Local Pages 101: Everything You Need to Know About Local SEO Content

0:04
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Local Pages 101 everything you need to know.

0:10
So my name is Eileen Lozano.

0:12
I’m the senior onboarding manager here at Elkamer.

0:15
And today we’re going to start with some introductions.

0:17
I’m joined by two by two of my colleagues.

0:19
So Nick, why don’t you go ahead and start us off and introduce yourself.

0:23
Hello, my name is Nick Larson.

0:25
I am the product manager here that overseas our local Pages products.

0:30
Anna.

0:31
Hi everyone.

0:31
My name is Anna Rendells.

0:33
I’m the senior optimization strategist, but I sit on our listings team and I’m really passionate about all things listings and SEO.

0:40
Happy to be here.

0:42
Awesome.

0:43
Really glad that you guys are doing this with me today.

0:45
So today we’re going to talk local pages and demystify and show you guys why they’re absolutely critical for any business with physical locations.

0:53
So whether you have 5 or 500 locations, this session will give you a foundation and everything you need to understand and leverage local pages effectively.

1:02
So let’s look at our agenda and see what we’re going to cover today.

1:05
Oops, sorry about that.

1:07
Our introductions, which we already got started with, we’re going to talk a little bit about what are local pages, then why you should have local pages.

1:15
Then Anna’s going to take us through Google listings and local pages and how those two things work together.

1:21
And then Nick’s going to take us through Geo and the importance of local pages and search.

1:25
Lastly, we’ll deep dive into the anatomy of a local page and we’ll wrap up with a little Q&A.

1:30
And if you can count how many times I say local page in this webinar, there might be a prize.

1:35
Just kidding, but I feel like we’re going to say it a lot.

1:38
OK, so let’s get started.

1:40
So what are local pages?

1:41
So let’s start with the basics.

1:43
So Simply put, a local page is a dedicated web page on your corporate website for each of your physical business locations.

1:49
So think of this as your location’s digital home page on your website.

1:53
So on the left side of your screen here you can see an example of a local page.

1:59
It includes all the essential information a customer needs, so the address, phone number, hours of operation, and often additional details like services offered, staff information, and directions.

2:11
On the right is the actual store locator, so this is a directory page that helps customers find and navigate to individual location pages.

2:19
So together, this solution makes up your local pages.

2:24
Here’s the key thing to remember These just aren’t static information pages.

2:28
They’re powerful SEO assets that help customers find you and help search engines understand and rank your businesses.

2:34
So when someone searches for a coffee shop near me or a dentist in San Diego, your local pages are what’s going to help you show up in those results.

2:42
And with Alkamer, our local pages solution includes 3 key components.

2:46
So the first one is going to be an individual location landing page again, which is what you see on the left side, a searchable store locator, which is what you see on the right, and then directory pages that organize your locations.

2:57
And so the best part of the solution is that all of this can be managed in one place, in one dashboard, making it the single source of truth for all information.

3:05
So let’s talk a little bit about why you need local pages.

3:10
So the simple answer is to dominate page one of search results.

3:13
So look at the search results example and when someone searches for your business in an industry with location specific terms.

3:21
So whether that’s near me searches, branded searches like Starbucks downtown or keyword based searches like best pizza in Chicago, your like local pages are what’s going to help you rank.

3:31
So think of it this way.

3:32
Your Google page is essentially like your business card.

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It’s tells your story.

3:37
Your local pages are like your storefront.

3:40
They give you the space to showcase everything that makes your location unique and it builds trust with your potential customers.

3:46
It gives search engines the rich content they need to competently rank you.

3:51
And so again, without local pages, you’re really giving up that prime real estate on page one to your competitors who do have them.

3:58
And in today’s digital landscape, if you’re not on page one, well, you really might as well not exist.

4:04
So Anna’s gonna talk to us a little bit more about Google listings and local pages and why those two things are so important together.

4:10
Yeah, let’s do it.

4:12
So Google listings, one of my personal favorite subjects, and local pages work together pretty much hand in hand.

4:18
They’re quite the power couple.

4:20
So on the right hand side, you will be seeing a Google Business profile.

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On the left, you’re seeing the corresponding local page, so notice how the information matches.

4:28
That’s not just good practice, it’s crucial for your local SEO success.

4:33
And here’s why this really matters.

4:34
Google uses your local page as essentially A credibility check for your Google listing.

4:39
When the information matches perfectly, same hours, same phone number, same address, Google says OK, this business is legitimate and consistent.

4:47
But when there’s a mismatch.

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So let’s say your Google listing says you’re open until 11:00 PM, but your local page says you’re open until 10:30 PM.

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Now Google doesn’t know which to trust, and neither do your customers.

4:59
That confusion alone can cost you rankings, but more importantly, it can cost you customers who show up after you’ve already closed.

5:06
This is especially important for businesses that need to make quick updates.

5:10
So imagine your restaurant chain and there’s a weather emergency you need to close early.

5:14
Within The Alchemist dashboard you can update your hours one time and it pushes to your Google listing and your local pages.

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No complex processes, no delays that could leave your customers ultimately super frustrated.

5:26
So the key take away here is your Google listing and local page should be mirror images of each other and always In Sync.

5:34
Alrighty, now moving right along.

5:36
I know I mentioned this, but the connection between the Elkamore dashboard and your listings as well as your local page is incredibly powerful.

5:43
And here’s a visual to show you kind of what I mean.

5:46
So on the left hand side, you can see the different fields you can control directly within the dashboard.

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Yes, of course ours, but also highly impactful optimization fields like in store pickup and same day delivery.

5:59
These details aren’t just informational though, they directly influence visibility, conversions and customer decisions.

6:05
And remember, you’re not doing this alone.

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Our team will work with you to optimize both your local pages and your listings, so everything stays aligned and competitive and fully, fully optimized.

6:16
And the goal is really what you see on the right hand side, which is 100% listing’s accuracy and 100% listing’s presence.

6:23
Meaning your customers will not only find you when they search, but the right information will be popping up as well.

6:29
Now I’m going to pass it over to Nick.

6:32
All right, thank you, Anna.

6:33
Yeah.

6:33
Let’s dive into the importance of local pages in traditional search.

6:36
And let’s talk numbers for for a minute.

6:39
So according to White Sparks 2026 local search ranking factor study on page signals, which are the signals from your local pages represent about 15% of the ranking factors that Google considers, which makes local pages the third most important factor right after your Google business profile and review signals.

6:58
And why does Google Google cares so much about your local pages?

7:00
Really.

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Googles ultimate goal is to satisfy search intent, so they want to show users the most accurate and helpful results as possible.

7:09
And really, Anna’s example that she gave earlier still applies.

7:12
So for example, if restaurant A, the Google listing says it’s open until 11:00 PM and the local page confirms that, but restaurant B, the Google listing says it’s open until 11:30, but the local page says it’s closes at 10:30, Google will naturally rank Restaurant A higher because the information is consistent and trustworthy.

7:32
Really, this principle applies to everything on your local pages.

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So if you list yourself as a pediatric dentist on Google, you better have content about pediatric services on your local pages.

7:44
Also, if you claim to offer emergency services, that should clearly be stated on your local pages as well.

7:50
And if you serve a specific community, make sure to mention that community by name on on your local pages.

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The the moral of the story here is, the more you’re on page content reinforces and validates your Google listing and vice versa, the more Google will trust you and the higher you’ll rank.

8:06
It is really that simple.

8:08
So let’s move on and dive into a little bit about the importance of local pages and the new search landscape, specifically as it relates to generative engine optimization.

8:18
Really, this is the future of search.

8:21
I’m sure everybody on this webinar has heard about AI and how it’s affecting the the overall business world.

8:28
Well, it’s also affecting search.

8:31
And so you’ve probably noticed that search is changing.

8:34
Users are asking much more complex questions, and so when you search on Google or if you go to Chachi, PT or Clod or really any other AI tool, you’re increasingly getting direct answers instead of just a list of links.

8:47
And this is generative search.

8:50
AI engines are reading and understanding content across the web and then generating customized responses to those questions.

8:58
So here’s what you’re seeing on screen is a quick example of a generative search result.

9:02
So notice how it’s not only just showing you a list of businesses, but it’s actually reading local pages and other content across the web.

9:11
AI is essentially understanding the content and creating helpful conversational answers that might recommend specific businesses based on the context of the question that was asked.

9:21
And this is obviously huge for local businesses, and here’s why.

9:25
So really, the rules are a little bit different between traditional search and Geo.

9:30
So in traditional search, you optimize for specific keywords and Google ranks you based on those signals.

9:36
But in generative search, AI models are actually reading and comprehending your entire page.

9:43
They actually understand the context, the nuance, and can answer much more complex questions about your business.

9:49
So, for example, someone might ask which dental office in Austin has experience with anxious patients and offers Saturday appointments.

9:58
A generative AI engine can read your local pages, understand that you specialize in that anxiety free dentistry and that you’re open on Saturdays and recommend your business specifically 2nd.

10:11
Secondly, content depth matters more than ever now.

10:14
AI needs substantial, detailed content to understand what makes your location or your business unique.

10:21
You know, a bare bones page with just an address and a phone number just won’t cut it anymore.

10:26
You really need to talk about your services, your specialties, even your team and what makes you different.

10:32
And 3rd, this is really important and we’re, we’re going to keep harping on this, but accurate, consistent information is critical.

10:39
So when an AI engine pulls information from your local page and includes it in a recommendation, that information better be accurate.

10:48
The same as traditional search.

10:49
You know, if someone calls your hours and they’re wrong, or if or shows up and you don’t offer the service that the AI engine said that you do, that’s obviously a very bad customer experience and it’ll train the AI not to recommend you in the future.

11:05
The businesses that are really preparing for this now by creating rich, detailed, accurate local pages are gonna have a massive advantage as generative search becomes the norm.

11:14
And it’s obviously becoming the norm much faster than than you might think.

11:19
So now we have the the reasons why local pages are important, kind of how it affects search from a traditional standpoint and for generative engine optimization.

11:28
Let’s actually dive into the anatomy of a local page, and we’ll talk about what makes a a good optimized local page.

11:37
So let’s start with the very top.

11:39
You have your header and your meta information, so this might not be visible to users, but it is critical for search engines.

11:46
So this includes your page title tag, which should include your business name, city, and potentially a key service.

11:53
Your meta description is that snippet that shows up in search results and your schema markup.

11:58
And this is your schema.

11:59
Markup is structured data that helps search engines understand exactly what your business is.

12:05
Next you have your hero section with your business name, a quality image of your location, and hopefully a primary call to action.

12:15
And really this is the prime real estate on your local page moving down a little bit.

12:20
Then comes your core contact information.

12:22
So this is your address ensuring that is formatted correctly for local SEO.

12:27
Your phone number, which is ideally the local phone number for that location and your hours of operation and hours should be detailed.

12:35
Don’t just say Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 5:00.

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If you can show every single day, that is better.

12:41
Store hours are important because users might search for open Now searches, and understanding which day you’re open and closed is extremely important.

12:50
It’ll help with evening and weekend searches as well as special or holiday hours planning.

12:56
Then you’ve got your store features or services.

12:59
So this is where you can start telling your customers what makes this location special.

13:05
So think of questions like, do you have wheelchair accessibility?

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Do you offer a drive through?

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Do you offer curbside pickup?

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Do you have bilingual staff?

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Or do you offer any specialty services?

13:16
Really, the moral of the story here is that every single detail matters because every detail is something a customer might be searching for.

13:24
Let’s move on down the page a little bit.

13:29
You also wanna have specific kind of local intent on your local pages, such as promotions and coupons.

13:37
Really, this is gold for driving traffic.

13:40
So whether you’re offering a first time customer discount or maybe a seasonal promotion or loyalty program, this really gives a potential customer a reason to choose your location today.

13:51
Plus, promotional content is easily refreshed regularly and search engines love that they want content to be updated consistently.

14:00
Next up, we have some more content dense areas this on the page.

14:05
So this might include service descriptions with local keywords.

14:09
This might includes more information about your team or your staff or even why customers choose your choose your location.

14:16
And you also have the ability to highlight any community involvement or local partnerships that you might have.

14:22
Really the key here is natural helpful content.

14:26
You don’t just want to stuff keywords onto your local pages.

14:29
You really want to write content for humans first, in search engines 2nd and really tell your story as a business.

14:37
So a quick example of that instead of just saying, you know, we are a dentist in Phoenix, say something like.

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Our Phoenix dental practice has been serving the Desert Ridge community for 15 years, offering comprehensive family dentistry with a focus on patient comfort and preventative care.

14:56
Moving on a little bit, let’s talk about the bottom of your page, which is equally as important as the top of your page.

15:03
Really, you want to have clear calls to action or ways for customers to contact you.

15:08
So for example, if you’re in retail, you might want to include an additional get directions or shop now button, or if you’re in healthcare, a book appointment or contact us CTA.

15:18
Or if you’re in the restaurant industry, think of an order online or a view menu button.

15:23
Really, you would just want to make it as simple and straightforward for customers to take a next step to get in contact with you as a business.

15:31
Another example that you can certainly add onto your pages are reviews or testimonials.

15:38
You really want to have the ability to show or embed Google reviews our feature customer testimonials.

15:47
Those really add social proof and fresh content.

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Search engines and customers you know trust businesses with visible positive reviews.

15:57
Lastly, you really want to make sure that your local pages are comprehensive but not overwhelming.

16:04
You know every element should serve a purpose with either helping the customer or helping a search engine understand and rank your page.

16:13
Really cut anything that doesn’t do one of those two things.

16:16
And again, lastly, we’ll keep, I know I said we’re gonna keep on harping it, but your local pages really do need to be consistent with your brand, but they should be customized for each location.

16:27
So a cookie cutter approach here just won’t cut it anymore.

16:30
And each location serves, you know, a unique community and has unique needs.

16:37
With that, that concludes the content portion of this webinar and I think we have a little bit of time for Q&A.

16:46
That’s correct.

16:46
Thank you, Nick.

16:47
But before we get into the Q&A, we are going to throw up a little poll here.

16:50
We definitely want to make sure that we hear from you.

16:53
So take a second to fill that out and we do have a lot of questions, Nick.

16:59
This first one I think kind of goes along with the pro tip that you gave us at the bottom.

17:03
So how does Alkimer’s, how does Alkimer’s local pages uphold our clients brand standards?

17:10
Yeah, absolutely.

17:11
So that’s really part of our design process and that’s the beauty of our solution is we’re a extremely customizable and flexible solution.

17:19
So as a part of our kind of design and onboarding process as it relates to local pages, we’ll work directly with your team.

17:27
If you have a designer, great, but we’ll work directly with your team to get all of your, your brand and, and kind of styling guidelines.

17:35
So that includes colors, fonts, logos.

17:38
We try to match the header and footer.

17:40
Really the moral of the story is that we want to build your local pages so that there is a seamless customer experience between someone that might be on your corporate site and someone that might be on an individual location page.

17:53
The branding should match as close as we can possibly make it.

17:57
Awesome, thank you.

17:58
And this other question I think kind of maybe talks a little bit more about location count.

18:03
So we did mention like whether they have 5 or 500, this individual has 50 locations, they want to know if local pages would still benefit them.

18:11
What what would you say, Nick?

18:13
Yeah, I would say, I would even expand that.

18:16
I would say if you have, you know, one location or if you have 10,000 locations, local pages are, are really important because really again, at the end of the day, they’re there to build authenticity and SEO value for your brand, regardless of how big or small your business is is and really managing these pages as Anna kind of highlighted to match your Google listings and Alchemer’s one stop shop approach is, is truly critical.

18:45
Awesome.

18:46
And I think maybe the last question for today, just because of time.

18:50
So how do I know what is considered good content for my local page?

18:55
Yeah, really depends on sort of your business, what industry you’re in as well as your business goals.

19:00
The good news is we’re pro team over here.

19:03
We’ve launched local pages across dozens of clients in many different industries and that’s kind of part of what our on boarding process looks like.

19:11
We ask you those questions about what your goals are.

19:14
You know, we’ll ask you questions like what keywords do you want to rank higher for and that type of thing.

19:18
So really it does depend on your industry and your business goals, but we offer a ton of thought leadership as a part of our our overall Local pages product and our on boarding experience.

19:30
Awesome, thanks so much Nick and Anna.

19:34
But before we go today, so there is AQR code on your screen.

19:38
We wouldn’t be a survey and feedback company if we didn’t hear from you.

19:42
So we want to know a little bit about how we did today.

19:45
So again, please scan the QR code and make sure that you submit your feedback before you leave today.

19:51
Nick, Anna, thank you so much for joining me and talking a little bit about Local Pages and we will see you guys on the next one.

19:57
Bye bye everyone.