TECHNICAL · SEO GLOSSARY
Local SERP
The search engine results page Google shows for local intent queries — characterised by a map pack (three GBP listings with map, ratings, and business details) appearing above traditional organic results, followed by local organic web results, and sometimes followed by national results if local supply is insufficient.
Definition
A local SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is the specific layout Google serves for queries with local intent — queries where the user is looking for businesses, services, or locations in a specific geographic area. Local SERPs differ structurally from national SERPs: (1) **Map pack (local pack)**: the three-listing map unit appearing at the top of the page (often with a "More places" expansion). Each listing shows business name, category, star rating, review count, address, hours, and a link to the GBP listing. Map packs appear for queries with high local commercial intent — "plumber near me", "coffee shop Manchester", "dentist open Saturday". (2) **Local organic results**: traditional blue-link web results appearing below the map pack, typically from business websites, local directory listings (Yelp, Yell, TripAdvisor), and locally-relevant content pages. Local organic results are ranked by standard SEO factors (page authority, on-page relevance) with geographic weighting. (3) **"People also search for" local entities**: Google sometimes shows a carousel of nearby or related businesses following the map pack. (4) **Knowledge panel**: for known business entity queries (brand name + location), Google may show a knowledge panel drawing from GBP data on the right side of the desktop SERP. Local SERP features by query type: (1) High-immediacy queries ("near me", "open now") → large map pack with distance/open-status filters. (2) Research queries ("[service] [city]") → map pack + local organic results from directory sites and business pages. (3) Branded local queries ("[business name] [city]") → branded knowledge panel + map pack. (4) National service queries with no local intent → no map pack. Local SERP analysis — checking what Google shows for target queries in the specific target location — is essential before investing in local SEO, as it determines whether the query triggers local results at all.
Why it matters for SEO
Local SERPs present a fundamentally different competitive landscape from national SERPs: there are only 3 map pack positions (vs 10 organic positions), and the map pack is displayed above organic results on mobile with the full screen — making map pack visibility often more valuable than position 1 in organic results for local commercial queries. Understanding local SERP structure helps local businesses prioritise between GBP optimisation (which affects map pack rankings) and on-page SEO (which affects local organic rankings) based on which SERP real estate is most achievable and most valuable for their specific queries.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
DeepSEOAnalysis audits the business website linked from the GBP listing — the technical quality of the website that appears in local organic results and that GBP links to as the business\'s website. LocalBusiness schema, CrUX Core Web Vitals, canonical configuration, and AI visibility all contribute to local organic rankings. The structured data audit is particularly relevant for local SERPs: Google uses LocalBusiness schema to cross-reference website entity data with GBP listing data, improving entity confidence and local ranking signals.
GLOSSARY
Related terms
technical
Local SEO Ranking Factors
The three primary signals Google uses to rank businesses in local search results (the local pack / map pack): proximity (how close the business is to the searcher), relevance (how well the business matches the query), and prominence (how well-known and trusted the business is — based on reviews, citations, and website authority).
Read definition →technical seo
Local Pack SEO
Optimisation strategies targeting the "local pack" (also called the "map pack") — the Google SERP feature showing 3 local business listings with a map for location-based queries — distinct from standard organic SEO, with ranking factors dominated by Google Business Profile signals.
Read definition →technical
Google Maps SEO
Optimisation of a business\'s Google Business Profile and associated signals to appear prominently in Google Maps search results — where ranking is determined by the same three local factors (proximity, relevance, prominence) as the local pack, with GBP completeness and review quality as the primary controllable levers.
Read definition →technical
Proximity Signals (Local SEO)
The geographic distance signals that Google uses to determine which local businesses are closest to a searcher — derived from the searcher\'s device location, IP address, or explicitly stated location in the query — and which are the primary determinant of local pack ranking that businesses cannot optimise away.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Local SERP.
The free DeepSEOAnalysis audit checks local serp and 100+ other signals. Full report, no signup.
Run a free audit →