When people search for businesses near them, they use certain words. Finding those words is the key to getting your local business noticed online. This is called keyword research for local SEO.
Think of it this way: when you use local keywords like "plumber in Brooklyn" or "best pizza near me," you're talking directly to people who are close by and ready to buy.
Why Local Keywords Are a Big Deal
Imagine your business has a welcome sign that only people in your town can see. That’s what local keywords do for you on the internet. When you focus on these specific words, you stop trying to reach everyone in the country. Instead, you connect with people just a few miles away.
This focused plan is very powerful. Instead of competing with huge national companies, you’re putting your energy into reaching people who are most likely to visit you.
Reaching Customers Ready to Buy
People searching locally aren't just looking around—they usually have a need right now. Someone typing "emergency roof repair Austin" needs help fast, not next week. Good keyword research for local SEO gives you a huge advantage here. Showing up for these searches makes your business the go-to solution for urgent problems in your area.
The numbers prove it. A huge 46% of all Google searches are for local information. On phones, it's even bigger: about 78% of local mobile searches lead to a purchase, often on the same day.
Local SEO isn't just about being found. It's about being chosen. It makes sure your business shows up at the exact moment a local customer needs you.
Building Local Trust and Authority
When Google sees that your website is the best answer for searches in a specific city, it starts to see your business as a trusted local expert. This is a big help in getting you shown in top spots like the Google Map Pack.
In the end, a smart local keyword plan does more than just bring people to your website.
- It attracts good leads who are ready to buy what you sell.
- It saves you marketing money by focusing only on your service area.
- It builds your name as a reliable local business.
By understanding what your local customers are searching for, you can greatly improve your local SEO rankings and turn online searches into real customers.
How to Brainstorm Your First Keyword List
Forget about fancy tools for a moment. The best local keyword research starts with a simple question: What would a customer type into Google to find me?
Putting yourself in your customer's shoes is the fastest way to learn how real people search. And it works. Around 80% of people in the U.S. search for local businesses online every week, and 87% of them go straight to Google. Thinking like your customer puts you on the right path.
Start with Your Main Services
First, let's list what you do. Grab a pen and paper and write down the basic words for your services. Keep it simple. Just list them out like you're talking to a friend.
For a plumber, this might be "leak repair," "drain cleaning," and "water heater installation." These are your starting "seed" keywords. If you need ideas, we have a whole guide on the best keywords for plumbers that can help. This simple list is the foundation for everything else.
Once you have these main words, it’s time to add more to them.
The goal of this first brainstorm is not to find every single keyword. It's to build a solid, customer-focused base that we can add to with other tools and methods later on.
Add Local Words to Your Keywords
This is where the "local" part really comes in. We're going to take those seed keywords and add location words to them. We call these local modifiers. It’s a simple change, but it makes your keywords a perfect match for customers in your area.
Think about all the ways someone might add their location to a search. You can add many different types of words to your list:
- City Names: "drain cleaning Dallas"
- Neighborhoods: "leak repair North Park"
- Zip Codes: "water heater installation 78704"
- "Near Me" Phrases: "plumber near me"
It's good to know that Google automatically handles "near me" searches based on where the person is. Still, it's a very important clue that someone is looking for local help.
By mixing your services with these locations, you create a powerful list of phrases that real customers are typing into their phones. A search for "emergency plumber in Austin" is much more valuable than just "plumber." It finds someone with a pressing need right in your area. This method is the proven starting point for any good local keyword plan.
Finding Hidden Keywords with SEO Tools
Your brainstormed list is a great start, but now it's time to dig deeper. Think of SEO tools as metal detectors—they help you find the valuable keywords your customers are using every day. The best part? Many of the strongest tools are free.
Google itself is one of the best places to begin. The search bar is your first clue. When you start typing a service like "landscaper in San Diego," the suggestions that pop up are real searches people have made. Then, scroll to the bottom of the results page. That "Related searches" section is a goldmine of ideas that show you how people search.
Using Free Google Tools
To get more organized, open up Google Keyword Planner. It’s made for advertisers, but it’s a great tool for SEO. You can enter your seed keywords (like "plumber Dallas"), and it will give you a list of related words. It also gives a rough guess of how many times people search for them each month. This helps you see which of your ideas are popular.
Another great free tool is Google Trends. This one lets you see how popular a keyword is over time in your city or state. For example, you can check if searches for "pool cleaning Phoenix" go up during the summer. This kind of information is perfect for planning your marketing.
The goal with these free tools is not just to find more keywords, but to check if the ones you have are good. Seeing that a keyword has steady search interest in your area confirms you're on the right track.
Using Paid Tools to See What Competitors Do
When you're ready to get more serious, paid tools like Ahrefs or Semrush give you a big advantage. Their real power is letting you see what your competition is doing. You can put a competitor’s website into the tool and see the exact keywords they get business from.
Imagine a successful competitor down the street. A tool like Ahrefs can show you they get most of their customers from phrases like "emergency HVAC repair near me" or "affordable AC installation." It’s like getting their marketing plan, showing you which words are already working in your local market.
How to Organize What You Find
As you gather keywords from all these places, your list will grow quickly. The best way to manage it is with a simple spreadsheet. I suggest making columns for:
- The Keyword: The exact search phrase.
- Monthly Search Volume: A guess of how many searches it gets per month.
- Source: Where you found it (e.g., Google search, Ahrefs, Competitor X).
This simple system keeps your research organized and gets you ready for the next step: choosing which keywords are worth your time.
Even simple free plugins can help manage your site's SEO once you have your keywords. If you use WordPress, check out our guide to the best free WordPress SEO plugins. By using free tools and checking on your competitors, you'll build a powerful list of keywords that will attract the right local customers.
Choosing the Keywords That Bring in Sales
So, you have a big list of possible keywords. That’s a great start, but a long list is just information. The real magic is finding the words that will actually bring you paying customers.
It all comes down to what the customer wants to do. You have to think like the person searching. Someone typing "how much does an electrician cost" is still gathering information. But a search for "emergency electrician Austin"? That person has a problem right now and is ready to hire someone. That's a money keyword.
Finding Keywords from Ready-to-Buy Customers
Keywords from ready-to-buy customers are the phrases people use when they are done with research and are ready to act. They often have words that show a need for fast service or a plan to buy something. Your job is to find these words and put them at the top of your list.
Here are a few common patterns to look for:
- Urgent words: Look for words like "emergency," "same-day," "24-hour," or "fast." A search for "same-day AC repair Phoenix" is a call for help from someone who needs you now.
- Buying words: Phrases that include "quote," "cost," "pricing," or "services" show the person is serious about spending money.
- Specific service searches: "Plumber" is too general. But a search like "tankless water heater installation" is very specific. This usually comes from a customer who knows exactly what they need and is ready to schedule the job.
The goal here is simple: focus on keywords that attract real business, not just casual visitors. Putting high-priority words first is the fastest way to turn search traffic into sales.
Checking the Competition
Once you've marked your best keywords, you have to ask a key question: Can I actually rank for this? This is where a quick look at the competition helps. You don't need fancy tools for this first check.
Just type one of your target keywords into Google and look at the first page. Are the top spots all taken by big names like HomeAdvisor, Angi, or Yelp? Or do you see local businesses that look like yours? If it's the second one, that’s a great sign you have a real chance.
When you're finishing your list, it's smart to think about the SEO keyword difficulty for each word. This helps you avoid trying to rank for keywords that are just too hard to win right now.
Finding Your Sweet Spot
The perfect local keyword is one that shows a customer is ready to buy and has competition you can beat. This is your sweet spot—a customer who is ready to pay and a search results page where you can actually appear.
To make this easier, I like to put my keywords into a simple table to score them. This helps you see which words are the real winners.
Local Keyword Intent and Competition Analysis
Here's an easy way to score and rank your local keywords based on what the searcher wants and how hard it is to rank.
| Local Keyword | Searcher Intent (High/Low) | Competition Level (High/Medium/Low) | Priority Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| emergency plumber near me | High | High | 8/10 |
| tankless water heater cost | Low | Medium | 4/10 |
| 24-hour drain cleaning dallas | High | Medium | 9/10 |
| best hvac companies | Low | High | 3/10 |
By giving each keyword a score for both what the customer wants and the competition, you can quickly see which ones will give you the best results. The keywords with the highest scores are your top priorities.
These are the golden words you’ll want to build your local SEO landing pages around. This smart plan turns a messy list into a focused, clear plan. It makes sure you’re not just chasing website visits but attracting the right customers who will grow your business.
Putting Your Local Keywords into Action
Alright, you've worked hard and found a list of great keywords for your business. Now what? It's time to use them on your website. This is where your research turns into real results, sending clear signals to Google about what you do and where you do it.
Think of it as giving your website clear directions so it can guide local customers right to you.
The first step is to match your most valuable keywords—the ones that show people are ready to buy—to the most important pages on your site. Your homepage and main service pages are the best places for this. For example, a roofer in Austin would want their homepage to focus on a popular, high-value keyword like "roof repair Austin."
This infographic shows a simple way to pick the keywords that will really help your business.
The main point? Put your energy into keywords that have both high customer interest and low competition. Those are the ones most likely to bring in calls and sales.
Matching Keywords to Your Main Pages
Let's break down how this works. Your homepage should target your main service in your main location. It’s your digital storefront, so its purpose needs to be very clear.
- Homepage: Targets your main "money" keyword (e.g., "HVAC services Houston").
- Service Pages: Target more specific service keywords (e.g., "AC installation Houston" or "furnace repair Houston").
This simple setup helps Google understand your site's structure and what each page is about. It makes your website easier for both search engines and customers to use, which is always a good thing.
This type of smart planning is what separates the top businesses from the rest. The numbers show it: 94% of top brands have a clear local marketing plan, while only 60% of average brands do. The most popular local SEO services are Google Business Profile management (52%), content creation (39%), and website design (34%)—all of which need good keyword planning. You can read more in this study on local SEO statistics.
Reaching More Areas with Location Pages
So, what if your business serves several neighborhoods or even a few cities? This is where special location pages can make a huge difference. A location page is a unique page on your site made for a specific service in a specific area.
Instead of trying to list every city you serve on one messy page, you create separate pages like these:
yourwebsite.com/plumber-north-parkyourwebsite.com/plumber-hillcrestyourwebsite.com/plumber-la-jolla
Each page is made with unique content about that neighborhood. This makes you a better match for searches like "plumber in North Park." This method turns your website from a single store into a network of local hubs, attracting customers from all over your service area. It’s also a big boost to your Google Business Profile optimization efforts because it shows you are very relevant to the local area.
Creating separate pages for each service area is one of the strongest strategies in local SEO. It lets you rank for very specific, high-value keywords that your competitors might be ignoring.
By carefully matching keywords to your main pages and then reaching more areas with location-specific content, you build a strong website that consistently attracts good local customers. This step-by-step plan ensures all your hard work on keyword research leads directly to more business.
Common Questions About Local Keywords
Even with a good plan, a few questions always seem to come up during local keyword research. Let’s answer some of the most common ones to help you move forward.
One of the biggest questions is whether it's still worth using "near me" keywords. The short answer is yes, but maybe not how you think. Google is smart enough to show local results based on a person's location. But people still type "near me" into the search bar out of habit.
Including it in your website's text sends a clear signal to Google that you want to attract customers with immediate, local needs.
How Often Should I Update My Keywords?
Another common question is how often you should look at your keyword list again. Local search habits can change, but you don't need to do a full review every month.
A good rule is to check your main keywords every 3 to 6 months. This gives you enough time to see what’s working. You might see new competitors or notice that customers are searching for a new service you offer. A quick check-in keeps your plan fresh and working well.
The goal of local keyword research isn't to set it and forget it. Think of it like a regular tune-up for your car that keeps your SEO running smoothly.
Should I Use Keywords with Low Search Numbers?
It's easy to ignore keywords that only get a few searches each month, but that can be a big mistake. These low-search, very specific keywords—often called long-tail keywords—can be pure gold.
Think about it: a search for "emergency 24-hour plumber for clogged drain in 90210" might only get a few searches a month. But the person making that search isn't just looking around; they are a perfect lead who needs help right now.
These very specific keywords almost always have less competition, making it much easier for you to get on the first page. A plan that uses a good mix of high-search and low-search words almost always gets the best results.
For those who want to learn more, you can delve deeper into keyword research for local SEO for more advanced tips. By getting clear answers to these common questions, you can use your keyword plan with confidence and turn your research into a steady stream of local customers.
