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What is Local SEO?

Local SEO helps your business appear in Google Maps and local search results when customers in your area are looking for your services.

Local SEO Explained

Local SEO is a type of search engine optimization focused on helping businesses appear in location-based searches. When someone searches for local flooring services or contractors in their city, local SEO determines which businesses show up.

Unlike traditional SEO that targets national rankings, local SEO helps you dominate your service area. It's about being visible to customers in your city, not competing with businesses across the country.

The Google Map Pack

When you search for a local service, Google shows a map with three business listings at the top of results. This is called the "Map Pack" or "Local Pack." Getting your business into this top three is the primary goal of local SEO.

These map listings get the most clicks for local searches. They show your business name, reviews, phone number, and hours right in the search results. Customers can call you or get directions without even visiting your website.

What Affects Local Rankings

Google uses three main factors to rank local businesses:

  • Relevance: How well your business matches what the person is searching for
  • Distance: How close your business is to the searcher's location
  • Prominence: How well-known and trusted your business is online

You can't change your location, but you can improve relevance and prominence. That means optimizing your Google Business Profile, getting more reviews, and building citations across the web.

Why Local SEO Matters for Service Businesses

If you're a flooring contractor, plumber, or any home service business, your customers are local. They're searching for someone nearby who can help them today. Local SEO puts you in front of these ready-to-buy customers.

The best part? Local searches have high intent. Someone searching for flooring installation in their area isn't browsing, they're looking to hire. Ranking well for these searches means more calls, more quotes, and more jobs.

Learn how flooring companies specifically can benefit from local search strategies in our guide on why flooring companies need a website.