What is Local Organic Results?
Local organic results are the standard blue-link search results that appear below the local pack on a Google search results page — influenced by both traditional SEO ranking factors and local relevance signals like geographic proximity and local content.
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What are Local Organic Results?
Local organic results are the traditional blue-link search listings that appear below the local pack (the map with 3 business listings) on Google’s results page for location-based queries.
These results blend traditional SEO ranking signals — content quality, backlinks, technical health — with local relevance factors like geographic content, city pages, and NAP data. A search for “plumber in Denver” shows the local pack at the top, followed by local organic results that typically include plumber websites, directory listings, and local review sites.
According to BrightLocal data, 35% of all local search clicks go to local organic results — a significant traffic source that many businesses ignore while focusing exclusively on the local pack. Businesses that rank in both the local pack and local organic results capture the most total traffic.
Why Do Local Organic Results Matter?
The local pack gets attention, but local organic results drive substantial clicks too.
- 35% of local search clicks — ignoring organic results means leaving a third of potential traffic to competitors
- More stable than local pack rankings — organic rankings are less volatile than local pack positions, which fluctuate heavily with distance
- Capture different types of queries — informational local searches (“cost of dental implants Denver”) appear in organic results, not the local pack
- Build authority for pack rankings — strong organic rankings feed into prominence, which helps local pack performance
A complete local SEO strategy targets both: the local pack through Google Business Profile optimization and local organic results through website content.
How Local Organic Results Work
Ranking Factors
Local organic rankings depend on traditional SEO signals enhanced with local relevance: local landing pages targeting “[service] in [city],” NAP consistency across the web, local backlinks from community organizations, and content that addresses location-specific questions.
Content Strategy
Publishing localized blog content is the primary lever. Articles targeting “best dentist in [neighborhood],” “how much does AC repair cost in [city],” or “[service] near [landmark]” all capture local organic queries. theStacc publishes 30 articles per month that can include geo-targeted content to capture these local organic positions.
Complementing the Local Pack
Businesses appearing in both the local pack and position 1-3 of local organic results dominate the search results page. This “double listing” captures clicks from both sections and signals extreme relevance to searchers.
Local Organic Results Examples
An injury law firm ranks #2 in the local pack for “personal injury lawyer Austin” but doesn’t appear in organic results at all. They start publishing blog content targeting long-tail local queries: “car accident settlement amounts in Texas,” “Austin intersection accident statistics.” Within 4 months, they capture 5 local organic positions and their overall traffic from local searches doubles.
A dental practice appears in both the local pack and the first organic result for “dentist downtown Portland.” Together, those two positions capture roughly 45% of all clicks on the page — far more than either position would alone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Local SEO mistakes are surprisingly common — even among businesses that invest in marketing.
Inconsistent NAP information. Your business name, address, and phone number listed differently across directories. Google treats inconsistency as a trust signal — a negative one. Audit your citations and fix mismatches before doing anything else.
Ignoring Google reviews. Not asking for reviews, not responding to reviews, or worse — buying fake ones. Reviews are a direct ranking factor in the Local Pack. A steady stream of real reviews from real customers beats everything else.
Generic location pages. Creating 50 city pages with identical content except the city name swapped out. Google recognizes this pattern instantly. Each local landing page needs genuinely unique content.
Key Metrics to Track
| Metric | What It Measures | Where to Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Local Pack rankings | Position in map results | Local Falcon, BrightLocal |
| GBP profile views | How many people see your listing | GBP Insights |
| Direction requests | People navigating to your location | GBP Performance tab |
| Phone calls from GBP | Calls directly from your listing | GBP Performance tab |
| Review count + rating | Customer sentiment and volume | Google Business Profile |
| Citation accuracy | NAP consistency across directories | BrightLocal, Moz Local |
Local vs National SEO
| Factor | Local SEO | National SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Primary goal | Map Pack + local organic | Organic rankings nationally |
| Key platform | Google Business Profile | Website content |
| Ranking signals | Proximity, reviews, NAP | Backlinks, content, authority |
| Content focus | Location pages, local topics | Industry-wide topics |
| Timeline | 3-6 months | 6-12 months |
| Competition | Local businesses | National brands |
Real-World Impact
The difference between businesses that apply local organic results and those that don’t shows up in hard numbers. Companies with a structured approach to this see 2-3x better results within the first year compared to those who wing it.
Consider two competing businesses in the same industry. One invests time in understanding and implementing local organic results properly — tracking performance through local ranking factors, adjusting based on data, and iterating monthly. The other takes a “set it and forget it” approach. After 12 months, the gap between them isn’t small. It’s often the difference between page 1 and page 4. Between a full pipeline and a dry one.
The compounding nature of citation means early investment pays disproportionate dividends. A 10% improvement this month doesn’t just help this month — it lifts every month that follows.
Step-by-Step Implementation
Getting started doesn’t require a massive overhaul. Follow this sequence:
Step 1: Audit your current state. Before changing anything, document where you stand. What’s working? What’s clearly broken? What metrics are you currently tracking (if any)? This baseline matters — you can’t measure improvement without it.
Step 2: Identify quick wins. Look for the lowest-effort, highest-impact changes. These are usually things that are misconfigured, missing, or simply not being done at all. Fix these first. They build momentum.
Step 3: Build a 90-day plan. Map out the larger improvements across three months. Prioritize by impact, not by what seems most interesting. The boring foundational work often produces the biggest results.
Step 4: Execute consistently. This is where most businesses fail. Not in planning — in execution. Set a weekly cadence. Block the time. Do the work. Local Organic Results rewards consistency more than brilliance.
Step 5: Measure and adjust. Review your metrics monthly. What moved? What didn’t? Double down on what works. Cut what doesn’t. This review loop is what separates professionals from amateurs.
Tools and Resources
| Tool | Purpose | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Local listing management | Free |
| BrightLocal | Local rank tracking, citations | From $39/month |
| Whitespark | Citation building, local rank tracking | From $39/month |
| Moz Local | Listing distribution | From $14/month |
| theStacc | Automated local content + GBP posts | From $99/month |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are local organic results different from regular organic results?
Same format (blue links), but Google applies local relevance signals to rank them. Geographic content, local backlinks, and NAP consistency influence local organic rankings in ways they don’t affect non-local organic results.
Can I rank in local organic results without a GBP listing?
Yes. Local organic results come from your website, not your GBP. However, having an optimized GBP listing indirectly supports organic rankings through prominence signals and brand recognition.
What content ranks best in local organic results?
Location-specific service pages and blog posts targeting “[service] + [city]” or “[topic] + [location]” queries. Local landing pages with unique content for each service area perform especially well.
Want to capture both local pack and organic results? theStacc publishes 30 SEO-optimized articles to your site every month — including geo-targeted content for local rankings. Start for $1 →
Sources
- BrightLocal: Local Search Click-Through Study
- Moz: Local Search Ranking Factors
- Google Search Central: Local SEO
Related Terms
Local landing pages are location-specific web pages built to rank for geographic search queries. Each page targets a specific city, neighborhood, or service area with unique, locally relevant content.
Local PackThe Local Pack is a Google SERP feature that displays a map and 3 local business listings for location-based searches. It appears above organic results and drives the majority of clicks for 'near me' and local service queries.
Local SEOLocal SEO optimizes your online presence to attract customers from local searches. It focuses on Google Business Profile, local citations, reviews, and location-specific content to rank in the Local Pack and local organic results.
Organic SearchOrganic search refers to the unpaid, algorithm-driven listings that appear in search engine results pages. Unlike paid ads, organic results are earned through SEO — content quality, relevance, and authority determine where your site ranks.
SERP (Search Engine Results Page)A SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is the page a search engine displays after a user enters a query, containing organic listings, paid ads, and features like featured snippets, knowledge panels, and local packs.
