When someone searches “personal injury lawyer,” Google returns national results. When they search “personal injury lawyer Nashville,” they get local attorneys. That geographic modifier changes everything about what results appear and which businesses compete for visibility.
Local keyword strategy involves understanding how people search for local businesses, identifying the right geographic and service combinations to target, and mapping those terms to appropriate pages on your site.
How Local Intent Works in Search
Google interprets local intent through explicit and implicit signals. Understanding both types shapes effective keyword targeting.
Explicit local searches include geographic terms directly. “Plumber in Nashville,” “Nashville plumber,” and “plumber 37201” all contain explicit location signals. Google returns local results because the searcher specifically requested them.
Implicit local searches trigger local results based on query type rather than geographic terms. Searching just “plumber” or “emergency dental” prompts Google to assume local intent because these services are inherently local. Google uses the searcher’s location to return relevant nearby options.
The line between explicit and implicit local intent varies by industry. “Coffee shop” almost always triggers local results since no one searches for coffee shops in distant cities without reason. “Marketing agency” might return both local and national results since agencies can serve clients remotely.
| Intent Type | Example Query | How Google Determines Results |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit local | "dentist in Nashville" | Geographic term in query |
| Implicit local | "dentist" | Query type implies local need |
| Non-local | "dental health research" | Query type suggests informational |
For keywords with implicit local intent, ranking in the local pack depends heavily on proximity to the searcher. For explicit local searches, you can potentially rank for searchers throughout the specified area.
Geographic Modifier Types
Not all location terms work the same way in search. Choosing appropriate geographic modifiers requires understanding how people actually describe locations.
City names represent the most common modifiers. “Nashville dentist” targets anyone searching at the city level. These terms typically have the highest search volume among local variants.
Neighborhood terms target more specific areas within cities. “East Nashville dentist” or “Germantown plumber” appeal to searchers with strong neighborhood preferences or seeking services particularly close to home.
Regional terms cover broader areas. “Middle Tennessee accountant” or “North Carolina coast vacation rentals” target geographic regions larger than a single city.
Zip codes occasionally appear in searches, particularly for delivery services or when searchers want extremely local results. Volume is usually lower than city-name searches.
Near me searches have grown substantially as mobile search dominates. “Coffee near me,” “gas station near me,” and similar queries rely entirely on Google determining the searcher’s location rather than any stated geography.
The right modifiers depend on your service area and how potential customers describe your location. A Nashville business might target “Nashville” broadly, specific neighborhoods like “Belle Meade” or “12 South,” and the broader “Middle Tennessee” region.
Researching Local Keywords
Local keyword research combines traditional keyword research techniques with geographic analysis.
Start with seed terms describing your core services without location modifiers. A landscaping company might start with: landscaping, lawn care, lawn maintenance, tree service, hardscaping, irrigation installation.
Add geographic modifiers to each seed term. For Nashville:
- Landscaping Nashville
- Nashville landscaping company
- Lawn care Nashville TN
- Tree service Nashville
- Landscaping near me (implicit, targeted through optimization)
Use keyword tools that show local search volume. Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, Ahrefs, and similar tools can filter results by location to show approximate monthly searches in your target area.
Study local SERP results for each keyword. Search Google from your target location and analyze what appears. Do local pack results dominate? Which competitors rank? What content types appear in organic results?
Examine competitor keyword targeting. Identify which terms competitors actively target on their websites and in their GBP profiles. Look at title tags, H1s, and page content for geographic targeting patterns.
Consider search volume versus intent. Lower-volume long-tail local terms often convert better than high-volume head terms. “Emergency plumber Nashville Sunday” has fewer searches than “Nashville plumber” but captures urgent, high-intent demand.
Mapping Keywords to Pages
Local keywords need landing pages to target them. How you structure these pages depends on your business model and service area.
Single-location businesses typically target local keywords on their homepage and service pages. The homepage might target “plumber Nashville” while service pages target “drain cleaning Nashville,” “water heater repair Nashville,” and similar variants.
Multi-location businesses need dedicated location pages. Each physical location should have its own page targeting “[service] [city]” keywords. A dental practice with offices in Nashville, Franklin, and Murfreesboro needs three distinct location pages with unique content.
Service-area businesses without physical storefronts in each area require a more nuanced approach. Creating thin pages for every city you might serve risks doorway page penalties. Instead, focus on:
- A comprehensive service area page listing all areas served
- Detailed pages only for areas with significant business presence
- Blog content addressing location-specific topics
| Business Type | Page Strategy |
|---|---|
| Single location | Homepage + service pages with local modifiers |
| Multi-location | Dedicated page per physical location |
| Service-area | Service area overview + strategic location pages |
On-Page Optimization for Local Keywords
Optimizing pages for local keywords follows standard on-page principles with geographic additions.
Title tags should include both service and location. “Nashville Plumbing Services | 24/7 Emergency Plumber | ABC Plumbing” targets the primary keyword while communicating value proposition and brand.
Meta descriptions provide opportunity to reinforce local targeting and encourage clicks. Mention your city, neighborhoods served, or service area.
H1 headings typically match or closely relate to the title tag’s primary keyword. “Nashville Plumbing Services” or “Plumbing Services in Nashville, TN” work as clear H1 options.
Body content should naturally incorporate local keywords and geographic references throughout. Mention your city, neighborhoods, landmarks, and service areas where relevant. Don’t force keywords unnaturally, but ensure the content clearly establishes geographic relevance.
LocalBusiness schema markup explicitly tells search engines your business name, address, phone number, and service area in structured data format.
NAP in footer displays your name, address, and phone number on every page, reinforcing location signals site-wide.
Service Combination Keywords
Local keywords often combine services with locations in specific ways worth targeting.
Service + city forms the foundation: “roof repair Nashville,” “family lawyer Nashville,” “wedding photographer Nashville.”
Service + neighborhood captures hyper-local intent: “roof repair East Nashville,” “family lawyer Belle Meade.”
Emergency or urgency modifiers indicate high-intent searches: “emergency roof repair Nashville,” “24-hour plumber Nashville,” “same day air conditioning repair Nashville.”
Qualifier + service + location adds specificity: “affordable roof repair Nashville,” “experienced family lawyer Nashville,” “luxury wedding photographer Nashville.”
Problem + location captures searchers who may not know what service they need: “leaking roof Nashville,” “divorce filing Nashville,” “water damage Nashville.”
Research these combinations to find opportunities competitors might miss. Long-tail local keywords often face less competition while capturing motivated searchers closer to conversion.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Local keyword strategy pitfalls can waste effort or trigger penalties.
Creating thin location pages for every possible city hurts rather than helps. Pages with minimal unique content that merely swap city names violate Google’s doorway page guidelines. Each location page needs substantial unique value.
Keyword stuffing with locations makes content unreadable and triggers spam signals. “Nashville plumber serving Nashville plumbing needs for Nashville customers” helps no one.
Ignoring implicit local intent by only targeting explicit “city + service” terms misses searchers who don’t include locations in queries. Optimize for implicit terms through GBP, proximity factors, and local content signals.
Targeting irrelevant areas where you don’t actually provide service creates poor user experiences and wastes SEO resources. If you can’t serve a customer in a particular location, don’t target keywords for that location.
Overlooking neighborhood terms in large cities means missing hyper-local searchers. People in distinct neighborhoods often prefer businesses specifically in their area.
Using only high-volume terms ignores the conversion value of long-tail local keywords. The searcher typing “emergency AC repair Nashville 37215” tonight needs help immediately and will pay whatever it costs.
Analyzing Local SERP Opportunities
Before targeting any local keyword, analyze what currently appears in search results.
Local pack presence indicates how Google interprets the query. If a local pack appears, that keyword has local intent and GBP optimization matters as much as website optimization.
Organic result types reveal what content Google considers relevant. Do location pages rank? Service pages? Blog posts? Home pages? This informs what type of page you should create or optimize.
Competitor analysis identifies who currently ranks and how they’ve structured their targeting. Study their page content, title tags, and internal linking to understand successful approaches.
SERP feature opportunities like featured snippets or People Also Ask boxes may be capturable with the right content format. Local searches often trigger PAA questions you can answer.
Commercial intent signals appear through ad presence. Keywords with Google Ads suggest commercial value. Heavy ad competition often correlates with competitive organic landscapes.
Tracking Local Keyword Performance
Measuring local keyword success requires appropriate tools and methods.
Rank tracking tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or BrightLocal track positions for local keywords at specified locations. Since rankings vary by searcher location, track from your target areas specifically.
Google Search Console shows impressions and clicks for queries including local terms. Filter by page to see which location pages generate traffic and for which terms.
Google Business Profile Insights reveals which search queries triggered your local pack appearance, supplementing website data with GBP-specific metrics.
Conversion tracking matters more than rankings. Track which local keywords generate leads, calls, and customers. A keyword ranking first with no conversions provides less value than a keyword ranking fifth that generates actual business.
Sources
- Google Search Central on Local SEO: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/specialty/local
- Moz Keyword Research Guide: https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research
- BrightLocal Local Search Ranking Factors: https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/local-seo/