As a marketing and communications agency, we often get asked about the difference between Organic SEO and Local SEO. While both strategies are essential for businesses, they serve different purposes and therefore require different approaches.
What is Organic SEO?
Organic SEO refers to the practice of optimizing your website structure and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords and phrases. This approach involves creating high-quality content, building backlinks and optimizing on-page elements such as page titles, meta descriptions, headings and alt text.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO focuses on optimizing your online presence to attract more local customers. This strategy involves optimizing your Google My Business listing, building and updating local citations, and generating local reviews.
Which Approach to Use
So which approach is right for your business? Well, it depends on your goals and target audience. If you’re a national or global company looking to increase your visibility and attract a broad audience, Organic SEO is the way to go. With this approach, you’ll create content that appeals to a wider audience and build backlinks from high-authority websites.
However, if you’re a local business that relies on foot traffic or serves a specific geographic area, Local SEO should be your primary focus. With this approach, you’ll be working to optimize your Google My Business listing, ensuring your business appears in local search results and generating positive local reviews.
Of course, that’s not to say you can’t do both. In fact, combining Organic and Local SEO can be a powerful strategy for businesses of all sizes. By creating high-quality content that appeals to a broad audience while optimizing your online presence for local customers, you’ll be able to attract a broader range of potential customers.
Ultimately, Organic and Local SEO are two distinct strategies that serve different purposes. While Organic SEO is focused on ranking higher in search engine results pages, Local SEO is focused on optimizing your online presence to attract more local customers. Depending on your goals and target audience, one approach may be more appropriate than the other, or you may find that combining both strategies is the best way to achieve success. Whatever method you choose, remember that SEO is an ongoing process that requires dedication and consistent effort.
This post is courtesy of MMC Digital Marketing Coordinator Kayla Travis.