Local SEO Strategies for Brick-and-Mortar Stores: Get Found by Nearby Customers

Paolo Casula
May 12
4 min read

In today’s digital-first world, brick-and-mortar stores can no longer rely solely on foot traffic and traditional advertising. Local customers increasingly turn to search engines to find nearby businesses — whether they’re looking for a bakery, salon, or hardware store. That’s where local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) comes in. It helps ensure your business appears in relevant local search results, map packs, and directory listings, making it easier for nearby customers to find and visit you.

In this guide, we’ll explore actionable local SEO strategies tailored specifically for physical store locations and small businesses.

Why Local SEO Is Crucial for Brick-and-Mortar Businesses

Local SEO is all about optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches on Google and other search engines. These searches often include location-based keywords such as “near me,” city names, or specific neighborhoods.

According to BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey, 98% of consumers used the internet to find information about local businesses in 2023. If your store isn’t showing up in local search results, you’re likely missing out on valuable foot traffic and revenue.

1. Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) — formerly Google My Business — is one of the most powerful tools for local SEO. It helps your business show up in Google Maps and the Local Pack (the box of business listings that appears at the top of search results).

Key Steps:

Claim your business via Google Business Profile Manager.
Ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent and accurate.
Choose the correct business categories (e.g., "Italian Restaurant," "Shoe Store").
Add high-quality photos, business hours, and a compelling business description.
Collect and respond to customer reviews to build trust and improve local ranking.

Google’s own guide to improving local ranking offers valuable best practices.

2. Use Local Keywords Strategically

Integrating local keywords into your website content and meta data helps search engines understand your geographic relevance.

Where to Use Local Keywords:

Page titles and meta descriptions
Headings (H1, H2, etc.)
Image alt text
Product or service pages
Blog posts and FAQs

Example: Instead of targeting just “shoe repair,” optimize for “shoe repair in Austin, TX.”

Tools like Ubersuggest or Moz’s Keyword Explorer can help you find relevant local search terms for your niche.

3. Create Location Pages for Each Storefront

If you operate in multiple locations, it’s important to create a dedicated landing page for each store. Each page should contain:

The store’s address, phone number, and directions
Hours of operation
A Google Map embed
Location-specific customer testimonials or promotions
Unique content describing the store's offerings

This helps improve your visibility for location-specific searches and reduces duplicate content issues.

Learn more about optimizing location pages from Yoast’s guide to local SEO.

4. Build Local Citations and Directory Listings

A local citation is any online mention of your business’s NAP details. The more consistent and widespread your citations are, the more trustworthy your business appears to search engines.

Where to List Your Business:

Yelp
YellowPages
Bing Places
Apple Maps
Foursquare
Industry-specific directories (e.g., Zocdoc for healthcare)

You can also use tools like Whitespark or Moz Local to identify citation opportunities and ensure consistency across the web.

5. Get More Online Reviews — and Respond to Them

Customer reviews are a major ranking factor in local SEO. According to Search Engine Journal, businesses with more positive reviews and review responses tend to rank higher in the local pack.

How to Encourage Reviews:

Ask satisfied customers in person or via email/text.
Add “Review Us” links to your website and receipts.
Offer small incentives (while staying within platform guidelines).

Make sure to respond to every review, positive or negative, to show engagement and professionalism.

6. Optimize for Mobile and Voice Search

A large portion of local searches happen on mobile devices or via voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. Your website must be:

Mobile-responsive
Fast-loading (under 3 seconds)
Secure (HTTPS)
Easy to navigate with click-to-call buttons

Additionally, optimize for voice search by targeting conversational keywords and questions (e.g., “Where is the best pizza place near me?”).

Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test Tool to check your site’s performance.

7. Leverage Local Content Marketing

Creating local-focused content on your blog or website is a great way to attract more local traffic. Think beyond promotional posts — provide value that helps local users.

Local Content Ideas:

“Top 5 Summer Events in [Your City]”
“How to Prepare for Winter in [Region]”
Interviews with local influencers or business partners
Store reopening announcements or community outreach stories

Use tools like AnswerThePublic to discover what local customers are searching for.

8. Use Schema Markup for Local SEO

Local business schema markup is structured data that helps search engines better understand your business. Adding local schema to your site can improve your chances of appearing in rich results (like map pins and business hours in search).

Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or a plugin like Schema Pro to easily implement this on your website.

Final Thoughts

Local SEO isn’t just for tech-savvy companies — it’s essential for any brick-and-mortar business looking to attract more nearby customers. By optimizing your Google Business Profile, using the right local keywords, encouraging reviews, and creating location-specific content, you’ll not only improve visibility in search but also drive more foot traffic to your storefront.

For ongoing education, check out:

Moz’s Local SEO Guide
Neil Patel’s Local SEO Checklist
BrightLocal’s Local SEO Resources