In the current online landscape, search engine optimisation (SEO) is crucial for any business who wants to improve their visibility online, but depending on the business aims, the approaches to SEO can be vastly different.
Companies whose audiences are domestic use strategies different from those used by companies with international reach. Local SEO techniques are just another strategy SEO agencies can use to shape and improve organic visibility online.
Depending on the aims and objectives of the business, the SEO agency may use a localised or global SEO strategy, and it is crucial to understand both local and international SEO to establish a competitive edge in the online market.
Local SEO
Local SEO focuses on bringing consumers within the geographical region a company serves to enhance visibility. It is most effective for small to medium firms such as restaurants, shops, or service-oriented companies that depend heavily on local traffic. For targeting local SEOs, SEOs rely on geographical modifiers on keywords such as ‘the best SEO agency in Newcastle‘ or ‘Plumbing services in London’.Other methods used are Google My Business Listings – ensuring that NAP information is constant in the online directories, and attracting positive reviews to improve local visibility further.
International SEO: Going Out and Going Further
International SEO is targeted at businesses that operate on a global or national level: online stores, companies with multiple branches in different countries or areas, online services, etc. The objective is to obtain top search engine results in multiple locations or countries. International SEO agencies are more fixated on non-specific keywords that tend to attract common traffic, such as ‘online marketing agency’ or ‘google ad agency’.
They also discuss and analyse technical SEO concerns such as international or localised websites, translating content into a variety of languages, and ensuring that the website loads quickly in different countries.
Audience behaviour and Content Planning
Consumer behaviour is an important aspect to consider when it comes to SEO for both local and international markets. Businesses need to understand the needs of the local client base in the case of local SEO. Some of the possibilities that agencies can use are mass surveys, researching local events, analysing competitors in the region, and generating content that is more relevant to the target audience.
On the other hand, international SEO requires the consideration of various cultures and trends in the market. Agencies use Google Analytics to monitor the age, gender, and even geographical location of their audience; this informs the changes that are made to the content to suit specific areas. For instance, a brand selling apparel might focus on winter wear in countries with cold climates, while it might continue to advertise summer wear collections in countries that are tropical by nature.
Choosing the Right SEO Strategy for Audience
SEO is not universal, and agencies have the responsibility of customising SEO strategies with respect to the target market. Local SEO addresses the issue of physical proximity to clients, while international SEO targets customers all over the world.
Both techniques are comparatively demanding in terms of consumer behaviour, keyword planning, and technical optimisation, and SEO agencies are capable of developing the necessary tactics and ensuring the enhancement of a business’s online visibility regardless of whether it addresses a local audience or a worldwide customer base.
