Podcast Summary: Grumpy SEO Guy – Episode 128

Local SEO vs. Regular SEO

Release Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Grumpy SEO Guy

Episode Overview

In this episode, titled “Local SEO vs. Regular SEO,” the Grumpy SEO Guy tackles one of the most common sources of confusion in the digital marketing world: the difference between local SEO and traditional (or “regular”) SEO. Drawing on 14 years of agency experience, the host dives into what sets local SEO apart, how Google’s systems have evolved, and what businesses must do to succeed in each area. This episode is direct, practical, and aimed at giving listeners a no-nonsense understanding of local vs. regular SEO.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining Local SEO vs. Regular SEO

• [02:02] Local SEO is all about appearing in the “map pack”—the map and business listings that appear for location-related searches.

• Regular SEO (also called “normal SEO”) refers to ranking in the organic results below the map pack or for searches with no local intent.

  Notable Quote:

  “Local SEO is only map results. Just because you have a location keyword does not mean you are doing local SEO.”
  — Grumpy SEO Guy [02:33]

2. How Traditional (Regular) SEO Works

• Four main pillars to succeed in normal SEO:

  1. Avoid Penalties: Google penalties destroy rankings.
  2. Content: Puts relevant words on your website, but “good content and bad content rank equally well because it is established by other factors.” [03:24]
  3. Relevancy: Your site content must clearly indicate its topic.
  4. Authority: Comes from backlinks; you need more authority than the competition.

  Memorable Emphasis:

  “What is the topic of your website? Okay, we'll say this one more time. What is the topic of your website?”
  — Grumpy SEO Guy [03:35]

3. How Local SEO Works

• Local SEO has its own distinct ranking factors, which overlap with but are different from regular SEO.

  Key Factors for Local SEO:

  1. Google My Business (GMB):

     • Essential for showing in map results.
     • GMB verification proves you have an actual business at a real address.
     • Local SEO emerged as a response to people misusing traditional SEO for local searches.

     Insight:

     “You must have a Google My Business in order to be in the map results.”
     — Grumpy SEO Guy [05:18]

  2. NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone):

     • Consistency across all online listings is crucial for legitimacy.
     • Any mention of your business on another site must match exactly.

     “Make sure that the name, address and your phone number are the same.”
     — Grumpy SEO Guy [06:07]

  3. Citations:

     • Listings of your business on other sites (directories, aggregators, etc.).
     • Often grouped together with NAP by some experts.

  4. Reviews:

     • Quality and quantity of reviews in your Google My Business profile can influence positioning in the map pack.
     • Only legitimate, real reviews matter.

     “Make sure you are getting actual reviews.”
     — Grumpy SEO Guy [06:51]

  5. Proximity:

     • Your business location relative to the searcher is a key factor.
     • The closer a searcher is to your address, the more likely you are to appear high in local results.

     “If somebody is close to your business and they search for a business, they are more likely to see your business.”
     — Grumpy SEO Guy [07:00]

  6. Backlinks and Authority:

     • Similar to traditional SEO, authority gained through backlinks also influences map pack rankings.

4. Why the Distinction Matters

• Local SEO and regular SEO have different requirements. You can appear in one, both, or neither—and each requires its own playbook.

• Many businesses and even some so-called professionals confuse the two and waste resources targeting the wrong tactics.

  Advice:

  “I hope that it helps explain how local SEO and normal SEO are not the same.”
  — Grumpy SEO Guy [07:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On content quality in SEO:

  "Just because you write really good content, that has no effect on where you actually rank."
  — Grumpy SEO Guy [03:23]

• On the historical shift to local SEO:

  "Webmasters would create a page on their website for every city in the country and then they would do normal SEO … not very beneficial for somebody who searches for something and sees results in a different city. That’s why we have local SEO."
  — Grumpy SEO Guy [05:00]

Recommendations and Next Steps

• Refer to the linked episodes and articles mentioned for deeper dives into penalties, content, relevancy, and authority.
• Double-check your business’s NAP for consistency everywhere online.
• Set up and verify your Google My Business profile if aiming for local results.
• Focus on getting genuine reviews from real customers.
• Remember: proximity cannot be “SEOed”—it’s based on your true location.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Time | |---------------------------------------|----------| | Defining Local vs. Regular SEO | 02:02 | | Four Pillars of Regular SEO | 03:03 | | Map Pack and Google My Business | 04:18 | | NAP & Citations | 06:01 | | Reviews & Proximity | 06:50 | | Backlinks in Local SEO | 07:15 | | Distinction Recap & Listener Advice | 07:30 |

Conclusion

This episode offers a concise but thorough explanation of an often-misunderstood topic: the real differences between local SEO and standard SEO tactics. Grumpy SEO Guy unpacks each element with directness and authority, emphasizing the unique factors in local SEO—especially Google My Business, NAP consistency, and proximity—that can make or break your visibility in map results.

Listeners are encouraged to review the resources linked in the episode description, submit questions, and remember that the biggest mistakes in SEO come from not understanding which game you’re playing.

“If you listen to this podcast, you will know more about SEO than 99% of people on the planet.”
— Grumpy SEO Guy [00:27]