Local Keyword Research Tools: Ahrefs

Local SEO is no longer optional—it’s a necessity for local businesses looking to dominate their market. According to Google, 46% of all searches have local intent, and 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase. For business owners and marketers, this presents a golden opportunity to attract nearby customers—if they’re using the right tools.

One of the most powerful tools in the local SEO arsenal is Ahrefs. 

For a high-level, educational overview of the steps in the keyword research process, see our guide: How To Do Keyword Research for Local SEO. This will provide a deeper understanding of the information below, which is focused solely on Ahrefs.

As a local keyword research tool, Ahrefs allows you to uncover valuable search terms that your target audience is actively using. 

If you want more visibility in Google Maps, better organic rankings, and ultimately more leads, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

This article is for marketers and local business owners who need a proven strategy to perform keyword research using Ahrefs and want to compare it with other tools like SEMRush, Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, Answer the Public, and Google Trends.

Why Local Keywords Matter

When someone types in “plumber near me” or “best tacos in Austin,” they’re expressing local search intent. Google responds by pulling in the searcher’s physical location, business reviews, and optimized websites in the local area.

To win these searches, you need to:

• Identify what people are actually searching for
• Understand the why behind each keyword
• Implement them effectively across your site and online presence

That’s where local keyword research starts—and why tools like Ahrefs are essential.

Start With Core Tools for Local Keyword Research

Let’s briefly evaluate other popular keyword research tools compared to Ahrefs.

Ahrefs is a powerful SEO tool suite that provides comprehensive data for keyword research, competitor analysis, and backlink tracking. It helps users identify valuable search terms with local intent, analyze competitor strategies, and uncover content gaps to improve online visibility.

Ultimately, Ahrefs empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and optimize their websites for better search engine rankings and increased traffic. But, they aren’t the only game in town, and each tool has it’s own unique offerings to the world of local SEO.

SEMrush

• Great for site audits and domain-level analysis.
• Strong local SEO features but can be overwhelming for beginners.
• Limited local search volume granularity compared to Ahrefs.

Google Keyword Planner

• Directly connected to Google Ads data.
• Shows broad search volume ranges.
• Lacks precise competitive analysis and content gap tools.

Ubersuggest

• Budget-friendly and beginner-accessible.
• Pulls data from Google Autocomplete.
• Less accurate keyword difficulty scoring than Ahrefs.

Answer the Public

• Visual keyword cloud based on search questions.
• Excellent for content ideas and long-tail keyword brainstorming.
• Doesn’t show search volume or difficulty metrics.

Google Trends

• Useful for identifying seasonal interest and rising keyword topics.
• Doesn’t provide concrete keyword volume or difficulty.
• Not ideal as a standalone local SEO tool.

For a more detailed look into the best use cases and applications for these tools, check out our guide on free keyword research tools for local SEO.

Why Choose Ahrefs for Local Keyword Research?

Ahrefs combines the best of all worlds—accurate volume data, competitive analysis, backlink info, and content gap discovery. Most importantly, it supports local keyword research at scale with its location-specific filters and advanced features.

If you’re reading this article, though, you’re likely already using Ahrefs. If so, this next section will help you use this tool to get the most bang for your buck.

Master Local Keyword Research with Ahrefs: 

Step 1: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

• Start with your business’s core services:
  • “emergency plumber”
  • “organic coffee”
  • “roof repair”
• Use your own insights, client input, and local searches to identify what people might be looking for. 
• Then plug these terms into Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer.

Step 2: Use Keyword Explorer

• Choose the right location and enter seed keywords. 
• Use the Matching Terms tab to discover related keywords with local search intent:
  • “coffee shop near downtown Dallas”
  • “emergency plumber Plano TX”
• Look at:
  • Search Volume: Gives insight into keyword popularity.
  • Keyword Difficulty (KD): Helps you prioritize low-competition opportunities.

Step 3: Refine With Modifiers & Locations

• Use filters like:
  • Modifiers: “best”, “cheap”, “top-rated”, “open now”
  • Locations: City names, neighborhoods, ZIP codes

• Use the Include filter to layer these modifiers and hyperlocal terms.
• Explore the Questions tab for insight-driven keywords:
  • “Where to buy used bikes in Salt Lake City”
  • “What’s the best such spot near Venic Beach”

Once you have a good list going, you’re going to want to organize these to be able to put them to use. We suggest compiling a list (including the search volume) in a spreadsheet that you can work from later.

Step 4: Analyze Competitors With Site Explorer

• Identify local competitors and enter their URLs into Site Explorer.
• Look at:
  • Organic Keywords: What terms they rank for.
  • Top Pages: Which pages get the most traffic.
• Filter by local terms or your city to isolate what’s working nearby.
• Add the keyword phrases you’d like to compete for into your spreadsheet.

Step 5: Use Content Gap Analysis

• Use Content Gap to uncover missed opportunities.
  • Enter your domain and 2–3 competitors.
  • Filter results to find local keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t. 

This is where “low-hanging fruit” keywords live.

Low-hanging fruit” keywords in SEO refer to keyword phrases that are relatively easy to rank for compared to highly competitive terms. These keywords often have lower search volume and lower keyword difficulty (KD) scores.

You should use low-hanging fruit keywords in your SEO efforts because:

• Quick Wins: They allow you to see results faster. By targeting less competitive terms, you can often rank higher in search results more quickly, leading to increased traffic sooner.
• Targeted Traffic: While the search volume might be lower, the traffic you get from these keywords is often highly targeted. People searching for very specific phrases are usually further along in the buying process or have a clear intent, which can lead to better conversion rates.
• Building Authority: Ranking for low-hanging fruit keywords can help you build your website’s authority over time. As you establish yourself as a relevant source for these terms, Google may start to recognize your site as an authority in your niche, making it easier to rank for more competitive keywords later on.
• Content Gap Opportunities: As mentioned before, “This is where ‘low-hanging fruit’ keywords live.” Low-hanging fruit keywords can often be found by identifying content gaps where competitors are not effectively targeting specific search terms. This allows you to create content that fills those gaps and captures that audience.

Collect these keyword phrases and put a * next to them so you don’t forget their value when you start working these phrases into your on-page SEO work!

Step 6: Identify Low-Competition Winners

• Use Keyword Difficulty (KD) under 20 as a benchmark for low competition.
• Pair that with transactional or commercial search intent—keywords like:
  • “book haircut appointment Austin”
  • “buy organic honey in Miami”

These tend to convert better than purely informational keywords.

Put Keywords Into Action

Step 7: Build a Keyword Map

• Assign your selected keywords to specific pages:
  • Homepage: Broad service or brand keywords.
  • Service pages: Specific offers + local intent (e.g., “teeth whitening Dallas”).
  • Blog posts: Informational or long-tail questions.
• Avoid cannibalization by ensuring each keyword is unique to a page.

This is where the spreadsheet you’ve been building comes into play! Make a column and list EVERY page on your website and start putting your keyword phrases with the URL that makes the most sense to the person using each search term.

Step 8: On-Page SEO

• Use keywords in:
  • Meta Titles & Descriptions
  • Header Tags (H1, H2)
  • Body Content
  • Image Alt Text
  • Page URLs

Ahrefs can also show keyword usage on competing pages to inspire optimization ideas.

Step 9: Optimize Google Business Profile

• Use researched keywords in:
  • Business description
  • Services list
  • GBP posts (especially promotional or event-driven ones)

This helps your business appear in local map packs and organic results.

For a comprehensive guide on updating, optimizing or setting up your Google Busines Profile, see our article on Google Business Profile optimization.

Track Your Progress

• Use Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker to monitor:
  • Keyword positions by city or ZIP code
  • Traffic changes over time
  • Visibility compared to competitors
• Review quarterly and adjust your strategy based on what’s working.

In your data, you want to look for improvements in ranking, ranking for more keywords, and consistent top Ranking.

It’s also important to review where your traffic changes are coming from. What you want to see is an increase in Organic Search Results (you can find this in Google Analytics 4).

Visibility is all about comparison. You want to outrank your competitors (or make progress towards it). You also need to keep an eye on what your competitors are doing (targeting new keywords, improving their own rankings) because this is going to help you decide what to do next.

Focusing on these specific indicators within the data lets you have a clearer understanding of whether your SEO efforts are yielding positive and meaningful results.

Get Local SEO Results

Using the local keyword research tool Ahrefs is a game-changer. From finding search terms with local intent to identifying competitor gaps and optimizing every part of your site, Ahrefs gives you the edge to win in your local market.

If you’re serious about improving your rankings, leads, and local visibility, stop guessing and start using data. We’ll help you build a winning strategy that makes your business stand out.

Take advantage of our free strategy consultation, and let’s map out your next move.