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Local SEO Checklist
A JOURNAL OF LOCAL SEARCH MAINTAINED & FREE SINCE 2014
01ON-PAGE SEO ELEMENTS

Feature complete location data

LAST UPDATED — OCTOBER 2023

Over 97% of consumers search online for the products and services they need, so your customers have to be able to find you when they search near your store’s location. Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to gauge how many people search your focus keywords — ignore local SEO and you’re missing all of them.

Why should I add location data on my website?

Include the Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) of your business on your website. It tells search engine crawlers the information is authentic and validates your listings across online directories. Your website should hold everything a customer needs to know: every business location, with contact information they can act on.

What is a location page?

Think of location pages as highly focused landing pages that speak about just one branch of your brand. Start with location-specific keyword research: list the keywords relevant to that outlet’s offerings and write for the customers that outlet serves. If you operate multiple locations, build a page for every outlet, using the semantic language and keywords of that region.

Build a fully optimized location page

  1. Feature accurate NAP exactly as it appears on your Google Business Profile.
  2. State business hours clearly for each location.
  3. Show existing reviews for that specific location on the page.
  4. Link to your Google Business Profile, Bing Places, and Yelp profiles, with a line encouraging customers to review you there.
  5. Write the content around location-specific keywords.
  6. Embed Google Maps with the pin set to your store so customers find you faster.
  7. Add location-specific media — photos, videos, anything customers would find interesting.
  8. If local publications have featured you, link the article or show the publication’s logo to build trust.

If you don’t have the bandwidth for separate pages per location, host a single page (like Contact Us) with details for all store locations. Above all, avoid the disaster of bad location data: inconsistent map locations and listings eat away revenue and hurt rankings.