These days, whatever people want to do online, they use a search engine to do it. So no matter if they're looking for businesses, products, or services, they start their search by typing in a query. Luckily, companies can improve their SEO score to ensure they're on top of the results list for the keywords they want to rank for. However, there are many kinds of SEO, and you don't want to optimize for the wrong one. So, if you're not sure about which way to go, it's time to learn the difference between eCommerce SEO and local SEO.
What is Local SEO?
Let's kick things off with a talk about the basics of local SEO. As it turns out, when people conduct a local search, they rarely do it with a specific business in mind. So, they're looking for a solution to their problem and not for a brand name. All big search engines recognized this, and now they're pushing websites that put their products or services before the business's name.
Hence, with local SEO, you can place your business higher on the SERPs when someone searches for keywords related to the products or services you offer. On top of that, Google uses geo-targeting to make sure they're recommending your company only to the people who are most likely to buy from you.
And with all that in mind, it's safe to say that not focusing on local SEO is one of the biggest SEO mistakes you could make if your business relies on locals. But what if you're an online retailer?
Ecommerce SEO
Ecommerce is one of the fastest-growing industries at the moment. People have become fond of buying online, and they don't want to let it go. Of course, this fuels the growth, but it also creates problems for the business owners. The demand is high, but the competition is fierce, so you need to stay on top of your game if you want to stay in the race.
That said, if you're selling online, you're not playing the same game as your colleagues with brick and mortar businesses. Here, you'll have to worry about many things besides just being present online. For example, you must choose the right platform for building your e-commerce website, update your product descriptions at all times, and build quality backlinks. And that's just a fraction of what you need to do.
So, eCommerce SEO is more complex, requiring a different approach. However, some companies operate both online and offline, so what should they do? Do they need to pick a side or ride both waves as well as they can? To answer these questions, we need to look into the benefits of these two types of SEO.
Benefits
Local SEO
As the name suggests, local SEO is essential for local businesses. Here are some of the benefits you can expect to reap by utilizing it.
- People will find your website when they look for products or services you offer.
- Users will find you through both Google search and Google Maps.
- Local SEO boosts your Google rankings.
- It improves your brand awareness.
- Locals will be familiar with your business, so they'll tend to trust you more.
Ecommerce SEO
Ecommerce SEO is vital for companies that focus on selling their products online. However, it's very versatile, and following the proper practices can bring plenty of good to your local shop as well.
Of course, you'll have to list all your products online, offer people to buy from you right there, and do your best to accelerate your website sales. So, it's more work for you, but you'll get more visitors to your pages, and if you follow through with well-written content, you can convert them into loyal customers. As a result, word will spread out, and you'll see more people walking through the doors of your local store.
Therefore, even though the difference between eCommerce SEO and local SEO is noticeable, it might make sense for you to use both of them. Just keep in mind that you'll have to build two websites instead of one, and even if you connect them, you'll have to work on them both to get the results you're after.
To finish it off, we'll give you a few tips on improving your local SEO and eCommerce strategy. Whether you decide to use them both or go for just one, you'll find these helpful.
Local SEO Strategies
To improve your local SEO, the first thing you need to do is create local places pages. The chances are that you already have a Google My Business account, but you also want to list your business on Bing Places and Yahoo local. Remember, not everyone uses Google, and you shouldn't make your website hard to find for those who don't use it.
The second thing is to check your business categorization. Search engines won't display your company if you don't put it under a category, so be sure to do it.
Thirdly, encourage people to give you reviews. The more you have, the more reputable your business will look on the SERPs. Of course, you want your reviews to be positive, so asking your happy customers to write some is a great way to increase their count.
And finally, add photos. People want to see what your shop or office looks like, and there's no reason why you shouldn't make it possible. If you can afford it, hire a professional photographer to capture the essence of your space and make it easy to find.
Ecommerce SEO Tips
Ecommerce SEO isn't that far off from regular SEO, but there are still a few things you should be careful about.
For example, duplicate content is a big no-no for online retailers. On top of that, you want to find the best keywords for your niche and use them strategically. Also, it would help if you introduced some variety to your anchors to make your site feel more natural.
And while we're on the subject of technical SEO, we want to draw your attention to your URL structure. Make it simple and sensible, so Google's crawlers can do their job without issues. Write your meta descriptions and alt tags, and the crawlers will have as good a time on your site as your human visitors.
Finally, write catchy product descriptions and make browsing your website enjoyable. If people can easily find what they're searching for on your site, the chances are high that they'll buy it from you.
Difference between Ecommerce SEO and Local SEO - The Bottom Line
SEO isn't a new thing, and although it's changing and developing, it'll stay a part of the future of digital marketing for sure. At the moment, both local SEO and eCommerce SEO plays a significant role, but in their respective areas.
In essence, the main difference between eCommerce SEO and local SEO is that the latter focuses on local searches for a single location, while the former can be focused on multiple areas. In addition, eCommerce SEO is far more complex, and it takes more time to get it right. However, once you do, it'll bring more good to your business than you ever hoped for.
