What is local SEO?

Local SEO is the work of ranking a business in location-based search: the map pack, "near me" queries, and the local results Google shows when it decides a search has local intent. Its main inputs are the accuracy of a business profile, the consistency of its listings, and its review volume and rating.

Local ranking behaves differently from ordinary search because proximity is a factor nobody controls. A business three streets closer to the searcher starts ahead. What is controllable is everything else: whether the profile is complete, whether the category is right, whether the hours are current, and whether there are recent reviews.

Listing consistency is the least glamorous part and the one most often broken. When a business name, address or phone number differs between directories, each version is weaker evidence than one consistent record would have been.