Keyword research for local SEO: how to find and target local search terms

Why local keyword research is different

Local keyword research follows the same basic principles as standard keyword research, but with one critical additional layer: geography. A person searching "accountant" and a person searching "accountant Leeds" want the same type of service, but Google treats those two searches entirely differently. The first returns national directories, comparison sites, and major accounting firms. The second returns businesses physically located in Leeds or known to serve that area.

That distinction matters because local search results are determined by three factors: relevance (does this business match what the searcher wants), proximity (how close is the business to the searcher), and prominence (how well-known and trusted is the business in local search signals). Keyword research for local SEO is not just about identifying which phrases people search. It is about identifying which phrases you can rank for given your location, your competitors, and your current local authority.

Local search has also shifted significantly in how people phrase queries. The phrase "near me" has become one of the most common modifiers in local search, and it does not require you to use those words in your content. Google infers local intent from the searcher's location and matches it to businesses in their proximity. A business optimised for "pizza delivery" in Manchester will appear for "pizza delivery near me" searches from Manchester without ever using the phrase on its website. This means local keyword research is partly about geographic modifiers and partly about optimising your entire local presence so Google associates you with the right service in the right place.

The foundation of this entire process, including how to move from seed keywords to a prioritised target list, is covered in the SEO keyword research guide. This article focuses on the specific adjustments and techniques that apply when your target audience is searching with local intent.

Types of local keywords

Local keywords fall into three broad categories, and each requires a slightly different approach in research and content.

Explicit location keywords. These are phrases that directly name a geographic area: "solicitor Birmingham", "wedding photographer Somerset", "boiler repair Glasgow". The location modifier is part of the search phrase. These are the most straightforward to research using standard keyword tools because they appear as trackable phrases with volume data. They are also typically less competitive than the equivalent national term because fewer businesses compete specifically for the location-modified version.

Implicit local intent keywords. These are phrases without a named location that Google interprets as local because the service is inherently geographically bounded: "emergency dentist", "skip hire", "estate agent near me", "24 hour locksmith". For these phrases, Google uses the searcher's location to determine results. You cannot target them in the traditional keyword sense by placing a phrase in your content. You target them by making sure your Google Business Profile, your website's location signals, and your local citations confirm to Google that your business serves the relevant area.

Neighbourhood and hyperlocal keywords. These go below city level: "accountant Didsbury", "yoga class Shoreditch", "plumber Jesmond". They have very low search volumes individually but almost no competition. For businesses serving a specific neighbourhood or district, hyperlocal keywords can produce consistent, highly qualified traffic from people within walking or driving distance of the business.

Understanding which category your priority keywords fall into determines where your effort goes. Explicit location keywords need content and on-page optimisation. Implicit local intent keywords need profile and citation work. Hyperlocal keywords need a combination of both, applied at the neighbourhood level rather than the city level.

How to research local keywords

Local keyword research uses the same tools as standard keyword research, but with location-specific filters and techniques applied at each stage.

Start with your service keywords, then add location modifiers. List your core service or product keywords without any location: "accountant", "solicitor", "dog groomer", "web designer". Then pair each one with your primary location modifiers: the town or city you are based in, nearby areas you serve, and the region or county. This produces a matrix of base keywords multiplied by location modifiers. Enter each combination into Ahrefs Keywords Explorer or Semrush Keyword Magic Tool to retrieve volume and competition data.

Use Semrush's local keyword features. Semrush allows you to filter keyword data by country and, in some markets, by region. For UK-based businesses, set the database to United Kingdom and search for your location-modified phrases. The Keyword Magic Tool will also surface related local phrases you may not have thought of, including nearby towns, common local variants, and question-format local queries. The Position Tracking tool in Semrush supports local rank tracking at city level, which is useful once you begin optimising for specific phrases.

Check Google's local search features directly. Search for your primary service keyword from the location you want to rank in, or use a VPN or Google Ads' preview tool to simulate a search from a specific location. Note the businesses appearing in the Map Pack, the phrasing in their titles and descriptions, and any related searches Google shows at the bottom of the results page. The related searches section in particular often surfaces local phrase variants that do not appear prominently in keyword tools.

Google Trends is useful for comparing local search demand across regions. Enter two or three location-modified phrases and compare their relative search volumes across UK regions. This helps prioritise which areas are most actively searching for your type of service, which matters for businesses that serve multiple locations and need to decide where to focus content effort first.

Research your competitors' local keywords. In Semrush, enter the domain of a competitor who ranks in your target area and use the Organic Research tool to see which location-modified keywords send them traffic. In Ahrefs, the Organic Keywords report does the same job. Competitors who rank in your target area have already done the work of proving which local phrases are worth targeting. Their keyword lists are your research shortcut.

Mine your Google Business Profile insights. If your business already has a Google Business Profile, the Insights section shows which search queries people used to find your listing. These are real local search phrases from your actual target area. They often include phrase variants and question formats that do not appear in keyword tools, and they reflect what your specific customers actually type.

For tracking how your local pages rank over time, Rank Math integrates with Google Search Console and surfaces local keyword ranking data directly in WordPress, which simplifies the monitoring process for businesses running WordPress-based sites.

How to use local keywords in content

Finding local keywords is half the task. Using them correctly in your content determines whether Google associates your site with those terms.

Each location you want to rank in should have a dedicated page on your site if you genuinely serve that location. A plumber serving Manchester, Salford, and Stockport benefits from three separate location pages, each targeting that town's specific keyword set, rather than one page that mentions all three areas in passing. The page for Manchester should include Manchester-specific content: local landmarks or areas served, relevant local context, and genuine information that a Manchester-based customer would find useful. Thin location pages that simply swap out the city name are easy for Google to identify as low-quality and do not rank.

Place your primary local keyword in the page title, the H1 heading, the opening paragraph, and the meta title. Include the location name in the meta description alongside the primary service phrase. Use the location naturally in the body content two or three further times without forcing it. A page that reads naturally and happens to include location-specific content will outperform a page that appears to have crammed a location phrase into every available slot.

Schema markup helps Google connect your content to local search. LocalBusiness schema on your contact or location page tells Google your business name, address, phone number, opening hours, and geographic coordinates. This structured data supplements your on-page content and improves the accuracy of how Google presents your business in local results. Platforms like Webflow, WIX, and Squarespace all support custom code injection for adding LocalBusiness schema, or it can be added through a plugin on WordPress-based sites.

Reviews are a local ranking signal that functions as an indirect keyword source. When customers leave reviews on Trustpilot or your Google Business Profile, they naturally use the phrases they searched to find you. A review that says "best plumber in Jesmond, fixed our boiler within the hour" reinforces your relevance for those exact terms. Encouraging reviews from satisfied customers in your target areas is a low-effort, high-impact local SEO activity.

Local keyword mistakes to avoid

Several patterns consistently undermine local keyword strategies. Knowing them prevents months of wasted effort.

Targeting the city without serving it. Optimising for keywords in a city where you have no physical presence and no genuine customers is a Google spam signal. Local search rankings depend on verified proximity and service area signals. A business based in Leeds will not rank in London by publishing a page about London services unless it has a genuine, verified presence there.

Using the same location page for multiple cities. A single page that lists fifteen cities you serve, without individual pages for each, sends weak signals for every location. Create individual pages for your primary locations. Use the generic service page for areas that are too small or too low-priority to justify individual pages.

Ignoring Google Business Profile completeness. Your Google Business Profile is as important as your website for local keyword rankings. An incomplete profile with missing categories, no photos, no services listed, and an unverified address will underperform a well-optimised competitor regardless of how good your website content is.

Skipping NAP consistency. NAP stands for name, address, phone number. If your business details differ between your website, your Google Business Profile, and local directories, Google's confidence in your location accuracy drops. Audit your citations across directories and correct any inconsistencies before investing further in local content.

What this means for your local SEO

Local keyword research is not a separate discipline from standard SEO. It is the same research process applied with a geographic lens, then connected to the practical work of profile optimisation, citation building, and location-specific content creation.

Start with your most commercially valuable service keywords and add your primary location modifiers. Research the resulting phrases in Semrush or Ahrefs, check competitor rankings in your area, and mine your Google Business Profile insights for real customer search data. Then prioritise the phrases where you have the most realistic chance of ranking given your current local authority.

Build individual location pages for your main service areas, optimise your Google Business Profile fully, ensure your NAP data is consistent across directories, and use Google Analytics alongside Search Console to track which local queries are generating impressions and clicks. Review your local keyword performance every quarter, update your targeting as your service area or competitor landscape changes, and expand into new locations as your local authority grows.

For the broader keyword research process that feeds into this local strategy, the SEO keyword research guide covers how to move from seed keywords to a structured content plan, which applies whether you are targeting national or local search terms. And if you want to find low-competition opportunities within your local keyword set, the low-competition keywords guide explains how to identify the phrases where local competitors have left gaps you can fill quickly.