local-seo
kostja94/marketing-skills
Optimize local search visibility through Google Business Profile setup, NAP consistency, and strategic citation building.
What is local-seo?
This skill guides businesses in improving their local search rankings by establishing accurate Google Business Profile listings, ensuring Name-Address-Phone (NAP) consistency across 40+ authoritative directories, and building targeted citations. Use it when optimizing for local search, setting up or auditing Google Business Profile, or addressing local visibility issues.
- Assess business type (storefront vs. service-area) and current listing status
- Audit NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across directories and fix discrepancies before expansion
- Optimize Google Business Profile elements: address, description, hours, category, and service-area settings
- Prioritize citation building across Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Yelp, BBB, and niche directories
- Identify and resolve duplicate entries and outdated data that harm local rankings
How to install local-seo
npx skills add https://github.com/kostja94/marketing-skills --skill local-seo- Access to Google Business Profile account (or ability to claim/create one)
- Current business information: official name, address, phone number, hours
- List of directories where the business currently has listings (if any)
- Optional: BrightLocal, Whitespark, or Moz Local for citation audits
How to use local-seo
- 1.Gather business details: type (storefront or service-area), location(s), and existing listings
- 2.Run a NAP audit across major directories to identify inconsistencies or duplicates
- 3.Establish the canonical NAP format (exact spelling, abbreviations, formatting)
- 4.Claim or optimize Google Business Profile with correct address, 750-char description, hours, primary category, and service-area settings
- 5.Fix all NAP inconsistencies in existing citations before adding new ones
- 6.Submit to priority directories in order: Google Business Profile → Apple Maps → Yelp/Bing/Facebook → BBB/Foursquare/Nextdoor → niche directories
- 7.Monitor and maintain consistency quarterly
Use cases
- A plumber wants to appear in local search results and Google Maps for their service area across multiple cities
- A retail storefront needs to fix inconsistent business information across directories that's confusing Google's ranking algorithm
- A healthcare provider must audit their citations on Healthgrades and other medical directories to ensure accurate contact details
- A service-based business is setting up their first Google Business Profile and needs guidance on category selection and description optimization
- A multi-location business discovers duplicate or conflicting listings and needs a systematic audit and consolidation plan
- Local business owners and managers
- SEO specialists focusing on local search
- Service-area businesses (plumbing, HVAC, cleaning, consulting)
- Retail and storefront operators
- Healthcare and professional service providers
local-seo FAQ
Local SEO optimizes for geographic search (Google Maps, local pack) with NAP consistency and citations. Programmatic SEO creates many location pages at scale. Use this skill for local optimization; use programmatic-seo for location page generation.
Google uses NAP to identify and rank your business. Inconsistencies (e.g., 'Street' vs 'St.') cause Google to treat listings as separate entities, fragmenting your visibility and rankings.
No. Prioritize quality over quantity. Focus on Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Yelp, BBB, and niche directories relevant to your industry. Submitting to low-authority directories wastes time and can dilute your signal.
Yes, if you're a service-area business with no storefront. Hide the address and define your service areas instead. This prevents customers from trying to visit a non-existent location.
Quarterly audits are recommended to catch outdated information, duplicate entries, or new directory opportunities before they impact your rankings.
Full instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from kostja94/marketing-skills.
name: local-seo description: When the user wants to optimize for local search, set up Google Business Profile, or build local citations. Also use when the user mentions "local SEO," "Google Business Profile," "Google Maps," "NAP," "citations," "local search," "local business," or "service area." For location pages, use programmatic-seo. metadata: version: 1.0.1
SEO: Local
Guides local SEO: Google Business Profile, NAP consistency, and citation building. Businesses with accurate NAP across 40+ authoritative sites see ~19% higher visibility in Google Maps. Use this skill when optimizing for local search, setting up GBP, or auditing citations.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Initial Assessment
Project context: Read root contextus.md when present and load only the modules relevant to this task. Without Contextus, use available project material or user-provided facts and ask for missing information; do not create a parallel context system.
Identify:
- Business type: Storefront vs service-area
- Location: Single or multiple
- Current listings: Existing GBP, directories
NAP Consistency
NAP = Name, Address, Phone. Critical for local rankings.
| Rule | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Exact match | "Street" vs "St." or "LLC" inconsistency = Google may treat as different entities |
| Fix first | Audit and fix inconsistencies before adding new citations |
| Tools | BrightLocal, Whitespark, Moz Local for audit |
Google Business Profile
| Element | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Address | Physical address; no P.O. boxes |
| Description | 750 chars; primary keywords in first 100 |
| Hours | Accurate; seasonal availability |
| Category | Primary category matches business type |
| Service-area | Hide address if no storefront; define service areas |
Citation Building
Targeted precision over submitting to every directory.
Priority order:
- Google Business Profile
- Apple Maps
- Yelp, Bing Places, Facebook
- Better Business Bureau, Foursquare, Nextdoor
- Niche directories (Healthgrades, Angi, etc.)
Citation Audit
- Incorrect or outdated data
- Duplicate entries
- Missing listings on key directories
Fix before adding; compounding errors harm rankings.
Output Format
- NAP (exact format for consistency)
- GBP optimization checklist
- Citation priority list
- Audit findings (if applicable)
Related Skills
- geo: GEO for AI search; local + AI overlap
- localization-strategy: Multilingual; local + i18n
- directory-submission: Directory listings; different from local citations
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