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All lessons in Local SEO Lesson 7.1 of 61

Module 1: Introduction to Local Search

  1. 1.1What is local search marketing?
  2. 1.2How does Google local search work?
  3. 1.3Google Search vs. Google Maps: what's the difference?
  4. 1.4How does Google determine local rankings?
  5. 1.5What is the local search customer journey?

Module 2: Google Business Profile

  1. 2.1How to set up a Google Business Profile
  2. 2.2How to verify a Google Business Profile
  3. 2.3How to choose the right business categories
  4. 2.4How to optimize business information and services
  5. 2.5How to add photos, videos, products, and updates
  6. 2.6How to manage multiple locations in Google Business Profile
  7. 2.7Service-area businesses vs. storefronts

Module 3: Local Keyword Research and Search Intent

  1. 3.1How to find local keywords
  2. 3.2City, neighborhood, and service-based keywords
  3. 3.3Understanding near me searches
  4. 3.4Transactional vs. informational local intent
  5. 3.5How to research local competitors and keywords
  6. 3.6How to map keywords to locations and services

Module 4: Local Landing Pages and Website Optimization

  1. 4.1How to create location landing pages
  2. 4.2How to optimize local service pages
  3. 4.3How to write location-relevant titles and content
  4. 4.4How to build location and service page architecture
  5. 4.5How to avoid duplicate and thin location pages
  6. 4.6Local business schema and structured data
  7. 4.7How to keep your website and Business Profile consistent

Module 5: Reviews and Reputation Management

  1. 5.1Why do reviews matter for local businesses?
  2. 5.2How to build a customer review generation process
  3. 5.3How to respond to positive and negative reviews
  4. 5.4How to handle fake or policy-violating reviews
  5. 5.5Review policies and ethical reputation management
  6. 5.6How to monitor review trends and customer sentiment

Module 6: Local Citations and Business Listings

  1. 6.1What are local citations?
  2. 6.2Name, address, and phone number consistency
  3. 6.3How to find relevant business directories
  4. 6.4How to create and update business listings
  5. 6.5How to identify duplicate and incorrect listings
  6. 6.6Industry-specific and local directory opportunities

Module 7: Local Authority and Competitive Visibility

  1. 7.1How to analyze local search competitors
  2. 7.2How to earn local links through community partnerships
  3. 7.3Local sponsorships, organizations, and media
  4. 7.4How to build local brand recognition
  5. 7.5How to evaluate competitor reviews and business profiles
  6. 7.6How to identify local visibility gaps

Module 8: Local Search Tracking and Reporting

  1. 8.1How to track local rankings across geographic areas
  2. 8.2Understanding Google Business Profile performance
  3. 8.3How to measure calls, website visits, and direction requests
  4. 8.4How to track local leads and conversions
  5. 8.5How to use Google Search Console and Analytics for local SEO
  6. 8.6How to create local search performance reports

Module 9: Local Search Strategy by Business Type

  1. 9.1Local search for restaurants and retail stores
  2. 9.2Local search for service-area businesses
  3. 9.3Local search for professional services
  4. 9.4Local search for healthcare and other regulated industries
  5. 9.5Local search for multi-location businesses
  6. 9.6Local search for new and small businesses

Module 10: Local Search Audits and Practical Projects

  1. 10.1How to conduct a local search audit
  2. 10.2How to audit a Google Business Profile
  3. 10.3How to check local landing pages and citations
  4. 10.4How to evaluate reviews and competitor visibility
  5. 10.5How to build a prioritized local search action plan
  6. 10.6How to create a 30-day local search improvement plan

How to analyze local search competitors

Inside this lesson

  • How to choose which competitors to study
  • What to compare across competitors
  • How to build a competitor comparison table
  • How to turn findings into actions

Short answer

Local competitor analysis means studying the businesses that outrank you in the local pack and organic results. Compare their categories, review count and rating, photos, posts, website pages, citations, and local links. Put the findings in one table. The biggest gaps between you and the top three competitors become your priority actions.

Choose who to study

Pick your two or three most valuable keywords. Search each from inside your area, or use a rank tracker set to your location.

Write down the top three in each local pack. Businesses that appear more than once are your main rivals.

What to compare

For each competitor, collect:

Google Business Profile

  • primary and additional categories
  • review count and average rating
  • photo count and recent updates
  • services and products listed

Website

  • service and location pages
  • title tags for main pages
  • whether the profile links to a location page

Off-site signals

  • main directory listings
  • local links, like news, associations, or sponsors

Build a comparison table

ItemYouRival ARival BRival C
Primary category
Reviews
Rating
Photos
Service pages
Local links

Fill it in and mark each cell where you are behind. These are your gaps.

Turn gaps into actions

For each gap, write one action. “Rival A has 220 reviews, we have 40” becomes “Ask every customer for a review, target 20 per month.”

The rest of this module shows how to close link, brand, and review gaps.

Quick quiz

1. Which competitors should you study first?
2. What is a gap?
3. How often should you redo the analysis?

Common mistakes

  • Studying only your favorite rival. Study who actually ranks.
  • Collecting data without acting. Every gap needs an action.
  • Copying competitors exactly. Learn from them, then do better.

Your action

Build a comparison table for your chosen business. Your progress saves on this device.

Key terms

Competitor analysis
Studying rival businesses to learn why they rank or win customers.
Comparison table
A table listing you and competitors side by side.
Top three
The businesses shown in the local pack for a search.
Benchmark
A level to compare yourself against.
Gap
A difference where a competitor is ahead.

Questions beginners ask

How many competitors should I study?

The top three for your two or three most important keywords is enough to start.

What if a competitor is far bigger than me?

Study them anyway, but also study similar-sized rivals you can realistically beat.

How often should I redo this?

Every three to six months, or when rankings change sharply.

Related lessons

Want someone to handle SEO for your business while you learn? The team at Remar Digital can help.