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The Power of Local SEO: Why Language and Domain Extensions Matter

The Power of Local SEO: Why Language and Domain Extensions Matter

Because of the constant globalisation opportunities, many businesses strive to reach clients from all over the world. It’s especially true for online-provided services. After all, their product doesn’t need shipping — clients can receive it the moment they pay for it, which allows businesses to significantly broaden their potential client base.

However ambitious this strategy may be, it’s worth starting locally and focusing on the region whose language, culture, and laws you already know well. Optimising your website for local SEO helps to attract the audience that is much easier to build trust with and appeal to the sense of familiarity.

For targeting a specific country, it’s better to choose a service with servers located near you and your clients. This is particularly important for European businesses. Data-protection laws (including the GDPR) control how personal data can be transferred outside the EU and EEA. Hosting data on local servers reduces exposure to non-EU jurisdictions’ surveillance laws, and also prevents potetial lawsuits against your company. That’s why, for instance, our colleagues from hosting.fr are one of the better choices for France-based businesses.

Google Trends interest statistics for local-focused queriesGoogle Trends interest statistics for local-focused queries

About Local SEO

The main purpose of local SEO is to attract leads from relevant local searches. Unlike general SEO, which focuses on broader keywords and a global audience, it targets precise geographic areas — countries, cities, areas as small as districts. When someone searches for “best coffee shop near me” or “plumber in Berlin”, Google’s algorithm prioritises businesses that suit these queries.

Key benefits of Local SEO include:

  • Increased visibility: appearing in local search results, especially in Google’s “Local Pack” (the map results with three business listings), significantly boosts your visibility to potential customers. About 46% of all searches have a local intent;
  • Higher conversion rates: local searchers have a strong intent to purchase or use a service. By reaching them at the right time, you increase the likelihood of conversions;
  • Enhanced trust: businesses with a strong local online presence are perceived as more trustworthy and established within their community;
  • Reduced rompetition: while general SEO can be highly competitive, local search often presents opportunities to outrank larger competitors by focusing on specific geographic niches.

Consumer Insights from Think with GoogleConsumer Insights from Think with Google

Language in Local SEO

Language is a key element of effective local SEO. Search engines are sophisticated enough to understand the nuances of language and tailor results based on the user’s linguistic preferences and location. English is indeed the global language of today, but users tend to trust businesses that speak to them in their own language more.

Here’s why you should put resources into language optimisation and make good copy for your website:

  • User experience: providing content in grammatically correct local language builds trust and reputation. Users are more likely to engage with content that is easy to read. Do not overwhelm your website with keywords, especially ones unfamiliar to your audience.
  • Keyword relevance: optimising your website and content with relevant keywords your audience uses in the correct language ensures that search engines can accurately match your business with a matching search intent. Put some time into the search for how your clients formulate their queries. Something that sounds right might not be the way an ordinary person will look for something. Know your client to understand what they want. Coffee enthusiasts will search for a very specific roast from a specific place, while an office manager needs simply a cheap supply of good coffee.

ccTLDs and SEO

While proper language and copy optimise content, country-code top-level domains like .fr for France or .de for Germany play a significant role in signalling geographic relevance to search engines and users.

There are advantages to using a ccTLD if your business is primarily local:

  • Geographic signal: ccTLDs are the strongest indicator to search engines that your website is specifically targeted at a particular country. This helps in ranking higher for searches originating from that country.
  • Credibility: local users perceive websites with their country’s ccTLD as more relevant. This leads to higher click-through rates and improved engagement.
  • Cost-efficiency: with a ccTLD, search engines automatically understand the target country, reducing the need for additional geo-targeting configurations in tools like Google Search Console.

Choosing Hosting Matters

As mentioned previously, choosing the right hosting provider is extremely important. A good host ensures your website is fast, secure, and always available, all of which are crucial for SEO. Search engines punish slow websites heavily by cutting their visibility. So, the closer the servers are to you, the better. For businesses targeting the French market, our friends from hosting.fr offer reliable solutions.

Hosting.fr provides web hosting, domain registration, and other services designed and managed in Europe. Their focus on European standards and data protection is great for businesses operating within the EU. By offering domain registration, including potentially .fr domains, they can be a valuable partner in establishing your local digital footprint in France.

Conclusion

Your clients might be closer than you think. Optimise your content in the correct language and use the power of ccTLDs to enhance your visibility, attract more local customers, and build a strong community presence.

If you want to learn more about the general on-page SEO optimisation, we advise you to watch a short video on our YouTube channel and to read an article specifically about making a SEO optimised website in Site.pro website builder.

SEO tips for a website