Local SEO is more important than ever. Whether you’re running a small boutique, managing a restaurant, or offering professional services in a specific area, you need your brand to appear prominently in local search results. Competition for local visibility can be fierce, and that’s why Semrush for Local SEO can be a game-changer. In this guide, we’ll explore why Semrush is one of the best platforms for managing local SEO campaigns, how to set it up effectively, and how to make the most of its versatile toolset. We’ll also take a peek at real-world examples where local SEO strategies (similar to what you’ll find here) have driven remarkable results, such as those shared by LSEO.com’s case studies.
By the end of this article, you’ll be fully equipped to optimize your local presence, track your rankings, and connect with the ready-to-buy customers in your neighborhood.
Table of Contents
- Introduction to Local SEO
- Why Use Semrush for Local SEO?
- Setting Up Semrush for Local SEO
- Performing Local Keyword Research
- Competitor Analysis for Local SEO
- Local Listing Management with Semrush
- Tracking Local Rankings and Performance
- On-Page Optimization for Local SEO
- Link Building Strategies with Semrush
- Putting It All Together: Strategy & Implementation
- A Look at LSEO.com’s Local SEO Case Studies
- Conclusion
Introduction to Local SEO
Before diving into Semrush’s role, let’s define local SEO. Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to increase traffic, brand awareness, and leads from local search results. When someone searches for services or products near them—like “coffee shop near me” or “dentist in Denver”—search engines aim to deliver the most relevant results based on their location and query.
Why Local SEO Matters
- Targeted Traffic: Local searches often come from people looking to make a purchase, call a service provider, or visit a store that day.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Because local traffic is so targeted, conversion rates are typically higher for local searches compared to broad, nationwide ones.
- Increased Visibility: Appearing in the local map pack or top local listings can significantly boost your brand’s visibility.
Over time, local SEO can have a big impact on your bottom line. The challenge is standing out among your local competitors. That’s where the right toolkit—particularly, Semrush for Local SEO—comes in handy.
Why Use Semrush for Local SEO?
Semrush is an all-in-one digital marketing toolkit that offers solutions for SEO, PPC, social media, content marketing, and more. For local SEO, Semrush shines in:
- Local Keyword Research: Uncovering the specific terms your local audience uses when searching for businesses like yours.
- Competitor Analysis: Understanding what’s working for similar businesses in your area.
- Rank Tracking: Monitoring how well you rank in specific local markets.
- Listing Management: Making sure your business information is accurate across key directories.
- On-Page Optimization Insights: Getting recommendations tailored to local search best practices.
Semrush’s broad features, combined with its user-friendly interface, make it a standout choice, especially for small-to-medium businesses and digital agencies looking to offer specialized local SEO services.
Setting Up Semrush for Local SEO
Your journey to local search success starts with laying a good foundation in Semrush.
1. Create Your Project
- Sign up for Semrush (or log in to an existing account).
- Navigate to the “Projects” tab and click “Create Project.”
- Enter your website domain and project name.
This project will act as the hub for all your local SEO activities, giving you a one-stop spot for rank tracking, on-page recommendations, and more.
2. Configure Target Location
After creating your project, you’ll be prompted to specify the location(s) you want to target. This might include:
- Your city or town.
- Surrounding local areas (especially if you serve multiple neighboring towns).
- Multiple cities if you have several brick-and-mortar stores or service areas.
3. Set Up Tracking
With your target locations defined, set up rank tracking for your focus keywords. This allows Semrush to provide localized search positions instead of global ones, ensuring you see how you rank in each area.
Pro Tip: If your business has multiple physical locations, create separate tracking campaigns for each area. This offers better insights into each location’s performance and helps tailor strategies accordingly.
Performing Local Keyword Research
One of the cornerstones of local SEO is finding and optimizing for the keywords that match user intent and your services.
1. Start with the Semrush Keyword Magic Tool
- Access the Keyword Magic Tool under the “Keyword Analytics” tab.
- Enter a primary keyword that reflects your service or product, like “bakery in [Your City].”
- Use the filters to refine results, focusing on moderate-competition keywords that have decent search volume but aren’t dominated by large competitors.
2. Analyze Search Intent
Not all keywords are created equal. Consider the user’s intent behind each query. For instance:
- “best bakery in downtown [Your City]” likely indicates someone ready to visit or place an order.
- “how to bake sourdough bread” is more informational—maybe great for content marketing but not a direct local purchase.
Balancing both types of keywords is good for your overall strategy, but focusing on the terms that drive foot traffic or service calls is essential for local SEO.
3. Identify Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords like “gluten-free cupcakes near me” can deliver targeted traffic with less competition. Semrush’s filters help you find these specific phrases that can set you apart from other local businesses.
Competitor Analysis for Local SEO
1. Finding Your Local Competitors
Semrush’s Organic Research tool can help you identify which sites rank for the keywords you’re targeting. Not every competitor you find will be a direct competitor. Some may be directories or large aggregator sites. However, understanding their strategies can still offer clues on how to rank.
2. Conduct a Gap Analysis
Using the Keyword Gap feature in Semrush, you can compare your domain with those of your competitors to see what keywords they rank for that you’re missing. This is an excellent way to discover new local keyword opportunities.
3. Examine Their On-Page Optimization
Check out your competitors’ title tags, meta descriptions, and site structure. For local optimization, look for:
- City/Location Mentions: In headlines, H2 tags, or meta descriptions.
- Local Business Schema: The structured data that helps search engines understand important details like address, phone number, and business hours.
- Location Pages: Some competitors might have location-specific landing pages, each optimized for a particular service area.
By benchmarking your site against local competitors, you can tailor your approach and fill any gaps.
Local Listing Management with Semrush
Accurate business information across the web is crucial for local SEO. That means consistent name, address, and phone number (NAP) details across your website, Google Business Profile (GBP), and local directories.
1. Semrush Listing Management Tool
In Semrush, the Listing Management tool helps you:
- Sync your business data to major listing platforms, including Google, Yelp, and more.
- Identify any inconsistencies or errors in your listings.
- Monitor how often your information is viewed and the level of engagement (clicks, calls, etc.).
Keeping listings accurate not only helps with search engine algorithms but also ensures potential customers have the right info when they find you online.
2. Google Business Profile Optimization
- Verify and Update: Make sure your GBP is verified and that you’ve accurately entered your address, phone number, website URL, and hours of operation.
- Add Photos and Posts: Active profiles, featuring updated photos and regular posts, generally perform better.
- Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews signal trustworthiness. Semrush can help track your review profile, alerting you to new reviews and changes.
Tracking Local Rankings and Performance
Monitoring your progress is key. Semrush provides multiple ways to keep tabs on how your local keywords are doing.
1. Position Tracking
In your Semrush project:
- Add Your Target Keywords: This includes both your core and long-tail keywords.
- Set Location: Make sure you’re tracking the specific city or region you serve.
- Check the SERP Features: Semrush also shows if your site (or a competitor’s) appears in featured snippets, local pack results, or other SERP features.
2. Reporting and Alerts
Semrush allows you to set up automatic reports, which can be emailed weekly or monthly, summarizing your key metrics like ranking changes, traffic, or local listing updates. This regular insight helps you stay on top of your local SEO progress without constantly logging in.
On-Page Optimization for Local SEO
Semrush’s Site Audit and On-Page SEO Checker can significantly simplify your on-page optimization efforts.
1. Site Audit
Running a Site Audit in Semrush can reveal:
- Technical issues like broken links, slow page load speeds, or poor mobile responsiveness.
- Missing or duplicate meta tags and headings.
- Problems with your site structure or navigation.
Addressing these issues improves user experience and boosts your SEO potential.
2. On-Page SEO Checker
Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker offers page-specific recommendations, such as:
- Keyword Placement: Where to add or better optimize your local keywords.
- Content Length Suggestions: Insights on how long your page content should be for competitiveness.
- Backlink and Interlinking Opportunities: Potential internal or external linking changes to strengthen your page authority.
Pro Tip: Incorporate city or neighborhood names in your H1 tags, meta titles, and content. But avoid keyword stuffing; stay relevant and natural.
Link Building Strategies with Semrush
Links remain a vital part of SEO, and local businesses need a strategy that showcases them as community staples.
1. Local Citations
Using Semrush’s Backlink Analytics, you can find local directories, news sites, or community blogs that link to similar businesses. Reach out to these sites or platforms to request an inclusion or profile. Make sure your NAP is consistent if you’re listed.
2. Competitor Backlink Analysis
The Backlink Gap feature lets you see which websites link to your local competitors but not to you. Look at these domains to see if they’re relevant for your business. Then, craft outreach campaigns to request a link or suggest a collaboration (like sponsoring a local event or writing a guest blog post).
3. Building Community Links
- Local News Outlets: If you host a fundraiser or community event, local journalists may be interested in covering it, generating a high-quality local backlink.
- Community Organizations: Sponsor a local sports team or partner with a nonprofit for a chance to be featured on their site.
- Chambers of Commerce: Becoming a member often includes a reputable backlink from the official Chamber website.
Semrush helps you identify which of these links you already have, which you don’t, and how those gaps might be affecting your site’s authority.
Putting It All Together: Strategy & Implementation
So how do you bring everything together into a cohesive strategy?
- Audit and Optimize: Fix technical SEO issues first. An error-free site is crucial before investing time and resources in deeper optimization.
- Develop Location-Specific Landing Pages: If you serve multiple areas, create separate landing pages for each. Include relevant local keywords, images, and testimonials from customers in each area.
- Use Semrush Tools Consistently: Schedule your listing checks, position tracking, and site audits on a weekly or monthly basis.
- Refine Your Approach: Keep an eye on your Semrush reports to see which keywords are improving. If some aren’t performing, consider tweaking your on-page SEO or pivoting to different keywords.
Local SEO is an iterative process. Regular updates, consistent content, and community engagement will keep your brand on top of local search results
Conclusion
Mastering Semrush for Local SEO isn’t just about fiddling with a few settings or running an occasional site audit. It’s about embracing a well-rounded, data-driven strategy that addresses every stage of your local SEO campaign—from keyword discovery and competitor analysis to listing management and link building.
By following the steps laid out in this guide, you’ll be better prepared to:
- Uncover and target high-intent local keywords.
- Keep a close eye on your competitors and identify opportunities they’ve missed.
- Maintain up-to-date business information across all local directories.
- Monitor your rankings and performance, adjusting as necessary for sustained growth.
- Build local credibility and community links that strengthen your website’s authority.
Like the case studies from LSEO.com show, the right approach combined with a reliable toolset can lead to significant increases in both online visibility and real-world foot traffic. Whether you’re a small local shop or a multi-location enterprise, Semrush can elevate your local SEO game, helping you reach those ready-to-buy customers right in your neighborhood.
If you have any questions or need more guidance, feel free to explore additional features in Semrush and other local SEO resources to keep refining your strategy. Local SEO is a continuous effort—but with Semrush, it’s one you can manage effectively and confidently.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Semrush and how can it benefit my local SEO efforts?
Semrush is a powerful all-in-one digital marketing tool designed to provide a comprehensive suite of features for SEO, including local SEO efforts. For local businesses competing for visibility within specific geographic areas, Semrush can be a game-changer. It offers tools for keyword research, rank tracking, auditing, and more tailored to your locality. By leveraging Semrush, you can gain valuable insights into local search trends, understand your local competition, and optimize your business listings to target local audiences more effectively. It’s like having a personal SEO specialist working round the clock to ensure your business stands out in local search results.
2. How do I set up Semrush for my local SEO campaign?
Setting up Semrush for your local SEO campaign involves a few key steps. First, you need to create a project within Semrush corresponding to your business or website. This acts as the foundation for all your SEO activities. Once your project is established, you can start by entering your primary location and target keywords relevant to your business area. Semrush allows you to pinpoint cities, regions, or neighborhoods you intend to target, helping specify the geographic parameters for your campaign. Furthermore, using tools like the Position Tracking tool within Semrush can ensure you monitor the rankings and overall performance of your keywords in your local area, offering critical insights into nearby search behavior and competition.
3. How does Semrush help with local keyword research?
Keywords are the backbone of any SEO strategy, and Semrush makes local keyword research straightforward and effective. Through the Keyword Magic Tool, you can discover a broad range of local-specific keywords that potential customers are searching for in your area. This tool not only allows you to search by location and analyze keyword volume and difficulty, but it also helps identify related phrases and questions your audience might be using. By uncovering these local-specific terms and optimizing your content around them, you can increase your chances of appearing in local search results, thus driving more traffic that is interested in the services or products you offer.
4. Can Semrush help in managing local citations and online listings?
Yes, Semrush can significantly aid in managing local citations and online listings through its Listing Management tool. Local citations are mentions of your business on the web, and having consistent and accurate business information across various online platforms is crucial for local SEO success. With Semrush, you can audit existing listings for accuracy, create new ones, and ensure consistency across all major directories and mapping services like Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places. It also tracks reviews, monitors listing performance, and keeps you informed of any inaccuracies or missing entries. Keeping your online listings optimized and harmonized across platforms increases your business’s trustworthiness and visibility in local searches.
5. How can I track my local SEO performance using Semrush?
Tracking your local SEO performance is integral to understanding the effectiveness of your strategy, and Semrush provides several tools to help monitor this. The Position Tracking tool in Semrush is incredibly useful for seeing where your target keywords are ranking in your specific geographic area. With it, you can analyze how your local keywords improve or decline in ranking over time, allowing for data-driven adjustments to your strategy. Additionally, the tool provides insights into competitor positioning, helping you understand who your real competitors are in the local search landscape. You can also use the Site Audit tool to assess your website’s health and identify any technical SEO issues that might be hindering your local visibility. Regularly checking these insights ensures you stay on top of your SEO efforts and can quickly adapt to any changes, keeping you ahead in the local market.