As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate when it comes to marketing your business online. While you might think your website magically appears in searches, search engine optimization (SEO for short) is the key to receiving more and better traffic to your website. There are two different types of SEO you need to know about: local SEO and organic SEO. But first, it’s important to understand the different sections of the search engine results page (SERP).
At the top, paid advertisements might appear. It’s not always guaranteed ads will appear; it just depends on if businesses are running ads for what you’re searching. Next, is the local search section, often called the maps or pushpin section. This is where local businesses will appear in relevant searches. The third section is known as the organic section, which contains info related to a search. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to feature location-specific sites.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO is a strategy that helps businesses appear in the local search section of an internet search. Businesses that have a physical storefront or that use a service area can greatly benefit from local SEO. To optimize for local SEO, businesses should make sure their name, address, phone number and website URL (NAPU) are consistent across their entire website presence.
What Is Organic SEO?
Organic SEO, on the other hand, helps businesses that don’t have a local focus appear in relevant searches. For example, searching “pizza recipe” in Google will bring up hundreds of organic results for a searcher to choose from. Think of organic as more of a section to find information rather than searching for a specific business.
Local SEO or Organic SEO: Which Is Better?
Both search engine optimization tactics are useful. Neither is better than the other, however, which one you focus on depends on your type of business. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, it’s likely you’ll want to focus on local SEO so consumers in your community can find you. If you’re an e-commerce shop with no physical location, organic SEO is the better option.
Keep in mind that you do not have to focus on one or the other, though. As a pizza shop, if you want to publish weekly blog content to help improve your organic ranking, do it! No one is stopping you from ranking in both local and organic search results.
There are many factors that go into search engine optimization. If you still aren’t sure which type of SEO is best for your business, reach out to a Dallas SEO Expert for help on getting your business found in online searches.