Local SEO vs. National SEO: Critical Differences to Know for 2024
Understanding the key differences and opportunities across local vs. national SEO can help inform the best strategy for your unique business looking ahead to 2024. In this guide, we’ll explore the pros, cons and specialized considerations for optimizing locally versus nationally.
What is Local SEO?
Local search engine optimisation marketing strategies focus on helping potential customers find your business when searching for relevant products or services in your specific geographic area. Key components include:
*Keyword targeting locally-searched terms containing your city, state or region (usually in the format of service + location e.g. Search Engine Optimisation Southport|)
*Listings and citations with directories.
*Local directories specific to your vicinity like Google My Business.
*On-page content optimization for modified variations like “Best Indian restaurant London” or “emergency dentists in Manchester”.
*Gaining strong signals of relevance and trustworthiness within your immediate community.
The goal of local SEO is to drive website traffic, phone calls, in-store visits and sales specifically from nearby searchers by ranking well for hyper-targeted queries.
What is National SEO?
In contrast to focusing locally, national SEO involves optimizing your online visibility for high-level industry keywords searched by audiences across the entire United States. This includes:
*Broader product category and terminology searches without geographic intent.
*Topically-related informational queries and “how to” questions in your space.
*Your overarching brand name and awareness.
By targeting these widespread terms nationally, your site surfaces to users searching industry education pieces as well as product discoveries outside your immediate area. This expands reach greatly.
Local vs National SEO: Key Trade-Offs to Compare
Below are some strategic differences and trade-offs to consider when deciding priorities:
Competition Levels
*Local keywords see relatively less competition allowing possible quicker wins that compound.
*National keywords drive more volume but require outranking dominant brands with vast optimization head starts.
Relevance Requirements
*National SEO allows more topical flexibility since rankings derive purely from universal signals of expertise.
*Google holds local pack results listings to much higher standards of verification and demonstrated community relevance.
Link Building Focus
*National SEO prioritizes wider publications, directories and resources demonstrating subject authority everywhere.
*Local link-building sources come from geo-specific news sites, blogs, directories and niche partnerships.
Performance Tracking
*Local SEO success is best measured through goal conversions like calls, store visits and local purchases.
*National SEO gauges performance based on overall traffic and rank improvements for broader terms.
Location Limitations
*Local SEO only converts searchers specifically seeking options in your regions.
*National SEO expands discoverability and awareness coast to coast.
There’s no universally “better” approach. Carefully assess your offerings, location-specific demand, goals and competitive landscape to inform ideal visibility allocations between local vs national that support your unique business needs.
Tips for Improving Local and National SEO Presence
Regardless of whether you tackle local, national or a blended focus, optimize with these core tips:
For Local Targeting
*Complete and optimize Google My Business and other relevant geo-specific listings fully.
*Build locally-optimized landing pages showcasing your city and hyper-relevant surrounding regions.
*Cultivate partnerships with complementary neighborhood businesses and earned media placements in hometown publications.
*Sponsor hometown events, teams, organizations and niche community gatherings.
For National Targeting
*Produce in-depth industry educational hubs focused on high-level informational queries on your site.
*Pursue viral-worthy assets like nationally-relevant guides, rankings and original niche research.
*Promote your brand authority through contributor partnerships, awards and features with major national publications in your space.
*Spotlight differentiated expertise through consistent thought leadership content marketing.
For Balanced Local and National
*Activate location settings in Google Analytics to segment performance by regions as you test new site content.
*Research which keywords naturally modify into locality vs those remaining national to allocate focus.
*Cross-promote location and service pages internally using respective geo-based anchor text.
*Repurpose the same researcher assets and great content, just customize national vs local pitch angles.
Factoring Your Business Model and Goals
Every company has unique factors influencing the geographic areas they should prioritize for maximum search visibility, leads and sales. Key aspects to think through include:
Business Type
Service businesses like contractors, medical practices and professional services only convert and deliver regionally making hyper-targeted local SEO vital. Informational sites and ecommerce brands have more flexibility to capture national discovery.
Location Footprint
Search dominance becomes much more difficult beyond regions you actually hold inventory or availability in. Carefully consider viability capturing national demand outside your existing or near-term area scope.
Conversion Rates
Review analytics across current site traffic sources. Local visitors may inherently convert better based on proximity convenience. Determine areas of highest transactional value per visitor now.
Current Performance
Which existing pages and content assets already draw strong regions in Google Analytics? Double down on strength with less effort, then expand strategically over time. Don’t overcommit resources prematurely chasing aspirational keywords.
Factoring the above gives you criteria for setting realistic local and national priority levels aligned to conversion growth – not just vanity ranking metrics.
Factoring Your Business Model and Goals
Every company has unique considerations influencing the ideal geographic areas to prioritise for maximum conversions and revenue. Aspects to examine include:
Business Type: Service businesses rely exclusively on local demand making hyper-targeted SEO vital. Informational sites and e-commerce have more national flexibility.
Location Capabilities: Search dominance grows much harder beyond regions you actually inventory or serve. Audit capacity before chasing aspirational keywords lacking viability.
Current Performance: Review Analytics to identify existing high-traffic sources. Double down on strengths with less effort first before expanding locally or nationally.
Future Expansion Plans: If adding locations or offerings later, you can research and target keywords in new regions in advance to prime for growth.
The above gives you criteria for setting realistic local versus national priority levels aligned to your current and future conversion abilities – not just vanity search metric rankings.
Tactically Capturing National Demand
While local ownership provides immense ROI for physical SMB locations, brands with digital offerings can still capitalise on national demand by showcasing expertise. Tactics include:
Optimising for Industry Informational Terms: Expand site content targeting researched terms for broader educational pieces and non-location specific advice.
Diversifying Link Building Outreach: Pursue links from directories and publications well beyond just your headquarters location to build wider authority signals.
Monitoring Trending Conversations: Stay tapped into discussions and current events resonating across your niche countrywide through social listening. Quickly publishing hot take content adds viral interest.
Syndicating Evergreen Assets: Repurpose evergreen performant content optimized originally for your site through partner blogs, news sites and online magazines with national reader demographics.
Promoting Experts and Executive Leadership: Help key staff, executives and thought leaders build personal visibility through conference presentations, guest articles and targeted media publicity. Their growing influence indirectly aids overall brand visibility.
Common Myths Around Local vs National SEO Results
Some common misconceptions when comparing local and national search optimization include:
Myth: National rankings are universally harder to earn
Fact: Many local SERPs are equally or even more competitive for professionals targeting localized demand
Myth: You should always rank locally before expanding focus nationally
Fact: Some brands need to build overall authority pushing informational content before tightening local relevance signals
Myth: Just having a physical location makes hyper-local targeting effective
Fact: Google will filter sites lacking engagement signals like reviews and local links even if technically area-based
Consider both the bigger picture goals fueling your search visibility pursuits along with logistical execution barriers before defining an allocation split.
Now armed with a clearer comparison, where do you see the highest potential ROI search engine optimization focus for your growth going forward? I welcome any feedback or remaining questions!
Summary
Local SEO focuses on optimizing visibility for geo-targeted keywords in a business’s specific metro area and surrounding regions it serves. National SEO focuses on broader industry keywords searched by audiences nationwide.
Key differences covered include the generally lower competition but higher relevance requirements for local pack listings compared to more flexibility but increased competition nationally. Trade-offs around optimal link building sources, performance tracking metrics, and location limitations are also analysed.
When determining focus, businesses should examine their offerings, location capabilities, current traffic source performance, and expansion plans to set realistic local vs national priorities aligned to conversion growth – not just vanity search metrics.
For highly local service companies, conquering the hometown should be the priority. Those with digital offerings can supplement through optimizing nationally relevant industry educational content and diversifying authority signals like external links.
Common myths are also debunked around earning local rankings being universally easier and always a prerequisite step before expanding nationally. Assessing specific competitive barriers and demand appetite determines the ideal strategic focus on local vs national SEO.
