How does local business SEO differ from global SEO?

Local business SEO and global SEO differ primarily in their focus and strategies tailored to target audiences based on geographical locations. Below is a summary of the main distinctions between the two:
1. Target Audience
Local SEO: Local SEO is centred on drawing clients from a particular geographic area, such a city or region. It aims to drive traffic from local searches and attract customers who are in close proximity to the business.
Global SEO: Targets a broader, international audience without specific geographic limitations. The goal is to attract visitors from various regions and countries.
2. Keywords and Content
Local SEO:
Localized Keywords: Uses keywords that include local identifiers, such as city names, neighborhoods, and phrases like “near me” (e.g., “plumber in Los Angeles”).
Local Content: Creates content relevant to local events, news, and activities that appeal to the local audience.
Global SEO:
Broad Keywords: Uses broader keywords without geographic qualifiers (e.g., “best smartphones”).
Global Content: Develops content that is relevant and appealing to a wide, international audience.
3. Google My Business (GMB)
Local SEO: Optimizing Google My Business (GMB) is crucial. It includes setting up and maintaining a GMB profile with accurate business information, such as address, phone number, hours, and customer reviews. This enhances local search visibility and appears in local pack results.
Global SEO: GMB optimization is less relevant unless the business has multiple locations worldwide, in which case, local listings for each location are managed.
4. Local Citations and Listings
Local SEO: Building and maintaining consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information across local directories, citation sites, and review platforms is essential. Examples include Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local business directories.
Global SEO: Focuses less on local directories and more on global directories and platforms relevant to the industry.
5. Backlink Strategy
Local SEO:
Local Backlinks: Acquiring backlinks from local businesses, news sites, and local blogs helps boost local authority.
Community Engagement: Participating in local events, sponsorships, and partnerships to earn local backlinks.
Global SEO:
Global Backlinks: Gaining backlinks from high-authority websites, industry blogs, and global news outlets.
Broad Outreach: Aiming for a diverse range of backlinks from various geographic locations.
6. Schema Markup
Local SEO: Using local business schema markup to provide search engines with detailed information about the business location, operating hours, and services offered. This can improve local search results.
Global SEO: Utilizing different types of schema markup relevant to the business and content, such as product, organization, and article schema, without the local focus.
7. Social Proof and Reviews
Local SEO: Encouraging and managing reviews on local review sites and GMB is critical. Positive local reviews enhance credibility and visibility in local searches.
Global SEO: Managing reviews on global platforms like Trustpilot, industry-specific review sites, and social media platforms.
8. Technical SEO
Local SEO: Ensuring that the website is optimized for local searches, including mobile optimization, fast loading times, and user-friendly navigation tailored to local users.
Global SEO: Implementing broader technical SEO best practices such as international targeting through hreflang tags, optimizing for different languages, and ensuring fast loading times globally.
9. Competition Analysis
Local SEO: Competitor analysis focuses on other local businesses and their local SEO strategies, including their local content, backlinks, and reviews.
Global SEO: Analyzes competitors on a global scale, focusing on their international keyword strategies, content marketing efforts, and global backlink profiles.
10. Performance Metrics
Local SEO: Metrics include local search rankings, traffic from local searches, click-through rates (CTR) on local search results, and GMB insights.
Global SEO: Metrics include overall search rankings, international traffic, global search visibility, and conversion rates from different geographic locations.