Written By
Last Updated
14/10/2025
Want to be the first choice when local customers search for your services? Local SEO is the key to making that happen. But what is Local SEO, and how can it help you dominate local search results?
Local SEO ensures that your business ranks high in local searches, driving more foot traffic and online inquiries. According to the 2025 Local Consumer Review Survey, 83% of consumers use Google to find local business reviews, highlighting the immense potential of local SEO.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the do’s and don’ts, tools you should use, and the exact steps we follow to achieve real results for businesses like yours.
Local SEO is a method of getting your business to be visible in the search results of Google whenever someone searches for a business near their location.
It helps in the optimization of search queries such as “restaurant near me” or “plumber in [city name]”. Some of the examples are adding the business to Google Maps, targeting specific geographical locations in the business’s keywords, and receiving local reviews.
Local SEO goes beyond Google. Google may dominate search traffic, but there are plenty of other platforms where it’s just as important to optimize your local business. Search engines like Bing, mapping services like Apple Maps, review platforms like Yelp, and social media sites such as Facebook all play a role in local visibility.
Today, customers want answers fast, and local SEO makes sure your company appears when they search. People now want to know where to find specific things rather than just a place to visit, thanks to the popularity of “near me” searches. Local SEO literally places your company on the map, whether it’s for a service, product, or even an experience.
Smartphone users have come to expect search results specific to their location, no longer required to type out ZIP codes or neighborhoods. More focused searches like “where to buy vinyl records near me” or “open restaurants near me now” have replaced more general ones like “restaurants near me.” The outcomes? Sales and brand recognition are increased when potential clients find your company at the perfect time.
According to Google, “near me” mobile searches, which include variations like “can I buy” or “to buy,” have increased by more than 500%, providing a clear illustration of purchase intent. This increase demonstrates how consumers are using mobile searches to pinpoint exactly what they need, where to find it, and when to buy it.
Local SEO makes sure your company is seen by people who are in urgent need of your goods or services, which is important as the demand for quick fixes rises. Businesses that optimize for local search are better positioned to attract this ready-to-buy audience, as evidenced by the rise in mobile searches for phrases like “___ near me now” and “restaurants open now near me.”
Three primary criteria are used by Google to determine local search rankings: proximity, relevance, and Prominence.
This refers to how close a business is to the searcher’s location. Google uses the physical location of the user to determine which businesses are closest and most relevant to their search. For example, if someone searches for “best coffee shop near me,” Google will prioritize coffee shops that are closest to the searcher’s location.
Relevance is about how well a business listing matches what the user is searching for. Google looks at the information available in a business’s Google Business Profile, website, and other online sources to determine if a business offers what the user is looking for. Keywords, services, and business descriptions play a crucial role here.
Prominence measures how well-known or trusted a business is. Google looks at factors like online reviews, ratings, backlinks, and overall web presence. If a business has a lot of positive reviews, high ratings, and is frequently mentioned on other websites, it will likely be ranked higher. Prominence also refers to how well-established the business is in its field, based on its authority in search results.
These three factors work together to determine which businesses show up in local search results, making it essential for businesses to focus on optimizing each one to rank well in local searches.
Local SEO involves optimizing your online visibility for searches specific to your geographic location. Here are the key steps to effectively implement local SEO:
Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free tool provided by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google Search and Google Maps. By creating and optimizing a GBP, businesses can provide important information, making it easier for potential customers to find them when searching locally, like:
To make it simpler for local clients to locate and get in touch with Sunshine Digital Solutions, we have set up a Google Business Profile (GBP). We have made sure that all of our company information, including our name, address, phone number, and working hours, is correct and consistent online by claiming and validating our profile.
To make sure Google is aware of the precise services we provide, we have carefully chosen categories like “Software company” and “Digital marketing agency.” We frequently post excellent images and videos of our work and team to build trust and provide prospective clients with a visual representation of our identity and capabilities.
We encourage satisfied customers to post reviews on our profile because they are very important to our local SEO. In order to demonstrate our concern for our customers’ experiences, we also make sure to reply to reviews. We keep our profile active and interesting by sharing news, offers, and updates via Google Posts.
We make sure Sunshine Digital Solutions remains visible to our local community and keeps improving in local search results by keeping everything current. To make sure that we reach the people who need our services the most, this constant optimization is important.
Local keywords are specific phrases that people use when searching for businesses or services in their area. For example, instead of just searching for “IT company,” someone might search for “IT company near me” or “software company in Washington.” These keywords help businesses show up in local search results when potential customers are looking for services nearby.
To find local keywords, we use a few methods:
Google automatically provides search suggestions based on popular search queries related to the term you type in. This is a great way to discover local variations of keywords. For example, when we typed “digital solutions” into Google, the search suggestions might show us related terms like “digital services near me,” “digital marketing solutions near me,” or “digital solutions company near me.”
These suggestions are based on real user searches, meaning they are high-value keywords that can drive traffic from people searching for services close to their location. By noticing the autocomplete suggestions, we can find relevant local keywords to target.
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that allows businesses to find local keywords based on search volume and competition. Here’s how we use it at Sunshine Digital Solutions:
Another effective way to find local keywords is by analyzing what keywords our competitors are targeting. Here’s how we do it:
For Sunshine Digital Solutions, we’ve optimized for local keywords such as “digital solutions near me,” “IT company near me,” “local IT companies near me,” and “software company near me.” Since we are located in Washington, we strategically include “near me” and “Washington” in our keywords to ensure that we rank for searches relevant to customers in and around our area.
The image below from Google Search Console (GSC) highlights how these keywords are currently performing, showcasing the impact of our local SEO efforts.
Local citations refer to any online mention of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites, even if there’s no link to your site. These mentions can appear on local business directories, review sites, social media platforms, and even blogs. Local citations help establish your business’s presence in the local community and are a key factor in local SEO.
When your business is listed on reputable directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, or local chamber of commerce websites, it signals to search engines like Google that you are a trusted and relevant business in the Washington area. Consistent and accurate NAP information across these citations improves our credibility and search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find us.
Encouraging and responding to online reviews is a crucial part of building trust and improving local SEO.
By encouraging reviews and engaging with them, you are not only boosting your online reputation but also improving your local SEO rankings, making it easier for potential customers in your area to find and trust your services.
On-page SEO optimization refers to the changes and improvements made directly on your website to help it rank better in search engine results, particularly for local searches. Here’s how Sunshine Digital Solutions has optimized its website for local SEO:
By optimizing these on-page SEO elements, Sunshine Digital Solutions ensures that our website is properly aligned with Google’s ranking factors, increasing the chances of appearing in local search results for users looking for IT and digital services in Washington.
Backlinks are links from external websites that point to your site. They are considered one of the most important ranking signals in Google’s algorithm. When a reputable site links to your business, it essentially vouches for the value and credibility of your content. This tells search engines that your website is trustworthy and relevant, which helps improve your search rankings.
To increase your chances of ranking higher, it’s essential to focus on acquiring backlinks from domains that are highly relevant to your business. For example, getting links from local businesses or industry-specific sites is more beneficial than getting links from unrelated, generic sources.
While traditional link-building strategies, like reclaiming lost links, broken link building, and finding unlinked brand mentions, are well-known and effective, these methods can also be adapted for local SEO. Here are some local link-building tactics that can help boost your visibility:
By focusing on local link-building and acquiring high-quality, relevant backlinks, Sunshine Digital Solutions can significantly improve its local SEO performance, making it easier for nearby customers to find and engage with our services.
When selecting the right strategies for local SEO, partnering with the right team can make all the difference. If you’re unsure about how to implement these steps or need expert guidance, choosing an SEO agency can be the key to unlocking your business’s full potential.
Want to see how Sunshine Digital Solutions can make a difference for your business? Call us today!
| Mistake | Explanation | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Neglecting Google My Business (GMB) Optimization | Not fully optimizing your GMB profile can limit visibility in local search results. | Complete every section of your GMB profile, including business hours, photos, services, and a detailed description. |
| Inconsistent NAP Information | Discrepancies in your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) across online platforms can confuse search engines. | Ensure consistent NAP information on your website, GMB profile, and other local directories to avoid confusion and boost rankings. |
| Ignoring Local Reviews | Customer reviews significantly impact local SEO and build trust. | Actively encourage reviews, and respond to both positive and negative feedback to improve trust and your local ranking. |
| Keyword Stuffing | Overuse of keywords can hurt your ranking by making content seem unnatural. | Use keywords naturally and strategically in content to provide real value to your audience. |
| Lack of Mobile Optimization | A significant portion of local searches is mobile. A non-mobile-friendly website can hurt local rankings. | Make sure your website is mobile-responsive for a seamless experience across all devices. |
| Not Using Localized Content | Generic content doesn’t engage local audiences or help in local search results. | Incorporate local references, landmarks, events, and community-specific content to engage your local audience. |
| Forgetting About Local Backlinks | Backlinks from local sources improve authority in local SEO. | Build relationships with local organizations, media, and businesses to earn local backlinks that enhance your SEO efforts. |
| Overlooking Schema Markup | Schema markup helps search engines understand your business and increases visibility in search results. | Implement local schema markup (e.g., business type, location) on your website to improve SEO and potentially earn rich snippets. |
| Ignoring Analytics and Insights | Without tracking your SEO performance, it’s difficult to understand what works and what needs improvement. | Regularly monitor your site’s performance using Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track rankings, traffic, and conversion. |
| Ignoring Other Local Directories | Failing to list your business in relevant local directories can limit your visibility. | Ensure your business is listed in other relevant local directories, such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local business associations, to improve local visibility. |
| Ignoring Social Media | Social media activity plays a role in local SEO and customer engagement. | Actively engage with your audience on social media platforms. Use location tags and post regularly to improve your local SEO and foster community engagement. |
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Google Business Manager | Manage and optimize your Google My Business profile, ensuring accurate business info and improving local visibility. |
| Yext | A platform for managing business listings across multiple online directories, improving local SEO and brand consistency. |
| Google Search Console (GSC) | Provides vital performance data, helping identify opportunities to enhance your local SEO strategy. |
| Google Analytics 4 (GA4) | Analyzes website traffic and user behavior to understand customer interactions from local search results. |
| Google Ads Keyword Planner | Helps with keyword research by providing insights into local search terms customers are using. |
Local SEO focuses on optimizing a business’s online presence to attract customers in a specific geographic area. It involves strategies like claiming and optimizing Google My Business, building local citations, and using location-based keywords. Regular SEO, on the other hand, is broader and aims to improve rankings for a wider audience without a specific geographic focus.
Yes, you can do local SEO yourself, but it requires consistent effort and knowledge. However, for faster results and advanced strategies, hiring Sunshine Digital Solutions can save time and ensure effective, targeted SEO. Our team stays updated on the latest trends to boost your ranking.
The four main types of SEO are:
Your business may be doing good, but what if it can do great? Let Sunshine Digital Solutions help you uncover the full potential of your business with our expert SEO services.
Our team is dedicated to helping you improve your local search rankings, attract more customers, and boost your online visibility. We stay ahead of SEO trends and implement the latest techniques to give your business a competitive edge in the local market
Ready to see real results? Reach out today to discover how our SEO services can transform your business and drive growth!
Partner with a team that makes your ideas impactful.
Sunshine
Digital Solutions
Full-service marketing by Sunshine Digital Solutions. We offer website & app development, AI, SEO, web content & blogging, UI/UX, and video production services from Washington to all around the globe!
