If you’ve ever tried to figure out what people in your community are typing into Google, you know how frustrating it can be. Until now, most tools, including Google’s own Keyword Planner, only showed data at a national level. That’s fine if you sell nationwide, but for local businesses, it has often meant guessing what is actually relevant.
Google just changed that. Keyword Planner now lets you filter keyword searches by your specific region or service area, giving you real insights into what your local customers want.
Why This Matters for Local Businesses
Let’s say you’re a plumber in Chester County, PA. You might wonder whether more people are searching for “hot water heater repair” or “water heater replacement.” With the new local filters, you can see which phrase is trending in your county, not across the entire country.
That means you can:
- Focus your ad spend on the terms that people in your area are actually searching for.
- Create blog posts and service pages that directly answer local search queries.
- Plan for seasonal changes based on trends unique to your community.
Even if you’re not currently advertising on Google, Keyword Planner is still useful. Use it to research blog topics, FAQs, or product descriptions. You do need a free Google Ads account to access it, but you don’t have to place ads. Just choose “Expert Mode” during setup, then click “set up an account without a campaign.”
Knowing what your audience is typing into Google locally means you can create content that actually matches real search terms, and that makes it more likely they’ll find you.
What Should You Do With This Info?
- If you run Google Ads, log into Keyword Planner and explore search trends by your local region.
- Use this data to adjust your ad targeting or test new keywords based on real local interest.
- Even if you’re not advertising, use the insights to plan blog topics, service pages, or FAQ content that matches what people are searching for in your area.
Bottom Line
Marketing works best when you’re speaking to the right people about what they care about. Now, you’ve got the data to do exactly that without the guesswork.
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Links in this episode: Google upgrades Keyword Planner with localized forecasting
