Local keywords: how to choose the ones that bring clients to your business

If you're a freelancer in the Valencian Community and want your clients to find you on Google, everything starts by choosing the right local keywords. It doesn't matter if you have the best website in the world if no one finds it when searching for "plumber in Elda" or "dentist in Alicante". In this guide we teach you, step by step and with free tools, how to identify the exact search terms your potential clients use to find businesses like yours.

1. What local keywords are and why they're your best investment

Local keywords are the terms people type into Google when searching for a service or product in a specific geographic area. It's not the same to search "electrician" (a generic search with millions of results) as to search "electrician in Valencia center" (a local search with clear intent to hire).

According to Google data, 46% of all searches have local intent. And here's the most important data for you: 76% of people who do a local search on mobile visit a business within 24 hours. That is, almost 8 out of 10 people who search "emergency plumber Elche" are going to call someone that same day.

The problem is that most freelancers never stop to research what keywords their audience uses. They create a website, put "electrical services" and expect Google to work magic. But Google doesn't guess: it needs clear signals that your website answers exactly what the user is looking for. And those signals start with keywords.

An electrician in Elda who optimizes his website for "authorized electrician in Elda" instead of just "electrician" can go from 0 calls from Google to 5-10 per month. Without paying for ads. Just by choosing the right words.

If you're still not clear on why local SEO is so important for freelancers, we recommend starting with that guide. Keywords are the first step of any local positioning strategy.

2. The 4 types of local keywords you need to know

Not all local SEO keywords are the same. Each type serves a different function and attracts customers at different points in their buying decision. Knowing them allows you to cover the entire funnel.

Type 1: Service + City

These are the most direct and have the highest purchase intent. Examples: "plumber Valencia", "dentist Alicante", "carpenter Elche". Anyone searching for this already knows what they want and is looking for who to hire. These should be your first priority on your website.

Type 2: Service + Neighborhood or area

More specific and with less competition. Examples: "electrician Ruzafa Valencia", "hairdresser Benalúa Alicante", "physiotherapist Petrer". If your business serves a specific area of the city, these keywords can be gold. A plumber in the El Pla neighborhood of Elche who targets "plumber El Pla Elche" will compete with far fewer rivals than with just "plumber Elche".

Type 3: Service + Urgency or need modifier

Include words like "urgent", "24 hours", "cheap", "near me" or "quote". Examples: "emergency locksmith Valencia", "24-hour electrician Alicante", "bathroom renovation quote Elda". These searches indicate the customer needs to solve a problem right now and has their phone in hand.

Type 4: Questions and local informational searches

Searches like "how much does it cost to change electrical installation in Valencia" or "best dentist in Elche reviews". The customer is still researching, but it's a perfect opportunity for them to find you and build trust before they contact you. This type of content is ideal for your website blog.

3. How to find local keywords for free: step-by-step guide

You don't need to pay for expensive tools to do a good local search term research. With these five free techniques you can build a solid keyword list in less than an hour.

Step 1: Google Autocomplete (Google's suggestions)

Open Google in an incognito window (so your previous searches don't influence you) and start typing your service + your city. For example, type "electrician Valenc..." and watch the suggestions Google gives you. Every suggestion is a real search made by people in your area. Write down all the ones that make sense for your business.

Try variations too: "electrician in Valencia", "electricians Valencia prices", "best electrician in Valencia". Each combination will give you different suggestions.

Step 2: Google's related searches

Do a full search like "plumber Elche" and scroll to the bottom of the page. Google shows you a section called "Related searches" with terms people also search for. These are a goldmine of secondary keywords you can use in your content.

Step 3: "People also ask"

On the same results page, Google shows a "People also ask" section with real user questions. For example, for "dentist Alicante" you might see: "How much does a dental cleaning cost in Alicante?" or "What dentist is good in Alicante?". Each question is an opportunity to create content on your website that answers exactly what your clients are searching for.

Step 4: Google Keyword Planner

Google's official keyword research tool. You need a Google Ads account to access it, but you don't need to spend a cent on advertising. Once inside, enter your terms and filter by location (Valencian Community, Valencia, Alicante...). It will show you the approximate monthly search volume and competition level.

For a freelancer, keywords with 50-500 monthly searches are the sweet spot: enough demand and manageable competition. You don't need thousands of searches. You need the right searches.

Step 5: Analyze what your competition does

Search your service + your city on Google and look at the top three results. What titles do they use? What words appear in their meta description? What topics do they cover on their website? We're not copying, but understanding what's working for similar businesses in your area. If a competitor ranks first for "complete renovations Alicante", that's a keyword that works.

If you don't have a website yet to apply these keywords, check out our guide on why your business needs a website in 2026. It's the essential previous step.

4. Where to place your keywords for Google to rank you

Finding the right keywords is only half the work. The other half is knowing where to place them on your website so Google detects and ranks you. Here are the 7 key places, in order of importance.

1. Page title (Title tag): What appears in the browser tab and as the blue link on Google. Should include your main keyword + your city. Example: "Authorized Electrician in Valencia | Your Company".
2. H1 heading: The visible title of your page. There should be only one per page and it should contain your main keyword. Example: "Professional Electrician in Valencia: installations and repairs".
3. Meta description: The text that appears below the title on Google. Doesn't directly affect ranking, but does affect click percentage. Include the keyword and a call to action. Maximum 155 characters.
4. H2 headings: Your page's subtitles. Use your secondary keywords here. Example: "Electrical services in Valencia center", "Free electrician quote, no commitment".
5. First paragraph: Google gives more weight to the first 100 words of your page. Make sure your main keyword appears naturally in the first paragraph.
6. Page URL: Use clean, descriptive URLs. Example: yourdomain.com/electrician-valencia is better than yourdomain.com/page-2.
7. Image alt text: Describe your images using keywords. Instead of "IMG_2847.jpg", use "electrician-repairing-electrical-panel-valencia".

Beyond your website, remember that your Google Business Profile also needs keywords in the business description, categories, and weekly posts. If you haven't optimized your profile yet, check out our guide on how to appear on Google Maps as a freelancer.