Blog post SEO and local SEO are different.
Blog post SEO and local SEO are two different things. One of my content-management clients who hired me to manage his blog content (edit and/or write the posts, insert media, apply the proper keywords to them, and so on) did not understand this, even with repeated explanations. Many people find this confusing. I hope this post will help.
Expecting a blog post that is optimized for a keyword like “raising blue dragons” to make your website come up in Google searches for “zoo near me” is unreasonable. That is like asking a wedding-cake baker to provide you with delicious steaks. Yes, they both handle food but . . .
What blog post SEO does
Blog post SEO helps an individual blog post rank well for the appropriate keywords. By “appropriate,” I mean the keywords that tell what is in that blog post. If it’s a blog post about hatching blue dragon eggs, then one would expect to see keywords like these:
- hatching blue dragon eggs
- incubating dragon eggs
- what dragon eggs need to hatch
- how long does it take a dragon egg to hatch
- how big are blue dragon eggs
If done well, the post will be optimized for a main keyword even though it may contain several keywords.
So, when someone searches for “hatching blue dragon eggs,” ideally, the post would come up in the search results. Blog posts that deliver helpful content will come up higher in the search results pages. They also increase the “know, like, and trust” factor and position you as an authority on the topic. But above all of that, they serve your readers by giving them helpful content they can use.
What local SEO does
Local SEO helps the website’s home page to come up in local search results. When someone searches for something and includes the phrase “near me” or includes your city in the search term, then local SEO comes into play.
If you hire someone to edit and optimize your blog posts, do not expect them to fix your local SEO. For that, you need to take other actions.
How to improve your local SEO
Working with an expert is a good idea. One thing they can do is add the appropriate metadata to your website. They may be able to suggest some backlinking strategies. Just be careful, because the quality of the links is important, and a low-quality site linking to your website is worse than no sites linking to your website.
There are several steps you can take yourself to improve your local SEO.
- Claim your Google My Business listing and any other local listings.
- Get online reviews. Ask for one or two a week rather than a flood of them at once.
- Ask your local Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, and any other organizations like that to link to your website.
- Hire an expert in local SEO like LoudCarrot marketing. They can help you come up in local searches, and increase your traffic and conversions as well. (Most businesses would love to have increased traffic and conversions.)
The famous MOZ has some tips on how to show up in local search results.
Both blog post SEO and local SEO are needed for your success, just as working with a good baker and a good butcher may be needed to pull off an excellent meal at your event.