Article summary: Google does not treat every search query the same. Keywords with local intent favor location-based results and provider pages, while informational searches are more likely to surface educational content. For IT firms, matching each keyword to the right search intent and content type is critical to earning visibility instead of publishing blog posts that were never likely to rank.
An IT firm spends three weeks writing a 2,000-word blog post targeting the term “managed IT services.” They wait for rankings. Nothing happens.
They check the top results. The entire first page is a Google Map with three local businesses, followed by local MSP landing pages. No articles. No guides.
The blog post was not badly written. The keyword was simply misunderstood.
This is the most common and most preventable SEO mistake in IT content marketing. And there is a simple five-second test that identifies the problem before a single word is written.
The Map Pack Test: What Google Is Actually Telling You
Type a target keyword into Google and look closely at the results.
If you see a map with three nearby businesses, that’s a pretty strong signal that Google sees local intent behind the search. The person searching is probably looking for a provider nearby, not just an article explaining the topic.
That distinction matters when choosing keywords for blog content. Backlinko’s analysis of Google search behavior found that 42% of people conducting local searches clicked a result in the Google Maps Pack. So a blog post targeting the same keyword isn’t just competing with other articles. It’s also competing for attention with those highly visible local listings.
Now try a search where no map appears. If the results are mostly guides, how-to articles, and other educational content, you’re probably looking at informational intent. That’s much better territory for a blog post.
This doesn’t mean local keywords aren’t worth targeting. They just need a different approach. Keywords that regularly bring up a Map Pack may be better suited to your Google Business Profile and service or location pages, while informational searches give your blog a better chance to do what it does best: answer questions and help potential customers
How to Rank for Local Intent Keywords
Google Business Profile alignment
For searches with local intent, your Google Business Profile is an important part of the picture.
Choose the primary category that best fits your business, such as “Information Technology Services,” and fill out your services and business details as completely as possible.
Keep descriptions natural and written for potential customers rather than stuffing them with target keywords.
Dedicated city and location pages
If you serve several cities or regions, dedicated location pages can give you more room to show how your services relate to each market.
The key is making those pages genuinely useful. Instead of copying the same service page and swapping out city names, include details that are specific to the area, such as the services you provide there, nearby communities you serve, customer examples or testimonials, and locally relevant FAQs.
Keep your business name, address, and phone information consistent wherever it appears online.
Local schema markup
LocalBusiness structured data can help Google understand details about your business, including its name, address, phone number, location, and hours.
For businesses serving a defined geographic area, Schema.org also supports properties such as areaServed. Structured data won’t guarantee better rankings, but it gives search engines clearer information about the business behind the page.
Local citations and links
Accurate directory listings, local partnerships, Chamber of Commerce profiles, and links from regional websites can strengthen your local presence. Google considers this kind of prominence when determining local rankings.
How to Rank for Non-Local Intent Keywords
When a keyword triggers no Map Pack, it is signaling that the user wants information rather than a nearby provider. That’s where long-form articles, how-to guides, pillar content, and downloadable resources can be a better fit.
Non-local keywords are ideal for top-of-funnel content that builds awareness with prospects who are not yet ready to hire. They should be written to Google’s E-E-A-T criteria: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
That means original analysis, real-world case studies, author credentials, and content that is demonstrably more thorough than competing pages.
Search Intent in Practice: Five IT Keywords Decoded
Here is how five common IT terms break down when run through the Map Pack test:
“Managed IT Services”
Google classifies this as local intent. Results show a Map Pack and local MSP websites.
Correct approach: Google Business Profile optimization + local service page
“What is Managed IT Services”
Google classifies this as informational. Results show national blogs, Wikipedia, and guides.
Correct approach: long-form pillar article or explainer post
“Cybersecurity Audit”
Google classifies this as local intent. Results show a Map Pack and local tech firms.
Correct approach: GBP + city landing page + review signals
“Cybersecurity Checklist for Small Business”
Google classifies this as informational. Results show how-to guides, downloads, and checklists.
Correct approach: downloadable lead magnet or educational post
“Server Repair Near Me”
Google classifies this as explicit local intent. Results show a Map Pack and local phone numbers.
Correct approach: GBP + citation syncing + proximity signals
Is Your IT Firm Targeting the Right Content Type for Each Keyword?
Open Google and type your top five target keywords right now. Note which ones trigger a Map Pack.
For each that does, check whether you have a properly optimized location page, or a blog post quietly failing to rank for structural reasons.
At Tech Blog Builder, we map your target keywords to the correct content type and build the local and non-local content strategy that puts you in front of the right Google results for each search. Book a Local SEO and Keyword Audit to make sure your content targets the right keywords with the right strategy.
Article FAQs
What is the Map Pack test?
Search your target keyword on Google and see what comes up. If a Map Pack with nearby businesses appears prominently in the results, that’s a strong sign the search has local intent and may be better suited to a local SEO strategy than a traditional blog post.
Why are blog posts harder to rank for local intent keywords?
For local searches, Google looks at factors such as relevance, distance, and prominence. A blog post may provide useful information, but it doesn’t necessarily have the same local signals as a Google Business Profile or well-optimized service and location pages.
What is the difference between a location page and a service page?
A service page explains what your business does, while a location page connects those services to a specific area. A strong location page includes useful, original information about serving customers in that market rather than simply repeating a service page with a different city name.
