Local SEO vs global SEO

Article by
Amie Whale

Local SEO vs global SEO: What strategy best suits your company?

Staying local or going global with your SEO strategy requires understanding what strategy works best for your business. Read this blog to discover both benefits and see what road you should take.

If you were thinking your online brand need not conform to locational boundaries, then you should re-evaluate the power of SEO (search engine optimisation).

Because whether you’re a local HVAC specialist in Solihull or industry-leading sourcing and distribution company, growing your business organically requires a specific global or local approach.

The question is, which strategy is right for your business?

“Your business is only as profitable as it is visible.”

Tim Absalikov

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is a strategy primarily used by (you guessed it) local businesses with ties to specific areas and regions. It works by optimising website pages to generate traffic before boosting brand awareness in appealing to local searches in your area.

By incorporating keywords targeted to your business’s specific location, the chances of your website ranking higher on a search engine results page (SERPS) increases. And the higher you rank (position zero being the crème da la crème), the more organic traffic your website receives.

What is global SEO?

Global SEO is a strategy primarily used by businesses that offer products, services, and information worldwide. Remember, you don’t need to operate on a national/global level to utilise a global SEO strategy.

Because while you may be based locally, what you offer can be received and appreciated by worldwide audiences and consumers.

By using SEO tactics like geo-targeting and other localisation signals, businesses can target various customers from numerous places around the world.

What are the benefits of local SEO?

Don’t worry, by restricting your SEO to a local area, you’re by no means limiting your business opportunities. Let’s explore the advantages of why local SEO can work for you in more detail.

Specific targeting

A local SEO strategy is essential if you’re a business that pays its way by providing services or selling products locally.

Just think from a business standpoint, why pour your efforts into appealing to a global audience when only locals receive your products and services?

Unless you and your consumers are willing to travel unnecessary miles, you best keep your brand location specific. And seeing how local information is the subject of 46% of all Google searches, local SEO can enhance your organic traffic and boost your online presence.

Local content for local people

Because you’re focussing on one specific area or region, your content and keywords are self-contained within the local language, contacts and location.

But as the old saying goes, “less is more” because fewer options mean more opportunities to appeal specifically to consumer needs.

Bypass your competitors

By focusing on your local area, you undoubtedly bypass competition outside. Trust us, the last thing you need is to try and compete with the big dogs outside your territory before taking care of those within.

Channelling your efforts to rank high locally will generate your online authority until you’re ready to expand your SEO reach.

Become the talk of the town

It’s not all about targeting the right keywords when it comes to applying SEO best practices. Reviews are crucial to your local SEO prospects, especially when 87% of users read online reviews before purchasing from local brands.

Be sure to respond to feedback as Google rewards customer experience. At the same time, you begin to create a local community and cement yourself as the industry voice in your area.

What are the disadvantages of local SEO?

Naturally, it’s fair to say that local SEO contains the odd moot point here and there. Let’s explore:

Beware of bad reviews

As beneficial as positive reviews can be, the opposite end can draw equivalent side effects. Yep, if you’re not careful, things can get ugly and even a bit personal.

Where local SEO shrinks the gap between customer and business, the relationship becomes more personal than that of a global outfit.

So when people receive a ‘personal’ experience, whether that’s drinking a cup of lukewarm coffee in a café or speaking to an abrupt receptionist, online reviews can cancel out your hard-earned online authority by negatively impacting a website’s reputation and visibility.

What are the benefits of global SEO?

Now we’re stepping onto the global stage. With the world at our feet, let’s discover the benefits:

Global traffic

If your brand has always dreamed of being a worldwide name, then global SEO can turn that vision into reality. Unlike local SEO, you’re not limited to physical boundaries with global online interconnectivity suitable to your purposes.

You can target and acquire customers worldwide, building profit, connections, and reputation. While local SEO can reach your local area, global SEO can appeal to a worldwide audience.

Local SEO contribution

If you become established on a global SEO level, doors will open to assist in building local SEO campaigns. Having a broad sense of traditional SEO strategies can enable you to specify within certain countries, regions and cities.

What are the disadvantages of global SEO?

Even global domination comes with a few disadvantages. Here are a few to recognise before stretching your SEO strategy too thin.

Competition central

With a significantly greater target audience comes considerable competition. Unless you’re a unique business with products and services no one else offers, you’ll always have rival businesses working in the same niche.

Using broader keywords can make you a small fish in a big pond. Before reaching the summit of search engines, you may need to rank for niche keywords and take advantage of any keyword gaps available.

Local SEO vs global SEO: The verdict

Like an impartial mother of twins, it’s easy to say that both SEO strategies are special in their way. But everyone knows that (deep down) you’ll have a favourite.

In the end, it all boils down to what suits you and your business best.

If you’re a business that offers products and services locally, then local SEO is for you. Building online authority in the local market will increase footfall into your shops or generate deliveries of your products and services within your local area.

Once established, you can expand your business further and then begin thinking of how you take on the world.

Global SEO, on the other hand, works best for businesses unrestricted by location(s). For example, if you’re selling goods or services that can be bought and used internationally, your location doesn’t matter to your consumers.

Regardless of your stance, your website must be quick, accessible, and informative for your user with well-researched, relevant keywords. Achieve this, and no matter your SEO position, you have a strong contender against local or global brands within your industry.

Determine what SEO strategy makes you visible online and watch your traffic increase and profits rise.

Alternatively, you could stick to national SEO. Although it’s still tough to rank above other competitors in the country, it can reduce the need for page translations, more content and separate websites.

For local SEO or global SEO, choose eighty3 creative

At eighty3creative, we establish what SEO strategy our clients require. Our expertise has advanced multiple local and global brands with an improved online presence by driving organic traffic to their websites.

From website design to keyword research and optimised content, we have the tools to cement your brand locally or extend you onto the world stage.

For more information regarding our specialist SEO services, get in touch.

Local SEO vs global SEO

Amie Whale