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How to import a CSV file for Local SEO

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If you have a store with more than one physical location, you can use the Local SEO for WordPress plugin and optimize your listings for all your stores. To do that, you will need to upload a CSV file that contains the necessary details.

If you want to create your own CSV import file for Local SEO, it should look like the example file below. For this example, we’ve used the Yoast offices. 

Name,Address,City,Zipcode,State,Country,Main Phone,Secondary Phone,Fax,Email,Description,Image,Category,URL,VAT ID,Tax ID,Chamber of Commerce,Notes 1,Notes 2,Notes 3,Business type,Opening hours monday from,Opening hours monday to,Opening hours monday second from,Opening hours monday second to,Opening hours tuesday from,Opening hours tuesday to,Opening hours tuesday second from,Opening hours tuesday second to,Opening hours wednesday from,Opening hours wednesday to,Opening hours wednesday second from,Opening hours wednesday second to,Opening hours thursday from,Opening hours thursday to,Opening hours thursday second from,Opening hours thursday second to,Opening hours friday from,Opening hours friday to,Opening hours friday second from,Opening hours friday second to,Opening hours saturday from,Opening hours saturday to,Opening hours saturday second from,Opening hours saturday second to,Opening hours sunday from,Opening hours sunday to,Opening hours sunday second from,Opening hours sunday second to
Example Location 1,Don Emanuelstraat 3,Wijchen,6602 GX,Gelderland,NL,213371337,,,,Example Location 1,http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Open_office.png,Offices,http://test1.com,,,,,,,Educational Organization,8:00,12:00,13:00,18:00,13:00,18:00,,,8:00,18:00,,,8:00,12:00,13:00,18:00,8:00,18:00,,,,,,,,,,
Example Location 2,Kasteellaan 22,Wijchen,6602 DE,Gelderland,NL,213371338,,,,Example Location 2,http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Open_office.png,Offices,,,,,,,,NGO,8:00,18:00,,,8:00,18:00,,,8:00,18:00,,,8:00,18:00,,,8:00,18:00,,,8:00,18:00,,,,,,
Example Location 3,Wolfskuilseweg 99,Nijmegen,6542 JD,Gelderland,NL,213371339,,,,Example Location 3,http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Open_office.png,Offices,http://test2.com,,,,,,,,8:30,15:00,18:00,21:00,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Example Location 4,Korte Nieuwstraat 6,Nijmegen,6511 PP,Gelderland,NL,213731373,,,,Example Location 4,http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Open_office.png,Offices,,,,,,,,,,,,,9:00,12:00,,,9:00,13:00,13:30,17:00,,,,,9:00,21:00,,,,,,,12:00,17:00,,
DOWNLOAD: You can also download our demo file here (right-click > Save As).

Things to consider when creating your CSV file

  • The first line with headers is obligatory.
  • A country should always be an ISO 3166-2 code.
  • Opening and closing times must be in 24-hour format.
  • The business type is limited to those available here: schema.org/LocalBusiness.
  • You can use either comma or semicolon, be sure to select what you used as a column separator when you import.

How to import the CSV file

From SEO → Tools → Import & Export, you can find the option to import your new locations. Warning: This process cannot be used to update locations.

  1. Log in to your WordPress website.

    When you’re logged in, you will be in your ‘Dashboard’.

  2. Click on ‘Yoast SEO’.

    On the left-hand side, you will see a menu. In that menu, click on ‘Yoast SEO’.

  3. Click on ‘Tools’.

    The ‘Yoast SEO’ settings will expand providing you with additional options. Click on ‘Tools’.

  4. Click on ‘Import and Export’. 

  5. Select the ‘Local SEO’ tab.

  6. Click ‘Choose File’ to select the file from your computer.

    Select the column separator (comma or semicolon) for your file.

  7. Click Import.

If the import button is not available or grayed out, we do not have permissions to write to your server. Please make sure the “/Path_To_WordPress/wp-content/uploads/wpseo/import/” directory is writeable.

Want to learn more about Local SEO? Check out these articles:

How to install Local SEO for WordPress
Configuration guide for Local SEO
SEO basics: What is local SEO
Ultimate guide to small business SEO

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