Local SEO Terms Nice to Know for Local Business Owner
When I work on Local SEO projects, I see business owners get stuck in words like NAP, GBP, or Map Pack.
But knowing those terms is actually helpful for you to understand the workflow. Or even communicating with local SEO Specialist is going to be much easier for you if you just know them shortly.
So, if you are a business owner or a local SEO, you should know those terms. Let’s start with it one by one.
NAP
Full Form: Name, Address, Phone Number
Meaning: The core identity of any local business online.
Why It Matters: For local SEO NAP is most important things, and when we call it “NAP” we are actually referring your business name, address and phone number.
CITATIONS
Full Form: Online mentions of your NAP
Meaning: When your business is listed on business directories or platforms like Yelp or Yellow Pages.
Why It Matters: If your citation is consistent, across all the relevant directory then you will get strong position on Google.
GBP / GMB
Full Form: Google Business Profile (In Past it was called “Google My Business” GMB)
Meaning: The main platform you get from Google (free). Basically, this is your owner business store for Local SEO.
Why It Matters: I have been seeing that, my few clients are get confused when I tell them about GBP but when I use work Google Profile, they understand what I am referring.
MAP PACK (Local Pack)
Full Form: The top 3 listings that appear in Google’s local results map.
Meaning: When someone searches on Google nearby quires like “restaurant near me,” a section showing top 3 local business results is the Map Pack.
Why It Matters: When we refer, we are in Map Pack, that means we are actually ranking well.
UTM
Full Form: Urchin Tracking Module
Meaning: A code added to URLs to track where your visitors are coming from.
Why It Matters: It helps measure how many visitors clicked your website link from your GBP or other sources.
CTR
Full Form: Click-Through Rate
Meaning: The percentage of people who click your listing after seeing it.
Why It Matters: A higher CTR tells Google that people find your listing relevant. And I have almost got this question from my clients “What is CTR?”
GEO-TAG
Full Form: Geographic Tag
Meaning: Location data added to photos or videos.
Why It Matters: Geo-tagged images strengthen local relevance and slightly boost visibility.
SERP
Full Form: Search Engine Results Page
Meaning: The page that appears when someone searches on Google.
Why It Matters: Knowing how your business looks on the SERP helps you improve visuals, snippets, and reviews.
LSA
Full Form: Local Service Ads
Meaning: Google ads for verified local service providers.
Why It Matters: They appear above organic results with a “Google Guaranteed” badge, giving instant trust.
E-E-A-T
Full Form: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness
Meaning: Google’s guideline for judging credibility and quality.
Why It Matters: Reviews, testimonials, and consistent branding help build your E-E-A-T for stronger local authority.
GSC
Full Form: Google Search Console
Meaning: A free Google tool to monitor your site’s performance in search.
Why It Matters: You can track clicks, impressions, and how your local rankings are improving.
GBP INSIGHTS
Full Form: Google Business Profile Insights
Meaning: The analytics section inside your GBP.
Why It Matters: It shows how customers find you. Through calls, messages, directions, or profile views.
ROI
Full Form: Return on Investment
Meaning: How much you earn from your local SEO Camping, compared to your investment.
Why It Matters: In Local SEO camping tracking, ROI means knowing how much visibility converts into real leads and sales.
API
Full Form: Application Programming Interface
Meaning: A system that connects two software platforms.
Why It Matters: APIs can automatically sync your GBP data with dashboards or tools.
BRAND MENTIONS
Meaning: When your business name appears online without a link.
Why It Matters: Even without a link, Google counts those mentions as trust signals for your brand.
LPM
Full Form: Local Pack Map
Meaning: Another name for the Map Pack focused on ranking positions inside Google Maps.
Why It Matters: Helps you track how visible your business is across nearby areas.
KML
Full Form: Keyhole Markup Language
Meaning: A file format used to store map data.
Why It Matters: Submitting a KML file to Google helps improve your business’s location accuracy.
GEO GRID / LOCAL GRID TRACKING
Meaning: A map-based tool that checks your rankings across different city points.
Why It Matters: It shows your visibility across multiple locations, not just one keyword position.
PAA
Full Form: People Also Ask
Meaning: The related question boxes in Google search results.
Why It Matters: Optimizing for these helps you gain extra visibility in local searches.
CTR MANIPULATION
Meaning: Testing methods to understand how CTR affects rankings.
Why It Matters: Avoid spammy tactics, but analyzing CTR helps identify what makes people click.
Bonus: Tool Acronyms You’ll Often Hear
BRT (Business Review Tracker): For monitoring customer reviews
GBP API: For syncing business data with dashboards
LRT (Local Rank Tracker): To track your Map Pack positions
LSM (Local Search Management): Used for tools like BrightLocal
Bottom Line
If you think I missed any important acronyms, please share it in the comments. I’ll keep this updated.
And if you are a business owner who wants to grow organically. It’s better to invest your time with a Search Engine Optimization Specialist in Bangladesh who knows how to turn your project strategy into real results.
You can book a meeting with me; we will talk about your business the right way.
Written by,
Prantic Argho
SEO & Business Developer
