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LOCAL SEARCH
Understanding Local Search
Local search is one of the most powerful tools small businesses can use to compete with larger companies online. When someone searches for a business, service, or product in a specific area, search engines like Google and Bing (through browsers such as Chrome, Edge, or Safari) display results that highlight local businesses first. For example, if a customer types “restaurants near me” or “plumbers in Bel Air, MD”, Google shows a map with three highlighted businesses (the Google 3-Pack), along with a mix of local and national companies in the organic results. This combination gives small businesses the opportunity to appear right where potential customers are searching, often before big competitors.
At Coastal Web Marketing, our SEO experts specialize in helping businesses rank in the top three of local search so your company stands out on both the map and in organic listings. We provide local SEO for small businesses in Bel Air, Baltimore, and we also work with clients across the country.
Key parts of local search include:
Google Business
Profile (GBP)
Claiming and optimizing your GBP listing ensures your hours, contact info, reviews, and photos show up when customers search.
Organic SEO
Optimizing your website with local keywords and accurate location-based information to help rank higher on search engines.
Mobile
Search
Many local searches are done on mobile devices, helping people find services nearby.
Local
Directories
Listings on trusted directories like Yelp, Angi, and Yellow Pages build credibility and improve local visibility.
Localized
Content
Creating blogs, and website content that focuses on your area can help attract local customers.
Local search is essential. Without optimization, you’re invisible to customers right in your own neighborhood.
What Does Google Local Search Look Like?
When you search for something like “Local SEO Company Bel Air,” Google shows three main sections on the results page:
- Sponsored Ads: These are paid listings that appear at the very top.
- Google Map Pack (also called the Google 3-Pack): This section shows a small map with three local businesses underneath it. These are the top local results based on relevance, distance, and reviews.
- Organic Listings: These are regular website results that appear below the map and ads.
Ideally, your business should appear in both the Google Map Pack and the organic results to get the most visibility.
Why Local SEO & Local Intent Matter
In the SEO world, the technical term for “near me” or location-based searches is local intent. Put simply, these are the moments when people are actively looking for a product or service nearby. Because the searcher is already in buying mode, local intent searches are some of the highest-value opportunities your business can capture.
When someone types “coffee shop near me” or “best plumber in Bel Air, MD,” they’re not just browsing. They’re ready to visit, call, or make a purchase and if your business shows up in that moment, you’re the one they’re likely to choose.
The latest research makes it crystal clear:
46%
of all Google searches have local intent or are looking for nearby businesses, according to BrightLocal (2024).
76%
of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit a business within a day, according to StudioHawk (2024).
42%
of searchers click on Google’s local “map pack” listings — those top three businesses with the map, according to Backlinko (2024; cited by BrightLocal)
136%
increase in “near me” searches since 2018, according to SEO Design Chicago (2025).
The takeaway? Local searches aren’t casual clicks. They’re action-ready prospects looking for what you have to offer. If your website and Google Business Profile aren’t optimized for local SEO, you’re missing out on customers who are ready to choose a business like yours today.
The Importance of
Optimizing with Local Intent
Our SEO plans are designed to help businesses with a physical location or those serving a specific area improve their visibility in local search results. We focus on getting your business into the Google 3-Pack, the top three local listings, which include key details like hours, address, phone number, photos, and reviews.
SEO Experts
Plenty of agencies dabble in SEO—few actually excel at it. Trust your growth to experts who know how to get results.
Three Main Criteria
for Local Search Rankings
Relevance
How relevant are your products and services to the search query?
Prominence
Do you have consistent 5-star reviews, ratings, and online mentions? This can help you place higher on search engine result pages.
Distance
How close your business is to the person searching. Google weighs all three factors when deciding which businesses appear in the 3-Pack.
With Coastal Web’s Local SEO services, our experts help get your business into the Top 3 local search results.
Running a small business is demanding and marketing budgets are often tight. That’s why local SEO is one of the most cost-effective ways to attract new customers.
Our team helps you:
- Rank in the Google 3-Pack (map pack).
- Optimize your website for local keywords.
- Build strong local citations and directory listings.
- Generate more 5-star customer reviews.
With Coastal Web, you don’t just get another SEO agency. You get a team with over 25 years of hands-on experience helping businesses in Bel Air, Baltimore, across Maryland and nationwide to grow online visibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Local search highlights businesses within a specific area, often showing a map and business listings. Example: “coffee shop near me.”
It connects you directly with ready-to-buy customers in your service area.
The Google 3-Pack is the map + Top 3 listings that appear for most local searches. Being in this section drastically increases clicks and calls.
Start by optimizing your Google Business Profile, building local citations, gathering reviews, and creating localized website content.
Local search focuses on geography-based results (map pack), while organic results are determined by relevance and website authority.
Ready to Grow Your Local Visibility?
At Coastal Web, we help local businesses compete head-to-head with your competition by making sure you’re visible when it matters most.
See how we can help your business rank higher in local search results.
The content on this page has been thoroughly reviewed and approved by Mike Parr, President of Coastal Web Marketing. As an industry expert with over 30 years of experience and a leader in the Computer and Marketing, field, Mike Parr ensures that all information presented on this page is accurate, reliable, and in full compliance with industry standards. We are committed to providing transparent, trustworthy, and high-quality service, and this page reflects our dedication to maintaining the highest levels of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EEAT) for our valued customers. See our privacy policy, our SMS Text Privacy Policy, and our BLOGs for more details about SEO educational material. Updated October 30, 2025.