5 tips for better local SEO reporting

Reporting is one area where many firms fall short, particularly in local SEO.

Unlike corporate and worldwide firms with C-level executives and stockholders, many small businesses are primarily interested in increasing foot traffic.

Agencies may better serve local companies and develop deeper connections by streamlining our approach and focusing on providing only highly relevant data.

Here are five suggestions to help you enhance your local SEO reports and better serve your local clientele.

Simplify reports
Simplifying your SEO reports is a suggestion that not just local SEO firms should follow, but every agency should.

As marketers and communicators, our natural instinct is to deliver as complete a report as possible. This is especially true when marketers try to mask poor campaign outcomes behind a pile of data.

Our reports, on the other hand, should give a clear and straightforward tale about how effectively our marketing strategies are performing.

Complicated reports with extraneous data detract from campaign success and cause some readers' eyes to glaze over.

Choose the right metrics
Choosing the right data to create a story with data is an important part of the process.

Most local companies are solely concerned with two key metrics: traffic and conversions.

This is not to say that you should overlook every significant indicator, but rather that you should select metrics that are pertinent to your story.

Even measures like total traffic don't tell you how qualified that traffic is or where it comes from.

Segment keywords by location
As we go deeper into the local parts of SEO, we must ensure that our reports are sufficiently configured to solely report on local keyword data.

You'll need an advanced keyword tool for this part, such as Semrush, Moz, or Ahrefs.

In this example, I utilized Semrush to establish a new project and integrate position tracking on my most crucial keywords.

As you can see in the screenshot below, I set up position tracking for searches in the Houston metropolitan region. I can then upload keywords from Semrush or even Google Analytics to report on.

Segment traffic by device
Filtering data by device is also important for tracking local SEO initiatives.

That's why I prefer to include parts in my reports that detail traffic by device, right down to the location and device level.

In terms of local SEO, mobile search traffic is likely more essential than desktop traffic, especially when click-to-calls and mobile ordering are included, both of which are typically done on a smartphone or other mobile device.

Track local SEO results
Another significant distinction in Google's approach to local searches is the use of tools such as the Local Search Pack and Google Business Profile.

For many local businesses, Google Business Profile listings may be a far better source of conversions and foot traffic than their actual website.

To track Google Business Profile data with any traditional reporting tool, you'll need to sign up for a connection.