Search engine optimisation (SEO) helps businesses reach the right audience online. Two approaches that are often confused within SEO strategy, are local SEO and off-page SEO. Both aim to increase a website’s visibility in search results, but they work in different ways and target different goals.
This guide explains the differences between the two, where they overlap, and why most businesses benefit from using both.
Local SEO focuses on improving a business’s visibility in search results for location-based queries. It is especially important for businesses with a physical location or those that serve customers in a specific area.
Key local SEO practices include:
The goal is to appear when people search for services nearby, such as “plumber in Leeds” or “café near me.” Local SEO connects searchers with relevant businesses quickly and accurately.
Off-page SEO refers to all SEO activity that takes place outside your website. Its purpose is to build authority, relevance and trust through signals from other websites and platforms. It is not limited to a specific location and can benefit businesses of any size or audience. Read more in our article “What is off-page SEO?“.
Key off-page SEO tactics include:
Off-page SEO helps search engines judge how trustworthy and relevant your website is.
While both can improve your SEO strategy and rankings, here are the differences:
| Aspect | Local SEO | Off-Page SEO |
| Geographic Focus | Targets a specific location or service area | Not location-specific |
| Main Tools | Google Business Profile, local directories, NAP citations (Name, Address, Phone consistency) | Backlinks, social media activity, PR mentions |
| Audience | People searching for nearby services | Broader audiences across different regions |
| Goal | Improve visibility in local searches and Google Maps | Build website authority and trust |
| Control | Largely within the business’s control | Relies on other websites and platforms |
The two often overlap. For example, earning backlinks from a local news website supports both local SEO and off-page SEO.
A strong SEO strategy should combine local SEO and off-page SEO. Local SEO helps you reach customers in your area, while off-page SEO boosts your overall authority and can attract visitors from further afield.
If you run a local business, focus on local SEO to appear in searches from people nearby. At the same time, invest in off-page SEO to build credibility, attract referral traffic and strengthen your position in wider searches.
On-page SEO is about improving content and structure within your website, such as headings, keyword use and internal links. Local SEO strategy includes these elements but adds a geographic focus, using location keywords and directory listings to target local searches.
On-page SEO covers everything within your website that affects rankings, such as content, titles and user experience. Off-page SEO happens elsewhere and includes backlinks, social signals and brand mentions that help build authority.
Local SEO can involve off-page tactics such as earning backlinks from local businesses, gaining citations in local directories and managing customer reviews. These off-page signals help confirm your relevance and trustworthiness in a specific area.
Local SEO targets searches from people in specific locations and aims to improve visibility in local map results. General SEO focuses on rankings for non-location-specific keywords, reaching a wider audience.
Yes. You can manage your Google Business Profile, collect reviews, add location-based keywords to your content and list your business in directories. Working with an SEO professional can save time and improve long-term results.
Your SEO strategy will depends on your goals. For attracting customers in a local area, local SEO is best. To build authority and compete in broader searches, focus on off-page SEO. Many successful strategies use a mix of both.
Local SEO focuses on ranking for location-based searches using maps, listings and local keywords. Off-page SEO focuses on gaining backlinks and brand mentions from other websites to improve authority and relevance.
Accentuate Agency is a Local SEO Agency that specialises in SEO and GEO so if you need help making sure your business is visible online, whether your dream clients are searching on Google or Chat GPT we can help. Contact us today.
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