How to track and measure the results of your local SEO efforts?
Implementing an effective tracking and measurement strategy is crucial for evaluating the success of your local SEO efforts. Properly monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) allows you to gauge your return on investment and identify areas needing improvement. The top metric for SEO is tracking your local keyword rankings regularly. Use a tool like SEMRush, Moz, or Ahrefs to check where your targeted local keywords rank in Google for your metro area. Compare against top competitors to see if you’re ranking above or below them. Look for positive ranking trends over time for your core geo-focused terms. Optimizing to reach page 1 for priority keywords will drive results.
Analyze organic traffic changes
Higher local rankings should translate into increased organic website traffic from search engines. Using Google Analytics, review organic traffic segmented by location to see if your local metro area visitors are growing from SEO efforts. Traffic will fluctuate month-to-month, so look for overall growth trends. More local organic users indicate your visibility is expanding. A key goal of local SEO is generating more phone calls, contact form submissions, foot traffic, and customer inquiries from your geographic target market. Use call tracking software or forms analytics to quantify the number of monthly calls/leads coming from local organic traffic. Calculate the value of these leads to determine your SEO return on investment.
Review google search console data
A local SEO agency near me uses Google Search Console to find information about searches, clicks, impressions, average rank, and click-through rates. Check your top-performing pages for local search visibility. Review clicks and CTR from local keywords to see which terms send the most local traffic to help refine your optimization. The Google My Business dashboard provides valuable local SEO metrics including total searches, calls, directions, website clicks, and photo views from your listing. Monitor for upward trends over time. Use GMB insights to identify your top trafficked business categories and optimizations that increase actions. This informs your local listings strategy.
Audit local citations
Local citations (directory listings) help improve local SEO rankings. Frequently audit your NAP (name, address, phone) consistency across key sites like Yelp, Yellowpages, and Mapquest. Fix any discrepancies in your business name, location details, or contact information across citations to maintain optimal local authority. Reviews make your business appear more reputable and trusted by local consumers. Check that your positive Google, Facebook, and other platform reviews are steadily increasing from local SEO efforts. More 5-star ratings and recommendations drive higher local rankings and conversions. Aim for at least 30+ recent reviews.
Measure local site engagement
Beyond traffic, look at site engagement metrics for local visitors like pages per session, session duration, and bounce rates. High engagement shows site content resonates well with local searchers. Also, track conversions from phone calls, contact form usage, and walk-ins to quantify SEO sales impact. Define specific monthly goals for rankings, traffic, leads, and ROI based on business objectives. Establish benchmark metrics to compare against month-over-month for tracking local SEO progress. Review data regularly to spot trends and issues. Measurements keep optimization efforts on track. Consistent tracking provides tangible evidence of your local SEO success and opportunities for refinement. Optimizing visibility hinges on monitoring meaningful metrics, so you prove the ROI and maximize outcomes from local organic searches.
