How to Build a Social Media Brand
May 14, 2025
Is your local SEO campaign making an impact?
If your business depends on local customers, SEO can be one of the most effective ways to bring people through the door. In fact, 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information, and 88% of people who run a local search on their phone visit a related store within a week. That’s a huge opportunity—if your business shows up.
But visibility alone isn’t enough. You need to know what’s working behind the scenes.
That’s where KPIs—Key Performance Indicators—come in. These are the metrics that show whether your local SEO efforts are helping your business appear in local search results, attract the right audience, and drive action. They take the guesswork out of your SEO strategy and give you a clear picture of what’s driving results.
In this article, we’ll break down the 8 key KPIs you should be tracking to measure your local SEO success—and stay ahead of other local businesses in your area.
Ranking local businesses can be tricky; however, it is possible. The landscape of local search engine results has changed a lot over the years. There are a number of local search ranking factors, and you need to nail all of them if you want to dominate local search engines. In this blog post, we walk you through the most important local SEO factors today.
Your Google Business Profile (previously called Google My Business) plays a major role in your local SEO campaign. It helps your business appear on Google Maps and in the local pack. These are the top results when someone searches for a service or product in your area.
This profile is the first thing your customers will see in most local searches. Google uses the information in your profile to determine how your business ranks in local search results. It considers your business details, particularly: name, physical address, phone number, category, hours, photos, and reviews.
If your profile is active and accurate, you have a better chance of showing up in the local pack. The local map pack is the box that appears at the top of Google search results when someone searches for a local business or service. It shows a map and a list of three nearby businesses that match the search. For example, if someone types “plumber near me” or “coffee shop in Surry Hills,” the local map pack will display the top three options based on location, relevance, and other local SEO ranking factors.
It also builds trust. A strong profile helps you stand out from other local businesses.
Keep your Google Business Profile updated to get results from your local SEO efforts. Post regularly, reply to reviews, and make sure your details match what is listed in other local directories. These small actions improve your visibility and help your business rank better in local search.
Most people will read reviews before visiting a business, booking a service, or purchasing. Reviews help customers decide whether a business is trustworthy. They also tell search engines how well your business is doing in the local market.
Positive reviews boost your local visibility. Google looks at how often your business gets reviews, how recent they are, how many you have, and what people say. A steady stream of good reviews can help your business rank higher in local search results.
A good local SEO strategy should include encouraging happy customers to leave reviews. Ask after a good service experience or send a follow-up message with a review link. The easier you make it, the more likely people are to respond.
Negative reviews are also a part of doing business. What matters is how you respond. Always reply politely and professionally. Acknowledge the concern, offer to make it right, and show you’re listening. This shows both Google and potential customers that you care about service and are willing to improve.
A strong review profile with regular responses builds trust, improves your reputation, and supports your local SEO efforts.
Most people looking for nearby products or services are doing so on their phones. In fact, mobile search plays a huge role in local discovery. If your website is slow or hard to use on mobile, people will leave before they even see what you offer.
That’s where Core Web Vitals come in. These are a set of performance metrics Google uses to measure user experience. They focus on three key things:
For optimal performance, aim for your website to load in under 2.5 seconds on both desktop and mobile. Anything slower can affect your search rankings, especially in competitive local markets.
Mobile responsiveness is also essential. Your site should adjust to fit different screen sizes, buttons should be easy to tap, and text should be readable without zooming in.
Improving your website’s speed and mobile experience not only helps with local search visibility, but also keeps potential customers on your site longer—making them more likely to take action.
Let’s start with the obvious question: what is an SEO KPI?
An SEO KPI is a metric that can help you measure how your business performs with an action that you are taking to grow or improve your business.
It allows accurate measurement of local SEO success. Your KPIs should map your objectives, so you can clearly demonstrate how your activities as part of your local search campaign can help you as a local business owner move toward success.
To put it simply, KPIs are the link between your business and the search engine optimization strategy that you are using to rank on local search results.
Furthermore, as a local business owner, your search engine optimization strategy must be designed in a way that can generate more visitors to your brick-and-mortar business.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this because all local businesses are unique.
So, when setting your objectives as a local business with a website already up and running, one of your goals is to increase brand awareness. Therefore, a local SEO metric that is also a KPI is the traffic. This is the traffic that leads to the main page. Setting this as your KPI will show you which pages were accessed more often than others.
Moreover, this will show your brand equity development that will significantly impact your SEO.
Here is a list of KPIs that will help measure how well your local SEO efforts are doing.
As most of us know, rankings are important in a local SEO campaign because they drive traffic to your website. You must keep track of your local SEO rankings with tools like Moz Local or Brightlocal.
You also need to track your rankings on search engines for the right keywords for your local SEO. So, if you see a local SEO keyword that you’re using ranks first for a specific query on search engines, your website traffic will improve significantly.
Some people who are doing local SEO work tend to forget about keyword rankings, while others don’t see it as important. However, they have their use, and it’s strongly recommended that you track your main keywords on how they’re ranking on search engines, specifically local searches.
Monitoring how your website ranks on different search engine rankings is a task that requires attention and time.
You need to do this for both organic and paid results and monitor changes over specific periods to make sure you’re getting accurate data for your local SEO campaign. This gives you insights into where visitors find themselves when they click through from Google or another source site such as Facebook pages, etc.
Another important local SEO KPI is local search queries.
What are local search queries? Local search queries are searches that are specifically related to a particular geographic location. For instance, if someone is searching for “pizza delivery in Canberra,” that would be considered a local search query. Local search queries are often used by people looking for businesses or services in their area.
Furthermore, local search queries can be an excellent way for businesses to get found by potential customers searching for what they offer in their area. If you’re a business that relies on local customers, optimising your website and online presence for local search queries can be a great way to increase your visibility and attract new business.
There are a few things you can do to optimise your website for local search queries:
Also, keep in mind that there are a few ways to track local search queries. The most popular method is to use a tool like Google Analytics. You can also use other tools like Moz Local and BrightLocal.
Citations and local listings are significant factors in your local SEO campaign and play a vital role to your local SEO ranking well.
What are citations and local listings?
Citations are any mention of your business, including online listings, directories, or reviews. They can help your business rank in local search results and contribute to your overall online authority.
On the other hand, local listings are where potential customers can find information about your business on various directories like Google My Business, Yelp, Foursquare, or physical directories like the Yellow Pages.
Ensure that you monitor new citations because they can significantly impact your local SEO rankings. You can use tools like Moz’s Local Citation Finder or Brightlocal to check for new citations.
Brand mentions—even without a direct link—are a signal that your business is being talked about online. These mentions can appear on blogs, forums, news articles, local guides, or social media platforms. While they might seem less obvious than backlinks, they still help boost your local SEO by improving your online visibility and reinforcing your presence in the local market.
Search engines look at brand mentions as a trust signal. If your business is being discussed in the context of a location or service, it shows relevance and authority. This can positively influence your local search rankings, especially when those mentions include your business name alongside local keywords or service areas.
So how do you encourage more people to talk about your brand?
Start by giving customers a reason to mention you. You could offer a small reward, such as a discount or entry into a giveaway, in exchange for tagging your business on social media. You can also highlight customer reviews or user-generated content on your own channels to keep the momentum going.
Another way to earn brand mentions is through content. Create resources that are helpful or entertaining to your local audience—this could be blog posts, how-to videos, infographics, or even updates on local events. The more useful and shareable your content is, the more likely it is to be picked up and mentioned by others.
You can also collaborate with other local businesses or community organisations to increase your exposure and create co-branded content or events.
Monitoring tools like Google Alerts, SEMrush, or Brand24 can help you track where and how your business is being mentioned. This data can also feed into your broader local SEO strategy, giving you ideas for partnerships, content topics, or outreach opportunities.
Brand mentions won’t replace backlinks—but as part of a well-rounded local SEO campaign, they can help improve your local visibility and strengthen your online reputation.
Website traffic is the number of visitors your website receives in a given time. Your site will appear high in search engine results pages if you have high local traffic numbers. That means people can find you without you advertising or investing in online ads.
Why is website traffic so important?
Website traffic is substantial because it allows businesses to gauge the effectiveness of their local SEO marketing campaigns and website design. It also indicates the level of interest that people have in their products or services.
By tracking website traffic, local businesses can change their marketing strategies and website design to attract more visitors. Additionally, website traffic can measure the success of a local business’ online presence.
Tools like Google Analytics can help you track how much traffic your website receives. The insights gained from Google Analytics can help you make necessary changes to your local SEO strategy to improve your website traffic and, in turn, your local business.
There are some ways to increase website traffic. Local SEO standard methods include optimising your website for search engines, creating compelling content, and promoting your site through social media and other channels.
Leads and conversions are some of the most important KPIs to track in your local SEO strategy. After all, visibility and traffic only matter if they result in real enquiries, bookings, or sales. Without consistent leads, your local business won’t be able to grow or compete in your local market.
Many businesses focus heavily on website traffic and forget to measure actual outcomes. But local SEO is about more than just ranking—it’s about driving action from nearby customers.
To get a clear picture, you need to track all your lead sources. This includes website form submissions, live chat enquiries, and—most importantly—phone calls. Many local customers prefer to call, especially when dealing with service-based businesses or time-sensitive needs.
Setting up call tracking is a smart move. It allows you to see which marketing campaigns are driving phone leads. Tools like CallRail can integrate with Google Analytics to give you detailed call data, including call volume, duration, and source. This helps you understand which keywords, pages, or campaigns perform best.
Tracking conversions across different channels gives you better control over your local SEO campaign and helps you make smarter decisions. It also ensures that your budget and time are going towards strategies that actually deliver results.
Your conversion rate is one of the most obvious KPIs. A high ranking in local search results is great, but if people land on your site and don’t take action, your local SEO campaign isn’t delivering real value.
Tracking conversion rate helps you measure the effectiveness of your local business website. It shows whether your pages, messaging, and calls to action are working for your local audience. You can use tools like Google Analytics to track these actions and monitor how well your site supports your broader local SEO strategy.
There are different types of conversions to track, depending on your business:
Here are some practical ways to improve your conversion rate:
Even small improvements in conversion rate can make a big difference in your overall ROI. It’s a key metric to keep an eye on as you continue implementing local SEO.
Finally, customer satisfaction is a critical KPI for local businesses. You can use surveys or customer interviews to measure customer satisfaction. Google Reviews are also an excellent way to measure this.
Google Business Profiles allow customers to leave feedback about their experiences with a business. This feedback can be positive or negative, and it can help other potential customers decide whether to use a particular business. It is also a valuable source of information for businesses, as it can help owners identify areas where they need to improve their services.
There are also several factors you need to know to ensure your local SEO campaign is successful. What are they?
First, you have to set a clear-cut goal for your local SEO campaign. There are two ways to go about it—you can set a target for how much traffic you want to be driving to your site, or you can set a target for how many conversions you want to be getting for your local SEO. Either way, you need to define what constitutes success for your campaign.
For example, if your local search engine optimization goal is to drive more traffic to your site, you can specify how many visits per month you want to get from organic search results. Ten visits per month will send traffic but will not bring you much revenue. On the other hand, 15-20 visits per month will deliver traffic and revenue.
You can also specify per keyword and per page if this is the basis of your goal. A large increase in traffic will be easier to see than a large increase in revenue, but the latter is the one that you should set.
On the other hand, if your goal is to increase the conversion rate of your site, you can set your target as a percentage increase. For instance, if your conversion rate is 2 per cent and you want to raise this rate to 5 per cent, your target is a 30 per cent increase. This strategy works best for conversions like phone calls and leads because it is easier to look for a quantitative increase than for a rise in revenue.
Once you’ve set clear goals for your local SEO campaign, the next step is to analyse your competitors. This gives you insight into how other local businesses are performing in local search results. You can see what keywords they are ranking for, which local listings they appear in, and how they engage with their local audience.
Looking at your competitors also helps you spot opportunities they may have missed. A competitive gap analysis allows you to compare your current position against theirs. It shows you what they are doing well and where they may be falling short. This can highlight local keywords or platforms you should be targeting, and guide your next steps.
By identifying these gaps, you can better align your strategy and build a stronger roadmap. It helps you focus your time and effort on areas that will have the most impact—whether that’s improving your local business website, building more local citations, or refining your content to better match local search intent.
One of the most important aspects of local SEO is targeting the right keywords for local searches. You can use your competitors’ keywords to boost your rankings and get more search traffic. Additionally, you can also create new keyword variations based on what you learned from your competitors and target them as well to improve online visibility.
Although it’s better to target fewer yet relevant keywords, you never want to stick to just a few ones. If your competitors are using about five to ten keywords, and you are only using two, you are missing out on a huge chunk of the targeted search traffic. Adding more keywords will result in giving you more search traffic than your competitors. Therefore, you need to conduct thorough keyword research that your local audience uses as part of your successful local SEO strategy. This will help you rank better on the search results page and enhance your local search visibility.
One thing to keep in mind when doing local keyword research is to ensure there’s local intent to help it rank better on the search results and be seen by your local audience. With local intent in mind, you get higher chances of improving your local business marketing.
Creating content that speaks to your target location shows Google that your business is relevant in that area. This improves your local search visibility and can help turn searchers into leads or sales. In one case study, a furniture store improved its local rankings by publishing more relevant local content. They grew from 10 keywords to over 360 by focusing on what people in their area were searching for. Therefore, businesses that regularly publish local content tend to rank higher and attract more organic search traffic.
One simple way to start is by building location pages. These are pages on your site focused on specific areas or suburbs you service. Make sure to include local keywords from your keyword research and write in a way that answers common local questions. You can also create blog content based on local events, news, or topics that matter to your local audience.
Don’t forget to talk about your products or services in a local context. Help people understand why your offering matters in their area. This also increases your chance of showing up in local search results tied to mobile search and voice queries.
Many of the same strategies you use for general SEO still apply, but with a local focus. That means building links from websites that are relevant to your local area, community, or industry. The more relevant and trusted the source, the more value it brings to your local SEO campaign.
Start by understanding your target audience. Where do they get their information? What local sites do they visit? You can build links by contributing to local news sites, collaborating with other local businesses, or being featured in business directories. Sponsoring local events or charities can also lead to valuable mentions and backlinks.
Social media is another useful tool. Share content that highlights your local expertise, tag other businesses, and encourage people to share your content. The more your content is seen, the more chances you have to earn backlinks from within the community.
Strong local link building supports your location pages, improves local visibility, and helps your business compete better in the local market. It also works well alongside your efforts in citation building, content creation, and reviews—forming part of a well-rounded and successful local SEO strategy.
Citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number—often referred to as NAP. These usually appear in local business directory listings such as Yellow Pages, Yelp, or True Local. They may also show up on local news sites, industry listings, or event pages in your local area.
Citations help search engines like Google verify that your business is legitimate and located where you say it is. The more consistent your business listings are across the web, the more confident search engines feel about showing your business in local search results.
This is why NAP consistency is important. If your details are listed differently across multiple sites—for example, an old address or a different phone number—it can confuse search engines and hurt your local search visibility. It may also stop potential customers from contacting or visiting you.
It’s important to audit your citations regularly for a successful local SEO strategy. Make sure your details are correct, up to date, and consistent on every directory, review site, or listing platform. This small step supports your local SEO efforts and helps your business appear higher in the local pack and local rankings.
If you’re unsure where to start, consider using local SEO tools to find and clean up outdated or duplicate listings. This is a smart, low-cost way to strengthen your overall local SEO campaign and improve visibility in your local market.
These 8 local SEO KPIs give you a strong starting point for measuring the performance of your local SEO efforts. They help you understand what’s working, what needs improvement, and where to focus next. While every business and physical location is different, tracking these metrics is a smart first step when implementing local SEO.
If you’re not sure how to move forward, Evolving Digital Marketing Agency offers expert local SEO services to help you get found by the right people in your area. We’ll work with you to improve your visibility, attract more local traffic, and turn searches into real results.
Evolving Digital Marketing Agency offers expert local SEO services to help you get found by the right people in your area.
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