Local SEO glossary

An online platform that lists businesses with their contact information, categories, and details.

Any online mention of a business's name, address, and phone number on an external website.

A systematic review of all existing business citations to identify errors, duplicates, and gaps.

A company that collects and distributes business listing data to hundreds of online directories.

Specific business features and details you can highlight on your Google Business Profile listing.

The business type classifications you select in Google Business Profile that influence local search rankings.

Analytics data from Google Business Profile showing how customers find and interact with your listing.

Short updates published directly on your Google Business Profile to share news, offers, and events.

The question and answer section on your Google Business Profile where anyone can ask and answer questions.

A local rank tracking method that checks rankings from multiple geographic points across a service area.

Google's free tool for managing how your business appears in Google Search and Google Maps.

Google's mapping platform where local businesses appear based on their Google Business Profile listing.

Using hreflang tags to indicate geographic and language targeting for local versions of web pages.

Monitoring a business's search engine rankings for specific keywords over time.

The search intent behind a query where the user is looking for a nearby or location-specific result.

Conversion-focused pages targeting specific local search queries with a clear call to action.

Earning backlinks from locally relevant websites to boost local search authority and rankings.

The group of three local business listings that appear at the top of Google search results with a map.

A business's specific position (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) within the Google Local Pack results.

A business's position in local search results for a given keyword and geographic location.

Structured data code added to a website that helps search engines understand local business information.

Any search query where the user is looking for results in a specific geographic area.

The practice of optimizing a business's online presence to attract customers from relevant local searches.

The search engine results page displayed for a query with local intent, including local-specific features.

A specific Schema.org type used to mark up local business details in structured data.

Dedicated web pages optimized for specific geographic locations a business serves.

Another name for the Local Pack - the map-based listing of top local businesses in Google search results.

Ensuring your business Name, Address, and Phone number are identical across all online listings.

Customer feedback posted on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook that impacts local SEO and trust.

How well-known and authoritative a business is, both online and offline, as a local ranking factor.

How close a business is to the searcher's location, a key ranking factor in local search.

Frequent or significant fluctuations in search engine rankings over short periods of time.

How well a business listing matches what the searcher is looking for in a local query.

The prohibited practice of filtering customers so only satisfied ones are directed to leave public reviews.

Systematic strategies for proactively encouraging customers to leave online reviews.

The practice of replying to customer reviews to show engagement and professionalism.

The rate at which a business acquires new online reviews over a given period of time.

Using technology to analyze the emotional tone and themes within customer reviews and feedback.

A business that travels to customers rather than serving them at a fixed storefront location.

The average numerical rating (1-5 stars) of a business based on its customer reviews.

A citation that appears in a formal business listing on a directory with organized data fields.

A mention of business NAP data within non-directory content like articles, blogs, or news sites.