In today’s digital world, it is almost impossible to compete without an online presence, regardless of whether you are a national e-commerce retailer or a local mom-and-pop shop. And one of the cornerstones of building a strong online presence is Search engine optimization.

SEO is an online strategy employed by enterprises of all sizes to boost their website’s ranking in search engine results by targeting specific keywords and phrases. The focus is on improving a website’s relevance and authority in the eyes of search engines like Google, and by extension, improving where that website ranks in search results.

A well-rounded SEO strategy will look to optimize all areas of your enterprise’s digital entity by employing measures such as:

• In-depth keyword research to target the most relevant and competitive keywords
• The creation of original, high-quality content related to a business’s industry, product, or services
• Building a backlinking strategy to help earn backlinks from authoritative, relevant sources
• On-page optimization of things like content, title tags, meta descriptions, headings, URL structure, and images
• Making sure a website is mobile-friendly and optimized for mobile devices
• Speeding up page load times (1-2 seconds is ideal, more than 3 seconds leads to significantly higher abandonment rates)

However, this isn’t the only way businesses use SEO to improve visibility online.

What You Need to Know About SEO Vs. Local SEO Vs. National SEO

SEO is a broad term that comprises all the various techniques, such as on-page optimization, off-page optimization, and technical optimization, enterprises employ as part of their digital marketing strategy. However, within the larger scope of SEO are smaller, more focused subsets tailored to meet specific business objectives.

Local SEO

Local SEO is a subset of SEO that focuses on optimizing a website to rank higher in local search results. For example, when someone searches for a “plumber near me” companies who have optimized their content and website for local SEO will rank higher than those who haven’t.

Connecting with local searchers is essential for businesses like restaurants, retail outlets, medical clinics, and service providers that rely on in-person transactions. Local SEO helps drive online and in-person traffic by implementing a range of optimization strategies, including location-specific keywords, content, citations, and backlinks, that help make your business easier for customers to find and for search engines to understand.

National SEO

National SEO is another SEO subset- this time focused on optimizing a website for national or international audiences. Amazon, Nike, and Airbnb are all good examples of large multinational enterprises that have benefited from implementing successful National Seo strategies. However, any business that offers products or services that are not location-dependent, regardless of size, can benefit from implementing national SEO techniques. Where local SEO employs a very targeted approach to SEO, national SEO encompasses a broader set of keywords and strategies aimed at attracting a wider audience and generally focuses on raising brand awareness rather than targeting a specific geographical location.

How to Maximize Your Local Exposure with Local SEO

1. Claim and Optimize Google My Business

Google My Business is essential to any business operating in a local market. GMB is a free online tool businesses can use to help manage their company listing. But don’t let the free fool you; GMB is also one of the top factors Google will consider when ranking organic search results and 3-packs at the top of the search page.

Setting up your GMB is easy. To get started, create or claim your GMB listing, ensuring all pertinent information, such as your business name, address, phone number, and business hours, are accurate and up to date. After verifying your listing, you can optimize it by adding additional information, like business hours, a link to your website, specific attributes, photos and videos, and customer reviews. Regularly checking in to keep your listing updated and adding fresh content is also essential to get the most out of your GMB listing. This will not only help your listing appear more appealing to potential customers but also give your search engine visibility a boost.

2. Make Online Reviews a Priority

Your business’s online reviews play a huge role in where your business will rank in relevant searches. Search engines like Google are increasingly relying on user feedback when search delivering results, not to mention the fact that nearly 80% of consumers say they read local business reviews online before making a purchase. The more positive reviews you have, the more likely you are to rank well with Google and potential buyers.

Build your online reviews by encouraging consumers to leave feedback after making a purchase. This can be done at the time of sale or later through an email reminder. And remember, both prospective buyers and search engines are paying attention to how you manage your online reviews, so it’s important to promptly respond to reviews, both the good and the bad.

3. Build Local Citations

Local citations make your business easier for customers to find and help increase your legitimacy in the eyes of search algorithms by proving your geographic location and relevance to local search queries, which in turn, can improve your search engine ranking.

A local citation is any mention of your business online that includes your business name, address, and phone number (NAP). You can begin building your portfolio of local citations by submitting your business’s NAP information to core sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Bing Places, and Facebook, as well as industry-specific websites such as Angie’s List or Trip Advisor. You can also target hyper-local citations through your local Chamber of Commerce and community newspaper.

4. Develop Local Backlinks

Acquiring backlinks has already been mentioned as a crucial SEO ranking factor. However, when targeting local communities, you must establish a reputable list of backlinks from other local sources, such as local businesses and community-based organizations and associations. This can improve your local SEO by signaling to search engines that your business is relevant and trustworthy within your local area.

You can help grow your backlinks through guest blogging, where you provide free content to other websites in exchange for a backlink, or by reaching out to local journalists or publications and requesting a mention or feature. You can also partner with another local business to offer joint promotions or events shared on each other’s websites.

5. Optimize Your Website for Local Keywords

Keywords are fundamental to your SEO strategy, but with local SEO it is important to focus your efforts on the right keywords. Using geographic-specific keywords like “prescription glasses in Coquitlam” or “best house cleaning services in Burnaby” can help organically increase your business’s visibility on relevant local search results, driving more free traffic to your website.

You can optimize your website for local searches by including location-specific keywords in your content, title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and URLs. You can also give your local SEO a boost by creating location-specific landing pages for each area your business operates in.

To capture the local community’s attention, both SEO and local SEO should be a part of your business’s SEO strategy. Standard SEO best practices help businesses rank higher on search result pages for relevant keywords and phrases, which can increase website traffic and lead to more sales. On the other hand, local SEO helps businesses improve their ranking in searches related to products or services in a specific area. By implementing both strategies, your local business can improve its online visibility, attract more qualified leads, and ultimately grow sales.

Want to learn more about how local SEO can boost your business? Reach out to the team and Nirvana today. We’re a passionate team of Vancouver-based web specialists that love helping companies from our local community grow and succeed online.

The post Understanding the Differences between SEO and Local SEO and Why Your Business Needs Both appeared first on Nirvana Canada.