Google Search Console (GSC) is like the Swiss Army knife for your website's SEO, packed with tools that can sharpen your local search game. But let’s be real—dipping into GSC for the first time can feel like trying to crack the Da Vinci Code. So, if you’ve already waded through our beginner’s guide and you’re ready to level up, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive into how you can harness GSC to supercharge your local SEO and turn all that data into actionable insights.
Filter Like a Pro: The Power of Regex
Before your eyes glaze over at the mention of “regex,” let’s break it down. Think of regex as your secret weapon for slicing and dicing GSC data with surgical precision. It’s a way to search within your search, pulling out exactly what you need without wading through a swamp of irrelevant info.
Regex might look like gibberish at first glance, but it’s not rocket science. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Let’s say you want to zero in on all the queries that include “local” or “near me.” Your regex would look something like this:
less Copy code(?i)\b(?:local|near me)\b
What’s going on here?
(?i): This makes your search case-insensitive.
\b: Think of this as bookends, ensuring you’re searching for whole words.
(?: ... ): This is like a shopping cart holding your list of words to search for.
local|near me: These are the words you want to find.
With this bad boy in your toolbox, you can now sift through your GSC data to see exactly how people are searching for businesses like yours in their local area.
Getting Started with Your Town/City
Let’s start with the basics: your local town or city. You want to know how often people are searching for businesses in your area. Here’s how you do it:
css Copy code(?i)\b cityname \b
Replace “cityname” with the actual name of your town or city. Now, plug this into GSC, and boom—you're now looking at all the queries containing your local area name. This isn’t just data; it’s insight into what your customers are actively looking for in your neighborhood.
Want to add your state into the mix? Just tweak the regex like this:
less Copy code(?i)\b(?:cityname|state|state abbreviation)\b
Finding Local Intent
Now, let’s get more strategic. Local intent is all about understanding what your potential customers are looking for when they’re on the hunt for something nearby. To capture those local intent queries, try this regex:
less Copy code(?i)\b(?:local|nearby|near me|best in)\b
This regex will surface queries like:
“Best coffee shops near me”
“Local pizza places”
“Grocery stores in [Your City]”
This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about getting inside your customers' heads and figuring out what drives them to your door (or website).
Digging Deeper: What Questions Are Your Customers Asking?
Ever wonder what burning questions potential customers have before they decide to reach out? Use this regex to filter out question-based queries:
bash Copy code(?i)\b(what|where|when|why|do|who|how|can|which|will)\b
This regex will highlight questions like:
“What time does [Your Business] open?”
“How to get to [Your Business]?”
“Where is the best [Service] in [City]?”
These questions are gold mines for creating FAQs on your site, developing content ideas, and crafting killer GBP posts.
Tracking Your UTM Tags
If you’re not using UTM tags in your GBP posts yet, you’re leaving money on the table. But if you are, here’s how to track their performance directly in GSC:
ruby Copy code\?(?:utm_source|utm_medium|utm_campaign|utm_term|utm_content)=[^&]+
By applying this to your GSC data, you can see which of your GBP links are driving traffic, helping you double down on what’s working and ditch what’s not.
Conclusion
Mastering Google Search Console for local search isn’t just about knowing the right regex tricks—it’s about understanding your customers and turning data into decisions. By filtering and analyzing your search data with precision, you can fine-tune your local SEO strategy, optimize your content, and ultimately drive more business.
In a digital world where visibility is everything, GMB Fox ensures your business isn’t just online—it’s the first choice customers make. Let us handle the complexities of digital marketing, so you can focus on what truly matters: growing your business.