You run ads. You have a website. But when people in your area search for flooring, your competitors show up instead of you. That burns cash and sends ready to buy customers somewhere else. Your Google Business Profile sits there collecting dust while other stores get the calls and foot traffic.
Ahrefs gives you the data and tools to fix this. You can track exactly where you rank in your city or ZIP code, find the keywords your local customers actually search, and discover where your competitors get their links. No guessing about what works. No wasted spend on tactics that don’t move the needle.
This guide shows you how to use Ahrefs for local SEO that brings more calls and store visits. You’ll learn how to set up location specific tracking, find local keywords that convert flooring shoppers, optimize your pages and Google Business Profile using competitor insights, and build links that boost your rankings in local search. Each step includes actionable tactics you can implement today to start ranking higher when people search for flooring in your area.
Why Ahrefs matters for local SEO
Most SEO tools show you national rankings that mean nothing when you serve customers in specific cities or neighborhoods. Ahrefs lets you track your actual position in local search results down to the ZIP code level. You can see exactly where you rank when someone in your service area searches for flooring services, not some averaged number that includes places you don’t serve.
Track rankings by ZIP code and city
Ahrefs Rank Tracker gives you location specific data for every keyword you target. You can monitor your position in individual cities, states, or postal codes where your customers actually live. This matters because a flooring store in Austin ranks differently than one in Dallas, even when both target "hardwood flooring installation." Your competitors change by location, and Ahrefs shows you who actually outranks you in each market you serve.
When you track rankings at the local level, you stop wasting time on keywords that don’t bring foot traffic to your store.
Discover local link opportunities
The Link Intersect tool reveals websites linking to multiple competitors in your area. These are often local directories, industry associations, and community sites that boost local rankings. You can find citation opportunities your competitors use, then get those same links for your store. Ahrefs local seo capabilities help you build the exact backlink profile that Google rewards in local search results.
Step 1. Get your local tracking and baseline set
You need to know where you stand before you can improve your rankings. Set up location specific tracking in Ahrefs Rank Tracker to monitor how you rank in the exact cities, ZIP codes, or service areas where your customers search. This baseline data shows you which keywords already bring traffic and which ones need work.
Set up Rank Tracker for your service area
Log into Ahrefs and navigate to Rank Tracker, then add your domain. When you add keywords to track, click the location dropdown and select your target geography. You can track rankings at the country, state, city, or ZIP code level. For a flooring store in Phoenix, you might track keywords for Phoenix proper, Scottsdale, and Tempe separately because your rankings differ in each market.
Track 10 to 15 core keywords per location to start, then expand based on what you learn about actual search behavior.
Add these keyword types to your tracker:
- Service keywords: "hardwood flooring installation", "carpet installation", "tile flooring"
- Location modifiers: "flooring store phoenix", "phoenix flooring contractors"
- Near me variations: "flooring near me", "flooring installers near me"
- Branded competitors: your top three local competitor names
Document your current rankings
Run your first tracking report and export the data to a spreadsheet. Record your position for each keyword, the search volume, and the current URL that ranks (if any). This snapshot becomes your benchmark to measure improvement. Check which competitors rank above you for each term, then note if they appear in the Google Map Pack or only in organic results. Map Pack rankings often matter more for local businesses because they capture the most clicks from mobile searchers ready to visit a store.
Review this baseline data every 30 days to track movement and adjust your ahrefs local seo strategy based on what gains traction in your market.
Step 2. Find local keywords and search intent
Your customers search for flooring using specific phrases and questions that reveal exactly where they are in the buying process. Ahrefs Keywords Explorer helps you uncover these terms and understand what searchers actually want when they type each query. You can find high intent local keywords that bring ready to buy customers, not tire kickers who drain your time with questions they never convert on.
Use Keywords Explorer for local terms
Open Keywords Explorer in Ahrefs and enter your core service terms like "flooring installation" or "hardwood floors." Set the location filter to your state or city to see local search volumes instead of national averages that don’t reflect your actual market. The tool shows you related keywords people in your area actually search, along with monthly search volume and ranking difficulty.
Look for these keyword patterns that indicate buyer intent in your local market:
- Service + location: "laminate flooring installation Phoenix"
- Problem keywords: "how to fix scratched hardwood floors"
- Comparison terms: "carpet vs hardwood flooring cost"
- Specific product searches: "luxury vinyl plank flooring"
- Urgent need phrases: "emergency water damage flooring repair"
Export the keywords with search volume above 10 per month and difficulty scores you can realistically compete for based on your current domain authority. Filter out informational keywords that bring browsers instead of buyers unless you plan to create content that nurtures those prospects toward a purchase.
Analyze search intent from top results
Type each target keyword into Google using an incognito window so your previous searches don’t skew the results. Look at what actually ranks in your location. If the Map Pack dominates the page, you need to optimize your Google Business Profile more than your website. When regular organic results show service pages from other flooring stores, you need dedicated landing pages that match what Google rewards.
Check the top three ranking pages and note what information they include. Create a list of the topics they cover, the questions they answer, and the specific details they mention about pricing, process, materials, or timelines. This shows you what Google considers relevant for that search term and what your ahrefs local seo strategy needs to address on your own pages to compete effectively.
The keywords your competitors rank for reveal gaps in your content and opportunities to capture search traffic they miss.
Step 3. Improve pages and profiles using Ahrefs
Your competitors who rank above you already figured out what Google rewards in your local market. Ahrefs shows you exactly what they do so you can replicate their success and add your own improvements. You can analyze their best performing pages, identify the details that make Google rank them higher, and use that intelligence to optimize your own website and Google Business Profile.
Audit your Google Business Profile with competitor data
Enter your top three local competitors into Site Explorer and check their backlink profiles. Look for links from local directories, industry sites, and community organizations that also link to their Google Business Profile. These citation sources boost local rankings and you need the same ones. Make a spreadsheet of every directory or local site that links to multiple competitors, then claim or create your listings on those platforms.
Check which business categories your competitors use by viewing their Google Business Profiles directly. If they rank above you and use different primary or secondary categories, test switching yours to match. Google weights category selection heavily in local search, so picking the right ones matters more than most optimization tactics.
Review the photos, services listed, and attributes your competitors display on their profiles. Add any missing elements to your own profile that successful competitors include, like specific flooring types in your services section or attributes such as "veteran owned" or "women owned" if applicable.
Optimize service pages based on top rankers
Run your target keyword through Keywords Explorer, then click through to the SERP analysis. Use the "Also talk about" filter in the Related terms report to see keyword clusters that top ranking pages in your location mention frequently. If every top result talks about "dustless sanding," "pet friendly finishes," or "same day estimates," your page needs those details too or Google won’t rank it competitively.
Export the keywords from pages that rank positions 1 through 3, then create an optimization checklist for your service pages:
- Add missing topic clusters that all top rankers cover
- Include specific product names, brand names, or material types they mention
- Answer questions that appear in their content
- Match or exceed their content depth (word count matters less than comprehensive coverage)
- Add location specific details they miss to differentiate your page
Apply these insights to your ahrefs local seo strategy by updating one service page per week based on competitor analysis. Test the changes for 30 days, then check Rank Tracker to see if your positions improve for those keywords.
Fix technical issues that hurt local rankings
Run Site Audit on your domain to find problems that prevent Google from properly indexing and ranking your pages. Broken internal links, missing title tags, and slow page speeds damage local rankings even when your content quality matches competitors. Check these common technical issues first:
- 404 errors on pages with existing backlinks
- Missing or duplicate meta descriptions
- Pages with no internal links pointing to them
- Mobile usability problems
- Slow loading speed on mobile devices
Technical SEO problems hurt you more in competitive local markets because small ranking factors become the tiebreaker between similar businesses.
Fix critical errors within 48 hours and track your rankings weekly to measure the impact. Technical cleanup often produces quick ranking improvements when everything else in your ahrefs local seo approach already works well.
Step 4. Use Ahrefs to earn local links and citations
Local links from community organizations, industry directories, and regional websites tell Google your business belongs in local search results. Ahrefs Link Intersect reveals exactly where your competitors get their local backlinks so you can target the same sources. You can find citation opportunities in minutes that would take days to uncover manually, then prioritize the sites that deliver the biggest ranking boost.
Find local directories and citation sources
Navigate to Link Intersect in Ahrefs and enter your domain in the first field. Add three to five local competitors in the remaining fields, then click "Show link opportunities." The tool displays every website that links to multiple competitors but not to you. Sort the results by referring domains to find directories and local sites that link to most of your competition.
Look for these high value local link sources in your results:
- Chamber of Commerce websites
- Local business associations
- City or county government directories
- Industry specific associations (flooring, home improvement, construction)
- Local news sites and community blogs
- Better Business Bureau profiles
- HomeAdvisor, Houzz, or Angi listings
Export the full list and filter for domain rating above 30 to focus on sites that pass meaningful link equity. Create a spreadsheet with columns for the website URL, contact information, submission requirements, and your application status. This becomes your ahrefs local seo citation building roadmap.
Claim and build your citations systematically
Start with the top 20 opportunities from your Link Intersect export based on domain rating and relevance to the flooring industry. Visit each site and check if you can create a listing yourself or if you need to contact someone. Most directories let you claim your business directly, while association memberships or editorial links require outreach.
Submit consistent NAP information (name, address, phone number) across every citation. Use the exact same business name format, address structure, and phone number on all listings. Inconsistent citations confuse Google and hurt your local rankings instead of helping them.
Send effective outreach for editorial links
When you need to request a link rather than claim a listing, use this email template that respects the recipient’s time:
Subject: [Your Business Name] - Local Flooring Resource for [City]
Hi [Name],
I noticed you link to [Competitor Name] and [Competitor Name]
on your [page topic] resource page for [city] flooring contractors.
We're [Your Business Name], a family owned flooring store serving
[city] for [X] years. We offer [unique value proposition or service].
Would you consider adding us to your directory? Our business listing:
[Your URL]
Thanks for maintaining such a helpful local resource.
[Your Name]
[Your Business Name]
[Phone]
Personalized outreach that shows you actually reviewed their site converts at three times the rate of generic templates.
Track your outreach in your citation spreadsheet and follow up once after 7 days if you don’t receive a response. Move on after that to avoid wasting time on sites that won’t respond.
Key takeaways
Ahrefs local seo tools give you the exact data you need to outrank competitors in your service area. Track rankings by ZIP code to see where you actually stand, find keywords that bring ready to buy customers instead of browsers, and analyze competitor pages to discover what Google rewards in your market. The Link Intersect tool reveals citation opportunities your competitors already use so you can build the same local backlink profile.
Start with location specific tracking, then work through keyword research, page optimization, and citation building in that order. Check your rankings every 30 days and adjust based on what moves the needle in your local market.
Local search visibility brings foot traffic, but you need the right targeting to convert those visitors into customers. See how AI driven targeting identifies flooring shoppers at every buying stage so you capture them when they’re ready to purchase.
