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Understanding the distinction between local and traditional SEO is essential when deciding which approach suits a business best.

The main difference lies in the audience. Traditional SEO aims to build visibility in search results for a national or even global audience. In contrast, local SEO narrows the scope to a defined geographic area—whether that’s a city, county, or neighborhood.

If you’re evaluating local SEO vs. traditional SEO to figure out the right strategy for your business, this guide will help you make an informed decision.

Exploring Local vs. Traditional SEO
Check out these local SEO FAQs to better understand which method aligns with your goals.

1. Is local SEO easier than traditional SEO?

This is a common question with two valid perspectives:

• ✅ Local SEO can be considered easier because it targets a smaller, location-specific audience. Ranking for a phrase like “track shoes in Boise” is usually more achievable than trying to rank nationwide for the broad keyword “track shoes.”
• ✅ However, local SEO becomes more complex when businesses operate in multiple locations. A brand with outlets in numerous cities must optimize for each place individually, which demands significant effort. For instance, ensuring visibility for a company like REI or Patagonia across all store locations involves extensive ongoing work.

On the flip side, local SEO is often more challenging than traditional SEO because of the extra layers involved. E-commerce businesses may only need to optimize for general organic search factors. Local businesses, however, must consider those same elements while also addressing location-based ranking signals. In short, local SEO requires everything traditional SEO does, plus additional local optimization strategies.

2. Which Businesses Benefit from Local SEO?

Local SEO is generally the best fit for companies that interact with customers in person. This may be at the business’s own location—such as restaurants, retail stores, or banks—or at the customer’s location, like plumbers, electricians, or cleaning services. Hybrid models also qualify, such as a pizza shop that provides both dine-in and delivery, or a bank that serves clients during business hours while also offering a 24/7 ATM. In short, if a company has a physical address (even a home-based one) and serves people face-to-face, it can usually take full advantage of local SEO.

That said, some businesses that don’t strictly fall into the “local” category may still need localized SEO strategies. For instance, a global e-commerce retailer might tailor promotions to specific regions—promoting swimwear in California during June while highlighting winter gear in Sydney at the same time. The aim is to make sure their products rank organically for the right audience, location, and season.

Another case could be a service provider like Comcast. Even though customers don’t necessarily visit physical offices in every area, the brand still wants to appear prominently in organic search results within its service regions. While not traditionally “local,” this type of business can still benefit from certain aspects of local SEO to strengthen visibility in target geographies.

3. Why Understanding Google Business Profile (GBP) Eligibility Matters

Whether or not a business can use the full range of local SEO strategies depends on its eligibility for Google Business Profile. Google’s Guidelines for Representing Your Business outline the rules for inclusion, how many listings a business can create, and which models qualify.

In simple terms, a business is only eligible to have a Google Business Profile if it meets both of these conditions:

• It has a physical address. This can be a home address, but P.O. boxes and virtual offices are not accepted. Co-working spaces are allowed only if the business has permanent signage, a dedicated phone line answered by staff, and employees present during stated hours.
• It serves customers in person. This includes brick-and-mortar stores (like shops or banks) and service-area businesses (like plumbers or landscapers). Some exceptions exist, such as ATMs or kiosks, if they follow Google’s requirements.

If a business doesn’t meet both of these conditions, it likely won’t qualify for a GBP and therefore cannot fully participate in local search marketing.

Google also defines how many listings a business can create depending on its structure, including:

• Single-location businesses (e.g., a standalone restaurant)
• Multi-location businesses (e.g., a franchise chain)
• Service-area businesses, single or multi-location (e.g., one plumber vs. a plumbing company across cities)
• Hybrid businesses (e.g., a restaurant offering dine-in and delivery)
• Multi-department businesses (e.g., an auto dealership with sales, service, and parts)
• Multi-practitioner businesses (e.g., law firms with multiple attorneys)
• Home-based businesses (e.g., a bookkeeper working from home)
• Seasonal businesses (e.g., farm stands)
• Special models (e.g., ATMs, food trucks, ghost kitchens, kiosks)

Studying the guidelines is essential to determine eligibility and avoid penalties or removals for non-compliance. Trying to market ineligible businesses on GBP wastes time and effort—such brands should instead prioritize organic SEO rather than relying on Google’s local results like the Local Pack, Finder, or Maps.

4. How to build effective website landing pages for a local business

A landing page is a dedicated page on your website created to deliver specific information to a particular audience. For example, each Google Business Profile (GBP) listing usually links to a page on your site — and the best experience is when that GBP link takes a visitor to a page specifically built for that location.

Local landing pages commonly fall into four categories:

• Location pages – one page for each physical storefront.
• City / service-area pages – pages for each city or region you serve.
• Practitioner pages – pages for each public-facing professional at the business.
• Department pages – pages for each public-facing department (e.g., parts, sales, service).

Each page should connect visitors quickly to the information they want. At minimum, landing pages should show full contact details: business name, address, phone number, hours, SMS number, fax (if applicable), driving directions, and an embedded map. That’s the baseline — but you can (and often should) do more.

Richer local landing pages improve user experience and can help with organic visibility. Consider enhancing pages with content such as:

• Product descriptions or e-commerce functionality
• A full list of available services
• Details about on-site amenities (e.g., patio dining, parking)
• Links to social channels and review profiles
• Photo galleries
• Videos
• Customer reviews and testimonials
• Special offers and deals
• Booking buttons, contact forms, or calendars
• Links to related podcast episodes or blog posts
• Staff bios
• Accepted payment methods, languages spoken, accessibility info
• Licensing, certifications, association memberships, awards, press mentions
• Career opportunities
• Useful tools, widgets, or apps

This is a starter checklist to help you plan thoughtful, high-quality local pages; you may identify other locally relevant elements that serve your audience.

Two questions that often come up:

Question 1 — Should non-local businesses create city or regional landing pages?
Even if a business doesn’t meet Google’s “local” definition, there are situations where geographically targeted pages make sense. For example, a digital retailer might promote region-specific seasonal campaigns (swimwear in California in June, winter gear in Sydney in June). In such cases, regional landing pages with valuable, locally relevant content can help organic performance.

That said, it’s usually not worthwhile to create thousands or millions of near-identical city pages when the offering is identical everywhere (as with many cable providers). Producing huge volumes of duplicate pages for the sole purpose of ranking is rarely a good use of marketing resources.

Question 2 — Should I worry about duplicate content on landing pages?
Yes. Publishing many pages with essentially the same content can signal low quality to Google. Before rolling out large numbers of similar location pages, consider Google’s Helpful Content guidance: avoid thin, duplicative pages that don’t genuinely assist users. Some repetition is unavoidable (every location page will share the business name, for example), but a good rule of thumb is to publish only pages that serve a real customer need or help move people along their journey.

5. Do Local Links Matter, and How Are They Different from Traditional Links?

In SEO, one of the most established strategies has always been link building — earning backlinks from third-party websites to your own. Search engines like Google treat these links as a kind of “vote of confidence,” signaling authority and trustworthiness. Local businesses are no exception; they, too, benefit from earning links that strengthen their visibility in search results.

The key difference between local links and traditional links lies in geography. While traditional link building often focuses on industry-related or national-level sites, local businesses can leverage nearby opportunities. For example, a chimney sweep might gain links from state or national trade associations, but also from partnerships with local hearth retailers, cleaning companies, real estate agents, or home inspectors. These connections mirror real-world community networks, turning local relationships into online visibility.

In many cases, local link building is more approachable than traditional link outreach because it’s rooted in existing community relationships. Instead of relying solely on cold pitches, businesses can earn links by sponsoring local events, joining neighborhood associations, collaborating with nearby businesses, participating in community initiatives, or being featured in local blogs, podcasts, and news outlets.

In short, local links not only support SEO rankings but also strengthen real-world credibility and community presence — a double advantage for businesses serving specific geographic areas.

6. Does Publishing a “Geoblog” Help as a Strategy?

A hyperlocal blog — often called a “geoblog” — can be a valuable tool for boosting a local business’s organic visibility, but whether it works depends on the business and its community. A geoblog focused on local news, events, or happenings may be worthwhile if:

• There’s enough community interest to build a consistent readership
• The business has the resources to maintain a steady publishing schedule
• The local area lacks strong media coverage, such as the closure of a community newspaper

That said, many local businesses launch blogs without a long-term plan and end up leaving them inactive. An abandoned blog can create the impression that the business is struggling or neglecting its digital presence. For this reason, a blog should only be pursued if the subject matter and local audience make it a sustainable choice.

Even if creating your own geoblog isn’t feasible, existing hyperlocal blogs can still support your marketing efforts. Businesses can share press releases, pitch stories, participate in interviews, or contribute guest posts. Similar opportunities also exist with local vlogs, podcasts, and video channels, offering alternative ways to gain exposure and connect with the community.

7. Which Tactics Work Best to Improve Local SEO Performance?

The single most powerful tactic for improving local SEO starts both offline and online: delivering outstanding customer service. When people enjoy excellent in-person experiences and seamless digital interactions with your business, it directly strengthens your local SEO in several ways:

• Positive experiences lead to great reviews, boosting your average ratings and helping you rank higher in Google’s Local Pack, Finder, and Maps.
• Customer reviews can appear as “local justifications” on your listings, giving searchers extra reasons to choose your business.
• Photos uploaded by customers in reviews encourage people to spend more time on your listings, a positive engagement signal.
• Happy customers often recommend your business on social media, and Google can display these mentions on your GBP or even in search results.
• Some customers may also be content creators—bloggers, podcasters, or vloggers—who promote your business, send referrals, and link back to your site, strengthening your authority.

Beyond customer service, another powerful approach is giving back to your community. Consider:

• Hosting or volunteering at local events
• Sponsoring community organizations, sports teams, or festivals
• Offering scholarships to local students
• Supporting charitable causes with donations
• Joining business associations or mentorship networks
• Collaborating with fellow business owners for cross-promotions

These activities not only build goodwill but also foster strong relationships that often lead to valuable mentions, backlinks, and referrals. Over time, this helps your brand become well-known and trusted locally.

Finally, as search evolves, keep in mind that third-party content is increasingly cited as a source of authority. Aim to have your own content referenced by platforms like Google’s AI Overviews, but also work toward being mentioned in other trusted publications. Just as with traditional SEO, local SEO is about steadily growing your digital presence, earning citations, mentions, and links that position your brand as an authoritative and reliable resource.

How Do You Rank for Both National and Local Keywords? Best Practices Explained

Just because a business qualifies for a full local search marketing campaign doesn’t mean its only goal should be ranking for local searches. In many cases, keyword research will reveal opportunities to also target national terms.

Take this example: a small business begins in San Francisco selling small batches of homemade kimchi. After building a loyal customer base and expanding to three Bay Area locations, the product gains national media attention. Soon, distribution opportunities open across the U.S. The owner now wants to rank for branded national searches while also maintaining strong local rankings for stores in California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

This illustrates the key difference between local SEO and traditional SEO: both target different audiences and require different strategies.

To strengthen local rankings, businesses should:

• Deliver excellent in-person and digital customer service
• Maintain and optimize Google Business Profiles and other local listings
• Build dedicated landing pages for each service area or location
• Participate in community events, sponsorships, and partnerships to earn local mentions and backlinks
• Expand presence through local blogs, podcasts, and video features
• Produce content tailored to the needs of nearby audiences

To strengthen national rankings, businesses should:

• Use keyword research to identify high-value, lower-competition national terms
• Create thought leadership content that highlights expertise and authority in the field
• Seek mentions and links from national media, industry publications, lifestyle magazines, and online communities
• Develop content that serves broad audiences, without the need for geographic targeting

While it may seem simpler to focus only on local marketing, many local businesses with broader ambitions face the dual challenge of serving both nearby customers and a national audience. The best results come from understanding the brand’s complete business model and aligning both local SEO and traditional SEO strategies to maximize visibility across all intended markets.

FAQs: Local vs. Traditional SEO

Q1. What is the main difference between local SEO and traditional SEO?
Local SEO focuses on improving visibility in location-based searches (e.g., “kimchi shop near me” or “accountant in San Francisco”), while traditional SEO targets broader, non-location-specific keywords to reach a wider audience.

Q2. Why is local SEO important for businesses with physical locations?
Local SEO helps drive foot traffic, improves Google Business Profile visibility, and connects businesses with nearby customers who are actively searching for their products or services.

Q3. Can a business use both local and traditional SEO at the same time?
Yes. Many businesses need both. Local SEO ensures visibility in nearby markets, while traditional SEO helps reach a broader, sometimes national or international, audience.

Q4. Do local SEO ranking factors differ from traditional SEO?
Yes. Local SEO heavily depends on factors like Google Business Profile optimization, local citations, reviews, and proximity. Traditional SEO, on the other hand, relies more on backlinks, content quality, domain authority, and overall site optimization.

Q5. How can a business decide whether to prioritize local or traditional SEO?
It depends on the business model. If the goal is to attract customers to physical locations, local SEO is the priority. If the aim is to build national brand recognition or sell products online across multiple regions, traditional SEO becomes equally important.

Q6. What type of content works best for local SEO vs. traditional SEO?
For local SEO: city or region-specific landing pages, local blog posts, and community-focused content.
For traditional SEO: industry guides, thought leadership articles, product information, and evergreen content with national relevance.