Imagine you own a coffee shop. You’ve got the best coffee in town, a cozy atmosphere, and a friendly staff, but… no one is walking through the door. Why? Because people can’t find you online.

Suppose someone searches for “best coffee near me”—but your shop doesn’t appear. Meanwhile, your competitor across the street does, and they get the customer instead.

Or you could run an online store selling handmade jewelry. You have a beautiful website, but Google doesn’t understand what it’s about. So, when someone searches for “handmade silver necklaces,” your site is buried on page 5 of Google (and let’s be honest, no one goes past page 1).

Both of these scenarios happen because of SEO mistakes—or worse, not doing SEO at all.

There are two types of SEO that every business needs to get found online:

1 – On-Page SEO.

This helps Google understand what your website is about so it can show up when people search for what you offer.

2 – Local SEO.

This helps businesses show up in searches from people in their area, especially those looking for products or services right now.

If you’re missing either one, you’re leaving money on the table.
Let’s break down On-Page SEO and Local SEO, how they differ, and what happens if you use or ignore them.

What is On-Page SEO? (And Why It Matters!)

On-page SEO is everything you do on your website to help search engines (like Google) understand what your site is about. It’s like giving Google a roadmap to your content so it knows when to show your site in search results.

Key Parts of On-Page SEO

✅ Keywords – Using words that your customers are searching for. For example, if you sell handmade jewelry, you want to include phrases like “handmade silver necklaces” or “custom gemstone rings” in your website content.

✅ Title Tags & Meta Descriptions – These are what people see on Google before they click on your website. They should be clear and engaging and include your primary keyword.

✅ Headings & Content Structure – Breaking up your content with H1, H2, and H3 tags makes it easy to read. Google loves well-structured content.

✅ Internal Links – Linking to other pages on your website helps people stay longer on your site (which Google sees as a good thing).

✅ Fast Load Speed – Visitors will leave if your site takes forever to load. Google notices this and ranks your site lower.

✅ Mobile-Friendliness – More than 60% of searches happen on mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing potential customers.

What Happens If You Ignore On-Page SEO?

🚨 Your Website Won’t Show Up in Search Results – If Google doesn’t understand your site, it won’t show it to people searching for what you offer.

🚨 You’ll Lose Customers to Competitors – If your competitors optimize their websites and you don’t, they will rank higher than you, and you’ll miss out on traffic and sales.

🚨 Your Ads Might Cost More – If you run Google Ads, a poorly optimized website can lead to higher ad costs and fewer conversions.

What is Local SEO? (And Why It’s Crucial for Local Businesses!)

Local SEO is how businesses appear in search results for people in their area. It’s why when you Google “pizza near me,” you see nearby pizza places, not ones in another state.

Key Parts of Local SEO

📍 Google Business Profile (GBP) – This is your business listing on Google. It includes your name, address, phone number, reviews, and more. If you don’t have one, you’re invisible in local searches.

📍 Local Keywords – Using terms like “coffee shop in Charlotte” or “best real estate agent in Denver” helps Google match your business with local searches.

📍 NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number) – Your business details should be consistent everywhere online (website, social media, directories, etc.).

📍 Customer Reviews – Good reviews = more trust. Google ranks businesses higher if they have more and better reviews.

📍 Google Map Pack – As you actively update your GBP weekly, your goal is to appear in the Map Pack. Those are the three listings in the results on the left of the map.

📍 Ongoing Activity – Google rewards consistent weekly activity on your GBP. So, if you stop, your position will start to fall in the rankings.

Pro Tip: Local Citations – Listing in directories like Yelp, Bing Places, and Apple Maps tells Google that your business is legit. We provide this backlink-building service.

What Happens If You Ignore Local SEO?

🚨 People Won’t Find Your Business – If someone searches “real estate agent near me,” and you don’t show up, you lose a potential client.

🚨 You’ll Get Fewer Calls & Visits – If your Google Business Profile isn’t optimized (or doesn’t exist), fewer people will call, visit, or buy from you.

🚨 Bad Reviews Could Hurt You – If you’re not managing your online reviews, a few bad ones can scare away potential customers.

🚨 Your Competitors Will Get All the Business – Someone will show up in local searches—if it’s not you, it’s them.

On-Page SEO vs. Local SEO: Which One Do You Need?

👉 If you sell products or services online (no physical store), On-Page SEO is your priority.

👉 If you run a local business (like a restaurant, salon, or law firm), Local SEO is critical.

👉 For the best results, businesses should use BOTH.

Why? Because Google uses different ranking factors for websites and local searches.

A local plumber needs to show up for “plumber near me,” but they also need a website that ranks for searches like “how to fix a leaky faucet.”

A national eCommerce store needs On-Page SEO to rank its product pages, but if it also has local store locations, it needs Local SEO.

The best strategy is a mix of both!

SEO isn’t a one-time thing. Google changes its algorithms constantly, so keeping up with best practices is essential. This is why it’s crucial to partner with a trustworthy resource that can help you rank within your budget.

Ready to Take the First Step?
We specialize in On-Page SEO and Local SEO. Whether you need better website rankings, more local visibility, or both, we’ve got you covered. Take action and schedule a consultation with our team today.