Local SEO

The discipline of getting a local business to rank in Google's local results — the map pack, Google Maps, and 'near me' searches — rather than the general organic web results.

Definition

Local SEO is a distinct game from traditional web SEO. The signals Google uses to rank local businesses are widely understood to lean heavily on three things: relevance (does this business match what was searched?), distance (how close to the searcher?), and prominence (how well-known and well-reviewed?). Reviews are a major lever in the prominence bucket — review quantity, average rating, recency, and even the keywords inside reviews are commonly cited as ranking inputs. The other two big levers are Google Business Profile completeness and NAP consistency across the web. Local SEO is the practical playbook for any business that wants 'plumber near me' or '[business category] in [city]' to show their name.

Example

Two HVAC companies serve the same suburb. Company A has 142 Google reviews with a 4.7 average; Company B has 38 reviews at 4.5. When residents search 'AC repair near me,' Company A typically shows up in the 3-pack and Company B doesn't — even though Company B's website is technically more polished. That ranking gap is the local-SEO compounding effect of review volume and velocity.

Related terms

  • Local Pack →The block of three local-business results (with the map) that Google shows at the top of search results for queries with local intent — also called the 'Map Pack' or '3-Pack.'
  • Review Velocity →The rate at which new reviews are added to a business's Google profile. A business that earns 8 reviews per month is widely understood to rank better than one earning 2 per month — even if both end up with the same total over time.
  • Review Recency →How recently a business's most recent reviews were posted. A profile whose newest review is 18 months old is widely cited as ranking worse than a profile whose newest review is from last week — independent of total review count.
  • Google Business Profile →The free Google product (formerly Google My Business) that powers a business's listing in Google Search and Google Maps — including the photos, hours, posts, Q&A, and reviews shown when someone searches the business name or its category.

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