Using Local SEO to Grow Your Business
Today, most consumers use search engines, AI tools or social media platforms when looking for local products and services. According to BrightLocal, approximately 80% of consumers search online weekly to find local businesses, highlighting the importance of having a strong local search presence.
Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on optimizing your online presence so your business appears prominently when potential customers search locally. It’s crucial not only for businesses with physical locations like restaurants and retail stores but also for service-based companies operating within specific geographic areas that may not have a brick-and-mortar hub (such as plumbing and landscaping businesses). National or international chain businesses also benefit significantly from local SEO by providing relevant localized information that helps enhance the user search experience, allowing customers to find the nearest location and other critical details.
Key Components of a Successful Local SEO Strategy
If you conduct online searches, you know how helpful localized and personalized search results are when seeking information. A strong understanding of local SEO allows you to create a plan to help your business grow. Here are a few strategies and fundamentals of local SEO to keep in mind.
Online Citations and Google Business Profiles
Local citations are online mentions of your business information, such as name, address, phone number, operating hours and business description. Citations can be found on review sites such as Yelp, social media pages, Google and Apple Maps, Bing Places, Google Business Profiles, local business directories and community resources such as Chamber of Commerce listings.
Google Business Profiles are a prime example of local citations, as they combine business details with reviews, photos and directions, providing a valuable resource for search engines and users alike. Ensuring your Google Business Profile is claimed and kept up-to-date is key. The quantity, quality and accuracy of online citation information influence search results, so information must be correct, relevant and appear in the right places.
Social Media’s Role in Local Search Visibility
Social media increasingly plays a vital role in local search. With more people using social media and online forums as a search tool, major search engines like Google are taking steps to incorporate native social media content into external search results. A July 2025 Instagram update now allows posts from public business profiles to appear in online searches, improving the searchability of social media content and helping users discover local businesses. TikTok videos frequently show up in related online search results based on relevant video text overlays and captions. Consumer opinions on Reddit forums are being utilized in AI-generated search summaries, affecting business visibility and reputation (learn more in our recent article on Why Reddit Should Be On Your Radar).
Maintaining an active and strategic social media presence is vital, as posts now have greater reach potential outside of their native platforms. Incorporating useful content and smart SEO strategies in your post captions, profile information, image alt-text and video text can significantly enhance your local visibility and attract more customers.
Structured Data and Markup
Structured data and markup can significantly impact local SEO results. Structured data in web pages helps search engines quickly analyze and understand page content. The more accurate and helpful a search engine deems the information, the more it can use it in search results. Proper implementation of accurate structured data is key for better visibility in local searches, while improper or spam-like markup can negatively impact rankings.
Localized Content
Local content is an organic and strategic way to improve local SEO. Incorporating relevant keywords and creating original content specific to a location or target market creates overall SEO value. Search engines will deem local information relevant and index it when providing search results, thus driving more targeted traffic and positively impacting your overall digital marketing strategy.
Avoid creating superficial or repetitive content purely for SEO purposes, such as overusing keywords or creating multiple duplicate or poor-quality pages. These tactics can harm your search performance. Instead, focus on developing well-planned, localized content and primary web pages that deliver strong results and provide value to users.
Reputation Management: Ratings and Reviews
Online ratings and reviews sites such as Yelp, Facebook and Google are essential to local SEO and business credibility. Regularly obtaining recent, high-quality reviews and promptly responding to customer feedback builds trust and demonstrates legitimacy. When responding to customer reviews, it’s important to incorporate keywords relevant to your business; Google will often bold keywords found within Google Business Profile reviews, based on a user’s search intent. These strategies provide search engines with accurate and relevant information, which can improve search rankings and increase the likelihood that your business will be accurately shown in AI search results.
Learn more about maintaining a strong ratings and reviews strategy in our article on Why Online Reputation Management is Important.
Traditional SEO and the Impact of AI Search
Note that local SEO includes all of the components of traditional SEO, with additional geographic emphasis. In other words, local businesses need to put an additional focus on terms and methods that are relevant to the cities or geographical areas they serve. However, your local SEO efforts may fall flat if your website isn’t optimized according to overall SEO best practices.
Advancements in AI-driven search and localization mean users now receive highly personalized, geographically specific search results. Microsoft Bing Search plays a central role in many AI-driven search experiences, including powering browsing in ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and AI-generated answers in Edge and Windows. Optimizing content for Bing and claiming and updating your business’s Bing Places listing improves your chances of appearing in AI summaries and responses used by millions.
As search technology evolves, businesses that optimize for SEO and AI by providing accurate, relevant and easily discoverable content geared towards users will have better performance. Learn more about AI’s impact on traditional search strategies with our article on How AI is Rewriting the Rules of SEO.
Getting Started with Local SEO
Successfully implementing local SEO starts with auditing and planning. It requires a clear strategy and the right tools to effectively manage online citations, listings, reviews, local content and social media. An integrated approach to your marketing and communications ensures all critical information is accurate and not overlooked, readily available for people to find online. See how the key parts of the SEO process work together in our infographic on how SEO Produces Measurable Results.
Your local SEO strategy must be working effectively in conjunction with your entire marketing strategy. With billions of online searches each day, optimizing your digital presence locally is critical, so potential customers can easily find your business online. A strategically implemented local SEO plan complements your overall digital marketing efforts, driving new customers, enhancing visibility and ultimately growing your business.
At Callis, we specialize in helping clients incorporate integrated marketing and advertising strategies that adapt to the rapid changes rural businesses are experiencing with SEO, AI and other digital advancements. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help grow your business.
This article was previously published on July 8, 2020, and updated on July 14, 2025.
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