition, which makes it easier for a well -optimized local company.
• More qualified leads: Since local seekers need something in your area, they attract real potential customers and not random visitors from all over the world.

Step 1: Brainstorming potential keywords

Start with simple brainstorming. Think about your company, the services or products that you offer and how people you could describe. For example, if you are a bakery in San Francisco that specializes in vegan pastries:

1. Basic words of the primary industry: “Bakery”, “Pastry Shop”, “Vegan Bakery”, “Cupcake Shop”, etc.
2. Location modifiers: “In San Francisco”, “Near”, “Mission District”, “Soma”, “Bay Area”.
3. Product or service later: “Vegan cupcakes”, “gluten -free pastries”, “wedding cake” and so on.

Write down so many of course sounding Sentences as possible – and you would enter Google if you are looking for your own services. Don’t worry about structure or accuracy yet. This is your initial brainstorming phase.

Tip: Take a look at local forums, Facebook groups, Quora -Threads or Reddit Communities that refer to your industry or your area. People often ask for recommendations (“Where can I find the best vegan donuts in SF?”). You will probably discover unique keyword ideas that you hadn’t thought of.

Step 2: Valide with basic tools (contain free options).

Next, you would like to determine whether these keywords have an actual search volume and whether people are actively looking for them. You can use Free tools (or free versions of paid tools) to get some basic metrics:

• Google trends: Compare the popularity of different keyword phrases over time and over regions. Enter “Vegan Bakery San Francisco”, “Gluten-Free Bakery SF” etc. to see that show a promising or increasing interest.
• Google’s autoacomplete & ‘people also ask sections: Enter your keywords in Google’s search field and pay attention to how Google fills the rest – these are real user inquiries. The section “People who also ask” can also point out the questions that people often put people at their services, such as: B. “Does this bakery offer custom birthday?”?
• Keyword Surfer (a free chrome extension): In this way you will receive an approximate search volume directly on the Google results page. It’s not perfect, but it can be a good start.

Why validation is important: You do not want to create content about keywords that nobody is looking for. At the same time, you do not want to chase Hochwett Keywords (such as “bakery” without modifiers) where your website may have difficulties.

Step 3: Prioritize long cocks, local phrases

When it works too Local SEOPresent Long-tail keywords (The more specific and normally longer sentences) can be your secret weapon. Instead of concentrating on “Bakery,” attempt “Best craftsman bakery in the mission district” or “Vegan-friendly pastry shop near the Union Square.”

These phrases may have a lower search volume, but:

• You are usually easier to rank For – fewer companies are aimed at these more specific phrases.
• You reflect Higher user intent-Single for “vegan-friendly pastry shop near the Union Square” what you want and will soon visit.
• You help Google (and other search engines) to understand exactly what your company offers and where you are.

Step 4: Spy your competition

A small friendly competition never hurts. By analyzing the keywords that aims at your rival, you can discover new possibilities and avoid areas that are overly saturated. Here are two ways to get started:

1. Manual search set
   Simply enter your main keywords in Google and see who dominates the first page. Explore your site content, blog categories and frequently asked questions to recognize patterns or keyword topics.
2. Free SEO tools or browser extensions
   Many platforms offer only limited free options to uncover the target keywords of their competitors. It is worth a few value:
   • Oversighted: Provides daily searches to display keyword ideas, competitors and basic site audits without requesting a paid subscription.
   • MOZ: With the free version of the Keyword Explorer from MOZ, you can carry out a handful of keyword search every month and provide keyword swivel level ratings and related suggestions.
   • Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: While Ahrefs is largely paid, the webmaster tools (for site owners) and the free version of his keyword generator can see some ranking keywords, follow backlinks and carry out limited competitive research.
   • Semrush: Known for his incoming competition analysis. Although the free plan has strict limits, you can still obtain useful insights into the top performing sites and some keywords.
   • Keywords everywhere (Browser extension): Displays the estimated search volume, the cost-per-click (CPC) and the competitive data in your Google search results.

Use these tools to recognize gaps or unused keyword phrases in your niche. Then optimize your own content with regard to these terms, especially local-specific-to stand out from local search queries.

Step 5: Create targeted content (Note: Start a blog!)

It is time to put these validated keywords in action. One of the most effective ways to do this Targeted content Around every priority keyword.

• Homepage and service pages: Make sure that your key services or product pages use relevant local keywords in the Title dayPresent Header -TagsAnd Body copy (naturally). If you are a café, your homepage could highlight “Award -winning vegan café in San Francisco.”
• Blog posts: Here you can really immerse yourself in these specific long-tail keywords. For example, you can publish blog posts such as: publish:

– “Top 10 vegan brunch spots in San Francisco (including our shop!)”

– “How to choose the best gluten -free wedding cake”

– “A guide of a local guideline for the best conference of the mission district”

• In any of these blog posts, you can naturally include location-based keywords. The more higher quality you have, the more options you have to rang in the search results (and possibly display in functions such as Google’s “People ASK” box).

If you feel a little overwhelmed, don’t worry – you can just keep things. Take into account Start a little blog On your website you share local tips, business updates or stories behind the scenes. This is one of the simplest ways to consistently use new, relevant keywords and to attract local traffic without being pushy. Even if you make a difference in your visibility once a month and help search engines to better understand your company.

Step 6: Optimize the SEO on the page

No unusual things here – just a few basics that are often overlooked:

1. Title -Tags & Meta descriptions: Integrate your primary keyword, but hold the copy to the point and to the point.

• Example Title Tag: “Best vegan bakery in San Francisco | Green leaf biscuits”
• Example meta description: “Looking for fresh, vegan-friendly pastries in San Francisco? Take a look at the pastry of the green leaf in the heart of the mission district.”

2. Header (H1, H2, H3): Break your content for readability and SEO. Use relevant keywords in headings in which you fit naturally.
3. Image old text: If you have delicious photos of your cupcakes, mark them with descriptive old text such as “Vegan chocolate-cupcake San Francisco Bakery” so that Google understands the content.
4. Internal link: Link from one page or a blog post to another relevant relevant page on your website. This helps visitors to navigate and understand search engines who understand their site structure.
5. Google my business profile: Not exactly on the side, but extremely important. Make sure that your Google business profile claims, updated exactly and with photos, hours and correct address information. Many local search queries draw directly from Google Maps or the local package.

Step 7: Monitor your progress

Keyword research is not a one-and-done task. You would like to check regularly how your website for the keywords you aim is to be executed. If you do not see any results, you may have to adapt your strategy – maybe you have investigated a keyword that is too competitive, or possibly the user intention is not what you expected.

• Google search console
  A free, invaluable tool that shows which queries users bring to your website and where you can rank in the search results. Check the “Performance” section regularly to determine which keywords generate most impressions and clicks.
• Rank -Tracking tools
  There are free or premium options for more detailed persecution of keyword positions. If you want to see in the search results exactly how to move up (or below), you should consider these popular tools:

• SERP robot: Free with limited functions; Uncomplicated daily persecution.
• Ubersugest: Free (limited search queries) plus upgrades paid; Combines Keyword research with ranking.
• Semrush: Mostly premium, known for a deep competition analysis and comprehensive position tracking.
• MOZ Pro: Premium with a free trial version; pursued desktop and mobile rankings.
• Ahrefs: First and foremost is premium, but only limited free data about Ahrefs Webmaster tools. Excels at Backlink and Competitors Insights.
• Se ranking: Paid, but often more affordable than alternatives; Contains local persecution.

Thanks to the weekly or monthly review of these tools, you can recognize all drops or profits in your ranking and refine your strategy accordingly. If a keyword does not move upwards, consider updating your content, improving internal links or adapting your focus so that you better meet the user intent.

Step 8: Get local (reviews & community)

If you deal with your local community, you can indirectly boost your SEO. How?

• Reviews and reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave an assessment on Google, Yelp or Tripadvisor (depending on their niche). Good reviews not only increase trust, but also signal Google that you are a serious business in the region.
• Local directories: Make sure that your business information in all large local directories is correct and consistent. Niche directories (like a local vegan restaurant guide, if you are a vegan bakery) can also drive the targeted traffic.
• Local partnerships: Work with other local companies or community events. Make yourself on your websites – this can generate local backlinks that continue to validate your location and expertise.

Bonus tip: Don’t forget the voice search

Language search is becoming increasingly popular, especially for local questions. People tend to say things how, “Hey Google, find a vegan bakery near me” or “Best vegan bakery in downtown San Francisco.” If you include more natural language keywords and keep your website mobile -friendly, you are better positioned to use this voice search traffic.

Wrap it

Local keyword research does not have to be confusing or excessively technical. By brainstorming relevant phrases, validation with free tools, the concentration on long-tail keywords and the creation of targeted content on your website (and blogs) you are ahead of the competitors who are still trying to evaluate excess generic terms.

Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, especially for a local company – markets are developing, shifts in consumer interests and algorithms change. With the basic steps, however, you can adapt and grow without having to learn completely new systems. Just keep it, hold it locally and keep it real. This is the key to ensure that your local SEO efforts bring in more pedestrian traffic and loyal customers.

So go ahead – take the first step on your keyword research trip and consider whether you share your own blog and better connect with your community. Before you know it will be the local business that everyone is talking about!

Frequently asked questions