Business owners hear "SEO" and picture one thing. There are actually two different games being played on every results page, and they reward different work. Knowing which one you need saves months of wasted effort.
Regular SEO targets the organic list
Traditional SEO aims at the ranked list of website links. It is won with content depth, site authority, backlinks, and technical health. It works anywhere in the world — a blog in Estacada can outrank one in New York. Our technical SEO and content marketing services live here.
Local SEO targets the Map Pack
Local SEO aims at the three businesses shown with the map. It is won with your Google Business Profile, reviews, citations, proximity, and city-specific pages. It only matters within driving distance — which is exactly why a small Estacada business can beat a big Portland one for nearby searches.
Which one do you need?
If customers come to you (restaurant, dentist, gym) or you go to them (plumber, roofer, cleaner), local SEO first — the Map Pack captures the majority of ready-to-buy searches. If you sell online or serve clients remotely, regular SEO first. Most Portland Metro service businesses need roughly 80% local, 20% regular.
The overlap
The two feed each other. City pages and service pages help both. Reviews boost Map Pack rank AND click-through on organic results. A technically clean site helps everything.
We build both, but we lead with what makes the phone ring — see our SEO package.