Location keywords: How to optimize for better local rankings

To succeed at local SEO, you need to know exactly what your audience is searching for to find your products or services. But most local customers aren’t simply searching for what they need—they’re using location keywords to make sure they find it nearby.

Whether you’re new to local search or need to add new location keywords, you’ll need a clear strategy for research and optimization. But first, let’s break down why location keywords matter for improving your online visibility. 

The role of location keywords in local SEO

Location keywords are the backbone of your local SEO strategy. When people search for local businesses, they often use location-based search terms, such as "coffee shop near me." 

Google’s Local Pack after a "near me" search

By using location keywords in your content, Google can better understand your relevance to the query. This signals that your business is a good match for the user, so should boost your rankings for the search. As your business grows, adding new location keywords connects you with fresh audiences that are unfamiliar with your brand. Without this optimization, you could miss out on valuable traffic from these new areas.

Understanding how to optimize for location keywords is your ticket to becoming the business potential customers find first. But to fully capitalize on location keywords, it's not enough to just know what people are searching for, you need to do comprehensive research to learn which location keywords are worth pursuing.

Key player: Semrush offers robust keyword research tools to find the best location keywords for your target audience.

What makes a good location keyword?

Good keyword research isn’t just about finding new location keywords; it’s about finding the right ones. Potential customers may try short-tail keywords, which typically consist of one or two words, such as "plumber" or "italian restaurant." While they tend to have high search volumes, they are also highly competitive. Higher keyword difficulty makes it harder for smaller businesses to rank against national or global competitors.

Local customers are more likely to use explicit local keywords including cities, neighborhoods, or other keyword modifiers. For example, "24-hour emergency plumber in Brooklyn" or “auto shop open near me.” These long-tail keywords typically have lower search volumes but attract users with a more commercial intent. In fact, a recent Semrush study demonstrated that local businesses can outrank national and global companies using specific keywords.

A Semrush Local  chart with results for specific ice cream keywords 

The same study on ice cream shops proved that search volumes can vary wildly depending on location. For example, searches for “rolled ice cream” increased by 16% in Washington, DC, but decreased in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. This shows that proper keyword research not only informs your local SEO strategy, but also your entire product offering!

Then there’s keyword intent to consider, which refers to the purpose behind a user’s search query. By understanding keyword intent, you can better align your content with the needs and goals of your target audience. The four main types of keyword intent are:

• Navigational: Users looking for a specific business, such as "paint supplies near me."
• Informational: Users seeking general information, like "how to find a good plumber in Miami."
• Commercial: Users considering a purchase but needing more information. These might be queries like "best HVAC companies in Dallas" or "top hair salons in New York."
• Transactional: Users ready to make a purchase or take action. For example, "order pizza in Los Angeles" or "buy flowers in Chicago."

But how exactly do you gather all the data you need to decide which location keywords to optimize for?

Conducting thorough location keyword research

Now you know what to look for in a good location keyword, it’s time to start your research.

Analyze competitors

Studying your competitors' keyword strategies provides valuable insights into which keywords are driving traffic to businesses like yours. For example, Semrush’s Keyword Gap examines competitor rankings to find potential keywords. The tool reveals keywords you rank poorly for so you can develop a strategy to outrank rivals.

 A screenshot of a business and their location keywords being compared with competitors using Semrush

Explore Google Trends

Google Trends identifies keyword popularity over time. You can see how new location keyword trends fluctuate based on seasonality. For example, in the US, people tend to search for “landscaping services” most between March and June.

Results for “landscaping services” in Google Trends
Google Trends can also uncover emerging search trends in your local area, which may guide your content creation. For example, searches for “outdoor dining in New York” spike in the summer. This poses a prime opportunity for restaurant SEOs to create content earlier in the year and start ranking sooner.

Delve into search engine results pages (SERPs)

SERPs themselves are a goldmine of information for finding keywords. By searching for terms related to your business, you can gain a sense of which keywords and content formats work best. Pay attention to featured snippets, Google Maps listings, and People Also Ask sections.

A screenshot of the "People Also Ask" section when searching for “best New York hairdresser” 

These elements highlight the keywords and questions users are actively engaging with right now. 

Use keyword research tools

Tools like Semrush’s Keyword Overview provide insights into local search volumes, difficulty, and intent, and even paid ads costs.

Semrush's Keyword Overview tool shows search volumes for “party planner” in Alabama

With just one seed keyword, this tool provides lots more ideas, helping you uncover both short and long-tail keywords.

Talk to people

Sometimes the best way to discover new location keywords is by talking directly to your customers. Ask them how they search for products or services like yours, and what specific terms they use. By examining the language they use in conversation, you may identify phrases that keyword research tools miss.

Keep going: Keyword research isn’t a one-time task. Search behaviors evolve and it’s important to regularly revisit your keyword strategy to adapt to these changes.

Where to optimize location keywords for maximum impact

Start with your website, particularly on critical pages like your homepage and service pages. Add keywords to page titles, meta descriptions, and headers to help Google recognize the local relevance of your content. Landing pages for specific locations or services are another powerful way to leverage local SEO keywords. Businesses with multiple locations should create individual pages to target specific keywords for each location.

An optimized landing page for location keywords can bring lots of leads

Don’t forget about blog posts, FAQs, and product descriptions. For instance, you might write a blog about "family activities in Atlanta" or an FAQ about "plumbing in Denver.” Another essential area to focus on is your Google Business Profile (GBP). It serves as the first point of contact for many potential customers searching for local businesses. 

An example of a Google Business Profile that has been optimized with location keywords

Optimizing your GBP description with relevant location keywords improves your chances of appearing in both Google Search and Maps.

Helping hand: Try Semrush's Free AI Google Business Profile Description Generator to quickly optimize your GBP.

User-generated content, such as reviews, is another opportunity to boost your location keyword density.

User-generated content can include location keywords

Encourage customers to leave reviews that mention the area or neighborhood to strengthen your local relevance. Reply to all reviews and try to include location keywords in your responses. Alternatively, use an AI reply tool to optimize your reviews for you. Set it to auto-reply for positive reviews or generate responses you can quickly optimize yourself.

Golden rule: Keep your content relevant and avoid keyword stuffing, which can hurt readability and SEO performance.

Tracking local search volumes and adjusting your strategy

After optimizing for location keywords throughout your website and online listings, you need to track their performance. Map Rank Tracker is a powerful tool for this, offering insights into how keywords are performing across your location. And you can easily buy credits to track new location keywords as required.

You can track location keywords with Semrush Local's Map Rank Tracker tool

Positions are your key metric for tracking location keywords, but there’s more to keep an eye on. Regularly review search volumes to understand changes in demand for specific queries over time. If a keyword’s search volume increases, it could signal a growing opportunity to capture more traffic. If it drops, you may need to shift focus to more relevant location keywords.

Location keyword optimization isn’t just about attracting local traffic—it’s about driving local leads or sales. If a certain keyword brings high traffic but low conversions, it may be worth adjusting your approach.