Local SEO and Google My Business (GMB) SEO are closely related strategies to improve a business’s visibility in local search results. However, they focus on different aspects of your online presence. Local SEO is a broad approach involving optimizations to your website and overall online footprint to rank higher for location-based searches, whereas Google My Business SEO zeroes in specifically on optimizing your business’s Google listing (now called Google Business Profile) to stand out in Google’s local map pack results.
Understanding the distinction between these strategies – and how they complement each other – is crucial for any local business looking to reach nearby customers.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing a business’s online presence to improve its visibility in unpaid, location-based search results on search engines like Google. In plain terms, it helps your business show up for people searching for your products or services in your area. This form of SEO particularly benefits businesses with physical storefronts or defined service areas (e.g. restaurants, dentists, plumbers) by connecting them with nearby customers.
How does local SEO work? It relies on a combination of on-site and off-site tactics that send strong local signals to search engines. On-site, you optimize your website content (and meta tags) with local keywords and ensure your site clearly displays your location information (like your business address). Off-site, you build citations – consistent listings of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on major directories such as Yelp and Yellow Pages – and earn backlinks from local websites. You also encourage customer reviews (especially on Google) to strengthen your reputation. Together, these efforts help search engines tie your business to a specific area and boost its relevance for local searches. A successful local SEO strategy makes it more likely you’ll appear in the local map pack as well as in localized organic results.
The importance of local SEO is huge. Nearly half of all Google searches seek local informatio, and local searches often lead to action. 76% of people who search for something nearby on a smartphone visit a related business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase. With a strong local SEO presence, your business is more likely to be the one found – driving more foot traffic and sales instead of those going to a competitor.
What is Google My Business SEO?
Google My Business SEO is the practice of optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing – now known as your Google Business Profile – so your business ranks higher in Google’s local search results. GMB is Google’s free business listing platform for displaying your business information (address, contact info, hours, photos, etc.) on Google Search and Maps.Optimizing your GMB profile means making sure your listing is complete, accurate, and engaging. Key steps include verifying your location, choosing the right categories, uploading fresh photos, and actively managing customer feedback. Encouraging happy customers to leave reviews (and responding to them) is also a big part of GMB SEO. Google’s local algorithm considers three main factors: relevance, distance, and prominence. You can’t change how far away a searcher is, but you can improve relevance and prominence by providing thorough business details and earning positive ratings. These optimizations significantly increase the chances that your business will appear in Google’s coveted local “3-pack” of map results.
The Google My Business profile’s importance in local SEO is hard to overstate. An optimized Google Business Profile is often cited as the second most important factor (after your website) for local search success. This free tool gives you direct control over how your business appears on Google. A well-maintained profile — with accurate info, photos, and positive reviews — not only boosts your visibility but also builds trust with potential customers. Seeing a polished, up-to-date listing makes people more likely to choose your business, effectively turning online searchers into customers.
Key Differences Between Local SEO and Google My Business SEO?
Even though they share the same goal of attracting local customers, Local SEO and Google My Business SEO differ in scope and tactics. Here’s how they compare:
- Scope:
Local SEO encompasses your business’s entire online presence. It involves optimizing your website, content, and online listings to rank well for local searches. Google My Business SEO, by contrast, is limited to optimizing your presence on Google Search and Maps through your Google Business Profile. In other words, GMB optimization is just one part of a broader local SEO strategy. - Platforms:
Local SEO goes beyond Google — it also means managing your presence on other search engines and directories (like Bing, Apple Maps, or Yelp). In contrast, GMB SEO is exclusive to Google’s platform, focusing solely on visibility in Google Search and Maps. - Techniques:
Local SEO uses a broad range of SEO tactics tailored for local results. This includes on-page steps (adding local keywords to your website content) and off-page efforts (building local backlinks and ensuring your NAP is consistent across the web). GMB SEO is more narrowly focused on tweaking your Google Business Profile — for example, picking the best categories, adding photos regularly, and managing your Google reviews. The key difference is that local SEO optimize assets you control (your website and overall web presence), while GMB SEO optimizes the information within Google’s listing for your business. - Impact on results:
Local SEO can boost your visibility in both the local pack and the regular organic results. For example, good local SEO might get your website onto page one for “your service” + “in” + “your city” and also land your business in the map pack. GMB SEO’s impact is limited to the map pack and Google Maps. A well-optimized GMB listing can secure a top spot in the 3-pack, but it won’t directly improve your website’s organic rankings (that’s what broader local SEO is for). - Relationship:
Optimizing Google My Business is a subset of local SEO, but it’s not the only factor in local rankings. Other elements — like your website content, local links, and citations — also affect local search performance. Focusing only on GMB while neglecting your website (or vice versa) means missing out on potential customers. The best approach is to integrate both: use GMB SEO to maximize your presence on Google, and support it with broader local SEO to ensure you reach local customers wherever they search.
