Learn how Google’s different algorithms impact search results and provide insights into optimizing your online presence for local visibility. 

We’ll cover:

  • Understanding what SEO is
  • Differentiating traditional SEO from local SEO
  • Importance of local intent in searches
  • How to recognize if your business needs local SEO
  • Key ranking factors for local SEO
  • Strategies for optimizing your Google Business profile
  • The role of local citations and online reviews in visibility 

Listen to the audio version: How Local SEO is Different from Traditional SEO

What is SEO?

First, a quick refresher: SEO, or search engine optimization, is the strategy of optimizing signals both on and off a website to influence how it appears in search results.

When most people think of SEO, they imagine traditional—or what I like to call plain Jane—SEO. Traditional SEO is about optimizing for Google’s standard algorithm, which isn’t location-dependent. This works great if you’re targeting a global or national audience, or you don’t have a physical location tied to your business.

But here’s where it gets interesting: Google doesn’t just have one algorithm. It actually has multiple algorithms tailored to different kinds of searches.


Why Local SEO Exists

When a user enters a search query, Google works to understand the intent behind that query. For example, is someone looking for information, an online product, or a nearby service? If Google determines the search has local intent, it switches to its local algorithm to deliver results that are relevant to a specific geographic area.

Local intent means the searcher is likely looking for something near them—whether that’s a restaurant, a plumber, or a chiropractor. And here’s the kicker: local intent doesn’t always require geographic modifiers in the search.

Let me explain with an example:

  • If you type “pizza delivery” into Google from your office, you’ll see a list of pizza places near your office.

  • If you type “pizza delivery” from home, you’ll see a completely different list of results, even though you entered the exact same query.

That’s Google’s local algorithm at work. It knows you’re searching for a pizza place close to your current location, without you needing to add “near me” or your city name to the query.


How to Tell if You Need Local SEO

So, how do you know if your business needs local SEO? It’s simple: if you see the Map Pack—the little map with three business results underneath it—in the search results for your target keywords, Google is using the local algorithm for that query.

This is especially important for businesses like:

  • Chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists.

  • Restaurants, coffee shops, and retail stores.

  • Home service providers like electricians, plumbers, and HVAC companies.

Essentially, if you do face-to-face business at a physical location or serve customers in a specific geographic area, you absolutely need local SEO.


Where the Local Algorithm Applies

Now, local SEO isn’t just about showing up in the Map Pack. The local algorithm influences several areas of search results:

  1. The Map Pack: This is the most obvious place where the local algorithm is at work.

  2. The Local Finder: When you click "View All" at the bottom of the Map Pack, you’ll see an expanded list of local businesses.

  3. Google Maps: The search results in the Maps app are entirely powered by the local algorithm.

  4. Localized Organic Results: Even the regular organic search results below the Map Pack are often localized for queries with local intent.

It’s important to note that the radius for local search results can vary a lot. If you’re in a highly competitive area, the search radius might be smaller. For example, in a big city, someone searching for a chiropractor might only see options within a couple of miles. But in a rural area, the search radius could extend much further.


Key Differences Between Traditional and Local SEO

To wrap things up, let’s quickly highlight some of the biggest differences between traditional SEO and local SEO:

  1. Search Intent:

    • Traditional SEO focuses on ranking for keywords regardless of location.

    • Local SEO targets searches with local intent, aiming to connect users with nearby businesses.

  2. Ranking Factors:

    • Traditional SEO emphasizes content, backlinks, and overall site authority.

    • Local SEO adds additional factors like proximity to the searcher, local reviews, and Google Business Profile optimization.

  3. Search Features:

    • Traditional SEO results are purely organic—no maps involved.

    • Local SEO results include the Map Pack, Local Finder, and Google Maps.

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Darcy’s SEO strategies are easy to implement and effective. She’s the #1 SEO expert I refer to whenever I need help with my rankings.

 

- Nicholas Scalice, Growth Marketing Podcast // Growth Marketer

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Sponsors

This episode of the Propel Your Practice Podcast is brought to you by Propel Marketing & Design. Propel Marketing & Design helps Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Physical Therapists, Wellness Practitioners, and other clinic owners improve their website rankings.


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