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Marina Lippincott
You’re investing time and resources into local SEO, but how do you know it’s working? Local SEO reporting transforms raw data into actionable insights that prove value and guide strategy. The challenge isn’t collecting data. It’s identifying which metrics actually matter and presenting them in ways that connect to business outcomes.
Too many local SEO reports drown stakeholders in vanity metrics like impressions and page views without answering the question that matters most: Is this driving customers through the door? The best reports tell a clear story connecting visibility improvements to calls, foot traffic, and revenue.
of all Google searches have local intent
of local mobile searches lead to a visit within 24 hours
of local searches result in a purchase
What Makes Local SEO Reporting Different
Local SEO reporting differs from traditional SEO reporting because local search success depends on a unique set of signals and platforms. While organic SEO focuses primarily on website rankings and traffic, local SEO must account for Google Business Profile performance, Map Pack visibility, review signals, citation consistency, and physical-world actions like phone calls and direction requests.
The goal isn’t just driving website visits. It’s driving real-world customer actions. A local plumber doesn’t care about page views. They care about the phone ringing. Your reports should reflect that reality by prioritizing metrics that tie directly to business outcomes.
Key insight: According to the 2025 Marketing Agency Benchmarks Report, 57% of agency leaders cite AI’s impact on organic search as their top concern. Despite this, local businesses that track the right KPIs and adapt their strategies continue to see strong results from local search.
Essential Local SEO KPIs to Track
Not all metrics deserve equal attention. Focus your local SEO KPIs on the signals that predict and measure business outcomes. Here are the metrics that matter most, organized by what they tell you about your local search performance.
Google Business Profile Metrics
Profile Views
How many times your listing appeared on Google Search and Maps. Track trends over time.
Search Queries
The actual terms people used to find your business. Reveals keyword opportunities.
Direct vs. Discovery Searches
Direct means they searched your name. Discovery means they found you via category/service.
Customer Actions
Clicks to call, direction requests, website visits, and bookings from your GBP listing.
Ranking & Visibility Metrics
Local Pack Rankings
Your position in the Map Pack (local 3-pack) for target keywords and locations.
Share of Local Voice (SoLV)
How often you appear in the top 3 across a grid of locations in your service area.
Local Organic Rankings
Your website’s position in organic results for location-based keywords.
Impressions by Location
Geographic data showing which neighborhoods are driving the most search visibility.
Conversion & Revenue Metrics
Phone Calls
Calls from GBP click-to-call and website. Use call tracking for detailed attribution.
Form Submissions
Contact form completions, quote requests, and appointment bookings from local traffic.
Direction Requests
People requesting GPS directions indicate high intent to visit your location.
Revenue Attribution
Track revenue from customers acquired through local search when possible.
Google Business Profile Insights
Google Business Profile Insights is your primary data source for understanding how customers interact with your local listing. Access it through your GBP dashboard by clicking the Performance tab. The data reveals not just how visible you are, but how that visibility converts to customer actions.
Pay special attention to the distinction between direct and discovery searches. Direct searches mean someone searched for your business name or address specifically, indicating brand awareness. Discovery searches happen when someone searches for a category or service you offer and finds you. High discovery search numbers signal strong local SEO performance because you’re attracting customers who didn’t already know you.
Search Queries
See exact terms people used to find you. Use this to optimize GBP categories, services, and website content.
Calls
Track click-to-call actions from your listing. High-intent signal that often leads directly to appointments.
Directions
Direction requests indicate intent to visit. Critical metric for retail, restaurants, and service locations.
Website Clicks
Visits to your website from GBP. Monitor alongside on-site conversion rates for full picture.
Review Metrics That Impact Rankings
Reviews directly influence local rankings and customer decisions. According to industry research, review signals account for over 15% of local pack ranking factors. Your local SEO reports should track review performance comprehensively.
Track total review count, average star rating, and review velocity (how frequently you receive new reviews). Review recency matters more than ever. Google’s algorithm favors businesses with fresh reviews over those with stale review profiles, even if the older profile has more total reviews. A steady stream of new reviews signals an active, trusted business.
Track Review Sentiment
Google’s AI reads your review content. Monitor for keyword mentions in reviews, as reviews containing service keywords (like “emergency plumber” or “wedding photographer”) can boost relevance for those terms.
Website Analytics for Local SEO
Google Analytics and Search Console provide essential data for understanding how local search traffic behaves on your website. In Google Analytics 4, segment traffic by geographic location to see which cities and regions drive the most visits and conversions.
Key website metrics for local SEO reporting include organic traffic from local searches, conversion rates by location, landing page performance for location pages, and mobile vs. desktop behavior (most local searches happen on mobile). Use Google Search Console to track impressions and clicks for location-based keywords, and identify queries where you’re appearing but not getting clicks.
Tracking Local Conversions
Set up conversion tracking in GA4 for the actions that matter to local businesses: phone calls (using call tracking), form submissions, direction clicks, and appointment bookings. Assign values to these conversions based on your average customer value to calculate ROI from local SEO efforts.
Local Rank Tracking
Rankings remain important context, even as the focus shifts toward business outcomes. Use a local rank tracking tool that monitors positions for specific geographic points, not just city-wide averages. Your ranking in the Map Pack can vary significantly across different neighborhoods within the same city.
Tools like Local Falcon, BrightLocal, or Semrush Local offer grid-based rank tracking that shows your visibility across a map of your service area. This reveals geographic weak spots where competitors outrank you, helping prioritize optimization efforts.
Don’t Over-Report Rankings
Ranking fluctuations are normal and can distract from what matters. Report ranking trends and significant changes, but focus stakeholder attention on the business metrics that rankings ultimately influence.
Tools for Local SEO Reporting
The right tools make local SEO reporting efficient and comprehensive. Start with free tools, then add specialized platforms as needed.
Google Business Profile
Primary source for listing performance, search queries, and customer actions.
Google Search Console
Organic search impressions, clicks, and keyword data. Essential for local organic tracking.
Google Analytics 4
Website traffic, conversions, and user behavior. Segment by location for local insights.
Looker Studio
Build custom dashboards combining data from multiple sources into unified reports.
BrightLocal
Local rank tracking, citation auditing, and comprehensive local SEO reporting.
Local Falcon
Grid-based rank tracking showing visibility across geographic points.
AgencyAnalytics
White-label reporting with GBP integration and automated report delivery.
Semrush
Local SEO toolkit including rank tracking, listing management, and competitive analysis.
Building Effective Local SEO Reports
The best local SEO reports tell a story that connects actions to outcomes. Start with an executive summary highlighting key wins and areas for improvement. Lead with business impact metrics, then provide supporting context about rankings and visibility.
Report Structure That Works
Executive Summary
Key wins, challenges, and recommendations in 2-3 sentences. What happened and why it matters.
Business Impact Metrics
Calls, leads, direction requests, and revenue. The numbers stakeholders care about most.
Google Business Profile Performance
Profile views, search queries, and customer actions with month-over-month trends.
Rankings & Visibility
Local pack positions, organic rankings, and Share of Local Voice with competitive context.
Reviews & Reputation
New reviews, average rating, review velocity, and sentiment trends.
Actions & Recommendations
What was done this period and what’s planned next. Connect activities to results.
Reporting for Multi-Location Businesses
Multi-location businesses need location-level detail and rolled-up executive views. Create individual reports for each location tracking its specific GBP performance, rankings, and conversions. Then build executive dashboards comparing locations, identifying top performers, and flagging locations needing attention. Benchmark locations against each other to surface best practices that can be applied across the portfolio.
Reporting Frequency and Cadence
Monthly reports work best for most local businesses. This provides enough data to identify meaningful trends without overwhelming stakeholders with too-frequent updates. Use weekly check-ins internally to monitor critical metrics like rankings and review activity, catching issues before they compound.
Quarterly strategic reviews allow for deeper analysis: comparing seasonal performance, evaluating campaign effectiveness, and adjusting strategy based on what the data reveals. Annual reports can show year-over-year growth and inform budgeting decisions for the coming year.
Local SEO Report Checklist
Start with an executive summary connecting actions to business outcomes
Include GBP metrics: views, search queries, and customer actions (calls, directions, clicks)
Track local rankings with geographic specificity (not just city-wide averages)
Report review metrics: total count, average rating, velocity, and recency
Include website traffic and conversions from local search sources
Show month-over-month and year-over-year trends for context
Visualize data with charts and graphs, not just tables of numbers
Document actions taken and explain their expected impact
Include competitor context where relevant (review comparison, ranking gaps)
End with clear recommendations and next steps for the coming period
Get a Complete Picture of Your Local SEO Performance
Our SEO audit analyzes your current local search visibility, identifies gaps, and provides a roadmap for improvement with clear, measurable KPIs.
