Many businesses know that they need to incorporate some SEO best practices to rank higher on search engines. However, what some may not realize is that the type of SEO you use will affect the success of your digital marketing campaign.
There are typically two types of SEO: national SEO and local SEO. Here, we'll discuss the differences between the two so you'll know which one will work best for your particular business.
What Is National SEO?
National SEO is exactly what it sounds like: an SEO strategy that's designed to rank higher on search engines for a particular country or several countries if you choose.
National SEO involves optimizing pages for keywords that are commonly searched for in a specific country. For example, if you have a law firm in the United States, you could optimize your site for keywords that are commonly searched for by people in America.
National SEO can be effective for a business because it allows for more targeting. If a particular keyword is more relevant for a certain area, targeting that keyword could help you rank higher in search engine results because more people in your area are searching for it.
The biggest downside to National SEO is that it doesn't typically rank well on search engines that allow people to search for local businesses. For example, if you're a law firm in Cleveland, your website won't rank well on Google because it's not optimized for the city or state's name.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO involves optimizing a website for keywords that are commonly searched for by people in a specific location.
For example, if you're a lawyer in Miami, you could optimize your website for keywords that are commonly searched for by people in Florida. These keywords may not be searched for (or searched for as often) by people in other states, so you'll have a higher chance of ranking for them.
The primary benefit of Local SEO is that it allows for more targeting. If a certain keyword is more relevant for a certain area, targeting that keyword could help you rank higher in search engine results because more people in your area are searching for it.
The downside of Local SEO is that it's not designed for businesses that operate in multiple states, as it's only going to target a specific area. As a result, if your business operates in multiple states, it's typically better to stick to National SEO.
National SEO vs. Local SEO
If your business operates in multiple states but solely offers services within a certain area, Local SEO is a great way to optimize your website and rank higher in search engine results.
If your business has a physical location in one area or multiple areas, or if the keywords your website is optimized for are specific to a particular state or area, Local SEO can be highly effective. However, if your business operates in multiple locations and offers services to people within multiple areas, National SEO is typically a much better option.
It's also important to note that there is a crossover between the two types of SEO. For example, if you operate your business in multiple states but want to target a specific area, you could still use Local SEO to rank for keywords that are specific to that area and National SEO to target other keywords that are commonly searched for in other areas your business operates in.
Final Thoughts
Knowing the differences between National SEO and Local SEO is essential for business owners all over the world. A mistake in selecting the wrong SEO strategy can mean the difference between ranking number one and ranking on the second page of search engine results.
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