Today, over 90% of online interactions commence with a search engine. When seeking businesses, products, or services, individuals initiate their search with a straightforward online query. Happily, SEO services guarantee your presence at the forefront of search results — and with the SEO Checker tool, you can identify the factors impeding your website’s ascent to the top position. However, what if you are a local enterprise aiming to increase foot traffic to your physical establishment? How does local SEO contrast with conventional organic search optimization — and which should you opt for? Thankfully, your preferred marketing experts are here to address all your SEO versus local SEO queries. Simply continue reading, or reach out to us to consult with a strategist about your pressing questions!
Both traditional and local SEO are centered around enhancing your website’s ranking in search engine results to make your business more accessible. Here’s the distinction.
While traditional SEO concentrates on elevating your website’s visibility on a national or international scale, local SEO zeroes in on improving your local search rankings. Both SEO and local SEO share many strategies, yet local SEO incorporates specialized methods to connect with local searchers.
Now that you understand the difference between SEO and local SEO, let’s examine the defining characteristics of each approach.
We’ll begin with a definition of traditional SEO, also referred to as organic or national SEO. Beneficial for businesses across all industries, SEO encompasses a variety of on-page and off-page tactics to elevate your website’s rankings in pertinent search results.
Structure of a traditional search result
To grasp the mechanics of SEO, consider the structure of a search result for the keyword “rent camping gear.”
Paid ads
Upon searching on Google, you’ll first encounter a series of paid search advertisements, marked with “Ad” labels. These pay-per-click (PPC) ads appear at the top of search results, preceding organic listings.
Search Engine Results Page (SERP) features
Following the paid ads, you may notice various SERP features, contingent upon the search query. These features are special results designed to provide searchers with valuable information without the need to click on a result, including:
Featured snippets
Reviews
Sitelinks
Videos
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
People also ask boxes
And more
Organic search results
Ultimately, we see a list of unpaid search results — the core of organic SEO. Since 68% of all clicks go to the first five positions in search results, maintaining top rankings is crucial to ensure that people can find and contact you. How do you secure the top spot in search results on a national or even global scale? The answer lies in SEO — a comprehensive set of rank-boosting strategies.
Traditional SEO strategies
When optimizing for traditional SEO versus local SEO, you’ll likely employ the following strategies:
Conduct keyword research and target relevant keywords on your website
Create quality, in-depth content about your industry, products, and services
Enhance your website’s load time
Streamline your website’s code and navigation
Earn backlinks from reputable websites to improve your domain authority
And more!
In summary, these SEO strategies ensure your business appears at the top of search results when individuals search for keywords related to your business, products, and services. Ultimately, SEO facilitates increased discoverability, contact, and purchases from your business, directly translating to higher revenue.
Which businesses should use SEO?
SEO benefits businesses of all sizes across a broad range of industries, from e-commerce to technology and beyond. Explore our case studies to learn how SEO delivers results for WebFX clients.
That said, certain businesses benefit from a more localized SEO approach. To delve deeper, let’s explore local SEO: what it is, who it serves, and how it differs from traditional organic SEO.
Local SEO, a subset of traditional SEO, concentrates on optimizing your presence for local searchers. For example, if I’m planning a trip and search “best hotels in LA,” and you own or manage a hotel in the LA area, you want to rank at the top of the local results for that search. Local SEO can help you achieve this.
Since 80% of local searches convert, it’s critical for local businesses aiming to boost foot traffic, sales, and revenue to invest in local SEO.
Structure of a local search result
In addition to ads, SERP features, and organic listings, local search results have unique features. Let’s examine another example to understand the difference between traditional and local search results.
Local SEO 3-pack
If I search “best restaurants in LA,” Google returns a local SEO 3-pack — a map and list of the top three restaurants matching my search criteria. Google extracts business information from the restaurants’ Google My Business profiles, making it crucial to claim your listing when optimizing for local SEO.
In some cases, such as the hotel example above, Google pulls results from Google Travel, which is why you may see more than three options. You’ll encounter the same when searching “flights to LA,” with a list of available flights and prices from Google Travel.
Google Local Services ads
For certain local searches, you may notice Google Local Services ads. These ads appear at the top of local search results and operate similarly to PPC ads. Like PPC ads, these paid ads are not part of the organic search results but are present in local searches.
Local SEO strategies
In addition to traditional SEO strategies, local SEO incorporates additional tactics to connect with local searchers. These local strategies include:
Claiming and optimizing profiles on local listing sites like Google My Business
Earning and managing reviews on local review sites
Targeting relevant, local keywords on your website
Creating location-specific website copy
Adding name, address, and phone number (NAP) information to your site and local directories
Earning backlinks from reputable, local websites
Which businesses should use local SEO?
If you’re uncertain about the suitability of local SEO for your business, consider the following industries, where local SEO is a perfect match:
Franchise
Home and repair
Industrial
Heavy equipment
Real estate
Legal
Local consumer services
Medical and health
And many others
For companies seeking to attract and convert more local traffic, local SEO is indispensable.
It’s challenging to draw a clear line between traditional and local SEO, as there is some overlap between the two strategies. However, your traditional SEO efforts can likely support your local SEO, and vice versa, when executed correctly. If you already have an SEO plan in place, it may just require some adjustments to start driving more qualified local traffic.
For instance, incorporating location-specific keywords and content, as opposed to more general information, allows you to appeal to a local audience. Adding these pages will also aid your organic SEO strategy, as you’ll have more opportunities to rank in relevant search results. When navigating the complexities of traditional versus local SEO, consulting with experts — like the team at WebFX — is beneficial. We’ll help address all your national SEO versus local SEO questions, ensuring the best business outcomes.
If you have more questions about organic SEO versus local SEO, our resources below provide further insights:
SEO services
Local SEO services
Client-managed local SEO: If you prefer to manage your local SEO campaign, this option is for you! Our IBM Watson-backed LocalFX software allows you to fully manage your local SEO efforts, while ensuring you get the best possible return.
Contact us today, or give us a call at 888-601-5359 to embark on your tailored SEO or local SEO strategy!
