When deciding whether your agency should focus on Local SEO agency or National SEO, it largely depends on the type of businesses or clients you’re serving, as well as their goals. Both strategies are critical for improving visibility in search engines, but they have distinct differences that can determine which one is more suitable for a specific agency. Here’s a breakdown to help you choose the right focus:

1. Local SEO

Local SEO focuses on optimizing a website so that it ranks well for geographically relevant search terms. It’s particularly effective for businesses that serve a specific local area or region.

Ideal for:

  • Small businesses: Local shops, service providers, or restaurants (e.g., a plumber, dentist, or local restaurant).
  • Brick-and-mortar businesses: Any business with a physical location that depends on local foot traffic.
  • Businesses with multiple locations: Companies that serve multiple regions but need to tailor their SEO efforts for each.

Key Strategies:

  • Google My Business (GMB) optimization: Ensuring the business profile is complete and accurate, including location, hours, and reviews.
  • Localized keywords: Targeting keywords with location-specific terms (e.g., “best pizza in New York”).
  • Local backlinks: Earning backlinks from local directories, news outlets, and industry-specific local sources.
  • NAP consistency: Ensuring the business name, address, and phone number are consistent across all online platforms.
  • Local reviews: Encouraging customer reviews on Google, Yelp, and other local review platforms.

Benefits:

  • Highly targeted traffic: You can drive customers who are in close proximity to your client’s physical location, leading to higher conversion rates.
  • Less competition: Depending on the area, local businesses may face less SEO competition compared to national players.
  • Better user intent: People searching locally are often looking for immediate solutions, like finding a nearby restaurant or repair service.

Challenges:

  • Niche market: The audience is geographically limited, which might restrict growth.
  • Constant monitoring: Local search rankings can fluctuate quickly based on Google My Business updates, local competitors, and regional search trends.

2. National SEO

National SEO focuses on optimizing a website for keywords and search queries that have broader, national reach. It’s about reaching a larger audience and improving rankings across the entire country.

Ideal for:

  • E-commerce businesses: Brands selling products or services online without a physical location, shipping nationwide.
  • National service providers: Agencies, SaaS companies, or businesses that operate on a national level (e.g., large insurance companies or national chains).
  • Brands with a broad target audience: Companies aiming to target a larger, more diverse audience across the country.

Key Strategies:

  • Comprehensive keyword research: Focusing on broader, high-volume keywords without specific geographic qualifiers.
  • Content marketing: Creating valuable content that resonates with a national audience (blogs, videos, and articles that appeal to a wide demographic).
  • Backlink acquisition: Earning high-authority backlinks from national and industry-wide sources, such as authoritative blogs, press outlets, and publications.
  • User experience (UX): Optimizing the website’s overall experience, including fast loading times and mobile responsiveness, which are crucial for ranking nationally.

Benefits:

  • Wider reach: National SEO allows for a broader, more diverse audience and can open the door to larger opportunities.
  • Scalability: Success in national SEO can result in more sustainable growth over time, as businesses can continue to expand their reach without worrying about geographical limitations.
  • Brand authority: A well-executed national SEO strategy can establish a business as a leader in its industry.

Challenges:

  • Increased competition: National keywords are highly competitive, and ranking for them can be more difficult and expensive.
  • Longer ROI: Achieving national visibility can take longer to see results, especially when starting from scratch.

Which Should Your Agency Focus On?

  • Local SEO is ideal if your agency primarily serves local businesses or clients that rely on foot traffic and regional presence. It’s also great if your clients are small-to-medium-sized businesses with limited marketing budgets.
  • National SEO is the better choice for agencies that cater to e-commerce, larger brands, or clients that operate across the country and need a wider reach. It works well for companies targeting a broad audience and looking to scale.

Hybrid Approach

Many businesses benefit from a combination of both strategies, especially if they have multiple locations or a national reach but still rely on local clientele in specific areas. For example, a national chain might need local SEO efforts for each of its store locations while also working on national SEO to build overall brand visibility.

Ultimately, your agency’s focus should align with the goals, target audience, and scope of your clients’ businesses. You can also consider offering both services and adapting based on the needs of each client.

Do you have clients in a particular industry or region? That might help narrow down the right SEO strategy!