Largest Local SERP Study Spanning 49 Local Business Categories

Local search has become a critical battleground for businesses seeking visibility and customer engagement. Our comprehensive study delves into the intricate world of local search results, analyzing data across an extensive range of 49 diverse local business categories.

Our research reveals a nuanced picture of local search result pages. We analyzed over 130,000 local search result pages across 250 US cities.

Key Findings

Websites emerge on top, commanding an impressive 58.3% of the top 20 SERP spots across different categories. This includes local businesses, niche sites, media companies, and more.
Directories follow closely behind, capturing a substantial 25.13% of local search real estate.
Notably, SERP entities like FAQs, Paid Ads, and Featured Snippets also make up for a good chunk, representing 9.4% of results and demonstrating particular significance in service-oriented sectors.

The average position of directories on local SERPs was 10, while for websites it was 12.4. It can be due to higher domain authority of large directories that make them more likely to rank higher.
Directories outranked websites across 47 out of 49 business categories we evaluated. For 2 categories – Banks and Car Dealers – websites ranked higher.

Top directories that showed up consistently across most local business categories – Yelp (29% of all directory results), Angie’s List (5.5% of all directory results), YellowPages (5.13% all directory results), Better Business Bureau (5.35% all directory results), and Thumbtack (4.3% all directory results).

While e-commerce sites, forums, and social platforms may occupy smaller segments of the local search landscape, they offer unique opportunities for businesses willing to explore targeted, niche strategies. Reddit accounted for 98% of all forum results, followed by Quora (1.7%). These platforms can provide alternative routes to visibility and customer engagement that complement more traditional search results.

This study takes a deep dive into the anatomy of local search results, examining how different types of business mentions populate search engine result pages (SERPs). We've analyzed ‘near me’ searches with local intent across 49 business categories to uncover the precise landscape of online business visibility. Our goal is to provide businesses and marketers with a strategic roadmap—revealing where marketing investments can yield the most significant returns in capturing those crucial top search positions.

Methodology

To conduct this research, we analyzed the top 10-20 local search results for 49 most common local business categories across 250 cities in all 50 U.S. states. Focusing on the keyword phrase "[category] near me," we examined the distribution of local result types—including business listings, directories, SERP entities, e-commerce sites, forums, marketplaces, niche sites, and social platforms—to identify trends and anomalies.

We also found out the most commonly occurring directories and sites for each business category, along with some on-page insights. This category-specific approach allowed us to develop actionable recommendations tailored to each industry. We were also able to account for geographical variations by increasing the scale of the study to over 130,000 local search result pages.

How to read this data?

We’ve measured the prominence of certain platforms, directories, and types of pages by comparing their percentage share of the total search results for that category (or across all categories). While absolute percentage shares may not give you any useful insights, comparative analysis can tell you which platforms are most prominent and which are least, so you can prioritize accordingly. When we mention "websites", it includes websites of local businesses, aggregators, media companies, blogs, and other types of websites.

What’s Ranking Higher?

Directories almost always ranked higher than websites in local search results, with an average position of 10, compared to 12.4 for websites. This happens because directories have strong domain authority and are seen as reliable sources by search engines. In fact, in 47 out of 49 business categories, directories beat out websites.

The only exceptions were banks and car dealers, where websites did better—probably because people trust big bank brands and car dealerships to provide the information they’re looking for directly. This just goes to show how important it is for businesses to keep their directory profiles updated and optimized. At the same time, focusing on SEO to boost their own website rankings is key too, especially in industries where customers expect direct engagement. People clearly trust directories as an easy, reliable way to find local businesses.

We analyzed 2700+ search result pages for the “accounting firm near me” keyword. 60% of the results were home pages of various websites, including businesses. 25% of all results were directories. The top directories we identified for accounting businesses are as follows:

Yelp (8.2%)
BBB (5%)
Thumbtack (4.2%)
Clutch: 3.2%
Expertise Directories (2.2%)

We also noticed that there are no Reddit or Quora pages ranking in the top 20 positions in this business category. It signifies that accounting businesses should look at other avenues to invest their brand-building dollars. Among social platforms, only Facebook ranked in the small portion of the results. Facebook pages nonetheless should not be neglected by accounting business as they offer a good source of information to people looking for such service businesses.

Auto Parts Stores

For auto parts businesses, local directories dominated the local SERP (51% of results), followed by websites (40%). SERP entities only contributed to 5% of all results. Top directories we identified are as follows:

O'Reilly Auto Parts site directory (9.6%)
Yelp (9.5%)
MapQuest (6.4%)
YellowPages (3.3%)

There were no Reddit or Quora results ranking for this industry as well. Listings (41% of results) dominated the SERPs for this category. Location pages also seem to be really important for auto parts businesses (occupying 15% of all results). Focus on building easily navigable store locators on your website to convert customers looking for your services.

Bakeries

For the Bakery industry, websites dominate the search results, accounting for 57.8% of all results, followed by directories at 25.5%. Home pages are the most prominent page type, comprising 33.8% of the results, indicating the importance of a well-optimized homepage. This was followed by listings and some mentions at 25.9%.

Social media presence and visual content remain underutilized, presenting growth opportunities for bakeries to engage their audience. TikTok had significant visibility in this category. No forum websites, such as Reddit or Quora, were found in the top-ranking results for this category.

Among social media channels, Facebook emerges as a notable platform, contributing 4.9% of the results. Focusing on directory listings and leveraging visual and social content can significantly improve online presence for bakery businesses.

Top Directories for Bakery Businesses:

Yelp: 9.4%
TripAdvisor: 7.4%
YellowPages: 2.3%
Eater: 1%

Banks

Websites dominate with 77.8% of the results, followed by directories at 11.1% and SERP entities at 10.5%. Internal pages are prominent, accounting for 52.7% of the page types.Social media presence is minimal at 0.1%, and no forum websites such as Reddit or Quora are present in the top results. It means banks should rely heavily on optimizing their websites and creating locally relevant pages that can rank for related searches.

Top Directories for Banks:

Yelp: 6.8%
YellowPages: 1.7%
Wallethub: 1.7%
MapQuest: 0.5%

Bars

Websites make up 48.1% of the results, followed by directories at 25.1% and SERP entities at 11.2%. Listings and mentions are significant, comprising 26.3% of the page types, while social media pages account for 2.7%. Reddit threads show up for a significant number of search results (5.5% of all results).

Among social channels, Facebook was prominent as seen with other industries, but TikTok was more visible than Instagram. This can be due to the way younger generations are consuming content online, relying heavily on video-based sites like TikTok for recommendations.

Top Directories for Bars:

Yelp: 8.2%
TripAdvisor: 5.9%
YellowPages: 3.1%
OpenTable: 1.7%
Eater: 1.3%
Zomato: 1.2%

Beauty Salon

Websites dominate with 53.1% of results, followed by directories at 28.7%. SERP entities contribute 9.9%, while social media pages account for 4.8%. Home pages account for 36.0% of results, listings at 28.7%, and internal pages at 16.3%.

Top Directories for Beauty Salons:

Yelp: 8.5%
Booksy: 5%
YellowPages: 3.7%
Vagaro: 1.9%
Thumbtack: 0.9%
Styleseat: 0.8%

Cafe

Websites dominate with 55.2% of results, followed by directories at 21.1% and niche sites at 8.4%. Forums account for 4.2%. Home pages are prominent at 35.9%, followed by listings and mentions at 23.9% and internal pages at 17.7%.

Top Directories for Cafes:

Yelp: 9.6%
TripAdvisor: 8%
Eater: 1.2%
Yellowpages: 0.8%
Zomato and OpenTable also show up in search results

Car Dealer

Websites dominate with 78.6%, followed by directories at 14.8%, and SERP entities at 6.5%. Home pages are prominent, accounting for 51.4% of results, with internal pages at 27.1% and listings at 14.8%.

Top Directories

AutoTrader: 3.6%
Yelp: 3.5%
Cars.com: 3.1%
Chamber of Commerce: 0.6%

Car Repair and Maintanance

Websites lead with 66.4%, followed by directories at 18.8% and niche sites at 6.3%. Internal pages dominate with 36.8%, followed by home pages at 34.5% and listings and mentions at 19.1%. Forums (Reddit) are minimally present with 1.4%

Top Directories

Yelp: 7.3%
Expertise: 2.4%
RepairPal: 1.7%
YellowPages: 1%
Auto Zone: 0.1%

Clothing Store

Websites dominate with 76.3%, followed by directories at 15.1%, and niche sites at 2.4%. Home pages didn’t seem to be very visible on the SERP for this industry. While location pages dominated the SERP covering 38.9% of all results. Internal pages only make up 29.4%, followed by listings and mentions at 16.7%. This means clothing stores should focus on creating locally relevant pages on their website and having well-optimized store locators so customers can find your business.

Interestingly, social channels like Facebook and Instagram had equal visibility on the SERP for clothing stores. These can be potentially useful channels for driving more customer interest.

Top Directories:

Yelp: 8.8%
YellowPages: 3.6%
TripAdvisor: 1%

Day Care Centers

Websites lead with 57.4%, followed by directories at 27.3%, and SERP entities at 10.4%. Internal pages dominate at 38.1%, followed by listings at 27.3% and home pages at 19.4%. Forums account for 2.2% of all SERP spots, all of which included Reddit threads. Among social channels, only Facebook pages showed up, accounting for 1.83% of all results. We noticed FAQs were also very prevalent, covering 4.6% of all results. Day care businesses should optimize their website content with relevant questions about their services.

Top Directories:

Care.com: 9%
Winnie: 8.4%
Yelp: 8.0%
YellowPages: 1.2%

Dentists

Websites dominate with 74.8%, followed by directories at 13.8% and SERP entities at 10.4%. Home pages are the most prominent at 52.9%, followed by internal pages at 22.0% and listings at 13.8%. FAQs were also visible, covering 4.3% of all search results.

Top Directories:

Yelp: 6.1%
Healthgrades: 3.83%
ZocDoc: 1.7%
YellowPages: 1.0%
Directories like Expertise, WebMD, and BBB also made an appearance

Doctors

Approximately 45% of the results consisted of websites, while directories accounted for about 37%. The SERP analysis revealed that listings and mentions dominated the results (45%), followed by internal pages (37%). We noticed that while social media presence was negligible, focusing on improving services pages and leveraging directories like WebMD and ZocDoc could enhance visibility and credibility for medical practices. Additionally, addressing relevant FAQs (3.4%) and including multimedia elements like images (0.7%) can better engage prospective customers.

Top Directories for Doctors:

Healthgrades: 7.9%
WebMD: 6.9%
ZocDoc: 1.7%
Yelp: 4.6%
Medicare: 4.4%
Directories like RateMD, Vitals, and YellowPages also showed up

Dry Cleaners

Most were just simple websites – about 65%, with directories making up another 19%. Talking about types of pages, we saw listings and mentions dominating at 33%, followed by internal pages at 29%. Social media wasn't a big player at all, just 3.6% of results, which means there's plenty of room for businesses to build better customer connections there. Facebook was the only social platform visible.

Surprisingly, we didn't spot any paid ads. That's a real opportunity for dry cleaners looking to stand out. The takeaway? Focus on customer reviews and make booking easy through location pages – that's what really drives new business.

Top directories for dry cleaners:

Yelp: 9.5%
MapQuest: 3.6%
YellowPages: 2.9%
BBB: 0.5%
Other directories like Yahoo Local, Nextdoor, and Chamber of Commerce also appeared

Electricians

Looking at the search results for electricians, we found local directories leading the way at 43%, with websites following close behind at 38%. Most of the page types we saw were listings (43%) and internal pages (25%).Social media barely made a dent – just 0.2% of results, which shows there's a lot of room for electricians to grow their online presence. We only spotted about 1% paid ads too, so there's definitely an opportunity to stand out with some smart advertising.

We'd recommend focusing on optimizing those location pages and making the most of directory platforms – they're great for building credibility and getting referrals.

Top directories for electricians:

BBB: 8.9%
Angie's List: 7.7%
Yelp: 7.5%
Thumbtack: 5.5%
HomeAdvisor: 3.9%
Indeed: 3.4%
Other directories like YellowPages and Nextdoor also appeared

Financial Consultants

Looking at the search results for financial consultants, websites were the most common result, making up nearly 48%, with directories close behind at 33%. Most of the pages we analyzed were listings (33%) and internal pages (32%), with homepage results making up only 16% of the results.

To stand out, financial consultants should focus on maintaining well-optimized listings and leveraging directories to build trust. Adding informative articles and FAQs (4.6% of results) could also help educate and attract potential clients. Interestingly, being present on LinkedIn can also help as it was the only social platform visible on local SERP for this category.

Top directories for financial consultants:

Yelp: 6.1%
Thumbtack: 4.4%
Smart Asset Directory: 3.8%
Expertise Directory: 3%
Thervo: 2.6%
Bankrate: 2.4%
Other directories like YellowPages, Indeed, BBB, and niche financial platforms like FeeOnly (3%) and NAPFA (6.24%) also made a significant appearance.

Flooring Contractors

For flooring contractors, directories were prominent, comprising nearly 38% of the search results, while websites made up 47%. Listings dominated the types of pages at 38%, followed by internal pages at 23%.Contractors can benefit from optimizing their services pages (5.1% of all results) and focusing on gaining reviews and ratings on directory platforms. Reddit also showed up prominently for 1.4% of all results. Among social channels, only Facebook made appearance.

Top directories for flooring contractors:

Angie’s List: 8.9%
Yelp: 8.4%
Thumbtack: 7.4%
Home Advisor: 4.7%
Houzz: 4.75%
Other directories like Expertise Directory, YellowPages, and BBB were also present.

Funeral Homes

When it comes to funeral homes, websites overwhelmingly dominated the search results, making up 80%, while directories contributed 10%. Listings and internal pages accounted for the majority of the page types, at 24% and 11%, respectively. Social media results, specifically Facebook pages, were minimal, making up only 0.6%, which indicates an area for growth in engaging local communities.

To improve visibility, funeral homes should consider investing in optimizing their location-specific website pages and leveraging directory platforms for credibility. Paid ads were absent, however, it may be because of the sensitive nature of the business which may make it hard to target the right customers via ads.

Top directories for funeral homes:

Legacy: 4.9%
Yelp: 4.3%
Chamber of Commerce: 0.6%
MapQuest: 0.1%

Furniture Stores

Most search results for furniture stores were websites – a huge 79%, with directories making up about 11%. Listings and internal pages showed up the most (11% and 35%, respectively), while home pages accounted for 21% of page types. Social media presence was barely there at just 0.9%, all Facebook, which could be a real growth area for furniture stores. Reddit was nowhere to be seen.

We didn’t spot any paid ads either, so that’s an untapped opportunity. If furniture stores focused on optimizing location pages (they showed up 25% of the time) and worked more with big directories, they could see better visibility.

Top directories for furniture stores:

Yelp: 7.9%
YellowPages: 2.1%
Houzz: 1.1%
BBB: 0.14%
MapQuest: 0.14%

Grocery Stores

Grocery store search results were led by websites at 58%, with directories taking up 27%. Listings (27%) and internal pages (16%) made up the majority of the types of pages we saw. Forums, like discussion boards, had a small presence (4%), but social media results were rare, just 1.4%. This included only Facebook, while TikTok and Instagram were missing entirely.

Reddit had a very prominent presence (4% of all results). We also saw some results from Quora (1.3%).

We also noticed a small amount of video content (1.8%), which shows an opportunity for grocery stores to attract customers through visual content like recipes or product highlights. Location pages were big in this category (22%), so making those as helpful as possible is key.

Top directories for grocery stores:

Yelp: 8.9%
YellowPages: 4.6%
MapQuest: 1.6%
Uber Eats: 1%
TripAdvisor: 0.8%
Super Pages: 0.8%
Directories like Chamber of Commerce, Nextdoor, LocalHarvest, and FourSquare also appeared occasionally.

Gyms

Gyms were mostly represented by websites in search results – 67% of the time – followed by directories at 15%. The most common types of pages were listings (15%) and internal pages (42%), and forums made up about 3% of the results, which included only Reddit. Social media presence was small (1.7%), but we did see some activity on Facebook and Instagram. Focusing on directory listings and making social media more active could really help gyms stand out.

Top directories for gyms:

Yelp: 7.1%
YellowPages: 0.7%
TripAdvisor: 0.5%
Chamber of Commerce: 0.25%
Marketplaces like ClassPass also appeared signficantly.

Hair Salon

Hair salons saw websites taking the lead in search results, making up about 61% of results, with directories following at 21%. Among type of pages, listings (21%) and internal pages (17%) were common, while homepage results were prominent at 41%. Social media showed up in 4.2% of the results, distributed almost equally between Facebook and Instagram.

Paid ads didn’t appear, leaving an open opportunity for hair salons to stand out with targeted advertising. Optimizing social media pages and focusing on services like online booking could be a big win. Marketplaces can be another discovery channel.

Top directories for hair salons:

Yelp: 7.5%
Booksy: 4.42%
YellowPages: 2.3%
Vagaro: 2%
Expertise: 1.5%
Other directories like Thumbtack and MapQuest also appeared but were less frequent. Marketplaces like StyleSeat also made an appearance.

Health Clubs

For health clubs, websites dominated at 69%, followed by directories at 14%. Listings and mentions appeared frequently (14%), with internal pages taking the largest share at 38%. Social media accounted for 2%, with some visibility on Facebook and Instagram, but Reddit didn’t make an appearance.

A focus on listing optimization and enhancing internal pages could help drive more traffic and engagement. Optimize your website content and listings with common questions, FAQs being significantly visible in SERPs (4%). Reddit also showed up for 2.7% of the results.

Top directories for health clubs:

Yelp: 7%
YellowPages: 1.9%
TripAdvisor: 0.8%
MapQuest: 0.4%
Marketplaces like MindBody Online and ClassPass also appeared frequently.

Heating Contractors

Heating contractors had a strong presence in websites (56%) and directories (30%). Listings and mentions were the most common type of page, making up 30%, followed by internal pages at 32%. Social media presence was minimal (0.1%), and Reddit had a miniscule presence.

We also noticed a few paid ads (0.4% of results), indicating an opportunity to grow visibility through advertising. Heating contractors should prioritize directory listings and location-based optimization for better local reach.

Top directories for heating contractors:

Yelp: 8.1%
Angie’s List: 7.4%
BBB: 5.6%
Home Advisor: 4.2%
Thumbtack: 2.3%
Expertise: 1.5%
Directories like YellowPages and Houzz also appeared in smaller numbers.

Home Builders

For home builders, websites took the lead at 64%, with directories accounting for 22%. Listings (22%) and internal pages (18%) were the most common type of pages, while homepage results were the most prominent at 45%. Social media presence was minimal (0.5%), mostly including Facebook.

Optimizing directory listings and adding visual content like videos (1.2%) could also make a significant impact.

Top directories for home builders:

Angie’s List: 5.3%
Houzz: 5%
BBB: 4.4%
Yelp: 3.4%
Realtor.com: 0.9%
Zillow: 0.6%
Directories like HomeAdvisor, Chamber of Commerce, and Thumbtack also showed up.

Hospitals

Hospitals showed a strong presence of websites (52%), with directories close behind at 28%. Listings and mentions (30%) along with internal pages (37%) made up the majority of page types. Social media results was minor, at just 0.6%, with limited appearances on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.

There were no paid ads, leaving an opportunity for hospitals to use advertising to target local patients. Investing in multimedia elements like videos (0.6%) and addressing FAQs (3.9%) could enhance patient engagement.

Top directories for hospitals:

Yelp: 7.9%
Medicare Directory: 7.7%
Healthgrades: 7%
YellowPages: 1.12%
Niche directories like Care.com and ZocDoc also appeared in the results.

Hotels

For hotels, directories dominated the results, accounting for 51%, while websites made up 37%. Listings and mentions (51%) were by far the most frequent type of result, followed by internal pages (41%). Home pages interestingly accounted for only 7% of the results, significantly less than industry average. Social media was absent from top results, and Forums did not make an appearance either.

There were no paid ads, which leaves room for hotels to stand out with targeted advertising. Focusing on listing optimization and improving presence on travel booking platforms could boost visibility.

Top directories for hotels:

TripAdvisor: 5.87%
Kayak: 4%
Yelp: 1.7%
Travel platforms such as Booking.com (5%), Hotels.com (9.7%), Trivago (3.7%), and Expedia (9.3%) appeared more frequently than directories.

Insurance Agency

Insurance agency search results were primarily dominated by websites at 75.9%, followed by directories at 12.7%. Internal pages constituted a significant portion at 54.6%, with listings accounting for 12.7%. Forums had a very minor presence (0.1%), all of Reddit, while social media results were entirely absent.

Top directories for insurance agencies:

Yelp: 5%
TrustedChoice: 3.6%
Expertise Directory: 3%

Interior Designers

Interior designer search results were led by websites at 46.6%, with directories taking up 29.8%. Listings (29.8%) and internal pages (17%) made up the majority of what we saw. Forums, mostly Reddit, had a small presence (1.1%), but social media results were relatively visible at 3.75%. This majorly included Facebook, while Instagram and LinkedIn also showed up occasionally.

We also noticed a small amount of video content (0.6%), which shows an opportunity for interior designers to attract customers through visual content like project showcases or tips on home decor. Images were present but underutilized at 1.5%.

Top directories for interior designers:

Yelp: 7.1%
Houzz: 5.5%
Angie’s List: 5.1%
Thumbtack: 1.4%
Directories like Clutch, Expertise, Home Advisor, Super Pages, Yellow Pages, and platforms like Decorilla (5% of all results) also had a significant presence.

Lawyers

Lawyer search results were led by websites at 44.6%, with directories taking up 36.2% of the spots. Listings (42.5%) and internal pages (17.1%) made up the majority of the page types we saw. Forums were absent, and social media results were extremely rare at just 0.1%.

We also noticed a very small amount of video content (0.1%), which shows an opportunity for law firms to attract clients through visual content like explanatory videos or success stories. Location pages were missing entirely, which indicates potential for improvement in location-specific SEO strategies. We also noticed several niche sites (6.7% of results) like blogs and media companies occupying SERP real estate.

Top directories for lawyers:

FindLaw: 8%
Justia: 6%
Yelp: 5.6%
Thumbtack: 4.2%
Avvo: 3.2%
Thervo: 2.4%
BBB: 2.6%
Directories like Lawyers, Nolo, YellowPages, Chamber of Commerce, and Expertise also appeared occasionally.

Locksmith

Locksmith search results were led by websites at 63.1%, while directories took up 21.8%. Listings (21.8%) and internal pages (30.4%) made up the majority of the page types. Forums, like Reddit and Quora, were absent, and social media results were minimal at 0.9%, mostly occupied by Facebook.

We also noticed a very small amount of video content (0.1%) ranking. Location pages were also underutilized, with negligible presence, indicating room for improvement. FAQs took up a significant portion of the results (4.6%), indicating optimizing for queries can help rank for ‘near me’ searches.

Top directories for locksmiths:

Yelp: 9.1%
Angie’s List: 4.7%
BBB: 3.1%
YellowPages: 1.4%
Thumbtack: 0.7%
Directories like Expertise, Indeed, and MapQuest also appeared occasionally.

Marketing Agency

Marketing agency search results predominantly featured websites, accounting for 49% of the search results. Directories followed at 28.8%, with a small presence of eCommerce sites (0.8%). Forums were notably absent, while niche sites contributed 4.6% to the results. Social media pages and SERP entities showed minor representation at 0.6% and 12.7%, respectively.

Internal pages (24.8%) and homepage results (29.2%) were the most frequently encountered page types. Location-based pages were less prominent, while listings accounted for 29.2%. Featured snippets were minimal at 0.8%, and video content comprised just 0.5%, indicating a potential opportunity for marketing agencies to expand their visibility with engaging video content.

Top directories for marketing agencies:

Yelp: 8.5%
Thumbtack: 4.5%
Clutch: 4.2%
DesignRush: 3.4%
Expertise: 2.5%
Thervo: 1.4%
Platforms like Indeed and Agency Spotter also appeared occasionally.

Moving Company

Search results for moving companies were primarily driven by websites, accounting for 56.4% of the results. Directories followed at 17.6%, while niche sites contributed 2.9%. Forums had a small presence at 1.7%, indicating an opportunity for increased engagement in community discussions. Marketplace websites represented 9.8%, and SERP entities comprised 9.4%.

Internal pages dominated with 48.6%, followed by homepage results (15.9%) and listings (17.6%). Featured snippets and video content had negligible representation (0.7% and <0.1%, respectively), signaling a strong opportunity to utilize video content and structured information for better visibility.

Top directories for moving companies:

Yelp: 7.8%
Angie's List: 5.7%
BBB: 3%
Thumbtack: 1.7%
YellowPages also appeared occasionally.

Opticians

Optician search results were led by websites at 69%, with directories taking up 17% of all search results. Social media and marketplaces had very small presences, both contributing around 0.3% each. SERP entities added another 10.3% to the visibility. Internal pages dominated at 33.8%, followed by home pages at 28.6%, and listings at 17.4%.

Location pages seemed to have a prominent presence for opticians, covering 9.6% of all results. Optimizing store locators with relevant content and keywords can help rank better on the local SERPs.

Top directories for opticians:

Yelp: 8.6%
ZocDoc: 2.5%
Healthgrades: 1.3%
YellowPages: 0.8%
Expertise: 0.6%
Directories like WebMD and MapQuest also appeared occasionally.

Orthodontists

Search results for orthodontists were predominantly driven by websites, which accounted for 67.6% of the results. Directories followed with a notable presence of 20.1%. Social media and eCommerce sites had minimal presence, each contributing around 0.4%. SERP entities represented 10.9%, providing additional visibility.

Internal pages were prominent at 29.9%, while home pages led at 37.9%. Listings contributed 15.7% of the results, and location pages held a 5% share. Video content was minimally present at 0.1%, signaling a strong opportunity for engaging orthodontic video content.

Top directories for orthodontists:

Yelp: 8.1%
ZocDoc: 3.7%
Smile Doctors: 0.6%
Healthgrades: 0.5%
Directories like WebMD and Expertise also appeared occasionally.

Pest Control

Search results for pest control services were led by websites, accounting for 66.2% of the results. Directories followed with 16.4%, while niche sites contributed 3.1%. Social media and forums made minor appearances at 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively. ECommerce sites were also present at 2.9%, a higher representation than many other service industries. SERP entities added another 10.5%.

Internal pages were the most prominent page type, accounting for 46.4%, followed by homepage results (21.9%) and listing pages (16.4%). Location pages and social media pages had very small shares, at 0.6% and 0.6%, respectively.

Top directories for pest control:

Yelp: 6.8%
Angie's List: 4.5%
BBB: 2.0%
Expertise Directory: 1.7%
HomeAdvisor (0.7%), YellowPages (0.2%), and Thumbtack (0.1%) also showed up

Pet Groomers

Search results for pet groomers were driven by websites, accounting for 47.8% of the results, followed closely by directories at 31.9%. Forums and niche sites had smaller presences, at 1.0% and 0.9%, respectively. Social media content was relatively significant at 5.4%, compared to other service industries. SERP entities contributed a notable 10.5%.

Internal pages (22.7%) and listings (31.9%) dominated the page types, while home pages made up 22.5%. Location pages were moderately represented at 5.0%, this can be a good opportunity for brands to optimize their website store locators. Video content was minimal (0.1%), pointing to an opportunity for growth in this area.

Top directories for pet groomers:

Yelp: 9.1%
Care.com: 3.6%
YellowPages: 2.2%
BBB: 2.6%
Expertise: 1.5%
Thumbtack: 1%

Pharmacy

Search results for pharmacies were led by directories, which accounted for 45.7% of the results, followed by websites at 35.6%. Niche sites made a notable contribution of 10.9%, while forums and social media presence were minimal at 0.3% and nearly absent. ECommerce sites made a small appearance at 1.3%, indicating some interest in online pharmaceutical purchasing options. SERP entities contributed to 5.7% of all results.

Listings and mentions dominated the page types, accounting for 50.3%, followed by internal pages at 27.3% and home pages at 13.5%. Video content was nearly absent at 0.1%, providing a potential avenue for growth.

Top directories for pharmacies:

Walgreens: 9.6%
Yelp: 8.7%
Healthgrades: 5.3%
YellowPages: 2.1%
MapQuest: 0.1%
Discount platforms like GoodRx (4.8%) also had a significant presence.

Plumbers

Search results for plumbers were largely dominated by websites, which accounted for 45.6% of the results, followed by directories at 34.1%. Niche sites and forums made smaller contributions, both at 3.1%. Social media had a minor presence of 0.4%, while SERP entities contributed a notable 12.7%.

Listings and internal pages were the most prominent page types, making up 34.1% and 32.7%, respectively. home pages accounted for 15.9%. Video content was nearly absent (0.1%), providing a strong opportunity to leverage visual media.

Top directories for plumbers:

Yelp: 8.3%
BBB: 7.7%
Angie's List: 6.3%
Thumbtack: 3.2%
HomeAdvisor: 2.5%
Expertise Directory: 1.1%
YellowPages: 1.0%
Chamber of Commerce: 0.2%
Nextdoor: 0.1%
Indeed: 0.4% each

Print Shops

Print shops are primarily found through websites, which dominate search results at 65.1%. Directories are the next major player, contributing 20.6%, while eCommerce sites make up a smaller share of 1.6%. Community-based platforms, such as forums and social media, appear sparingly, with only 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively. SERP features, like Google Maps listings or FAQs, add visibility with a notable 12.2%.

Internal pages account for the majority of ranked content (40.3%), followed by listing pages (20.6%) and home pages (14.6%). Location-specific pages show up 11.5% of the time. However, video content is almost nonexistent, representing less than 0.1%, leaving room for more engaging visual storytelling.

Top directories for print shops:

Yelp: 8.8%
Walgreens: 3.0%
Expertise Directory: 0.8%
YellowPages, Chamber of Commerce, and MapQuest: 0.3% each

Real Estate Agency

Search results for real estate agencies are primarily driven by websites, which make up 52.2% of the results. Directories hold a substantial presence at 37.3%, indicating their importance in this sector. Niche sites have a minimal share of 0.2%, while social media presence is very small at 0.1%. SERP features, such as local packs or highlighted results, contribute 10.2%.

Listings dominate the page types at 37.3%, followed by internal pages (29.5%) and home pages (22.5%). Location-specific pages and forums are absent, and video content makes up a negligible 0.1%, providing an opportunity for differentiation.

Top directories for real estate agencies:

Zillow: 6.1%
Yelp: 5.9%
Realtor.com: 8.2%
FastExpert: 3.6%
Expertise Directory: 2.5%
Homes: 1.0%
Redfin: 1.7%
RateMyAgent: 0.8%
YellowPages and Trulia: 0.2% each
Indeed: 0.4% each

Restaurants

Search results for restaurants are heavily influenced by websites, which account for 51.4% of the results, followed by directories at 31%. Forums make a noteworthy appearance, contributing 3.3%, all of these included Reddit, while niche food-review sites make up 5.8%. Social media content, including platforms like Instagram and TikTok, remains minor at 0.7%. Building a presence on these visual-focused social channels may help your restaurant businesses and also help capture the attention of younger audiences. SERP entities, such as Google Maps listings, contribute 7.8%, offering additional visibility.

Listings are the most common page type, making up 32.8%, followed closely by internal pages (29.8%) and home pages (20.3%). Video content contributes 2.8%, showing a stronger presence compared to other industries, yet still providing opportunities for growth.

Top directories for restaurants:

Yelp: 6.1%
OpenTable: 6.4%
TripAdvisor: 5.8%
YellowPages: 2.8%
Eater: 2.5%
Delivery platforms like Uber Eats: 2.3% and Doordash: 1.9%
Booking platforms like Hotels.com: 0.9%

Roofing Contractors

Search results for roofing contractors are heavily influenced by websites, accounting for 41.0% of the results. Directories play a significant role, contributing 32.0%, while marketplaces and niche sites represent 8.4% and 4.7%, respectively. Forums, social media, and video content are minimally present, each contributing less than 0.3%. SERP entities, like Google local packs, add visibility at 11.1%.

Internal pages and listings dominate the page types, accounting for 31.4% and 32.0%, respectively, followed by home pages (19.9%). Video content is nearly absent, appearing only 0.1%, presenting an opportunity for growth.

Top directories for roofing contractors:

BBB: 8.9%
Angie's List: 8.1%
Yelp: 5.9%
Thumbtack: 3.0%
HomeAdvisor: 2.9%
Expertise Directory: 1.4%
Houzz: 0.2% each
YellowPages: 0.1% each

Security Services

Search results for security services heavily favor websites, which account for 69.0% of the results. Directories make up a smaller but significant portion at 17.2%, while marketplaces and niche sites contribute 4.8% and 1.2%, respectively. Social media and forums have minimal presence, with only 0.3% and negligible contributions from video content.

Internal pages (35.4%) and home pages (36.7%) dominate the page types, followed by listings at 17.2%. Location-specific pages and social media pages are almost nonexistent, while paid ads and featured snippets each add a minor boost.

Top directories for security services:

Yelp: 7.5%
Thumbtack: 2.7%
Indeed: 3.4%
YellowPages: 0.9%
Angie's List: 0.9%
BBB: 0.4%
Expertise Directory: 0.7%
Chamber of Commerce and MapQuest: 0.3% each
HomeAdvisor: 0.1%

Spa

Search results for spas prominently feature websites, which account for 61.2% of the results. Directories are the second-largest driver at 24.5%, while niche sites add a smaller but notable share of 3.5%. Social media and forums contribute 1.6% and 1.2%, respectively. SERP features, like Google Maps listings, add 7.8%.

Listings and internal pages dominate the page types, accounting for 24.5% and 23.9%, respectively, followed by home pages at 35.9%. Video content is minimal, representing 0.3%, leaving an opportunity for creative visual content.

Top directories for spas:

Yelp: 7.5%
TripAdvisor: 5.8%
Spa Finder: 2.2%
YellowPages: 1.2%
Vagaro: 0.6%
Booksy, Thumbtack, Chamber of Commerce, Expedia, and Hotels.com: 0.1% each

Supermarkets

Websites lead search visibility for supermarkets, accounting for 64.1% of the results. Directories follow with 23.6%, while forums (mainly Reddit) provide a smaller but notable contribution of 3.6%. Social media, including platforms like Instagram and TikTok, has a modest presence at 1.2%, and SERP features, such as local packs, add 6.6% to the visibility mix. ECommerce sites and niche content have minimal representation.

The most common types of pages are listings (23.6%) and home pages (26.5%), with internal pages contributing 16.9% and location-specific pages 20.5%. Video content remains underrepresented, comprising just 1.2%, suggesting room for growth.

Top directories for supermarkets:

Yelp: 9.4%
YellowPages: 5.2%
Super Pages: 1.8%
MapQuest: 1.7%
Uber Eats, TripAdvisor, Walgreens, and Nextdoor: each at 0.3%
Chamber of Commerce contributed minimally.

Tattoo Shops

Search results for tattoo shops are primarily led by websites, which account for 45.9% of the results. Directories follow with a notable 21.2%, while forums contribute a significant 5.8%. This included mostly Reddit (5.2%) and Quora (0.5%). Social media, including platforms like Instagram (7.6%) and Facebook (7%), shows a strong presence at 14.6%, highlighting the importance of visual platforms in this industry. SERP entities, like local packs and featured results, add 10.4%.

Home pages dominate the page types, accounting for 34.4%, followed by listings (21.2%) and internal pages (11.6%). Social media pages are a major contributor at 14.6%, further emphasizing the role of social platforms. Video content is minimal, comprising just 0.1%.

Top directories for tattoo shops:

Yelp: 8.8%
Booksy: 3.9%
YellowPages: 2.3%
TripAdvisor and MapQuest: 0.8% each
Vagaro: 0.3%
Booking platform Fash: 1.9%

Travel Agency

Search results for travel agencies are dominated by websites, accounting for 46.4% of the results, followed by directories at 32.8%. Niche travel platforms make up 7.4%, while forums and social media contribute 0.7% and 2.1%, respectively. SERP entities like local packs and featured results add a significant 10.3%.

Listings and mentions are the most common page type, representing 33.1%, followed by home pages (27.3%) and internal pages (26.1%). Social media pages (Comprising only Facebook) make up 2.1%, while video content remains absent, presenting an untapped opportunity.

Top directories for travel agencies:

Yelp: 8.8%
BBB: 6.1%
Thumbtack: 4.7%
TripAdvisor: 1.6%
YellowPages: 1.1%
Chamber of Commerce: 0.6%
Other Platforms (Expedia, Sulekha, LinkedIn, MapQuest, Super Pages): Combined 1.2%
Niche travel sites like Travel Leaders (8.8%) were also significantly visible

Veterinarians

Search results for veterinarians are predominantly driven by websites, which account for 73.3% of the results. Directories contribute 10.1%, and niche sites like Petco and Vetstreet make up 4.6%. Social media presence is minimal at 0.9%, while SERP features such as local packs add a valuable 9.8%. ECommerce sites represent a small 1.0%.

Home pages dominate the types of pages ranked, making up 46.1%, followed by internal pages (30.3%) and listings (10.1%). Video content is currently absent, highlighting an area for growth in visual engagement.

Top directories for veterinarians:

Yelp: 7.6%
Expertise Directory: 1.0%
YellowPages: 0.5%
Vetstreet and Chamber of Commerce: 0.1% each

While industry averages gave us a decent picture of local SERPs, diving deeper into specific industries uncovered insights we otherwise would have missed. Local businesses should prioritize platforms and directories most visible for their industry. Looking at the type of pages that are ranking, you can get a gist of what elements, like store locators, to focus on.

We plan to refresh and expand these insights periodically, running experiments to see how presence on top platforms affects rankings for different industries. If you’d like to see more data points related to a specific industry or want us to gather insights into a specific aspect of local search, feel free to drop us an email at hello@synup.com.

Largest Local SERP Study Spanning 49 Local Business Categories

Key Findings

Methodology

How to read this data?

What’s Ranking Higher?

Industry-specific Insights