76% of consumers look at a brand’s online presence before they visit a physical store. Even if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar shop, it’s important to have a strong online presence; otherwise, how are people going to know about you?
A great way to do this is to have a solid SEO strategy. Your digital marketing plan can make or break you, so you need to gather all the information you can.
This article will tell you what you need to know about local and organic SEO.
What Is SEO?
First off, what is SEO exactly?
“SEO” stands for “search engine optimization”. This is where you use the right keywords so when users search them, your website will pop up.
Considering that most internet users don’t look past the first page (or even the first few results on there), it’s important that you rank as highly as possible. This is where different SEO strategies come into play.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO is where you optimize for local searches. For example, if your restaurant is located in Los Angeles, CA, then you’ll want to target users who are searching for meals and takeout in LA, as well as Santa Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills, etc.
Find out more about it here: https://www.thehoth.com/learn/local/seo/local-citations/.
What Is Organic SEO?
Organic SEO is where a user finds you all on their own. This means they’ve found your website by typing in a search and scrolling through the results.
On the other hand, there’s paid SEO, where a user types in a search but then a paid ad of yours pops up at the top. If they click on that, then that’s a result for paid SEO rather than organic SEO.
Local vs. Organic SEO
As the name suggests, local SEO attracts those in the immediate vicinity, while organic SEO can attract those from all around the world. Because of this, local SEO is usually aimed at smartphone users while organic is aimed at both desktop and smartphone users.
Not only are you targeting different groups of users, but you’re also looking at different urgencies. Typically, those doing local searches need an immediate answer. Organic searchers are usually more laidback and are doing some research first before making a decision.
The fact is, both are good for your SEO strategy. And even adding in paid SEO can be good too! Having a varied SEO strategy can be difficult, but ultimately, it can pay off because you’ve covered all your bases.
Make Sure to Use Both in Your SEO Plan
Now you know the difference between local and organic SEO. Both are important for your digital marketing plan, as is paid SEO, so make sure to incorporate these strategies. And by working with SEO specialists, you’ll be sure to boost your website to the top position in no time!
To learn more about online marketing, check out our other informative articles.