Local SEO Fundamentals
The 5 spots on a Google search results page.
Knowing what they are and how they're won is step one.
Top to bottom
Every local search has these.
- 01
Local Service Ads (LSA)
Top of page. Google Guaranteed badge. Pay-per-lead, not pay-per-click.
- 02
Pay-per-click ads (PPC)
Below LSA, above maps. Pay per click. Multiple ad spots.
- 03
Map pack
Three local business pins under the embedded map. Tied to GBP.
- 04
Organic results
Standard website rankings. Below the map pack.
- 05
People Also Ask (PAA)
Featured questions with expandable answers. Embedded in organic results.
Each spot is a different game
Different signals win different spots.
LSA wins on Google Guaranteed verification, response time, and lead acceptance rate. PPC wins on Quality Score and bid. Map pack wins on reviews, categories, and proximity. Organic wins on content depth and authority. PAA wins on FAQ structure and clear answers.
What omnipresence means
Show up in every one of them.
Not one. All five. By the time a customer scrolls page one, your name has appeared five times. That's the visibility goal. Most owners win one spot and stop. The wins compound when you stack them.
The takeaway
Five spots. Five strategies. One outcome: omnipresence.
Everything else in Local SEO ladders up to this.