It has become essential for businesses of all types to establish a strong online presence to reach the target audience. To do so, there are essential strategies such as local and international search engine optimization. These two strategies are the most important parts of a digital marketing strategy.
At the same time, it is important to know how these strategies work and benefit your digital marketing campaign to a certain extent. It is also important to understand the essential strategies involved in these two types of SEO.
In this article, you’ll explore the aspects that separate international SEO and Local SEO.
Local and International SEO: What Sets Them Apart?
International SEO involves the optimization of websites to attract and engage global audiences. It is crucial for businesses that target customers in different countries and continents. As you scale your business’ reach, you’ll be dealing with issues like language barriers, cultural nuances, and, most importantly, preference of search engines in different countries.
Similarly, Local SEO is the process of optimizing a website to rank better in SERP searches that are performed in a particular geographical location. Such types of SEO are important for businesses looking to attract local customers near the physical location of their business.
Some key differences between international and local SEO include:
Target Audience:
International SEO is known to target an international set of audiences. On the other hand, Local SEO targets audiences based on a specific locality.
Keywords:
International SEO utilizes keywords that resonate with a target audience. On the other hand, local SEO uses keywords that are locally relevant.
Content:
Content for international SEO is basically more general, whereas the content for local SEO is usually more specific to a particular location or region.
| Factors | International SEO | Local SEO |
| Target Audience | Multinational or global audience. | Regional or local audience. |
| Keywords | Focus on keywords with a broader spectrum and high search volume. | Focus on locally relevant keywords and long-tail keywords. |
| Content | Diverse content available in different languages. | Regionalized content that targets particular regions. |
| Backlinks | You earn backlinks from different international domains. | You earn backlinks and local citations from local directories. |
| Google Business Profiles | International websites may have multiple GBP listings for multiple locations. | Optimized GBP listing for a single physical location. |
| Hreflang Tags | They are used to signify language and regional targeting. | Irrelevant for local SEO. |
| Local Directories | Irrelevant | Websites can be listed in local directories like Yellow Pages and sites like Yelp. |
| Reviews | Reviews left by people from different regions matter a lot. | Reviews from local customers are deemed extremely important. |
| Citations | Low focus on local citations. | Essential to have a consistent NAP(name, address, phone number) in every local listing. |
| Location Pages | International websites have multiple pages that are location-specific. | Optimized location-specific pages for each particular area. |
Also Read: Global SEO: A Comprehensive Guide to International Search Success
How to Carry Out International Search Engine Optimization?
There are various things that you can do to enhance the ranking of your website in international SERPs. These things include:
Keyword Research:
The first thing to do while optimizing for an international audience is to research keywords that resonate with your business and have a significant search volume. You can utilize keyword research tools that will help you in researching keywords.
Website Optimization:
Once you get a list of keywords, you need to start optimizing your website’s content. This includes implementing keywords in the title and meta descriptions of your website, along with its overall content.
Developing Backlinks:
Backlinks are the links that you earn from other websites for your own. They are an essential aspect of Google’s ranking algorithm. You can develop backlinks by submitting your website to guest blogging, directories, etc. You can also participate in forums to earn backlinks.
Website Translation:
When you want to reach an international audience, you will have to translate your website into different languages. This way, your website will rank higher on SERPs for searches conducted in specific languages.
Also Read: Multilingual SEO: 5 Tips to Improve Your Keyword Rankings Across Languages
How to Carry Our Local Search Engine Optimization?
There are several things you can carry out to enhance the ranking of your website in localized SERPs. These things include:
Website Optimization for Local Search:
Optimizing your website for local search involves the usage of your local address in your website’s title, meta description, and the entire content. You should also claim your Google Business Profile and optimize it for region-based search.
Using Local Keywords:
While carrying out local optimization, you should be using region-specific keywords. Such keywords are relevant to the businesses and services you offer. These keywords are also used by people searching for specific businesses in a particular area.
Carrying Out Local PPC Campaigns:
Pay-Per-Click campaigns can drive significant improvements to your website’s local SERP rankings. When you conduct a PPC campaign, your website will automatically appear at the top of SERPs for keywords you’ve been targeting locally.
Develop Local Backlinks:
Backlinks you earn from local websites are extremely important for Google’s ranking algorithm for local search. You can create region-based backlinks by guest blogging on local websites and submitting your website to local directories. You can also participate in local forums to earn more backlinks and enhance your authority within your niche locally.
Benefits of International and Local SEO
Local and international SEO has many benefits:
| Local SEO | International SEO |
| Thanks to increased reach, you get to scale your business and expand to different overseas markets. | Local SEO helps your business to appear more frequently in search results conducted in a specific area |
| International SEO brings more opportunities to your business. You’ll be able to find new business partners, suppliers, and customers in different countries. | With local SEO, you can improve your brand awareness to a great extent. It also helps you boost customer loyalty towards your business. |
Also Read: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): Beyond Traditional SEO
To Summarize
Both local and international search engine optimization can benefit businesses. The right approach for your business depends on the particular goals and objectives of your business. If your business plan is to reach an international audience, global SEO is the right alternative.
Similarly if you’re planning to reach out to customers located near your physical location, then you should opt for local SEO.
Leave a Reply