Local SEO Glossary

Any online mention of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP). Citations help search engines verify a business's existence and location, and are a key local ranking factor.

The degree to which a business's NAP information is identical across all online directories and listings. Inconsistencies can confuse search engines and negatively impact local rankings.

A set of Google metrics measuring real-world user experience on a webpage: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). A Google ranking factor.

A free Google tool that lets businesses manage how they appear in Google Search and Maps. Optimizing your GBP listing is the single most important action for local SEO.

The block of three local business listings that appear at the top of Google Search results for local queries. Also called the Local Pack or 3-Pack. Appearing here drives significant traffic.

See Google Map Pack. The set of local business results displayed prominently in Google Search, showing a map alongside three business listings.

The process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own. Backlinks from authoritative, relevant sites signal trust and authority to search engines, improving rankings.

Stands for Name, Address, Phone number. Consistent NAP data across the web is a foundational element of local SEO and citation building. Even minor variations (St vs Street) can affect rankings.

The practice of ensuring a business's name, address, and phone number are identical everywhere they appear online — website, directories, social media, and third-party listings.

Optimization techniques applied directly to a webpage to improve its search visibility. Includes title tags, meta descriptions, heading structure, content quality, and internal linking.

One of the three primary local ranking factors (alongside relevance and prominence). Refers to how close a business is to the searcher's location at the time of the search query.

The rate at which a business receives new reviews over time. A steady, consistent flow of new reviews signals to Google that a business is active and trusted by real customers.

One of the three primary local ranking factors. How well a local business listing matches what someone is searching for. Determined by categories, keywords, and business description.

Structured data added to a webpage's HTML that helps search engines understand the content. For local businesses, LocalBusiness schema communicates address, hours, and contact details directly to Google.

Search Engine Results Page. The page displayed by a search engine in response to a query. Local SERPs often include the Map Pack, organic results, ads, and featured snippets.