11 Must-Have Tools for Effective Local SEO

I use a variety of local SEO tools daily, ranging from Chrome extensions to rank trackers and Google products. These tools provide essential data and insights that guide my clients’ SEO strategies effectively.

Among the many tools I rely on, a few stand out as particularly indispensable. I’ll explain why these tools are crucial for my work and how they contribute to developing and executing SEO strategies.

Additionally, it’s important to acknowledge their limitations. While these tools offer valuable support, they also have their shortcomings that impact how they are used in practice.

1. Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

I use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) extensively for website data, but it can be quite challenging. I often find myself questioning the comparisons I use, the dimensions I view, and the filters applied to specific pages and user types. This uncertainty makes me wonder if I’m truly getting accurate metrics.

Dana DiTomaso summed it up well: “GA4 is a great data collection tool. GA4 is not a great reporting tool.” Despite its shortcomings, GA4 is essential for local SEOs for reporting purposes.

One report I regularly check is the Landing Page report, found under Reports > Engagement > Landing Pages. This report offers insights into how well the pages where users land are performing. I filter this report to show only organic traffic by setting “first user medium = organic” and turning off “All Users.” This gives me a clear view of the performance of my organic landing pages, focusing on new user growth and key events, such as conversions.

If you want to assess the performance of a page for a specific conversion, such as phone calls, you can use the small arrow under “key events” to select that event. I save this page as a bookmark for each client to quickly access the report with pre-set filters. However, to make the landing page report truly useful, ensure that your key events are properly set up in GA4. Track all possible contact methods like click-to-call, emails, contact forms, chatbots, and text messages, and set these as key events in the GA4 admin section.

2. CallRail

To improve your SEO reporting, tracking actual phone calls made by site visitors, rather than just click-to-calls, is crucial. Click-to-call numbers can be misleading as they don’t account for users who manually dial the number or the quality of the calls. I prefer to report on first-time phone calls to get a more accurate picture of the calls generated from your organic landing pages.

CallRail is a useful tool for call tracking due to its seamless integration with GA4. By setting up a dynamic number pool on your site, you can track “first-time phone calls” to see how many new callers come from your organic landing pages. This helps gauge the real value of each page.

If a page has high traffic but few conversions, it may need some conversion rate optimisation (CRO). Conversely, if a page converts well but has low traffic, consider improving keyword rankings to drive more traffic.

3. Google Search Console (GSC)

I often spend a lot of time in Google Search Console analysing client website data. One major frustration is the data filtering and comparison features. I prefer a system like GA4, which lets you select and compare date ranges easily.

Fortunately, I found a useful GSC extension developed by Thijs van Hal. This extension simplifies the process of selecting and comparing date ranges and provides percent changes and search volume data directly within the platform.

However, GSC does have some limitations. For example, Google sometimes doesn’t show all query data, particularly for less frequent searches. This can be problematic for smaller businesses with limited traffic.

Despite this, GSC’s click data tends to be more accurate than its impressions data. One issue is that Google doesn’t filter out rank tracker data, which can inflate impressions counts. These spikes in impressions often correspond with rank tracker scans.

4. Google Business Profile Insights

Google Business Profile (GBP) Insights is a popular tool among local SEOs, but it has its drawbacks. The platform provides data on search queries, call volumes, and website clicks, but it’s limited to six months of data and often withholds a lot of search information.

For a more comprehensive view, it’s beneficial to connect GBP Insights to Looker Studio via the API. This integration provides up to 18 months of data, offering valuable year-over-year search term insights, especially useful for seasonal businesses. The API also avoids the data thresholds applied by GBP Insights, giving a fuller picture of all search queries.

5. Places Scout

Places Scout is a highly accurate local keyword tracking tool that stands out for its robust features. It allows you to create custom grid tracking reports for both local map and organic rankings.

Local rankings can vary due to factors such as search location and Google’s city boundaries, which also impact organic rankings. Places Scout addresses these variations effectively.

Another valuable feature of Places Scout is its SERP screenshot capability. The tool captures screenshots of search results for each location in an organic ranking report. These screenshots are saved within the tool and are useful for analysing changes in organic rankings.

6. Local Falcon

Local Falcon is a well-regarded tool for local rank tracking, providing quick scans of local rankings that are ready in minutes. However, it does not track organic rankings.

One standout feature of Local Falcon is its proprietary metric called Share of Local Voice (SoLV). This unique metric measures how often a business appears in the top three positions on Google Maps. A higher SoLV score indicates better visibility in local searches for the scanned keywords. This feature sets Local Falcon apart from other rank trackers, making it a valuable tool for local SEO.

7. Ahrefs

I use Ahrefs daily, particularly its Keyword Explorer tool, which is excellent for finding high-traffic questions and long-tail queries related to specific keywords.

However, a limitation of Ahrefs is that it does not provide search volume metrics at the state or city level, only at the country level. This can be a drawback for local SEO efforts.

On the plus side, Ahrefs offers various tools for backlink and offsite SEO research. The Link Intersect tool, for instance, helps you identify backlinks your competitors have that your site does not, simplifying competitor link analysis.

Tip: Use the Ahrefs extension to view ranking numbers directly in the search results, making it easier to see your page’s position.

8. Google Ads Keyword Planner

Google Ads Keyword Planner is a reliable tool for obtaining local keyword search volume data, given that the data comes directly from Google.

Unlike many other tools, Keyword Planner allows for detailed local targeting, providing search volume metrics down to state, city, or even zip code level. This feature is useful for developing a highly localized keyword strategy. For instance, it can help you compare the search volume for terms like “ac repair” versus “ac service” in a specific city, guiding you on which keyword to focus on for better results.

The main drawback is that you need an active Google Ads account to use it, but if you have access, it’s a valuable resource.

9. SEO Pro Extension

SEO Pro Extension is my top choice for quickly reviewing metadata, headers, schema, and other technical elements of a webpage.

It offers a clean, user-friendly design that allows for fast examination of backend page elements. This tool is especially useful for SEO audits, technical audits, and ensuring that on-page SEO work has been correctly implemented.

10. GS Location Changer

GS Location Changer is an essential browser extension for local SEO work. It allows you to simulate searches from different locations by changing your IP address. This tool is useful for checking local SERPs manually and verifying rankings when clients provide screenshots of their search results. It’s quick and accurate, making it a valuable addition to your SEO toolkit.

11. Awesome Screenshot

Taking screenshots of your key keywords is important because SERPs can change frequently. While Places Scout automatically captures screenshots with each organic ranking update, having a dedicated screenshot tool like Awesome Screenshot is useful for situations where you don’t want to use credits for a new ranking scan. Awesome Screenshot offers both free and paid versions and includes a Chrome extension.

Additionally, Awesome Screenshot features a screen recorder, which is helpful for creating instructional videos for clients. Instead of lengthy emails, you can record a short video showing the steps to complete a task, like resetting a password or navigating the GBP dashboard. This approach can be more effective than written instructions, especially for clients who may not fully read long emails.