If you're running a Shopify store and want more customers from your city or neighborhood, Local SEO is the key. It's not just for brick-and-mortar shops online stores with local appeal can benefit too.

In this blog, we'll break down what local SEO is, why it matters, and how to use it to attract people nearby who are ready to buy.

What Is Local SEO?

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your store show up when people search for products or services near them. For example, when someone types:

“natural skincare near me”
“best bakery in Brooklyn”
“bike repair shop in Austin”

Search engines like Google try to show results that are close to the user’s location.

If your Shopify store appears in those results, you get more clicks, more visits, and more local customers.

Why Local SEO Matters for Shopify Stores

Even if you don’t have a physical storefront, local SEO is useful if:

You offer local delivery or pickup
You sell products tailored to specific cities or regions
You want to build brand awareness in your area

Studies show that:

46% of all Google searches are for local information
78% of local mobile searches lead to an in-store or online purchase within 24 hours

That’s a lot of opportunity you don’t want to miss.

Steps to Attract Local Customers Through SEO

1. Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Create (or claim) your listing on Google Business Profile. Add your:

Store name
Address (even if it’s just for deliveries or pickups)
Phone number
Website link
Business hours
Photos of your products or location

This listing helps your store appear in Google Maps and “near me” searches.

2. Use Local Keywords

Include location-specific keywords in your:

Homepage and product titles
Meta titles and descriptions
Blog posts and FAQs

Examples:

“Organic coffee beans in Seattle”
“Handmade jewelry in Los Angeles”

You can find these keywords using free tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest.

3. Create Local Content

Write blog posts or pages that talk about your area. Some ideas:

“Why [Your Product] Is Perfect for Summer in Miami”
“How Our NYC Customers Use Our Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products”
“Top 5 Events in Austin Where We’ll Be This Fall”

This helps Google connect your store with your location—and gives customers a personal reason to buy.

4. Build Local Links and Listings

Get your store listed on:

Local directories like Yelp, YellowPages, or BBB
Niche directories in your industry
Local Chamber of Commerce websites

Also, reach out to local bloggers or influencers to mention your store.

These “backlinks” tell Google that your business is trusted in your area.

5. Encourage Reviews from Local Customers

Ask happy customers to leave a review on your Google Business Profile or product pages. The more you have, the more likely Google is to recommend your store in search results.

Tip: Encourage them to mention your city or neighborhood in the review.
Example: “I love this boutique in SoHo. Super fast delivery!”

6. Add Local Schema (Structured Data)

This is a bit technical, but important.

Schema markup helps Google understand your business. For local SEO, you can use LocalBusiness schema to highlight:

Your address
Hours of operation
Phone number
Customer reviews

Shopify apps like SEO Manager or JSON-LD for SEO can help you add this automatically.

7. Optimize for Mobile and Voice Search

Most local searches happen on smartphones or through voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant.

Make sure your site:

Loads fast on mobile
Is easy to navigate on small screens
Answers questions like “Where can I buy [product] near me?”

Example: Include sentences like “We deliver organic pet food to homes across Denver.”

8. Track Your Local SEO Performance

Use tools like:

Google Search Console – See which local keywords bring traffic
Google Analytics – Check where your visitors are located
BrightLocal or Whitespark – Monitor your local rankings

Track KPIs like:

Clicks from local searches
Direction requests
Local conversion rates (orders, inquiries, pickups)

Conclusion

Local SEO isn’t just about traffic it’s about the right traffic. When nearby customers search for products you sell, you want to be front and center.

Start small:

Set up your Google Business Profile
Add a few location-based keywords
Create a local blog post
Ask for a customer review

Step-by-step, you'll start to notice more visibility, more clicks, and more sales.

How to Attract Nearby Customers to Your Shopify Store with Local SEO