How does local SEO differ from traditional SEO

Okay, so I’m trying to wrap my head around SEO, and I get the basics of ranking higher in search results. But I keep hearing about "local SEO" and I’m not sure how it’s different from just…regular SEO?

Specifically, my business is a small bakery. We only serve customers in a relatively small radius around our storefront. So, keywords about "online bakeries" or "shipping cookies nationwide" just aren’t relevant to me. I really want to attract people in my town who are looking for a good bakery nearby.

So, what exactly are the key differences I need to be aware of? Are the ranking factors different? Do I need to focus on different things? How does claiming my Google Business Profile (which I’ve done!) fit into all of this? Are the strategies completely different, or are they just variations on a theme? Basically, ELI5 (Explain Like I’m 5) the difference between local and traditional SEO and tell me what I need to do to make my bakery show up when someone in my town searches for "bakery near me."

Answer

Local SEO and traditional SEO share the fundamental goal of improving a website’s visibility in search engine results. However, they diverge significantly in their target audience and the specific strategies employed to reach that audience. Traditional SEO focuses on ranking for broader, more general keywords to attract a wide audience across a large geographic area, even globally. Local SEO, in contrast, concentrates on optimizing a business’s online presence to attract customers within a specific geographic area, typically within a city, region, or neighborhood.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key differences:

1. Target Audience and Keywords:

• Traditional SEO: Targets a broad, national, or international audience. Uses general, informational, or broad commercial keywords. Examples: "best running shoes," "how to write a resume," "e-commerce platforms."
• Local SEO: Targets a specific local audience. Uses geographically relevant keywords, incorporating location names and local modifiers. Examples: "pizza near me," "dentist in Austin," "best coffee shop downtown Seattle," "plumber in 78704." It focuses on search queries that indicate local intent, even if the user doesn’t explicitly state a location. Google infers local intent from IP addresses and search history.

2. Importance of Location Signals:

• Traditional SEO: Location is generally irrelevant unless the keyword explicitly indicates a geographic focus.

• Local SEO: Location signals are critical. Google uses location data to understand the context of a search and provide relevant local results. These signals include:

  • NAP Citations (Name, Address, Phone Number): Consistent and accurate NAP information across the web is crucial. These citations act as verification of a business’s location and legitimacy. Consistency is key; discrepancies across different websites can negatively impact ranking.
  • Google Business Profile (GBP): A fully optimized and actively managed GBP profile is arguably the most important factor in local SEO. It serves as a central hub for information about a business, including address, phone number, website, hours of operation, photos, customer reviews, and Q&A.
  • Reviews: Positive reviews on GBP and other relevant review platforms (e.g., Yelp, Facebook) significantly boost a business’s reputation and ranking. Review quantity, quality, and recency are all important.
  • Location Pages: Dedicated pages on a website for each physical location, containing relevant information, maps, directions, hours, and local keywords.
  • Schema Markup: Using schema markup (structured data) on a website to provide search engines with clear and concise information about the business, including location, hours, and other important details.

3. Ranking Factors:

• Traditional SEO: Primarily focuses on factors such as:

  • On-Page Optimization: Keyword optimization, title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, internal linking, content quality, mobile-friendliness, and website speed.
  • Off-Page Optimization: Backlinks from reputable websites, domain authority, social media signals.
  • Technical SEO: Website architecture, crawlability, indexability, site speed, and mobile-friendliness.

• Local SEO: Includes all the factors of traditional SEO, plus factors specific to local search, such as:

  • Proximity: How close the business is to the searcher’s location.
  • Relevance: How well the business’s GBP listing and website match the search query.
  • Prominence: The business’s overall online visibility and reputation, based on factors like reviews, citations, and overall web presence. This is often measured as domain authority plus citation volume.
  • Google Business Profile Optimization: Completeness, accuracy, and ongoing maintenance of the GBP profile.
  • Local Citations: Number and quality of citations from local directories and business listing websites.

4. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs):

• Traditional SEO: Primarily focuses on ranking in the organic search results.
• Local SEO: Aims to rank in both the organic search results and the Local Pack (also known as the Map Pack or 3-Pack), which displays a map with a handful of local businesses relevant to the search query. Ranking in the Local Pack is crucial for local businesses, as it appears prominently above the organic results. Also important are local service ads if the vertical you are targeting utilizes them.

5. Content Strategy:

• Traditional SEO: Emphasizes creating high-quality, informative content that addresses a wide range of topics related to the business’s industry.

• Local SEO: In addition to general industry content, local SEO focuses on creating location-specific content that resonates with the local community. This can include:

  • Blog posts about local events and news.
  • Case studies or testimonials featuring local customers.
  • Information about local landmarks and attractions.
  • Sponsoring or participating in local events.

6. Link Building:

• Traditional SEO: Emphasizes acquiring backlinks from high-authority websites across the web.
• Local SEO: Prioritizes acquiring backlinks from local websites, such as local news outlets, business directories, chambers of commerce, and community organizations. These local backlinks carry more weight in local search rankings.

7. Metrics:

• Traditional SEO: Tracks metrics such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rates.

• Local SEO: In addition to traditional SEO metrics, also tracks metrics specific to local search, such as:

  • GBP views and actions (website clicks, phone calls, direction requests).
  • Citation volume and accuracy.
  • Review ratings and volume.
  • Local keyword rankings.
  • Map Pack ranking.

In summary, while traditional SEO aims to improve a website’s visibility on a global or national scale, local SEO focuses on enhancing its visibility within a specific geographic area. Local SEO requires a more targeted approach, emphasizing location-based keywords, local citations, Google Business Profile optimization, and engagement with the local community. A business seeking to attract local customers must prioritize local SEO strategies to ensure its online presence is optimized for local search.