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Little Know Local SEO Tip On How to Find Hidden Local Searches

Below is a transcript of this video.

So in this video, we’re going to look at how you can find the hidden local keywords. We’re going to look at what exactly a local search is, then also we are going to see what these additional hidden local keywords are, and then we’ll finish with what this means for you and how you can incorporate this in your SEO strategy.

So let’s look at what is a local search. So basically, a local search is a keyword that you use to do a search, which will bring a local listings. So for example, let’s do a search for IT support Baltimore. Now I just did this search by IT support Baltimore. And then if we look at the volume, this has about 1,000 searches a month. So if we look at what Google shows for this particular search you will see a map at the top and then, let me search for Baltimore. You will see that all of these listings are companies that are located in Baltimore. So this is a very localized search because we searched for IT support Baltimore, and then Google is showing all of the IT support companies in Baltimore with the map on the top. So, this is a local search. I mean, this you probably knew already, right?

So the characteristics, usually you have a map on the top, not all the time, sometimes I have even seen the map towards the middle of the page, even at the bottom. Then you’ll see all local listings. So usually when we talk about the local search, these are the searches that are very important for local businesses. Always consider having a city modifier, right? So for the search I just did, I had the city modifier for Baltimore. Someone who’s looking for IT support in the Baltimore area, right? So that is kind of what we usually do when we think of a local search.

But there are other non-city keywords that Google considers to be local searches, right? So, it’s all well and good about using the local city when we are considering a local search, but there are more searches that don’t have the local city that Google considers to be a local searches. So if I’m a local business, it could be really valuable to include this additional local searches as part of SEO strategy.

So the thing is how do we find these other local searches that don’t have the local city? So go to this website, I Search From. What this website does is it allows you to do a simulated search from a particular local area. So if you’re not already in a local city, then you could do this to simulate a search from the local area that you want to test. So let me fill out these details. And then, I’m actually in Columbia, Maryland, so I’m going to simulate this as if I’m searching from Baltimore, right? So let’s look at couple of searches without the local city, and then see whether Google considers them to be local searches, right? So let’s just search for IT support. Now remember now, I’m searching for IT support, but I’m not putting a local city here as the modifier.

So this is the result for IT support if I’m searching from Baltimore, right? So let me find Baltimore also. Now if you look at what Google shows us, again, we see the map on the top and then we see most of these listings are companies in Baltimore. Right? If you see now when we searched specially for IT support Baltimore, all of the listings was for companies in Baltimore, but now we see when I just search for IT support, right, without using the local modifier from Baltimore, not all of the results. For example, this one is not from a local business in Baltimore. But still a large of majority of these results are for IT support companies in Baltimore, and we also see the map on the top, right? So, this particular IT support keyword, although it doesn’t have a local city modifier, is considered by Google to be a local search. Right?

So let’s look at some other searches. So I would consider that IT support Baltimore to be a local search, a very highly localized local search. Now there can be different levels of localization. So let’s, for example, look at this particular keyword, small business IT support. So again, I’m going to simulate searching from Baltimore, and then I’m going to look for the keyword Baltimore, right? So if you look at the search and your result page, again we see a map’s on the top and then we see just two companies in Baltimore, right? So in this particular search, small business IT support, Google is considering this to be somewhat localized. So we definitely see the map, right? So that’s an indication that’s local companies, but in terms of the other organic results we just see two. So I would consider this to be a somewhat medium level of localization in terms of the search.

Okay, so let’s look at this particular keyword, IT strategy planning. Okay, now I’m going to search for Baltimore. So if we look at the search and your result page, this is totally not localized. I mean, I don’t see any local listings. So, IT strategy planning, although it has about 590 searches per month, right, it’s not a local keyword, right? So if you are a local business in the IT support space, this IT support keyword is a really good keyword to target, even without the city modifier, as part of your local SEO strategy. And I would also consider this one to be part of your strategy, not as localized as IT support, but small business IT support is also somewhat localized, so worth having part of your strategy. Now IT strategy planning is not localized at all, so you will have to keep that in mind when we are thinking of your local SEO strategy. Right?

So basically, the key takeaway is when you are thinking about your SEO strategy in terms of what keywords to use, not only consider keywords that have a local city modifier, but also consider other keywords that Google considers to be local searches, and this will really help when you think of what particular keywords to use in your local SEO strategy.

So hope that helps. If you have any questions, just let me know. Thank you.

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