8 Best Local SEO Tools to Help Your Business Get Ahead in 2023

Local SEO is becoming increasingly vital for businesses with physical locations. As competition for ranking in local search results intensifies, having the right local SEO strategy and tools can provide that extra edge.

This definitive guide will explore the top 8 local SEO tools in 2023 that can take your local marketing efforts to the next level.

Why Local SEO Matters

Here are some key stats that demonstrate the importance of local SEO:

  • 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information – food, stores, services nearby. So almost half of searches present an opportunity to connect with local customers.

  • 97% of mobile searchers follow up an online search with a real-life purchase or visit – underlining how local SEO can drive offline conversions.

  • Over 85% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations when making purchase decisions. Managing your online reputation is crucial.

Simply put, if you’re a local business not tapping into local SEO you’re leaving money on the table. The good news is getting started is easier than ever with this handpicked list of the best tools available.

Top 8 Local SEO Tools Compared

Here is an overview of key features for the top local SEO tools:

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Now let’s explore each of these tools in more detail:

1. Moz Local

Moz Local is designed specifically for multi-location brands who need to manage numerous local business listings. Key features include:

  • Listing distribution – Moz Local will push your NAP (name, address, phone) details to 100+ directories and databases to improve findability.

  • Listing management – The tool monitors all your listings across top sites like Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp and syncs updated business details in real-time.

  • Review monitoring – Aggregates the latest online reviews from dozens of sites into one dashboard allowing you to instantly flag and respond to negative feedback.

Moz Local is trusted by large brands like Pepsi, UPS and Farmers Insurance to optimize online visibility for their many physical locations. It starts from $99 per month.

2. BrightLocal

BrightLocal is packed with useful tools to audit, improve and monitor your local SEO, including:

  • Local search visibility tracking – Shows exactly how your locations rank against key terms in Google local and map packs.

  • Automated citation building – Identifies and submits key business info to leading local directories.

  • GMB audit – Compares your Google business profile against competitors and surfaces areas needing optimization.

The tool covers all the bases to strengthen your foundation for local SEO success. Plans start from just $15 per month for a single location site.

3. Whitespark

Whitespark prioritizes two highly effective local SEO tactics:

Location citations – Submits your NAP information to optimize findability on directories, maps and apps.

Reviews – Their automated reputation builder collects customer testimonials across the web to showcase popularity.

Add-on services provide local page speed optimization, link building and Google Posts management. Packages start around $300 per month with setup fees.

4. Yext

Yext powers local SEO at enterprise scale with their Search Experience Cloud. Core features include:

Listings – Manages real-time accuracy of local business details like opening hours across destinations – from Siri to Yahoo.

Reviews – Aggregates ratings and customer sentiment data into interactive dashboards.

Landing Pages – Creates customized pages optimized to rank in local SERPs and answer customer questions.

Major brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Arby’s and Best Western use Yext’s tools to control local SEO at over 100,000 global locations.

5. SEMrush

Popular SEO tool SEMrush offers a robust suite of local SEO capabilities such as:

GMB optimization – Templates to perfect every section of your Google business profile from photos to description.

Monitoring – Tracks local organic and map pack rankings down to zip code-level location targeting.

Reporting – Customizable reports analyzing clicks, calls and direction requests from GMB listing.

It’s a cost-effective option for solo entrepreneurs and small agencies to maximize Google visibility. Plans from $99.95 per month.

6. Birdeye

Birdeye makes multi-location management simple with features including:

Centralized dashboards – Track local rankings, reviews and campaigns for all locations.

Listings sync – Auto-updates core business info across 70+ sites.

Insight reports – Details where customers are searching, clicking and calling from.

Great for brands managing 10 to 10,000+ locations. Packages start around $200 per month.

7. Nightwatch

Nightwatch offers accurate rank tracking with unique differentiators:

Local and global tracking – Monitor website positions across countries in both organic and local/map results.

Search engine breadth – Track ranks not just on Google, but also Bing, YouTube and eBay.

Backlink analysis – Discover top referring domains and toxic backlinks harming rankings.

Plans begin from $24 per month making it accessible for most budgets.

8. Synup

Synup provides listing syndication and syncing for franchises and mid-market businesses. Features include:

Bulk listing registration – Automates adding business categories and photo uploads to citations.

Listing analytics – Tracks local SEO KPIs like search visibility, clicks and calls by location.

Reputation management – Monitors and responds to customer feedback from review sites.

Packages start from $99 per month for up to 10 locations.

Fundamentals of an Effective Local SEO Strategy

The tools above supercharge optimization efforts, but what exactly makes for good local SEO? Key factors include:

Optimizing Google My Business – Complete and verify profiles for each location with engaging posts, offers and photos.

Earning Local Reviews – Positive customer feedback signals trust and social proof to searchers.

Building Citations – Correct NAP listings on key directories boost local findability.

On-page Optimization – Tailor page titles, meta descriptions and content to include relevant geo-modifiers and business types.

Link Building – Earn links from neighborhood blogs, newspapers, chambers of commerce sites etc.

Also vital is monitoring and reporting on key metrics across these areas to identify issues and opportunities to improve local visibility.

Key Local SEO Trends for 2023

Local SEO never stands still. Adapting strategy to the latest trends can help future proof your efforts. Considerations for 2023 include:

Voice search optimization – Optimize content for long-tail natural language queries.

Hyperlocal targeting – Go beyond just cities – focus SEO on specific neighborhoods.

Reviews – Increased integration of reviews in local packs make reputation key.

Mobile responsiveness – Over 60% of searches are mobile so fast loading, mobile-friendly pages are vital.

Conclusion

Local SEO may seem complicated but the right tools make executing an effective strategy far simpler. This handpicked list offers options for businesses of all sizes and budgets.

Combined with foundational on-page and off-page best practices, these solutions can position your business to stand out online, drive foot traffic and boost conversions.

The key is picking a platform tailored to your needs, thoroughly optimizing profiles and monitoring the data to capitalize on opportunities to growth local visibility.

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