Local SEO vs. Organic SEO: What's the Difference?

Justin Conklin • March 11, 2023

What's the Difference: Local SEO vs. Organic SEO?


In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for any business. However, with so many different types of search engine optimization (SEO) strategies available, it can be challenging to know which one is right for your business. In this article, we will explore the difference between organic SEO and local SEO, and how they can benefit your business.

Table of Contents

  1. What is SEO?
  2. What is Local SEO?
  3. Why is Local SEO Important?
  4. How to Optimize for Local SEO
  5. What is Organic SEO?
  6. Why is Organic SEO Important?
  7. How to Optimize for Organic SEO
  8. Difference Between Local SEO vs. Organic SEO
  9. Which is Better for Your Business?
  10. Common Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid
  11. Common Organic SEO Mistakes to Avoid
  12. SEO Best Practices for Your Business
  13. How to Measure SEO Success
  14. The Future of SEO
  15. Conclusion

1. What is SEO?

SEO is essentially a digital marketing strategy for optimizing your website and its content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). The goal of SEO is to increase organic traffic to your website and improve its visibility in search engine results.

2. What is Local SEO?

Local SEO or Local Search Engine Optimization is a subset of SEO that focuses on improving your website to rank high in local search queries. Local search queries are search terms that include a location, such as "restaurants near me" or "dentist in San Francisco."

3. Why are Local SEO Strategies Important?

Local SEO strategies are crucial for any local businesses that rely on potential customers in the local area. By optimizing for local search queries, you can increase your visibility in local search results and drive more traffic to your website. Additionally, local SEO can help you stand out from your competitors and improve your online reputation and the authority of your business.

4. How to Optimize Your Website for Local Search

To optimize your business for local SEO, you should:

  • If you are a brick and mortar business, claim and optimize your Google listing on Google Business Profile
  • Optimize your website for local keywords
  • Build local citations and backlinks
  • Encourage online reviews from local customers
  • Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and has a good user experience

5. What is Organic SEO?

Organic SEO is the process of optimizing your website and its content to rank higher in non-local search results. Organic search results are the natural search results that appear below the paid search ads in SERPs.

6. Why are Organic SEO Strategies Important?

Organic SEO is important because it can drive a significant amount of traffic to your website over time. Unlike paid advertising, which stops driving traffic as soon as you stop paying, organic SEO can continue to drive traffic for years to come. Additionally, organic search results are viewed as more trustworthy and authoritative than paid ads.

7. How to Optimize Your Website for Organic Search

To optimize for organic SEO, you should:

  • Conduct keyword research and identify relevant keywords
  • Create high-quality, informative content that targets those keywords
  • Optimize your website's technical SEO, including page speed and mobile-friendliness
  • Build high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites
  • Regularly update your website with fresh, relevant content

8. Difference Between Local SEO vs. Organic SEO

The key differences between local SEO and organic SEO are:

  • Local SEO focuses on improving optimization for local search queries unlike organic SEO which focuses on optimizing for non-local search queries
  • Local SEO relies heavily on local listings, reviews, and Google My Business optimization, while organic SEO relies more on high-quality content and backlinks
  • Local SEO also has a more immediate impact on driving foot traffic from the local area to your business, while organic SEO has a more long-term


9. Which is More Important for Your Business?

The answer to this question depends on your business and its goals. If your business relies heavily on local customers, then a local SEO campaign may be more important for you. However, if your business operates in a more competitive industry or targets a wider audience, then organic SEO may be more beneficial.

Ideally, you should focus on both organic and local SEO to maximize your online visibility and reach. By optimizing for both, you can attract both local and non-local customers and improve your overall ranking on search engine results.

10. Common Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid

Some common mistakes to avoid when optimizing for local SEO include:

  • Not claiming your Google My Business listing
  • Not focusing on local keywords in your website content
  • Neglecting to build local citations and backlinks
  • Ignoring online reviews or failing to respond to them
  • Having inconsistent or inaccurate business information online

11. Common Organic SEO Mistakes to Avoid

Some common mistakes to avoid when optimizing for organic SEO include:

  • Targeting the wrong keywords
  • Focusing too much on keyword density and not enough on quality content
  • Neglecting technical SEO issues such as page speed and mobile-friendliness
  • Building low-quality backlinks or engaging in black hat SEO tactics
  • Failing to regularly update your website with fresh, relevant website content

12. SEO Campaign Best Practices for Ranking Your Business

To ensure your SEO campaigns are effective, you should:

  • Conduct thorough keyword research and identify relevant, high-traffic keywords 
  • Improve your website's technical SEO, including page speed and mobile-friendliness
  • Create high-quality, relevant business content that targets your chosen keywords
  • Build high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites in your industry
  • Regularly update your website with fresh, relevant content
  • Monitor your online reputation and respond to customer reviews and feedback

13. How to Measure SEO Success

To measure the success of your SEO efforts, you should track metrics such as:

  • Organic traffic to your website
  • Keyword rankings in search engine result pages
  • Click-through rates (CTRs) for your website and individual pages
  • Backlink quality and quantity
  • Online reviews and reputation

By regularly tracking these metrics, you can identify areas where you need to improve your SEO strategy and make data-driven decisions to improve your online visibility and reach.

14. The Future of SEO

As search engines become more sophisticated and user behavior evolves, the future of SEO will likely continue to change. Some emerging trends in SEO include:

  • Voice search optimization
  • Localized content and targeting
  • Personalization and customization of user search results
  • Increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning

By staying up-to-date with these trends and adapting your SEO strategy accordingly, you can stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive traffic to your website.

15. Conclusion

In conclusion, organic SEO and local SEO are both important strategies for making it easy for search engines to find your website which will lead to increased traffic to it. While they have some key differences, focusing on both can help you attract both local and non-local customers and improve your online reputation.

By following SEO best practices and avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure your SEO strategy is effective and drives results for your business. Keep an eye on emerging trends in SEO and adapt your strategy accordingly to stay ahead of the curve and continue to succeed in the competitive online landscape.


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