What is the difference between SEO and local SEO?

Agencies talk about SEO and local SEO as if everyone knows where one ends and the other begins. Then the proposal arrives, and you can't tell which work you're paying for. So what is the difference between SEO and local SEO, and does a small business need both?

This guide compares them side by side in plain language. You'll see how goals, ranking factors, result types, tools and measurement differ, and when it makes sense to invest in each.

The short version

Think of two shop windows. General SEO is your window on a busy national high street. Local SEO is your window on the street where your customers actually live.

• General SEO helps a website rank for searches like "how to fix a leaking tap" or "best running shoes".
• Local SEO helps a business appear for "plumber in Bristol" or "running shop near me".

The two overlap. Your website supports your local rankings, and good local signals can help your website rank for location searches. But the main levers and the main results are different. For the basics of the local side, see our guide to what local SEO is.

SEO vs local SEO: side-by-side comparison

They show up in different places

For many searches with local intent, Google shows a map with three businesses near the top. That block is the local pack. Below it, you'll usually see regular organic results.

Local SEO focuses on the local pack and Google Maps. General SEO focuses on the organic links. When people ask about the difference between local and organic SEO, this is mainly what they mean.

A local business can rank in one and not the other. For example, a dentist might sit first on the map for "dentist near me" while a national directory holds the top organic spot. The reverse happens too.

Google also treats a search as local even without a place name. Type "locksmith" on your phone, and Google assumes you want one nearby. That's why optimizing for near me searches is mostly about local SEO, not adding "near me" to your pages.

They reward different ranking factors

General SEO factors

Google ranks organic results mostly on how well a page answers the query and how much the wider web trusts it. That means helpful content, clear page structure, links from other sites, and a fast, crawlable website.

Local SEO factors

Google's own help pages say local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. In practice:

• Relevance: your primary category, services, description and website content.
• Distance: how far your business is from the searcher or the place they named.
• Prominence: reviews, ratings, citations, links, and how well known you are offline.

Distance is the big one that general SEO doesn't have. You can't move your office, so local SEO is often about widening the radius where you still win.

Where they overlap

Your website counts in both. A strong site with clear service pages and local mentions helps your map rankings. Links from local news sites or partners help both organic and local results.

They need different measurement

General SEO tools usually report one position per keyword, often for a whole country or city. That works for organic results, which vary less by street.

Local results vary much more. A business can be first in the map pack at its front door and absent two miles away. A single ranking number hides that. As we explain in your Google Maps rank is a map, you need to check rankings from many points across your area.

The Local Rank Grid Google Maps rank tracker does exactly this. It runs your search from a grid of points and colors each one by rank: green for top three, amber for 4–10, red for 11–20 and grey when you're not found.

For the organic side, Google Search Console shows which queries bring clicks to your website. Use both together for a full picture.

When you need SEO, local SEO, or both

If customers come to you, or you go to them, local SEO usually brings the fastest return. If you sell to anyone regardless of location, general SEO matters more.

Most local businesses still benefit from some general SEO. A well-written service page can rank organically for longer searches, like "how much does a boiler service cost", and send visitors who later call.

Common myths about SEO and local SEO

"If my website ranks, my map listing will too"

Not necessarily. A website can rank well organically while the business profile sits low on the map, especially if the profile has few reviews or a poorly chosen category. They share some signals, but each needs its own attention.

"Local SEO is just adding my town to every page"

Repeating a place name everywhere doesn't build relevance. It makes pages harder to read. Mention your area where it's natural, such as service area sections, contact details and real local examples.

"Local SEO is only for shops"

Service businesses without a public address benefit just as much. Plumbers, cleaners and mobile mechanics appear on the map through a service area, as explained in our guide on who needs local SEO.

"National SEO tools show my local rankings"

Many standard rank trackers check one location per keyword. That's fine for organic results, but it can't show how your map ranking changes across a city. Check what a tool actually measures before you trust its local numbers.

"I can do one now and forget the other"

Both need steady upkeep. Competitors add reviews, publish pages and earn links every month. A strong position slips if you stop working on it entirely.

A simple combined plan for a local business

1. Fix your Google Business Profile. Category, services, hours, photos and description. Start with our profile checklist.
2. Collect reviews steadily. Ask every happy customer with a direct link.
3. Create one page per main service on your website, with your area named naturally.
4. Make your details consistent across the main directories.
5. Earn a few local links through suppliers, sponsorships and community work.
6. Measure both sides monthly: map rankings across your area and organic clicks in Search Console.

Steps one, two and four are mostly local SEO. Step three serves both. Step five helps both.

Next step

The difference between SEO and local SEO comes down to where you want to appear and who you want to reach. General SEO wins traffic from anywhere. Local SEO wins customers nearby, through maps, reviews and your profile.

To see where you stand locally, start a free Local Rank Grid trial. You get two rank scans or audits with no card, enough to see where your map visibility starts and stops.

FAQ

Is local SEO part of SEO?

Yes. Local SEO is a branch of SEO that focuses on location-based searches and map results. It uses some of the same work, like website content and links, plus local-specific work such as your Google Business Profile and reviews.

What is the difference between local and organic SEO?

Organic SEO targets the regular blue-link results. Local SEO targets the map pack and Google Maps, where your profile, reviews and distance from the searcher matter most.

Do I need a website for local SEO?

You can rank on Google Maps with only a Google Business Profile, but a website with clear service pages usually helps relevance and gives customers more reasons to choose you.

Is local SEO easier than regular SEO?

Often, yes, because you compete with nearby businesses rather than national websites. It still takes consistent work on reviews, your profile and your website.

Which should a small business do first?

If customers visit you or you travel to them, start with local SEO. If you sell to customers anywhere, focus on general SEO first.