Local SEO
Business profile and keyword targets
The saved business profile that every measurement centres on, location verification, local or national targeting, the service radius, and up to 25 tracked phrases per domain.
Updated · 2 min read
Rank checks and map scans measure a position for a business in a place. The profile says which business and which place; the keyword targets say which phrases.
The business profile
- Web: a domain's SEO & search tab, Local & profile, Google Business Profile. iOS: Local SEO, Business.
- API/MCP:
GET/PUT /api/local-seo/business-profile; toolsget_local_seo_profile,save_local_seo_profile.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Business name | Matched against the Google Business Profile |
| Location | City and state; verified against the ranking data's coverage before it is accepted |
| Street address and phone | Optional; used by citation and listing audits |
| Service business | Whether you travel to customers (no storefront) |
| Targeting | Local (a service area; required for map scans) or national |
| Service radius | Up to 250 miles; sets how far apart map-scan points are spaced |
POST /api/local-seo/business-profile/verify-location is free and separate from saving, so a city that is not covered can be swapped for a nearby one before anything is spent. GET /api/local-seo/locations and /locations/coverage browse coverage from cache without spending.
Discovery
POST /api/local-seo/discover reads your homepage and proposes the business name, city, phrases and competitors, for you to correct. It spends nothing.
Keyword targets
- Web: a domain's SEO & search tab, Keywords, Check positions now. iOS: Local SEO, Keywords; each phrase has its own Check button and the screen leads with "Check all N phrases".
- API/MCP:
GET/POST /api/local-seo/keywords,DELETE /api/local-seo/keywords/:id; toolsget_local_keyword_targets,add_local_keyword_target,delete_local_keyword_target.
Up to 25 phrases per domain, each up to 120 characters. Adding a phrase twice does nothing. Deleting one keeps the rank history already recorded.
Keyword research
Behind the targets sit paid research actions: search volume (72 for up to 50 phrases), keywords for this site (20), related (72), trends (9), local opportunities (4). GET /api/local-seo/keywords/ideas lists ideas already bought.
Common questions
Which city should I pick for a service business that covers several? The one you most want to rank in. Map scans can be centred on any covered city you pick, not only the saved one.
My phrase is refused as too long. 120 characters is the cap; a phrase that long is not what anyone types.
Keep reading
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