Local and international SEO: How to combine them in your strategy

The SEO is an essential tool for any business that wants to stand out in the digital environment. Being in the first search results is not simply a desirable goal, but a strategic need to position the brand and attract customers. However, not all strategies work the same for every business; it's essential that the approach you choose is aligned with the characteristics of your company and the goals you seek to achieve.

Both the Local SEO Like the International SEO share essential elements, such as content optimization and the use of relevant keywords. But here's the interesting thing: the key differences lie in how they're implemented and who they're focused on.

In this article, we're going to dive into these two strategies, exploring their similarities, differences, and the factors you should consider to decide which one is right for your business. That way, you can make informed decisions that boost your growth.

Pillars of a SEO strategy

Both local and international SEO are part of the SEO work areas, but their application will depend on the reality and need of each business. To have a 100% effective SEO strategy, it is no use applying a formula common to all, on the contrary, after an analysis, it is necessary to determine which pillars will make up our action plan.

There are several pillars that can make up an SEO strategy:

1. Local SEO: Focused on local businesses, focuses on optimize visibility of specific geographical areas. Optimizations for local Google listings, optimization for area-specific keywords and other actions to attract are especially important here nearby customers and gain local visibility.
2. International SEO: Ideal for businesses with presence in different countries that seek to position their business not only in one country. Generally speaking, it focuses on using content strategies with linguistic adaptations of keywords for each country and technical guidelines for informing target countries to bots.
3. Technical SEO: It focuses on improving the structure of the website, without technical optimization, bots may have difficulty crawling and indexing your content. It should be a fundamental part of any SEO strategy because of the Charging speed, broken links or unnecessary redirects, code and rendering errors.
4. On-Page SEO: Enpowers the creation of relevant content and optimized for keywords, ensuring that the content is positioned in the face of the searches of the audience we want to reach.

Each type of strategy serves different objectives, but the choice will depend on the needs and goals of your business, as well as the reality of your website.

Which one to choose: local SEO vs international SEO

The choice between Local SEO and International SEO completely depends on the objectives and scope of your business.

Local SEO works for your business if your priority is to attract customers close to the location of one of your offices/headquarters and strengthen your presence within a specific community. Ideal for physical businesses or local services that depend on the proximity of their customers.

While international SEO is for you if you are looking to scale your business and reach a wider audience, allowing you to position yourself beyond the borders where you are currently located.

But, it's very important that you know that both strategies are not exclusive. That is to say, you can combine both to maximize results if your business requires it. For example, a local business with online sales can use local SEO to attract close customers and international SEO to generate sales in other countries. We'll tell you how each one works.

Also, the global strategy of a company can be one of international SEO, indicating all the guidelines, but then in each country, local SEO is worked on specifically.

Let's see what each one consists of.

What is local SEO

El Local SEO optimizes a business's digital presence to improve its position in nearby searches. This strategy increases visibility in the local market, especially in Google searches and Google Maps.

The primary objective of local SEO is to increase a company's visibility in local searches. This makes it easier for potential customers find the business in the specific area. In addition, it improves your presence on maps, increases your visibility in the SERPs and strengthens your brand positioning. Generating more local customers and conversions is also an essential goal.

Which Businesses Benefit from Local SEO

Businesses with a physical location, such as restaurants, stores, hospitals, or company headquarters, benefit greatly from local SEO.

Working on news, events and services within the local Google My Business listings helps to have a strong local presence and a better digitally developed brand. All of this, we recommend that it be integrated with an on-page SEO strategy to enhance both the content worked on the web and in the local tabs.

What is international SEO

El International SEO focuses on improving the visibility of businesses whose products or services are available nationally and internationally. This type of SEO seeks to position the website on the first page of Google in countries relevant to the brand's business.

International SEO strategies require an understanding of keywords in a local environment, since certain words don't have the same meaning in one country or another. Therefore, in an international SEO strategy, it will be essential to have SEO specialists who are native to the target countries, so you can correctly optimize your content as they are looking for it in your target markets.

Domains such as .com, .net, and .org tend to favor global positioning. However, the final choice must be analyzed in depth and in a personalized way according to the business situation.

Which businesses benefit from international SEO

International SEO is an essential strategy for companies both B2B like B2C who seek to expand their presence beyond local borders. For example, the eCommerce those who market products in different countries need to attract international audiences by adapting their content and keywords for each market.

Benefits of Local SEO

El Local SEO is an essential strategy for businesses seeking to stand out in their immediate environment and attract specific customers from their community. Around 50% of internet searches are local, which highlights the importance of optimizing for these types of queries. This strategy not only improves organic positioning in search engines, but it also helps companies to gain relevance in the face of nearby competition.

Here are some of the most notable benefits of local SEO:

• Improving visibility in geographic searches
• Increase in relevant traffic
• Building trust in the local community
• Competitive advantage over nearby businesses

Local SEO Challenges

Local SEO has certain disadvantages that businesses should consider. While effective in attracting nearby customers, it can limit the wider reach. It's crucial to assess whether these limitations affect business objectives. Let's look at two main disadvantages.

• High local competition: Standing out in local markets can be difficult due to high competition. Companies must optimize their digital presence across multiple platforms to remain visible to similar businesses.
• Limited range: By focusing on attracting close customers, local SEO restricts international projection, which can limit the growth of companies with global ambitions. Assessing whether this approach compensates for the lack of international reach is crucial.

Advantages of international SEO

El International SEO stands out in optimizing the visibility of a website for wide audiences, without geographical limitations. Its approach allows companies to reach multiple countries, expanding the possibilities of generating business in an international sphere. Here are some of its advantages:

• Expanding the brand's reach: It allows companies to reach audiences in multiple countries, increasing brand recognition and digital positioning.
• Generating interest at an international level: Facilitates expansion to global markets, mitigating local market risks and promoting sustainable growth.
• Diversification of web traffic: Increase traffic from different regions by using customized strategies, improving conversion and reducing costs.
• Adaptation to specific markets: The contents are localized, aligned with the cultural and linguistic characteristics of each market.

Challenges of international SEO

Although international SEO opens doors to an international audience and expands opportunities for growth, it is not without challenges that can complicate its implementation. Companies must be prepared to face high competition, address the complexities of content localization, and manage a strategy that requires constant monitoring and adjustments. Next, we'll tell you a little more about the main complexities of international SEO:

• Competitors with greater international strength: In a global environment, companies must compete with established international brands that already have a strong presence and robust resources. This can make it difficult for new players to stand out and position themselves in key markets.
• Challenges in localizing content: Translating the content is not enough; it needs to be adapted to the cultural values, preferences and specific characteristics of each region. This includes adapting the tone, images, and even keywords, which can increase the time and resources needed to create effective content.
• Complexity in the technical implementation of international guidelines: International SEO management includes technical elements such as hreflang tags, which will be essential to communicate to bots where we are looking to position the content. On websites with many pages, it is complex but extremely important to keep the different language versions of a page connected.

Strategic planning and the use of appropriate tools can help companies overcome these challenges and maximize the benefits of international SEO.

Which strategy is best for my business

It's not always a matter of choosing between local SEO and international SEO; many businesses can benefit significantly from combining both strategies. This is precisely where terminology comes from “glocal”, which mixes both approaches.

This strategic combination makes it possible to maximize business visibility, dominating the local market and, at the same time, exploring new global opportunities. The key is to evaluate current resources, objectives and capacities to develop an integrated strategy that takes advantage of the strengths of both methodologies. In this way, both immediate needs and long-term growth plans can be met.

Novicell can help you

If you have questions about what SEO strategy is the best for your business, in Novicell we are here to advise you. Whether you need to strengthen your local market presence, expand globally, or combine both strategies, our SEO specialists will guide you step by step to develop a customized solution that aligns with your objectives.

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