---
title: "How to Choose the Best Keywords for Your Local Business"
description: "Picking the right local keywords connects your business with customers who are ready to buy in your area. Here's a step-by-step guide with free tools."
date: 2025-03-08T00:00:00.000Z
---
Local keywords are terms that combine what your business offers with a geographic marker, like a neighborhood, city, or "near me," and they're what connects [your local business](/en/blog/por-que-seo-local-e-fundamental-para-pequenos-negocios/) with people searching for exactly that in your area. This practical guide will help you identify and select the best keywords for your local business, without the technical headaches.

## Why Do Local Keywords Matter?

Unlike global businesses, your target audience is geographically close. When someone searches "bakery near me" or "dentist in downtown," that person has high purchase or hiring intent. Showing up in those local searches means capturing customers who are ready to act.

## Step-by-Step: How to Choose Local Keywords

### 1\. Know Your Local Customer

Before touching any tool or technique, think like your customer:

-   What terms would they use to find your business?
-   What problems are they trying to solve?
-   What questions would they ask before reaching out to you?

**Practical example:** If you run an auto repair shop, your customers might search for "oil change near me," "trustworthy mechanic," or "brake repair near me."

### 2\. List the Basic Terms for Your Business

Start by building a list with:

-   The name of your main product or service
-   Common variations of those terms
-   Problems your business solves

For a pizzeria, that would be terms like: "pizza," "pizza delivery," "all-you-can-eat pizza," "artisan pizza."

### 3\. Add Local Components

Now combine your business terms with geographic markers:

-   Neighborhood name: "pizza in Downtown"
-   City name: "pizzeria in Austin"
-   Region: "pizza delivery south side"
-   The term "near me": "pizzeria near me"
-   Local landmarks: "pizza near Central Park"

### 4\. Identify What Your Competitors Are Using

Analyze the competitors that rank well on Google:

-   Visit their sites and see what words they use
-   See how they describe themselves in titles and descriptions
-   Identify words that repeat across several well-ranked competitors

### 5\. Use Free Tools to Expand Your List

A few simple tools can help you:

-   **Google Autocomplete**: Type the start of your keyword into Google and see what it suggests automatically.
-   **"Related searches"**: At the bottom of the Google results page.
-   **[Google Trends](https://trends.google.com/trends/)**: Compare how popular terms are in your region.
-   **[Google Keyword Planner](https://ads.google.com/aw/keywordplanner/home)**: Available for free in your Google Ads account.
-   **[AnswerThePublic](https://answerthepublic.com/en)**: Shows common questions people ask about a topic.

### 6\. Analyze Search Volume and Competition

For each keyword, consider:

-   **Search volume**: How many people search for that term monthly in your region.
-   **Competition**: How hard it will be to rank for that keyword.

The ideal is to find a balance: keywords with reasonable search volume but without extreme competition.

### 7\. Organize by Search Intent

Classify your keywords according to intent:

-   **Navigational**: People searching for your brand or specific business.
    -   Example: "Sweet Bread Bakery"
-   **Informational**: People looking for information about the topic.
    -   Example: "how to choose a good dentist"
-   **Transactional**: People ready to buy or hire.
    -   Example: "book a haircut today"
-   **Local**: People looking for services nearby.
    -   Example: "24h locksmith nearby"

### 8\. Prioritize Long-Tail Keywords

More specific (long-tail) terms usually have less competition and attract people with clearer intent:

-   Instead of "restaurant," use "Italian restaurant with kids' area downtown"
-   Instead of "gym," use "gym with pilates classes for seniors"

### 9\. Test and Refine Your Strategy

After implementing your keywords:

-   Monitor which ones bring the most visitors to your site
-   Watch which ones lead to the most inquiries or sales
-   Track seasonal behavior changes
-   Adjust your strategy every 3-6 months

## Practical Examples for Different Businesses

### For a Dental Clinic:

-   Basic keywords: "dentist," "root canal treatment," "teeth whitening"
-   Local component: "dentist Vila Madalena," "dental clinic west side"
-   Long-tail: "implant specialist dentist with emergency care"
-   Search intent: "book dentist appointment today," "root canal price"

### For a Clothing Store:

-   Basic keywords: "clothing store," "women's fashion," "men's fashion"
-   Local component: "clothing store downtown," "boutique Jardins"
-   Long-tail: "clothing store plus sizes with affordable prices"
-   Search intent: "where to buy party dress downtown," "store open Sunday"

### For a Beauty Salon:

-   Basic keywords: "beauty salon," "hairdresser," "manicure"
-   Local component: "beauty salon Copacabana," "hairdresser north side"
-   Long-tail: "salon specializing in curly hair with natural products"
-   Search intent: "book blowout today," "best salon for short haircut"

## What Are the Most Common Mistakes When Choosing Local Keywords?

1.  **Focusing only on generic terms**: "lawyer" has heavy competition; "real estate lawyer specialist in Tatuapé" is more specific.
2.  **Ignoring regional variations**: In some regions people say "corner store," in others "grocery" or "mini-market."
3.  **Forgetting to include the local component**: Always tie your terms to your location.
4.  **Not updating your keywords**: Search behavior changes over time.
5.  **Choosing only by search volume**: Sometimes a lower-volume keyword brings more qualified customers.

## Where Should You Use Your Local Keywords?

After selecting your best keywords, apply them in:

-   **Google Business Profile**: In your profile's description and categories
-   **Title and meta description of your site's pages**
-   **Page URLs**
-   **Content titles and subheadings**
-   **Image alt text**
-   **Blog content related to your local business**
-   **Social media profiles**
-   **Local online directories**
-   **[Structured data (Schema.org)](/en/blog/o-poder-do-schema-org-para-empresas-de-servicos-um-guia-completo-para-o-seo-local/)**: the same local keywords reinforce the LocalBusiness markup that helps Google understand your service area

## Summary: How to Choose Local Keywords

Choosing the best keywords for your local business doesn't require expensive tools: start by thinking like your customer searches, combine your service terms with geographic markers (neighborhood, city, "near me"), and use free tools like Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, and AnswerThePublic to expand the list. The criterion that matters most isn't isolated search volume, but the balance between relevance to your audience and manageable competition, since long-tail terms tend to convert better even with fewer monthly searches.

If you don't yet have a solid SEO foundation, check out our [complete guide to SEO for small businesses](/en/blog/como-fazer-seo-para-pequenas-empresas-um-guia-completo/) for the next steps after keyword research, and how to [track the rankings, conversions, and calls](/en/blog/sucesso-em-seo-local-como-acompanhar-rankings-conversoes-e-chamadas/) that these keywords generate.