
SEO AND KEYWORDS
SEO is the best long-term investment for a company in South Africa. It drives interested prospects to a business website; however, SEO is not like PPC (Pay-Per-Click) platforms that deliver instant traffic; SEO takes time and effort to work.
KEYWORD SIGNIFICANCE
The time it takes to reach the top of Google depends on several factors, such as keyword competition. The more websites competing for similar keywords on Google, the more difficult it is to reach Top Spots (For those Keywords).
Keyword competition measures how quickly your website will rank on Google for local and International markets. Discover the key differences between local and international SEO, and the advantages and disadvantages of each service.


WHAT IS LOCAL SEO?
Local SEO focuses your SEO on targeted keywords in the local market. For instance, you can target keywords like “ SEO Agency Johannesburg ” or “ SEO Agency Sandton ”. You can include cities or suburbs in your keywords. People search for these types of keywords, and they can drive sales and leads to your business.

WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL SEO?
International SEO focuses on targeted keywords in the international market. For instance, you can target keywords like “SEO Agency” or “SEO”, where rankings will appear worldwide. Ranking on the International market can drive tons of traffic to a website.

WHO USES LOCAL SEO?
Local SEO is aimed at regular businesses such as plumbers, electricians, locksmiths, gyms, restaurants, law firms, and estate agents.
LOCAL SEO PRICES
Local SEO prices range from R3000 to R15 000 per month.

WHO USES INTERNATIONAL SEO?
Major global companies involved in export businesses, e-commerce stores, travel sites, tourism agencies, and news sites use international SEO.
INTERNATIONAL SEO PRICES
International SEO prices range from R20 000 to R100 000 per month.


ADVANTAGES OF LOCAL SEO


QUICKER RESULTS

Competing for keywords in the local market is much easier than in the international market. You can reach Page 1 of Google within 3 months if the competition is low.

MORE AFFORDABLE

Local markets require less SEO work. This means the SEO Agency will need fewer employees and costs (articles) to implement SEO.

EASIER TARGETING

Focusing on the local market is more manageable as you only target one audience, one language, and one location.

BETTER MAP VISIBILITY

Local businesses can apply for Google My Business and receive great exposure on Google Maps, where nearby customers can visit your website or store.

STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS

Local businesses build more loyal customers as repeated purchases occur. Local trades provide face-to-face interactions, which build trust.

LESS TECHNICAL ISSUES

There are fewer hassles with local SEO, no need to set up multiple domain names and ‘hreflang’ tags for your website.

ADVANTAGES OF INTERNATIONAL SEO


WIDER REACH

International SEO allows you to expand your trade to a wider audience. You will receive more website traffic, more leads, and more sales.

HIGHER REVENUE

International SEO offers your business more exposure and drives higher revenue and profits.

MARKET DEPENDENCY

Local SEO is dependent on a single market, while International SEO depends on multiple markets. If one market crashes, your business will continue to function.

BRAND AUTHORITY

International rankings boost your website’s trust and credibility. Internationally branded websites are more successful as they are viewed as more trustworthy.

DISADVANTAGES OF LOCAL SEO


LIMITED GROWTH

Local SEO is limited to the number of people it can target. Depending on the demand for your product, business growth can be slow.

LESS TRAFFIC

Fewer people search for local products than international products. Local websites receive much less traffic.

ONGOING MAINTENANCE

Managing your local presence requires ongoing maintenance such as responding to reviews, updating citations, and editing business listings.

REPUTATION SENSITIVE

Local reviews are easy to find, especially with Google My Business available. One bad review can deter potential clients from contacting your business.

GOOGLE MAP DEPENDABILITY

Many businesses rely on Google Maps for website traffic and sales. Dropping in rankings on Google Maps can significantly reduce sales and revenue.

DISADVANTAGES OF INTERNATIONAL SEO


EXPENSIVE

International SEO requires big budgets, more articles, and better backlinks to perform well. It is usually 10 times the cost of local SEO.

SLOWER RESULTS

Keywords in the International market are more competitive and harder to rank for. Results can take 1 or 2 years before your website starts to receive good traffic.

MORE WORK

Managing multiple domain names in different languages is challenging. You need to create separate link-building campaigns in each country you target. It requires a lot of work.

MORE COMPLEX

Managing multiple can present more problems. More technical and administrative support is required to keep the operation moving forward and clients satisfied.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What’s the difference between International SEO and local SEO?
International SEO targets multiple countries while local SEO targets one country (or city).
How long does it take to rank a local website?
It usually takes between 3 and 6 months to rank for keywords in the local market. Long-tail keywords rank faster than short-tail keywords.
How long does it take to rank an international website?
It usually takes between 6 and 12 months to rank for keywords in the international market. (maybe longer) It depends on the type of keywords you target and the level of competition.
Do I need a separate website for each country?
You can either have one website that targets multiple countries or have one website for each country you wish to target. Domain names with local extensions perform better on Google.
Is International SEO much more expensive than local SEO?
Yes, International SEO is 3- 10 times more expensive than local SEO, as more marketing budgets are required for each country.
Can I do local and international SEO together?
Yes, most successful businesses in the local market expand their trade to other countries to find more opportunities.
Do I need a Google My Business account for local SEO?
Absolutely, setting up a GMB profile can drive nearby customers to your website, and Google trusts your website through the GMB verification process.

CONCLUSION
It is best to start advertising your business locally first. Once your company has excelled, it is wise to do market research into other countries to expand your trade. You have two options when using International SEO.

ADD ANOTHER WEBPAGE
Add another page (to your existing website) of the country you want to market. Add a “Country Tab” on your site with links to different pages of countries you want to target.

CREATE A NEW WEBSITE
You build a new website from scratch. It must be like your existing website, but with unique content. The new website must also match the language of the country.

RECOMMENDATIONS
We strongly recommend that you build a new website in the destination country. Use the domain name extension of the country. Google gives preference to local websites over international websites.
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