How Local SEO is Different from Traditional SEO: Key Differences You Need to Know [Propel Playback]

This episode breaks down the difference between traditional SEO and local SEO for clinics and healthcare practices. You will learn how Google decides which clinics to show in search and maps, and what you can do to improve your local visibility so more patients find and choose your practice.

• What SEO means for clinics and healthcare providers
 • How traditional SEO and local SEO work together for your practice
 • Why local intent matters when patients search for care nearby
 • How to know if your clinic needs a local SEO strategy
 • Key local SEO ranking factors that impact where your clinic shows up
 • Practical tips to optimize your Google Business Profile listing
 • How local citations and online reviews influence patient visibility and trust

💥 Episode Webpage: https://propelyourcompany.com/local-seo-vs-traditional-seo/

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Episode Focus
• 2:53 Free SEO Webinar Invitation
• 3:20 SEO Basics And Definitions
• 4:01 Google’s Multiple Algorithms
• 4:46 What Local Intent Really Means
• 5:19 Pizza Example: Same Query, New Results
• 6:00 Do You Need Local SEO
• 7:02 Where Local Algo Shows Up
• 7:59 Search Radius: City Vs. Rural
• 8:22 Key Differences: Traditional Vs. Local
• 9:51 Next Steps And Resources
• 10:50 Closing And Subscribe

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 1:10

Hello and welcome to the Clinic Marketing Podcast. I'm your host, Darcy Sullivan from Propel Marketing and Design. Today we're diving into the world of SEO, search engine optimization, and breaking down key differences between traditional SEO and local SEO. Whether you're new to digital marketing or just want to better understand how search engines work, this episode will help give you insights you need to target the right audience the right way. Now, before we dive in, if you haven't already, I would love to invite you to join a free webinar that will walk you through how to create a winning SEO campaign. You can find it by visiting propellyourcompany.com slash learn. There you can sign up, and it is an on-demand webinar. So you can go ahead and get watch it and get started right away. Let's start with some basics. What is SEO? First, a quick refresher. SEO or search engine optimization is the strategy of optimizing signals both on your website and off of your website to influence how it appears in search results online. When most people think of SEO, they immediately tend to think of traditional SEO. This works great if you're targeting a global or national audience or you don't really have a physical location tied to your business. But here's where things get interesting. Google doesn't have just one algorithm. It actually has multiple algorithms tailored to different kinds of searches. When a user enters a search query, Google works to understand the intent behind the query. The query being what they either type into Google or speak into Google asking. For example, is someone looking for information, an online product or a nearby service? If Google determines the search has local intent, it then switches to its local algorithm to deliver results that are relevant to a specific geographical area. Local intent means that the person searching is likely looking for something near them, whether that's a restaurant, a plumber, a chiropractor, or another service. And here's the kicker. Local intent does not always require a geographical modifier in the search. Let me explain. Let's use an example. If you type pizza delivery into Google from your office, you will see a list of pizza places near your office. Now, if you're at home and you type pizza delivery from your home address, you'll see a completely different list of results, even though you entered the same exact query or search term. That's Google's algorithm at work. It knows you're searching for a pizza place closer to your current location without you needing to add that near me or city name or zip code in your query. So, how do you know if your business really needs local SEO? If you see the map back, the little map with three businesses located underneath it, and the search results for your targeted keyword, Google is usually using local algorithms for that query. This is extremely important for businesses like chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturist, physical therapist, clinic owners of all sorts, restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, home service providers like electricians, plumbers, and more. Essentially, if you do a face-to-face business at a physical location or serve customers in a specific geographical area, then you absolutely need local SEO. And my guess is if you're listening today, you fall in that category. 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. The map pack. This is the most obvious place where the local algorithm is at work. The local finder, when you click view all at the bottom of that map pack, you'll see an expanded list of local businesses. You have Google Maps. The search results in Maps app are entirely powered by the local algorithm. And localized organic results. Even the regular organic search results below the map pack are often localized for queries with intent. If you're in a highly competitive area, the search results might be smaller. For example, a big city like New York, 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, much further. So what does this mean for you? Well, again, if you haven't had that opportunity to check out the free webinar that walks you through mapping out an SEO strategy that works, I highly recommend you visit propellyourcompany.com slash learn and sign up for that free webinar. Now, there are a couple key differences between traditional SEO and local SEO. So to wrap things up, let's quickly highlight some of the biggest differences between the traditional SEO and that local SEO. First, there's 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. We also have ranking factors. Traditional SEO emphasizes content, backlinks, and overall site authority. Local SEO adds additional factors like proximity to the searcher, local reviews, and your Google Business Profile optimization. We have tons of information if you're looking to optimize your Google Business Profile listing. There are a number of episodes that we've done about the Google Business Profile listing, which I will include in the show notes. And again, also we go over that in that free webinar. And if you are a member of our Ready Set Frank DIY SEO program, there's a section in there about how to optimize your Google Business Profile listing that goes into advanced strategies. Next, there's search features. Traditional SEO results are purely organic, no maps involved. Local SEO results include that map pack, the local finder, and Google Maps. So if you're wondering what's next when it comes to optimizing for local SEO, please stay tuned. We'll be breaking down some of the most important local SEO ranking factors and information. Again, we go into a lot of detail about specific elements of your Google Business Profile listing, building local citations, and online reviews. In the meantime, think about how you want your business to show up in search. If your customers or clients or patients come from a specific area, it's time to focus on local SEO. And if you're not sure where to start, don't worry, we've got you covered. Again, you can check out that free training by visiting propelyourcompany.com slash learn. Thanks for listening to the Clinic Marketing Podcast. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so that you will be delivered every episode as it comes out. And please share these episodes with people that you think would find them helpful. That's it for today.