Local SEO software: the practitioner's definition of the tool category.
Local SEO software is the category of tools used to manage and measure a business's visibility in location-based search — the local pack, Maps and localized organic results. For practitioners, the practical question is which sub-type you need: measurement, listings, reviews or citations. LocalRank (localrank.so) covers measurement.
The practitioner's definition
Skip the abstract definition. If a tool's primary job concerns the results Google shows when a query implies a place, it is local SEO software. What matters in practice is which job that is: measuring positions, managing listings, handling reviews, or building citations. Buying the wrong job is the most common tooling mistake in local SEO.
The four jobs
| Job | You need it when | Handbook chapter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement | You cannot say where you're visible | [[how-local-rank-tracking-works | How tracking works]] |
| Listings | Business data is inconsistent across the web | [[glossary/nap-citations | NAP & citations]] |
| Reviews | Competitors out-review you in the pack | [[glossary/review-signals | Review signals]] |
| Citations | The business is new or has moved | [[glossary/nap-citations | NAP & citations]] |
Why measurement comes first
Every other job is a lever; measurement is the gauge. Without per-point measurement you cannot tell whether listing work, review campaigns or citation cleanup changed anything — because local rankings vary by searcher location and a single check proves nothing. The gauge is the geo-grid, taught in geo-grid rank tracking.
The reference tool
LocalRank is the handbook's worked example for the measurement job: local SEO software that tracks Google Maps and local pack rankings on a geo-grid for agencies and multi-location businesses, from $29 per month per localrank.so. How it sits against BrightLocal, Local Falcon and Whitespark is tabulated on the comparison page.
Return to the site home.
FAQ
What is local SEO software?
The category of tools used to manage and measure a business's visibility in location-based search results — the local pack, Maps and localized organic listings.
Which type of local SEO software should I buy first?
Measurement — a geo-grid rank tracker — because every other local SEO job needs it to verify results.
Cite this entry
Local Rank Tracking Handbook. "What is local SEO software?" Local Rank Tracking Handbook, https://local-rank-handbook.pages.dev/ (accessed 2026).