Local Brand Hub
56 plain-English definitions

Local marketing glossary

The marketing terms UK local businesses run into, explained in plain English. No jargon, no fluff. Just what each one means and a guide to go deeper.

Local SEO & Google Business Profile

NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
Your business Name, Address and Phone number. Search engines treat these three details as your core identity, so they need to be written exactly the same way everywhere they appear online. Even small differences, like "Street" versus "St", can make Google unsure whether two listings are the same business. How to keep your NAP consistent
Google Business Profile (GBP)
The free listing that controls how your business appears on Google Search and Google Maps, including your hours, photos, reviews and directions. Formerly called Google My Business (GMB), it is usually the single most important asset for getting found by nearby customers. Optimise your Google Business Profile
Local pack (map pack)
The block of three business listings shown with a map at the top of local search results, sometimes called the map pack or local 3-pack. Appearing here puts you in front of ready-to-buy customers before the usual list of website links even begins. How to rank in the local pack
Citation
Any online mention of your business name, address and phone number, such as a directory entry on Yelp, TripAdvisor or a local listings site. Consistent citations act as trust signals that help confirm your business is real and reputable to search engines. Building local citations
Local SEO
The practice of improving how often your business appears in nearby and "near me" searches and in Google Maps. It focuses on your Google Business Profile, reviews and citations, which makes it quite different from general SEO aimed at ranking a website nationally. Local SEO explained
Local intent
A search where someone is looking for something nearby, such as "coffee shop near me" or "florist in Leeds". Searches with local intent are highly valuable because the person often wants to visit or buy very soon, sometimes within the hour. Targeting local search intent
Proximity, relevance and prominence
The three main factors Google weighs when ranking local results. Proximity is how close you are to the searcher, relevance is how well you match the search, and prominence is how well known and well reviewed your business is overall. How local ranking works
Ranking factor
Any signal a search engine uses to decide the order of results. In local search, the strongest factors include your Google Business Profile details, the quantity and quality of your reviews, and consistent citations across the web. Run a local SEO audit

On-page & technical SEO

SERP (search engine results page)
The page of results you see after typing a query into Google. It can include the local pack, paid ads, the main list of website links and other features. Where you appear on the SERP has a big effect on how much traffic you receive. Build an SEO strategy
Keyword
A word or phrase people type into search engines that you want your business to be found for, such as "Sunday roast in Bristol". Choosing the right keywords means matching the exact language your customers use rather than industry jargon. Finding the right keywords
Long-tail keyword
A longer, more specific search phrase such as "dog-friendly gastropub in York", as opposed to a short, broad term like "pub". Long-tail keywords attract fewer searches but face less competition and usually bring visitors who know exactly what they want. Using long-tail keywords
Keyword cannibalisation
When two or more of your own pages compete for the same search term, so they end up weakening each other rather than one page ranking strongly. It is a common problem for businesses with several locations or overlapping blog posts. Avoiding keyword clashes
Schema markup (structured data)
A type of code added to your website that spells out details like your menu, opening hours, prices and reviews in a format search engines understand. It can help you earn richer, more eye-catching search listings. Adding schema to your site
Rich results (rich snippets)
Enhanced search listings that show extra detail such as star ratings, images, prices or FAQs, rather than a plain blue link. They are usually produced by adding schema markup to your pages and can make your result stand out and win more clicks. Earning rich results
Meta description
The short summary that appears beneath your page title in search results. It does not directly affect ranking, but a clear, tempting description written in plain English can persuade more people to click through to your site. The 80/20 of SEO
Title tag
The clickable headline shown for your page in search results and at the top of the browser tab. A good title tag includes what you offer and where, stays under about sixty characters, and reads naturally rather than being stuffed with keywords. On-page SEO basics
Canonical URL
The single web address you tell search engines to treat as the main version of a page when very similar content exists at more than one address. It prevents duplicate pages from competing and keeps ranking signals pointed at one place. Technical SEO basics
Indexing
The process by which a search engine discovers a page, reads it and stores it so it can appear in results. If a page is not indexed it cannot rank at all, so getting new pages indexed is the first step to being found. Getting your pages found
Page speed
How quickly your web pages load, especially on mobile. Slow pages frustrate visitors and push many to leave before they see anything, which is why speed affects both your search ranking and how many enquiries or bookings you actually receive. Auditing your site
Organic reach
The visitors or viewers you attract without paying for ads, whether from unpaid search results or from people seeing your social posts naturally. It is slower to build than paid reach but tends to be more durable and cost-effective over time. Common SEO mistakes
Domain authority
A score, created by SEO tools rather than Google itself, that estimates how likely a website is to rank well. It is useful as a rough comparison between sites, but it is not an official Google metric and should be treated as a guide only. SEO across locations

Reviews & reputation

Review generation
The ongoing practice of actively encouraging happy customers to leave reviews, usually on Google. Because reviews strongly influence both local ranking and whether people choose you, a simple, repeatable way to ask is one of the highest-value marketing habits a local business can build. How to get more reviews
Reputation management
Monitoring what customers say about you online and responding to reviews and comments, good or bad, in a professional way. Handled well, it protects trust, shows prospective customers you care, and can turn an unhappy experience into a public example of great service. Managing your reviews
Star rating
The average score, out of five stars, shown on your reviews. Many people filter out businesses below a certain rating before they even read the words, so both your average score and the number of reviews behind it shape first impressions. Improving your star rating

Paid ads & conversion

PPC (pay-per-click)
A form of online advertising where you pay only when someone clicks your ad, common on Google and social media. It can put you at the top of results instantly, but costs add up quickly without careful targeting and a clear goal for each click. A guide to paid ads
CPC (cost per click)
The amount you pay each time someone clicks one of your ads. Watching your cost per click helps you judge whether a campaign is affordable, and it varies a lot by platform, location and how competitive your industry is. Understanding ad costs
CPA (cost per acquisition)
The average amount you spend on advertising to win one new customer or booking. It is a more honest measure of value than clicks alone, because it tells you what you actually pay for a real result rather than just interest. Retargeting that pays off
ROAS (return on ad spend)
The revenue you earn for every pound you spend on advertising. A ROAS of four to one means four pounds back for each pound spent. It is a quick way to see whether a paid campaign is genuinely profitable. Making paid marketing pay
ROI (return on investment)
The overall return you get compared with what a marketing activity costs, taking in time and money, not just ad spend. Thinking in terms of ROI helps you compare very different tactics and put your budget where it works hardest. Measuring marketing ROI
Retargeting (remarketing)
Showing ads to people who have already visited your website or social profile but did not book or buy. Because these people already know you, retargeting tends to be more cost-effective than advertising to strangers for the first time. How retargeting works
Pixel
A small piece of tracking code you add to your website, such as the Meta pixel, that records what visitors do. It powers retargeting and lets you measure which ads lead to real bookings or orders rather than just clicks. Setting up retargeting
Geotargeting
Setting your ads to show only to people within a chosen area, such as a few miles around your premises. For a local business it prevents wasted spend on people too far away to ever visit, and keeps your budget focused on likely customers. Local Facebook ads
Landing page
A single web page built around one goal, such as booking a table or claiming an offer, that you send ad or campaign traffic to. Keeping it focused, with one clear action, usually converts far better than sending people to your homepage. Building landing pages
Call to action (CTA)
The prompt that tells people exactly what to do next, such as "Book a table" or "Order now". A clear, single, easy-to-spot call to action removes hesitation and is one of the simplest ways to turn interest into bookings. Writing better CTAs
Conversion rate
The percentage of visitors who take the action you want, whether that is booking, ordering or signing up. Tracking it shows whether your website and pages are actually working, not just attracting traffic that leaves without doing anything. Improving conversions
Click-through rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who click a link, ad or search result out of everyone who saw it. A higher click-through rate usually means your headline, image or offer is striking the right note with the audience seeing it. Lifting click-through rates
Bounce rate
The percentage of visitors who arrive on your site and leave without clicking anything or moving to another page. A high bounce rate often points to slow loading, a confusing page or content that did not match what the visitor expected. Why visitors leave

Social media & content

Impressions
The number of times your content or ad is shown, whether or not anyone interacts with it. The same person can count for several impressions, so it measures exposure rather than how many individual people you reached. Reading your ad metrics
Reach
The number of unique people who saw your content at least once. Unlike impressions, reach counts each person only once, so it gives you a clearer picture of how many separate individuals your posts or ads actually got in front of. Growing your reach
Engagement rate
A measure of how much people interact with your content, usually likes, comments, shares and saves compared with how many saw it or follow you. It is a better sign of a healthy audience than follower count on its own. A content strategy that works
Hashtag
A word or phrase after a # symbol on social media that groups posts by topic and helps new people discover your content. A mix of a few local and specific hashtags usually works better than piling on dozens of broad ones. Using hashtags well
Geotag
A location label added to a social post or photo. Tagging your town, area or venue helps nearby people and anyone browsing that location find your content, which makes it a simple, free way to boost local discovery. Promoting a local event
User-generated content (UGC)
Photos, videos and reviews created by your customers rather than by you. Because it comes from real people, UGC tends to feel more trustworthy than polished brand content, and sharing it rewards customers while filling your feed. Using customer content
Influencer marketing
Partnering with local social media creators who feature your business to their followers, sometimes in exchange for a free visit or a fee. In the UK, any paid or gifted partnership must be clearly disclosed to comply with advertising rules. Working with influencers
QR code
A square, scannable barcode that opens a web page when someone points their phone camera at it. Local businesses use them to link straight to menus, ordering, booking pages or review forms, bridging the gap between a physical visit and digital action. QR codes for menus

Email, retention & economics

Open rate
The percentage of people who open an email you send. It is heavily influenced by your subject line and how well people know you, and it is one of the first signs of whether your email marketing is landing or being ignored. Email marketing basics
A/B testing
Trying two versions of something, such as two email subject lines or two page layouts, with different groups to see which performs better. It replaces guesswork with evidence and, repeated over time, steadily improves your results. Testing what works
Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
The average amount you spend on marketing and sales to win one new customer. Comparing it with how much a customer is worth over time tells you whether your marketing is sustainable or quietly losing money. Keeping customers longer
Lifetime value (LTV)
The total profit you can expect from a customer across their whole relationship with you, not just their first visit. When lifetime value comfortably exceeds what it costs to acquire them, spending on marketing makes sense. Customer lifetime value
Churn
The rate at which customers stop coming back over a given period. It is the opposite of retention, and because keeping an existing customer is usually cheaper than finding a new one, reducing churn is often the quickest route to steadier revenue. Reducing customer churn
Loyalty programme
A scheme that rewards repeat custom, for example with points, stamps or member-only offers. Done well it encourages people to return more often and spend a little more, and it also gives you useful data about your best customers. Building a loyalty scheme
Marketing funnel
A way of picturing the customer journey in stages, from first becoming aware of you, through considering you, to finally booking or buying. Mapping it helps you spot where people drop off and choose the right message for each stage. Mapping your funnel
Dwell time
How long a customer stays with you, for example the time a table is occupied. It affects how many customers you can serve and how much they spend, so it is tracked as a performance measure rather than a purely digital metric. Restaurant KPIs to track
First-party data
Information you collect directly from your own customers, such as an email list, booking history or loyalty sign-ups. As privacy rules tighten and third-party tracking fades, this data you own becomes one of your most valuable marketing assets. UK marketing trends

Put the theory into practice

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