You can’t ignore the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for businesses as it is considered to be the best way to increase online traffic and improve the number of conversions.
With the growth of the internet and the growing number of people using it, today more and more companies are moving their business online or are trying to create a strong online presence, and to do this they need to hire a professional Local SEO Company.
Introducing approaches like Local SEO and National SEO into the marketing mix can be very beneficial for the business.
Most businesses have little or no understanding of SEO. For most SEO means reaching out to more people through different search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing, etc.
In reality, SEO is a complicated process. By just investing in SEO services one cannot increase the business’s sales or profitability.
Over the years many businesses have understood the potential of investing in digital assets like websites and spending on digital marketing.
Still, there are businesses that don’t realize the importance of SEO, digital marketing, etc., and those who know the importance are not sure which digital marketing channel is appropriate for their business.
Let us learn more about SEO and which form of SEO, Local SEO or National SEO is right for your business?
What is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to the website through organic search engine results. There are several SEO hacks that helps your website to rank faster.
In simple words, it involves increasing the visibility of the website or content for relevant searches.
What is Local SEO?
The focus of Local SEO is on people who live in and around the business location. It is more about attracting visitors to your business from the surrounding localities.
For a small business whose target audience is 100% the local clients, Local SEO offers continuous growth.
With Local SEO the business is communicating directly with the people who are in a specific geographic location and therefore are more likely to buy your product or services.
What is National SEO?
Businesses that do not want to focus on servicing a specific geographic area and want to cover a national or global clientele use National SEO.
The main focus of the business is brand building since there is constant competition from other national-level brands and companies.
The focus of National SEO is to create a strong brand image. Companies using National SEO hope to receive as much inbound traffic possible from the entire country or across the globe.
What Is the Difference Between Local SEO and National SEO?
Both Local SEO and National SEO have the same goal and purpose, to rank the website higher on the search engines in order to increase the conversions and traffic.
Their key difference is the method they follow to achieve the goal.
Local SEO targets a specific area whereas National SEO focuses on the whole country as a market.
For example, if you own a hair salon in Florida you would not want your website to be displayed in search results of New York.
The bounce rate will be high and your conversions will be very low if your business does not follow Local SEO.
National SEO allows businesses to target search engine results for the whole country, not limiting to a specific area.
If your business services multiple locations and cities within the country, National SEO is the correct strategy for you.
How to do Local SEO?
Local SEO is ideal for small businesses and shops which are dependent on business from local consumers. Businesses like restaurants, beauty salons, medical stores etc. usually benefit the most from local search.
For creating a Local SEO campaign, the Local SEO Company focuses on keywords which are relevant to the businesses physical location for search purpose. The business address, city name or specific area name are included in the keywords.
By using Local SEO one can position a business within the local community. If Local SEO is done correctly, people from a specific area can see the nearest store or office which is close to their current location and which is offering the products or services they are looking for.
As compared to National SEO, Local SEO is easier to implement as it has much lower online competition. Also, Google prefers displaying local business names in their search results to match the person’s search request.
Below mentioned are a few elements which should be included to help Local SEO:
- Name of the city and address on the contact page of the business website
- Name of city, neighborhood area and address on the service pages of the website
- Other relevant local information like the local phone number, map, working hours etc.
- Create a listing on Google My Business, regional directories and review sites
- Create social media profiles which display the business contact information
The simple principle of Local SEO is to be visible to Google with regards to a specific geographic area.
How to do National SEO?
National SEO is the perfect strategy for big companies, franchise businesses and online shops. It is ideal for websites which want to reach out to as many people as possible not pertaining to any specific area.
Businesses who have a national presence or are in a position to quickly and safely deliver their products and services to places across the country should opt for National SEO.
Contrasting to Local SEO, optimizing the website for a national level is a difficult task. You need to prove to Google and other search engines that your business is amongst the best in the whole country.
It is not easy to mislead Google by using cheap tricks like link building and keyword stuffing. It is very important to have relevant and compelling content which will engage the viewers and encourage them to share on social media.
National SEO is more expensive and time-consuming as compared to Local SEO. Below mentioned are some strategies which can help National SEO:
- Ensure the website site has a proper structure and one can easily navigate and reach any page in just 2 or 3 clicks.
- Ensure the website is mobile responsive
- Fast loading speed
- Garner ethical links from authoritative and influential websites in your business niche
- Optimize the content for particular keywords and proper use of grammar and language
Conclusion
If you want to target local customers and aim to convert them your business needs to invest in Local SEO. Focus on identifying local keywords and strategies which will bring the local customers flocking to your door. \
At the same time, if you are a large corporation catering to different locations and cities in the country, you need to focus on National SEO. National SEO will help you rank high in the organic search results.
