Local keyword research is one of the first things I look at when building an SEO strategy for a business that depends on customers from a specific geographic area.
But finding good local keywords isn’t as simple as taking your main service and adding a city name to the end.
I’ve worked in SEO for more than 20 years, and I look at local keyword research as a combination of search intent, services, geography, competition, existing rankings and business value.
The goal isn’t to create the biggest keyword list possible.
The goal is to figure out what potential customers actually search when they’re looking for a business like yours—and then make sure you have the right page to satisfy that search.
Here’s how I approach local keyword research.
Quick Answer: How Do You Do Local Keyword Research?
A simple local keyword research process looks like this:
- Identify your highest-value services.
- Determine the cities, neighborhoods and areas you actually serve.
- Create seed keywords based on how customers describe those services.
- Research service + location combinations.
- Look at “near me” and other local-intent searches.
- Analyze the actual Google results.
- Check Google Search Console for existing opportunities.
- Research the businesses already ranking.
- Identify commercial and long-tail variations.
- Group related keywords by search intent.
- Map each keyword group to the appropriate page.
- Decide whether you need to improve an existing page or create something new.
That last step is one of the most important.
Don’t just collect keywords. Decide which page should rank for each search intent.
What Is Local Keyword Research?
Local keyword research is the process of identifying searches people use when looking for a product, service or business within a particular geographic area.
Some searches explicitly contain a location:
SEO company San Diego
Financial advisor San Diego
Personal trainer Hillcrest
Spray tan La Jolla
Hair restoration Los Angeles
Others use obvious local language:
SEO company near me
Financial advisor near me
Personal trainer nearby
Best spray tan near me
And sometimes the query itself doesn’t include a location at all.
A person might simply search:
plumber
dentist
restaurant
or:
personal injury lawyer
and Google may still interpret the search as having local intent.
That’s why good local keyword research requires more than generating hundreds of service + city combinations.
Why Local Keyword Research Matters
Good local keyword research helps me answer questions such as:
- What are potential customers actually searching for?
- Which services have the strongest commercial intent?
- Which geographic markets matter?
- Which searches trigger local or Maps results?
- Which searches should a homepage or service page target?
- Do we need dedicated location pages?
- Which terms are already generating impressions?
- Which opportunities are closest to producing leads?
- Are multiple pages competing for the same intent?
Without answering those questions, it’s easy to build the wrong pages.
You might create content for searches nobody meaningful is making.
You might target informational searches when you really need commercial traffic.
Or you might create five pages that are all trying to rank for essentially the same thing.
1. Start With the Services That Make You Money
I like to start keyword research with the business—not the keyword tool.
What can a customer actually hire you for?
For my SEO company, that might include:
SEO services
Local SEO
AI SEO
SEO consulting
Google Business Profile optimization
For a personal injury law firm, that might include:
Car accident representation
Motorcycle accidents
Truck accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Wrongful death
For a med spa:
Skin tightening
Botox
Microneedling
Laser treatments
Starting with actual revenue-generating services keeps keyword research connected to the business.
Otherwise, it’s very easy to build a beautiful spreadsheet full of keywords that won’t make the company any money.
2. Create Your Seed Keyword List
Once I understand the services, I create a basic list of ways customers might describe them.
For SEO, that might include:
SEO company
SEO agency
SEO expert
SEO consultant
SEO services
Local SEO company
These are seed keywords.
At this stage, I’m not trying to find thousands of variations.
I’m identifying the main concepts customers associate with the service.
3. Add Relevant Geographic Modifiers
Now I can start researching how those services intersect with geography.
For example:
SEO company San Diego
SEO expert San Diego
Local SEO San Diego
SEO consultant San Diego
SEO company Poway
Depending on the business, geographic modifiers might include:
Cities
Neighborhoods
Communities
Counties
or larger regions.
But this doesn’t mean every location variation deserves its own page.
That’s a mistake I see frequently.
Finding a keyword doesn’t automatically mean you need to create a URL for it.
4. Research “Near Me” Searches
“Near me” searches can indicate very strong local intent.
Examples include:
SEO company near me
financial advisor near me
personal trainer near me
med spa near me
car accident lawyer near me
But you generally don’t need to write awkward website copy such as:
Looking for an SEO company near me? We’re the best SEO company near me for people searching SEO companies near me!
That’s not useful.
Google can use location information and other signals to provide geographically relevant results.
Your job is to make your services, business and geographic relevance clear.
5. Analyze Search Intent
This is where keyword research becomes SEO strategy.
Compare:
“What does SEO do?”
with:
“SEO company San Diego”
Those searches are related to SEO, but the people performing them probably want very different things.
The first query is informational.
The second has much stronger commercial intent.
For local businesses, I pay particularly close attention to searches that indicate someone may be getting close to choosing a provider.
For example:
best SEO company San Diego
SEO consultant San Diego
financial advisor near me
book spray tan La Jolla
car accident attorney San Diego
Understanding intent helps determine what kind of page should rank.
I explain this concept more deeply in my guide to search intent and SEO.
6. Look at the Actual Google Results
One of my favorite keyword research tools is Google itself.
Search the keyword you’re considering.
Then study the results.
Are you seeing:
A Google Map Pack?
Homepages?
Service pages?
Location pages?
Directories?
Blog articles?
Videos?
Large national websites?
Local businesses?
The current search results can tell you a lot about what Google believes people want from that query.
For example, if nearly every result is a commercial service page, trying to rank a generic blog post may be the wrong approach.
If the results are overwhelmingly informational guides, creating an aggressive sales page may not match the intent.
Don’t choose a page type from a keyword spreadsheet alone. Look at the SERP.
7. Use Google Autocomplete and Related Searches
Google can also reveal how people phrase searches around a topic.
Start typing your primary service and look at the suggestions.
You may uncover variations involving:
Locations
Prices
Reviews
Problems
Questions
Specific services
Comparisons
or customer concerns.
Related searches and other query suggestions can provide additional clues.
But I treat these as research ideas.
I don’t automatically create a separate page for every variation Google suggests.
8. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console is one of my favorite sources of keyword opportunities because it shows what your website is already appearing for.
Look for:
Service + city searches
Neighborhood searches
Commercial terms
Queries with lots of impressions but few clicks
Keywords sitting just outside your desired ranking range
Unexpected variations
and queries attached to pages that may be targeting the wrong intent.
This can reveal opportunities that a third-party keyword tool misses.
For example, if an important service page is already getting impressions for a valuable local search, I may optimize that existing page before creating anything new.
Google is already showing me that it sees some relationship between that page and the query.
I want to understand that relationship before adding another URL.
9. Analyze the Competitors That Actually Rank
Your offline competitors aren’t always your search competitors.
I want to know which businesses Google consistently shows for the searches we care about.
I’ll examine things such as:
Their service pages
Location pages
Titles and headings
Website structure
Reviews
Google Business Profiles
Backlinks
Supporting content
and overall local presence.
Tools such as Semrush or Ahrefs can help expand that research.
But competitor research isn’t about copying someone’s site.
A competitor may be doing things I wouldn’t recommend.
I’m trying to understand the competitive landscape, identify gaps and see what types of pages Google is currently rewarding for that search intent.
10. Find Long-Tail Local Keywords
Long-tail keywords are typically more specific searches.
Compare:
SEO
with:
SEO company for small businesses in San Diego
The second query is far more specific.
Other examples might include:
financial advisor for retirement planning San Diego
personal trainer for women over 40 San Diego
spray tan before wedding La Jolla
car accident lawyer free consultation San Diego
These searches may show lower volume in keyword tools.
That doesn’t automatically make them less valuable.
I’d rather attract ten highly relevant potential customers than 1,000 visitors who have no reason to hire the business.
11. Identify Your Local Money Keywords
I call the searches most closely connected to leads, bookings and sales money keywords.
For a local business, these often combine:
A valuable service
Commercial intent
and geographic relevance.
For example:
SEO company San Diego
personal injury attorney San Diego
financial advisor San Diego
personal trainer Hillcrest
Search volume matters.
But business value matters more.
A keyword searched 50 times by people actively looking for a provider may be worth much more than an informational phrase receiving thousands of searches.
I explain this process further in my guide to finding your money keywords.
12. Group Keywords by Search Intent
This is a step I think many businesses skip.
You don’t necessarily need a different page for:
SEO company San Diego
San Diego SEO company
SEO companies San Diego
and:
SEO company in San Diego
Those may simply be different ways of expressing essentially the same intent.
Instead of counting every keyword variation as a separate content opportunity, I group related searches together.
Then I ask:
What is the best page on the website to satisfy this group of searches?
That leads into keyword mapping.
13. Map Local Keywords to the Right Pages
Once I’ve grouped the keywords, I decide which page should own each search intent.
For example:
SEO company San Diego → primary commercial SEO page or homepage
Local SEO San Diego → appropriate Local SEO commercial page
SEO company Poway → relevant location page, if justified
How does Local SEO work? → informational Local SEO article
How to rank higher in Google Maps → Google Maps guide
This is keyword mapping.
And it’s one of the most important parts of my process.
Before creating a new page, I check whether an existing page already satisfies the same search intent. If it does, I usually improve that page instead of creating another URL.
That can prevent a lot of unnecessary content.
14. Decide When You Actually Need a Location Page
Keyword research may uncover opportunities in multiple cities.
That doesn’t mean you should immediately create pages for all of them.
Before creating a location page, I ask:
Do we genuinely serve this area?
Is this market strategically valuable?
Is there meaningful customer demand?
Can we provide useful information specific to this location?
Do we have customers, experience, examples or proof connected to the area?
Can this page be meaningfully different from our other location pages?
If the answers are yes, a dedicated location page may make sense.
If the strategy is:
Copy this page 50 times and replace the city name.
I wouldn’t do it.
For service-area businesses in particular, I explain this distinction further in my guide to Local SEO for service-area businesses.
15. Avoid Local Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization can occur when multiple pages on your website compete for substantially the same search intent.
Imagine creating:
/local-seo-san-diego/
/san-diego-local-seo/
/best-local-seo-san-diego/
/local-seo-company-san-diego/
If all four pages are essentially trying to accomplish the same thing, you probably don’t have four strong SEO assets.
You may have one topic unnecessarily split across four URLs.
I’d rather have one excellent page clearly established for the primary intent.
Then supporting articles can address narrower questions and naturally link back to the primary resource.
This is one reason I periodically audit older content on my own website.
As a site grows over many years, pages that once seemed different can gradually begin targeting the same intent.
Sometimes consolidating content is a better SEO strategy than publishing more of it.
16. Connect Keyword Research With Google Maps
Local keyword research shouldn’t stop at traditional organic rankings.
Search your important local terms and see whether Google displays Maps or other local results.
If it does, examine the businesses appearing there.
Look at:
Their categories
Locations
Reviews
Services
Websites
and general relevance to the search.
But remember:
Google Maps rankings aren’t based on keywords alone.
Google describes local rankings primarily around relevance, distance and prominence.
That means two people searching the same phrase from different parts of San Diego can see different local results.
I’ve written separate guides on how to rank higher in Google Maps and how proximity affects Local SEO if you want to go deeper into that part of the strategy.
How AI Search Changes Local Keyword Research
Keyword research still matters as search becomes more conversational.
But I don’t think businesses should view SEO as matching one exact phrase to one exact page.
Someone might search Google for:
“SEO company San Diego”
while asking an AI assistant:
“Who is a good SEO expert for a small business in San Diego?”
The wording is different, but the underlying need is similar.
That’s why I use keyword research to understand services, locations, customer questions and search intent rather than trying to repeat one exact phrase throughout a page.
If you’re interested in this shift, read my guide to how AI search is changing Local SEO.
Local Keyword Research Example: My San Diego SEO Business
Here’s a simple example using my own business.
I could start with the broad seed term:
SEO
That’s far too broad to tell me much.
So I can identify the commercial concepts around my services:
SEO company
SEO services
SEO expert
SEO consultant
Local SEO
AI SEO
Then I can research relevant geographic intent:
SEO company San Diego
SEO services San Diego
SEO expert San Diego
SEO consultant San Diego
Local SEO San Diego
AI SEO San Diego
I may also research smaller markets I genuinely serve.
But here’s the important part:
I don’t create a new page for every keyword I find.
I determine which phrases represent the same intent, which existing page should own that intent and where a genuinely separate page is justified.
That’s the difference between collecting keywords and developing an SEO strategy.
Common Local Keyword Research Mistakes
Choosing Keywords Based Only on Search Volume
Search volume is useful, but relevance and conversion potential matter.
Creating a Page for Every Keyword Variation
“SEO company San Diego” and “San Diego SEO company” probably don’t require separate pages.
Ignoring Search Intent
A keyword can look perfect in a spreadsheet while Google’s results reveal a completely different intent.
Targeting Cities You Don’t Really Serve
Don’t create pages simply because a keyword tool shows search volume for a city.
Ignoring Existing Rankings
Check Search Console before creating new content.
You may already have a page gaining visibility for the query.
Focusing Only on City Names
Local intent can involve neighborhoods, “near me” searches, regions and queries where Google understands location without the user explicitly typing it.
Ignoring Google Maps
If a keyword triggers local results, traditional organic SEO isn’t the entire picture.
Creating Thin Location Pages
A location page needs a reason to exist beyond replacing one city name with another.
Publishing Before Checking for Cannibalization
Before adding another article or landing page, check whether your site already has content serving the same intent.
How to Track Local Keyword Performance
Once you’ve mapped and optimized your local keywords, measure what happens.
I pay attention to:
Google Search Console impressions
Organic clicks
Average search positions
Local search visibility
Google Maps visibility
Calls
Form submissions
Bookings
and other conversions.
I don’t judge success solely by whether a keyword moves from position seven to position five.
Rankings matter.
But the larger goal is qualified visibility that produces business.
My Local Keyword Research Strategy
If I were starting Local SEO for a business today, my process would look roughly like this:
- Identify the highest-value services.
- Identify the most important geographic markets.
- Build a focused seed keyword list.
- Research service + location variations.
- Investigate near-me and long-tail searches.
- Analyze search intent.
- Study the actual search results.
- Check Search Console for existing opportunities.
- Analyze the competitors already ranking.
- Identify high-value money keywords.
- Group keywords by intent.
- Map those groups to existing pages.
- Identify genuine content gaps.
- Create new pages only where necessary.
- Strengthen the relationships between related content.
- Track rankings and conversions.
Notice what’s missing:
Creating hundreds of pages for hundreds of tiny keyword variations.
That’s not the goal.
I’d rather build a smaller library of strong pages where each URL has a clear purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Local Keyword Research
What is local keyword research?
Local keyword research is the process of identifying searches potential customers use when looking for products, services or businesses within a geographic area. These searches may include cities, neighborhoods, regions, “near me” language or other forms of local intent.
How do I find local keywords?
Start with your core services and research how potential customers describe them. Then investigate geographic variations, search results, Google Search Console data, competitor rankings, autocomplete suggestions and other keyword data. Most importantly, determine the intent behind the searches you find.
Should I add my city to every keyword?
No. Some searches explicitly contain a city, while others have local intent without one. Use geographic information naturally rather than repeating a city name throughout your content.
What are local money keywords?
Local money keywords are searches closely connected to a potential lead, booking, consultation or sale. Examples might include “SEO company San Diego,” “financial advisor San Diego” or “personal trainer near me.”
Do I need a separate page for every local keyword?
No. Closely related keywords that share the same intent can often be served by one strong page. Creating separate pages for every minor variation can lead to thin content and unnecessary overlap.
How do I know whether a keyword needs a service page or blog post?
Look at the search intent and actual Google results. If service and business pages dominate, Google may interpret the query commercially. If informational resources dominate, an educational article may be more appropriate.
Can Google Search Console help with local keyword research?
Yes. Search Console shows queries your website is already receiving impressions and clicks for. I use it to find existing opportunities, unexpected keyword variations and pages Google already associates with particular searches.
Should I create pages for every city I serve?
No. Create location pages when the market is strategically important and you can provide genuinely useful, differentiated information for that area. Avoid mass-producing nearly identical city pages.
Are “near me” keywords important for Local SEO?
They can be valuable because they often indicate strong local intent. However, you generally don’t need to repeatedly write “near me” throughout your website. Make your services and actual geographic relevance clear.
Does local keyword research still matter with AI search?
Yes. The exact wording of searches may become more conversational, but understanding what customers want remains important. Keyword research helps uncover the services, locations, problems and questions your content should address.
Need Help Finding the Right Local Keywords?
If you’re unsure which local keywords your business should target—or you’ve published a lot of pages but aren’t seeing the rankings or leads you expected—I can help.
I’ve worked in SEO for more than 20 years, and I help businesses identify valuable search opportunities, map keywords to the right pages, improve existing rankings and eliminate unnecessary content overlap.
As a San Diego SEO expert, I focus on the searches most likely to connect a business with actual potential customers—not simply the keywords with the largest numbers in a research tool.
For a broader look at the strategy, read my Local SEO guide for San Diego businesses.
Or learn more about working directly with my San Diego SEO company.
Get found. Get trusted. Get chosen.
— Jen Ruhman
San Diego SEO Expert