Many companies, especially mid-sized multi-location brands, struggle to effectively implement a “national” SEO strategy. They might have hired an SEO consultant or have in-house teams working on SEO, but execution remains a problem. If updating a title tag takes six months, you know there are significant SEO challenges.
There are numerous reasons why an SEO program might hit a roadblock:
- SEO is a low priority. Decision-makers might not fully understand or trust SEO, or they may have more pressing concerns. The actions needed to improve SEO—like updating the website, rewriting copy, or marketing to get links—often fall under different departments that do not share your urgency or goals. As we often say, “SEO is always the lowest priority… until it’s not.”
- SEO is expensive. Tasks such as rewriting URLs, redesigning the site, rewriting content, and marketing for links require resources that many companies have not budgeted for. SEO seems easy when it’s “free,” but when there are costs involved, it often gets ignored.
- SEO is complicated. Many companies have websites on complicated platforms, making even simple tasks (like updating title tags) a nightmare. If you need to overhaul the entire system to add canonical tags, refer to points #1 and #2. SEO consultants frequently encounter situations where it takes numerous meetings with multiple teams to implement something basic.
So what should you do if you’re responsible for driving SEO, but the company can’t seem to get moving?
If your company has a physical presence (e.g., a headquarters or sales office), it’s advisable to shift focus from “national” SEO to “local” SEO, even if you don’t think you should target local search queries. Here’s why:
1. It’s Easier to Get a Local SEO Campaign Off the Ground
Local SEO often requires fewer stakeholders. While you’ll still need some coordination (like verifying a Google My Business listing), you can gain significant traction without overhauling the entire website or involving multiple internal teams.
2. There’s Abundant Low-Hanging Fruit
Many companies have a lot of room for improvement in local SEO. Often no one has been monitoring the state of their location info online. Offices close, move, change phone numbers, rebrand, etc., and this information often doesn’t get updated on Google, local data aggregators, or prominent local citation sites.
3. Many of Your Target Queries Already Show Local Results!
Over time, Google has increasingly shown local packs for queries with local intent. Businesses often overlook the local aspects of SEO, focusing on ranking for non-geo-specific keywords, and miss out on the local SERP opportunities.
4. There’s Less Competition
Local queries typically have less competition than “national” queries. Multi-location companies have an advantage over single-location businesses, as each location can contribute citation backlinks, boosting local ranking potential.
5. Local SEO Success Can Justify the “National” SEO Budget
One of the best ways to overcome corporate SEO inertia is by proving SEO’s effectiveness. Starting with local SEO can demonstrate ROI, paving the way for broader SEO efforts.
Final Thoughts
Local SEO has its own set of challenges, but for businesses with local presence, it offers a faster path to SEO success.
For more insights on this topic, check out Dan Leibson’s presentation, “Small Tactics for Multi-Location SEO = Big Results,” from the State of Search conference.
