Organic vs Local SEO: What's the Difference?

The first result in Google’s search results has an average clickthrough rate of 31.7 percent. In other words, nearly a third of the people who search for something in Google click on the first result.

Effective search engine optimization (SEO) will help your site rank at the top of the results but how you approach it depends on whether you’re targeting local customers or buyers anywhere in the world.

Let’s look at how organic SEO and local SEO compare.

What is Organic SEO?

Organic SEO means you’re optimizing your website for searchers from anywhere, not just in your local area. If you sell a product or service that doesn’t require customers to visit your business in person, this is the best SEO strategy.

Getting your site ranked at the top of the organic results will generate more traffic since you’ve got a much larger audience.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is about optimizing your website to rank for local searches. For example, if you run an auto repair shop in Seattle, you want to rank for searches like “auto repair in Seattle” or “auto repair near me” for someone searching in Seattle.

Organic and local SEO have some similarities but local optimization is more focused on things like your company’s address, phone number, and hours of operation. Those are the kinds of information someone searching for a local business wants to know.

Why User Intent is Important for SEO

User intent, also known as search intent, is an important factor in choosing whether to focus on organic or local SEO. This refers to the kind of information people are looking for when they search for something in Google.

Organic search is more focused on the research stage of the buying process. When someone is looking for general details about a product or service, they’ll search for informational keywords and phrases.

Once they have enough information to feel confident in making a buying decision, they’ll get more specific and use keywords and phrases with a local focus. Ideally, your website should rank for both organic and local searches. That way, you can reach those prospective buyers at all stages of the buying cycle.

The Advantages of Local SEO

If your business deals with local clients, there are several advantages to local SEO, including:

There’s less competition for your most valuable keywords
You can get top rankings quicker and more easily than with organic SEO
Google includes a lot of information about your business in the search results including location, contact information, and customer reviews

Because you can see results faster with local SEO, you should focus your internet marketing efforts on it first. Once you start seeing results there, you can focus on expanding into organic SEO.

Where to Get Help With Your SEO Needs

If you’re looking for assistance with your organic and local SEO strategy, DG Studio can help. Our digital marketing agency offers a range of SEO services as well as web design services and other digital media strategies to grow your business online.

Get in touch with us today to set up a free consultation and see how we can help you get more traffic from Google and other search engines.