Keyword research is one of the most crucial tasks facing any marketing team aiming to improve their local search visibility.
Finding the right keywords to target can lead to substantial gains in organic rankings, website traffic, and ultimately more sales and conversions for local businesses.
However, researching and identifying the best performing keywords and phrases is also one of the most challenging aspects of local SEO. The “right” keywords are precise to every unique business location and geo-targeted market.
Additionally, tracking keyword performance and adjusting to search behavior changes over time is hugely impactful but time-intensive without the proper tools.
Thankfully, there are now more options than ever when it comes to specialized local keyword research tools offering robust data and analytics.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover:
- Why proper keyword targeting and management is crucial for dominating local SEO
- The key factors that come into play when researching localized keywords
- An overview of 15 “best-in-class” keyword research platforms available right now
- Detailed side-by-side comparisons and use case scenarios for selecting the right keyword research tool(s)
- Step-by-step walkthroughs for utilizing advanced keyword data to optimize your local landing pages
- Pro tips for seamlessly tracking keyword performance improvements over time
By the end, you will have an actionable blueprint for leveraging the best keyword research tools to do better your 2024 local search marketing efforts.
Now, Let’s dive into this.
Why Keyword Research is Crucial for Local SEO
Conducting in-depth keyword research is an instrumental first step to creating any effective local search engine optimization and content marketing strategy.
While it may seem tedious, investing the time into keyword research and analysis helps set your entire local SEO campaign up for success by:
Allowing You to Optimize Pages for Searcher Intent
People enter different queries into Google and other search engines based on their particular needs and the information they are looking for.
Understanding user search intent through keyword research lets you optimize on-page content around fulfilling specific informational goals or commercial needs.
For example, a search query like [buffalo chicken wings NEAR ME] indicates a user looking for quick restaurant options to visit. A page optimized around that exact keyword with relevant information signals relevancy to Google’s algorithms.Another great example would be “Link Building Canada”
Providing Insights into Search Volume and Keyword Difficulty
Quality keyword research tools provide data estimating monthly search volumes for a given term or phrase. This allows you to gauge potential traffic opportunities.
Most tools also assign a “keyword difficulty” score dictated by factors like existing domain authority rankings and page competition. This helps determine whether a high volume keyword will be reasonably achievable to rank for.
Without search volume and difficulty context, you end up targeting keywords that drive little traffic or have almost no chance of ranking.
Allowing You to Reverse Engineer Competitor Efforts
One of the most effective local keyword research strategies is identifying what terms and phrases your top competing locations actively target and rank for.
By researching their current page strategies, you can get a sense of proven, high-potential keywords in your industry while also assessing opportunity gaps.
Make a list of emerging “head term” keywords your competition ranks for. Then expand your own optimization efforts around relevant long-tail permutations and questions for that same topic.
Building an Effective Content Strategy
Yet another benefit of advanced keyword research for local SEO is allowing you to architect a smarter, more effective location-based content strategy.
Look for rising questions and conversations happening around your products, services, and industry in your target regions. Keyword research sheds light on what information potential customers are hungry for.
You can then inject these high-potential topics into localized blog content, videos, and social media campaigns.
Tracking Keyword Performance Over Time
Keyword research tools also make it possible to monitor changes in the search ranking landscape related to your core terms.
Many allow you to follow metrics like month-over-month volume and density changes, shifts in ranking domains, and improvement in your own rankings.
This makes dynamically optimizing existing pages and reacting to new opportunities much simpler. You can track what landed-page content and keywords are gaining or losing steam.
As you can see, advanced keyword research fundamentally enables local businesses to architect smarter SEO and content game plans while reacting faster to what is resonating in their unique market.
Main Factors to Consider with Local Keywords
While keyword research fundamentals remain essential, there are unique considerations when choosing what terms and phrases to target for local SEO.
Here are some of the main factors to consider:
Geographic Targeting
Naturally, all of your seed keywords need to contain the geographic location or region you want to rank in. This includes surrounding cities, neighborhoods, county names, etc.
For example, a restaurant would optimize around queries like:
- [thai food san jose]
- [catering companies near mountain view]
- [top santa clara lunch spots]
- [link building Uk]
- [link building chile]
- [link building Colombia]
- [link building mexico]
Get as hyperlocal as possible. Go beyond just city names by also incorporating airport codes, landmarks, nearby highways, and popular regional nicknames.
Mobile vs. Desktop Performance
Industry experts recommend keeping the <15% click-through rate (CTR) benchmark difference between mobile and desktop queries.
If a seed keyword has a 50% CTR on mobile but only 20% on desktop, optimization efforts around that term may translate poorly across devices.
Advanced keyword tools allow you to filter suggestions by mobile friendliness potential.
Long Tail & Question-Based Searches
Consumers increasingly use longer, full sentence search queries when researching local businesses. Questions beginning with “where can I find” are also common.
For example:
- [where can i find good ramen in downtown austin]
- [what oil change shops are open now near me]
Optimizing for these long-tail questions better targets user intent while being less competitive key phrases to rank for.
Individual Platform Search Behavior
User search behavior can vary drastically depending on the platform. The same keyword produces different autocomplete suggestions and search volumes on Google vs. YouTube or Amazon.
Research keyword permutations specific to high-potential sites beyond just Google to maximize visibility.
Now that we have covered the unique requirements of local keyword research, let’s overview some of the top tools available for unlocking local SEO success in 2024.
Overview of the Top 15 Local Keyword Research Tools
There are now dozens of keyword research tools available catering to localized search analysis. Here is a brief overview of 15 leading options:
1. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
The Ahrefs Keyword Explorer has one of the largest search query databases, comprising more than 171 billion indexed keywords across 171 countries and 10 platforms.
It provides key keyword metrics including volume, competition level, and optimization difficulty to help you gauge potential. You’ll also see related long-tail keyword ideas and the typical user journeys surrounding your seed keyword.
With Serbia-based Ahrefs vast crawling capabilities, you can assess keyword performance through a global or location-targeted lens. (E.g.: See search interest for “concerts” in Austin vs. Portland).
2. SEMRush
SEMRush has become a premium SEO staple thanks to its unparalleled keyword tracking. You can analyze how any term has trended over the past 12 years along 100+ data points.
Filtering keyword ideas and metrics by city and state is granular. For instance, easily comparing performance for “steakhouse” across DFW cities. Or for business-intent terms like “Dallas commercial roofing services.”
SEMRush’s cloud also automatically groups related keywords together – revealing clusters around shared topics. This helps for outlining top-level optimization opportunities.
3. Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz fields its own keyword research solution finely tuned for SEO needs. The Mozscape index comprises over 6 billion fresh keywords enriched by their web crawler and triangulation technology.
Useful perks include visualizing historical search volume trends over time. If you want to see if interest in “San Antonio Spurs tickets” might be rising or declining YoY as a leading indicator, Moz can chart it.
You can also filter by keyword length, location relevancy, and commercial intent. The tool will highlight which keywords may have geographic optimization needs for targeting certain Texas cities.
Unique views like Share of Voice analyze the breadth of keywords your pages rank for versus competitors. Helping you spot gaps.
4. Ubersuggest
First launched by Neil Patel back in 2014, Ubersuggest taps multiple datasets to fuel its simple yet expensive keyword idea generator.
The tool does a capable job suggesting lengthier long-tail variations, questions, and permutations fitting around a core topic. Helping unlock hidden local SEO gems other tools would miss.
It has options for targeting a specific country to refine ideas by language and regional search interests. For most though, Ubersuggest is best used for brainstorming and creative jumping off points.
5. Soovle
Soovle takes the unique approach of aggregating auto-complete results across over 500 million keyword permutations found on 7 major search platforms.
Rather than relying on estimated volumes, Soovle reveals what actual users are searching for by tapping straight into Google suggest results. You also get keyword trends for YouTube, Amazon, Bing, eBay and more in a single report.
This multi-platform perspective helps uncover optimization opportunities sitting across different properties like video, eCommerce or images. Country targeting also helps localize permutations matching regional dialects and conversations.
6. AnswerThePublic
One of the most visually engaging tools on this list, London-based Answer the Public presents keyword data through intuitive maps and charts breaking down questions, prepositions, comparisons and other deep searches people are using around topics.
Seeing full keyword phrases already formatted as questions naturally sparks ideas for all types of localized content marketing from blogs to videos to landing pages. (e.g “Where to buy used pianos in Cincinnati??”)
The tool pulls data from Google autocomplete and serves it in a way far more interesting than spreadsheets. You can shape ideas for location-based articles, Facebook groups and more based on uncovering the full stories people want to hear.
7. Keywords Everywhere
Keywords Everywhere functions as a browser extension rather than a standalone platform. But has transformed keyword research through seamless integration.
It essentially surfaces the data engines like Google already show behind the scenes in autocomplete directly within your searches. Saving tons of manual digging across platforms.
See estimated monthly volumes, cost-per-click data, and keyword difficulty scores displayed right on Google, YouTube, Amazon and other SERPs. Easily revealing gaps competitors may be missing.
Filtering by city and state is supported along with exporting keyword lists discovered to CSVs for safekeeping. This free browser tool is a must-try complement to round out your stack.
8. KeywordTool.io
While the paid Keywordtool.io plans unlock the most robust features, the freemium offering provides immense value on its own – albeit with usage caps.
Benefit from 4 keyword data sources spanning search, YouTube, Google Trends and App Store suggestions. Location filters help narrow regional volume and demand.
Useful optimization ideas reveal questions being asked around topics plus expanded long-tail permutations you wouldn’t have considered. “Near me” keyword identification also aids local targeting.
9. Google Keyword Planner
Naturally, Google’s own paid-traffic keyword tool (formerly Keyword Planner) deserves a spot on this list thanks to tapping direct search query data.
Requirements for accessing KWP include having an existing Google Ads account, still, integration with their paid tools allows seeing granular, accurate monthly impressions and other volumes around lucrative terms. Helping better estimate SEO content ROI.
Since Google owns geo-based search, their geographic filters for cities and regions should be considered highly reliable sources on localized opportunity including bid estimates.
10. Keyword Sheetter
Keyword Sheeter has grown into an advanced generator – while retaining its simplistic UX.
The tool asks for a simple head keyword or phrase related to your business before working its algorithm magic to populate expansive, personalized lists of ideas.
Filter results by word count, expected volume ranges, location relevance utilizing built-in geography databases and more. Useful for discovering localized long tails competitors likely never targeted.
Export options let you easily save keyword reports segmented by category and priorities in Excel or other formats.
11. Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) offers free insight into how your existing pages are already performing for certain keywords.
Connect your sites to index important impressions, click and position data based on organic searches. Revealing high-potential queries to double down on while showing ones with plummeting traffic.
The location report adds a geographic layer detailing your website’s visibility across cities, states and regions. Helpful for gauging if your localization efforts are paying dividends by growth in certain markets.
12. Google Trends
Google Trends focuses specifically on rising or declining search popularity over time rather than volumes. But geographical segmentation remains a useful feature.
Analyze whether people in target Texas cities have growing or waning interest in topics like “austin bachelorette parties” based on year-over-year curves. Allowing better allocation of optimization and content efforts.
Comparing Trends search popularity metrics on competing terms also aids decisions between targeting “dentist”, “dental clinic” or “emergency dentistry”.
13. Keyword Keg
This aptly-named idea generator serves keyword research neophytes and experts alike. The Google Autocomplete-powered engine suggests thousands of semantic connections and questions around seed keywords searched.
But Keyword Keg’s more advanced Location Comparison reports unveil interesting geographic performance divides around the same term. Like which city between LA, Chicago, and NYC searches for a specific query the most.
This reveals optimization voids competitors potentially haven’t capitalized on based on disparities in regional demand.
Full keyword lists can be exported directly into SEO campaign spreadsheets or content calendars from within the platform.
14. KWFinder
Boasting the largest keyword database among tools analyzed here, KWFinder’s 1 trillion index aids uncovering emerging queries before they gain steam.
The Keyword Difficulty metric benchmarks the competitiveness and existing authority around ranking for any given term – helping set realistic expectations.
While geographic targeting options mostly cover individual countries currently, an interesting Location Popularity feature compares regional interest levels between your seed keyword and related suggestions. Flagging terms showing more relative demand in your target city.
15. AlsoAsked
Google’s “People Also Ask” boxes are bursting with lucrative keyword opportunities around any topic. AlsoAsked lays out these buyer question keywords for you in an easy-to-navigate branching diagram.
Just search any primary term like “content creation,” and AlsoAsked maps out the hidden web of related questions, such as:
- What does content creation mean?
- How do I get started with content creation?
- What are the main elements of content creation?
- What does a content creator do?
Click any branch to view a whole new question keyword diagram from that starting point.
This not only shows you topics to potentially cover, but illuminates the relationships between questions people are asking. So you can structure your content to answer searchers’ questions in the order they likely think of them.
Cover all the bases, from beginner to advanced. Export the data as a CSV or visually in an image for analysis and presentations.
And that covers 15 of the most utilized keyword research tools for unlocking local search ranking opportunities!
Side-by-Side Comparison of the Top 5 Tools
While the comprehensive list of 15 tools provides a menu of options covering different local keyword research needs, we will directly compare the core capabilities of 5 leading platforms:
- Ahrefs
- SEMRush
- Moz
- Ubersuggest
- Answer the Public
Here is an overview of key criteria to consider when evaluating keyword tools for local SEO:
| Tool | Keyword Database Size | Location Targeting Specificity | Historical Trends | Keyword Groupings | Long-Tail Discovery | Competitor Analysis |
| Ahrefs | 171 billion | City & state | ✅ | By journeys | Strong | Organic share-of-voice |
| SEMRush | 71 billion | Hyperlocal | 12 year | By topic clusters | Decent | Ranking domains |
| Moz | 6 billion | ZIP code & metro | 5+ year | Some clustering | Good | URL intersection |
| Ubersuggest | 3.5 billion | Country-level | Limited | Minimal | Excellent | Domain comparison |
| ATP | 500 million* | Country mostly | None | Visual maps | Great for questions | None |
Search Volume Reliability
Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush invest heavily in building their own keyword indices through proprietary web crawling and analytics. This leads to very accurate search volume estimates for gauging traffic potential.
Meanwhile, Ubersuggest and Answer the Public source indirectly from Google suggest results instead. This provides tons of fresh long-tail ideas but less precise availability estimates.
Location Targeting Specificity
SEMRush edges out the pack when it comes to geographical segmentation granularity thanks to integrating advanced geo-intent signals into its rankings data.
Phrases can be analyzed at a neighborhood level in many cases to unlock hyperlocal results. Moz also impresses by targeting down to metro and ZIP codes using longitude and latitude.
Analysis of Keyword Trends Over Time
Moz and SEMrush house the largest historical databases for assessing keyword trends – each with over 10+ years of snapshots allowing users to pinpoint new declines or surges. This aids content planning decisions.
Ubersuggest and Ahrefs still offer ample trend data, while Answer the Public’s real strength lies in rediscovering the newest questions people are asking right now.
And the comparison illuminates unique local SEO advantages around each tool.
Next we will walk through exactly how to utilize one platform’s capabilities to unearth profitable, low competition keywords in your area.
We Choose SEMrush for showing how to use tools for keyword research
Step-by-Step Guide to Using tools for Local Keyword Research
We chose SEMrush for showing how to use tools for keyword research.This can be different from any other tools but structure will be the same.
Out of the enterprise-level keyword research platforms compared, SEMrush strikes an ideal balance of location targeting specificity, robust historical data, and useful topic groupings.
Now let’s walk through a start-to-finish workflow for unlocking fresh local SEO opportunities using SEMrush’s tool set:
Step 1: Enter Your Seed Keywords and Location
First, enter 1-2 core “head term” keywords that are relevant to your local business in the search bar. These should be simple overarching phrases or topics.
Next, utilize SEMrush’s location setting options just underneath to target metrics by city, region, or state as needed. For a Link Building Agency this might be Houston, TX.
This surfaces keyword ideas, questions, long tails and other permutations specifically being searched in your geo-area.
Step 2. Analyze Keyword Grouping Clusters
As you can see, my seed keywords quickly spawned hundreds of additional ideas. But scrolling through an endless list isn’t efficient.
Instead, navigate to the handy grouping cluster map which automatically categorizes suggested keywords around common topics and subtopics. Making it far easier to spot the biggest opportunities hiding in the noise.
You can see group sizes indicate where more expansive or popular conversations are happening around categories like menus, reservations, reviews and descriptions.
Step 3. Prioritize Topics & Questions
Now that you have a better sense of topical concentrations, start opening relevant keyword groups to identify priority long-tail phrases and questions.
Sort remaining keywords by highest monthly search volume and lowest keyword difficulty to quickly spotlight phrases with traffic potential:
Also look for rising year-over-year trends indicating growing interest.
Step 4. Export & Track Performance
Build out a master list of 10-20 top keywords for each core topic cluster that align with your business. Export selections into a spreadsheet tracker:
Now optimize location landing pages for each target keyword phrase and monitor rank improvements each month using SEMrush’sPosition Tracking tool.
Rinse and repeat keyword research for improved results every quarter!
Optimizing Landing Pages for Local Keywords
Armed with fresh, high-potential keywords and topics fueling searches in your geographic area, optimizing pages to drive more visibility is the next step.
Follow this checklist to transform keyword research into tangible local SEO results:
Conduct Topic-Based Pillar Page Planning
Many keywords you uncovered likely concentrate around a handful of overarching topics and questions. These present opportunities for pillar pages.
For a restaurant example, much interest consolidates around your menu, reservations process, locations overview, and descriptions/reviews. Consider making each their own optimized pillar page targeting these clusters.
This provides a focused, authoritative resource to rank for all the long-tail variations.
Craft Locally-Optimized Title Tags
Your title tag is the first on-page element seen by search engines and users. Ensure it includes:
- Primary keyword – This likely includes your brand name and services. [Amazing Buffalo Wings Austin]
- Location – The city, region or state name. [Amazing Buffalo Wings Austin Texas]
- Descriptors – Extra context words. [Amazing Buffalo Wings Austin Texas Restaurant]
Include Location in Meta Description
Summary snippets under titles should also reference geo details like:
- City name
- Popular suburbs
- Distance descriptor
Visit the best buffalo wings restaurant in Austin Texas near Round Rock and Cedar Park…
Localize On-Page Content
Work elements like neighborhood names, iconic city attractions, sports teams, airport codes and more into content wherever possible. This helps search engines strongly associate pages with those locations.
Also include locator schema markup so search engines list rich contact info.
Analyze What Competitors Target
Remember those useful optimization gaps found when researching competitor efforts earlier?
Now build pages around the popular topics they lack locally-optimized landing pages for already. Be the resource for that emerging topic cluster.
Continuously Track Performance
Finally, keywords will fluctuate in volume and difficulty over time. Set calendar reminders to rerun reports and monitor how your pages climb in rankings for key terms using tracking tools.
Dynamically improving existing content while creating new pages around rising searches ensures sustained local SEO success.
With a process now in place, let’s discuss how best to analyze the tangible results of all these keyword targeting efforts.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Keyword research is the foundation of digital visibility for local businesses. Finding the right terms that your customers are searching fuels the entire localized SEO and content engine.
As this guide underscored, modern tools now provide marketer immense power for discovering untapped keywords offering outsized traffic potential.
The benefits of tapping the robust datasets these platforms provide spans beyond rankings alone in value. Optimizing for searcher intent drives relevance. Filling competitor holes seizes white space. Structuring topics smartly through pillars scales production.
And tracking volumes, position shifts and conversions over time leads to assets continually becoming more effective – compounding gains each year while staying steps ahead of disruption.
Hopefully this guide provided a helpful blueprint both for selecting the best tools and optimizing their data for your unique market
