Keyword Tracking

Start with intent: service + location

For local SEO, the best keywords usually include your service and a city (or “near me” intent).

• roof coating st george
• emergency plumber near me
• pediatric dentist cedar city

Avoid vanity keywords (at first)

Broad keywords can be expensive and slow to win. Track them later after you’ve built content and authority.

• plumber (too broad)
• roofing (unclear intent)
• marketing (not local-service intent)

Pick 10–15 “money keywords”

A focused keyword list makes it obvious what to work on each week. If you have multiple cities, build a smaller list per city.

• 5 core service keywords (highest revenue services)
• 3 “emergency” / high urgency keywords
• 2–4 long-tail “problem” keywords (specific repairs)
• 1–3 brand keywords (your business name variations)

Match each keyword to a single target page

If multiple pages try to rank for the same keyword, they can compete. Make one page the clear “best answer” and link to it internally.

• Homepage: branded terms or broad “company + city” terms.
• Service page: service + city or service + near me terms.
• Blog or guide: problem-aware searches and comparison terms.

Use a simple keyword map

A keyword list without page ownership usually creates noise. Keep a lightweight map so every tracked term has a purpose.

• Keyword: what the customer searches.
• Target page: the page that should rank.
• Location: city or service area attached to the term.
• Next action: expand copy, add links, improve proof, or split into a new page.

What to do when a keyword doesn’t move

• Check if the page matches search intent (service page vs. blog vs. homepage).
• Improve on-page depth (add FAQs, examples, service area, proof).
• Add internal links from related pages using descriptive anchor text.
• Fix speed and technical issues (especially mobile performance).

Then review movement in your next weekly report.

How many keywords per location?

If you serve multiple cities, do not duplicate the whole list everywhere. Build a smaller stack around the locations that already have some proof or demand.

• Start with 5 to 8 keywords for the primary city.
• Add 3 to 5 keywords for each secondary city only after the first city has a clear page set.
• Use separate pages when the service area intent is genuinely different.

When to replace a keyword

Replace a tracked term when the intent is clearly wrong, not just because rankings are slow. Stability matters more than constant list churn.

• Swap out broad vanity terms that never matched the business.
• Keep commercial terms long enough to see whether page improvements help.
• Promote long-tail winners into the core list if they start producing calls or form fills.