The Local SEO Cheat Sheet [Free PDF Download]

Whether you're an SEO agency representing several brands, work in-house managing multiple locations, or if you're a local business owner tasked with marketing your business, keeping on top of your local SEO tasks can be a hurdle. We created the SEO's Local Search Cheat Sheet to help you stay on track. Download the full PDF for free below!

With the Local SEO Cheat Sheet you'll be able to answer questions like:

• What info do you need to onboard a new client?
• Is your business eligible for a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) listing?
• How do I find support from Google for my local search question?
• What local data do I need to include on my website?
• How do I manage my online reputation and reviews?
• What do I do when my site fails to rank?
• What are key local SEO concepts?
• How can I earn linked unstructured citations?
• What kind of local content should I write about?
• What is hyperlocal marketing?
• How can I identify my local competition?

Download the handy five page Local SEO Cheat Sheet and share with your colleagues, train up new hires, or print it out and tape it up for quick reference while you work — however you use it, we hope the Local SEO Cheat Sheet serves you well. Happy optimizing!

Keep learning

Supplement the Local SEO Cheat Sheet with these articles, videos, and downloads to level-up your local marketing.

• What is a Local Citation? - Clear explanation of what a local citation is, how to check your business citations and the different types of citations.

• Where to Get Local Citations - List of major players platforms and sites in the local citation ecosystem.

• 4 Step Guide to Local SEO - In this quick video series, Moz Customer Success experts walk through important local marketing best practices and how to put them into action using Moz Local.

• What are the Options for Active Citation Management?

• The Ultimate Guide to Local Search Ranking Factors

• Local SEO Certification - In this six-part Certification, you’ll receive nearly six hours of on-demand, instructor-led content, covering the fundamentals, local competitor research, location data management, reputation management, and measuring and tracking success.

• In Real Life: Local SEO Tactics - In this Moz Academy course, local business owners learn how to get the most out of their SEO strategy using skills and knowledge they already have.

• The Essential Local SEO Strategy Guide - A comprehensive beginner's guide to SEO marketing for small businesses.

Google Business Profile Basics (Formerly Google My Business)

What is Google Business Profile? - Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business, is a multi-layered platform that enables you to submit information about local businesses, to manage interactive features like reviews and questions, and to publish a variety of media like photos, posts, and videos.

Local SEO resources:

• The Essential Local SEO Strategy Guide - A comprehensive beginner's guide to SEO marketing for small businesses.
• 7 Absolute Beginner Local SEO FAQs - Starting your local SEO strategy from scratch? Ramp up with simple answers to these commonly asked questions for absolute beginners.
• Do You Need Professional Reputation Management? Why you should manage your small business reputation in an ear of social-local-mobile interaction.
• Should You Pay for Local Listings Management? Does citation management still matter in the grand scheme of local SEO?
• Location Data + Reviews: The 1–2 Punch of Local SEO - Get found. Get chosen. It’s the local SEO two-step at the heart of every campaign.
• The Local Algorithm: Relevance, Proximity, and Prominence – Take three minutes and learn about the core factors driving Google's local algorithm from one of the industry's foremost experts, Mary Bowling.
• 2020 Local SEO Success: How to Feed, Fight, and Flip Google – Feed Google the right information, fight spam, and flip it into an opportunity: these are the top 3 ways to chase local SEO success in 2020.
• Google My Business: FAQ for Multiple Businesses at the Same Address – How should you get listed in Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile) if you’ve got multiple businesses at the same address? How many listings are you eligible for if you're running more than one business at a location? Get answers to your top questions in this comprehensive FAQ.
• Generating Local Content at Scale – Ease the pain of building local landing pages at scale with the help of natural language generation in this video by Russ Jones.
• Getting Smarter with SERPs – These days, every SERP is local. And when we're basing important decisions on them, using the highest quality data is key. Russ Jones explores the problem with SERPs, data quality, and existing solutions in this Whiteboard Friday video.
• The Impact of Local Business Reviews on Consumer Behavior | SEO Industry Report - Our local business review survey outlines key takeaways regarding the impact of reviews on consumer behavior and local business success. Learn more about the fundamentally important inclusion of online local business reviews in any local SEO strategy.

COVID-19 resources:

• Crisis Adaptation: Video & Checklist – Businesses all over the globe are struggling with new challenges as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With consumers turning to the internet for the majority of their needs, it's never been more vital to ensure your online presence is easily found and your business updates clearly communicated.
• Operating During COVID-19: Helpful Tips for Local Businesses – In this article, get local SEO tips that could make a difference for your business in the coming weeks, innovative resources for support, advice from some of the world’s best local SEOs, and ideas on building a better local future.
• How Your Local Business Can Be a Helper – Local businesses and their communities are hurting right now. Learn how your business can make a difference while implementing creative new strategies to garner goodwill and lifelong customers.