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All lessons in Local SEO Lesson 8.6 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 create local search performance reports

Inside this lesson

  • What a good local SEO report includes
  • How to structure a monthly report
  • How to explain results in plain words
  • How to turn the report into next steps

Short answer

A local search performance report summarizes visibility, customer actions, and business results each month. Include local rankings, Business Profile views and interactions, review count and rating, website visits from local search, leads, and work completed. Start with a short summary, explain changes in plain words, and end with clear next steps for the coming month.

What to include

A good local report answers three questions: Are we more visible? Are customers taking action? Is it bringing business?

Track these KPIs:

  • Visibility: average local rank for main keywords
  • Profile: views, calls, direction requests, website clicks
  • Reviews: new reviews, average rating, response rate
  • Website: local search clicks and visits from the profile
  • Leads: calls, forms, bookings, and messages by source

A simple structure

  1. Summary: three sentences on the month.
  2. KPI table: this month, last month, same month last year.
  3. What changed: short explanations for big moves.
  4. Work completed: tasks done this month.
  5. Next steps: three to five actions for next month.

Example summary:

“Calls from Google rose 18% month over month after we added services and new photos. Rankings improved in Daraga but dipped in Tabaco, where a new competitor opened. Next month we will build the Tabaco location page.”

Keep it plain

Owners want meaning, not jargon. Instead of “impressions increased,” write “more people saw the clinic on Google.”

Compare month over month for short-term changes and year over year for seasonal businesses.

Make it a habit

Use the same template every month. Pull numbers on the same date. Over time, the report becomes a clear story of growth.

Quick quiz

1. Which belongs in the KPI table?
2. Why compare year over year?
3. How should the report end?

Common mistakes

  • Too many numbers. Focus on a few KPIs.
  • No explanations. Say why numbers moved.
  • No next steps. A report should lead to action.

Your action

Create a report template for your chosen business. Your progress saves on this device.

Key terms

Performance report
A regular summary of results and work done.
KPI
A key performance indicator, a main number you track.
Month over month
Comparing this month with last month.
Year over year
Comparing this month with the same month last year.
Next steps
Planned actions for the coming period.

Questions beginners ask

How often should I report?

Monthly works for most local businesses. Weekly is usually too noisy.

Which tool should I use?

A spreadsheet, slides, or Looker Studio all work. Clarity matters more than the tool.

How long should a report be?

One to three pages is enough for most clients or owners.

Related lessons

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