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If you’ve already explored what an SEO agency does for your business (read here) When it comes to growing your business online, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Choosing the right type of SEO depends on your business goals, your target audience, and your industry.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
- Different types of SEO that match different business goals
- Real-world examples of which SEO works best for which industry
- How to plan your SEO strategy using a SEO funnel approach (Awareness → Consideration → Conversion)
Let’s dive in!
Understanding SEO Funnel Strategy
Before selecting the SEO type, it’s important to understand the SEO Funnel:
| Funnel Stage | Goal | SEO Focus |
|---|---|---|
| TOFU (Top) | Brand Awareness | Informational blogs, Topical Content |
| MOFU (Middle) | Consideration / Research | Product pages, Service comparisons |
| BOFU (Bottom) | Conversion (Sales/Leads) | Landing pages, Local SEO, Direct CTAs |
Main Types of SEO for Different Business Goals
1. Local SEO
What it is:
Optimizing your business to appear in local search results (Google Maps, “near me” searches).
Best for:
- Restaurants
- Salons
- Doctors
- Gyms
- Event Planners
Example:
A wedding photographer in Surat needs Local SEO to appear when someone searches “Best wedding photographer near me” or “Wedding photographer in Surat“.
Key Activities:
- Google Business Profile optimization
- Local citations (JustDial, Sulekha, Yelp)
- Local link building
Location-based keywords
2. eCommerce SEO
What it is:
Optimizing online stores to rank product pages, category pages, and improve sales.
Best for:
- Online clothing stores
- Electronics websites
- Handmade jewelry shops
- Beauty products
Example:
A Shopify store selling women’s kurtis should focus on eCommerce SEO to rank for terms like “buy kurtis online” or “best cotton kurtis in India“.
Key Activities:
- Product title and description optimization
- Structured data/schema markup
- Mobile speed optimization
- User-generated reviews and FAQs on product pages
3. Programmatic SEO
What it is:
Building hundreds or thousands of SEO-optimized pages automatically for large search coverage.
Best for:
- Travel websites (hotels in every city)
- Job portals
- Real estate websites
- SaaS comparison sites
Example:
A travel site like MakeMyTrip ranks city-wise pages (“Hotels in Delhi”, “Hotels in Goa”) — this is Programmatic SEO.
Key Activities:
- Dynamic page generation
- Template-based SEO structure
- Smart internal linking
Massive keyword mapping
4. International SEO
What it is:
Optimizing websites for multiple countries and languages.
Best for:
- SaaS companies expanding globally
- Export businesses
- Education portals for international students
Example:
A USA-based mobile app development company targeting India, UK, and Canada needs International SEO with hreflang tags, country-specific content, and local domain targeting.
Key Activities:
- Country targeting via subfolders/subdomain
- Hreflang implementation
- Local server hosting (optional)
Multilingual keyword research
5. Content-driven SEO (Topical Authority SEO)
What it is:
Building deep content silos around topics to establish authority and dominate niche searches.
Best for:
- Health and wellness blogs
- Finance advice sites
- Education portals
- Legal consulting firms
Example:
A skincare brand writing 50+ blogs on acne treatment builds Topical Authority and outranks bigger brands.
Key Activities:
- Pillar + Cluster content strategy
- Internal linking among related blogs
- Answering detailed user questions
Featured snippets targeting
Which SEO Type Should You Choose? (Goal-Based Matching)
| Business Goal | Best SEO Type |
|---|---|
| Get more local walk-ins and calls | Local SEO |
| Sell products online | eCommerce SEO |
| Rank thousands of pages quickly | Programmatic SEO |
| Target multiple countries | International SEO |
| Build long-term blog traffic | Content-driven SEO |
Real-World Industry Examples
| Industry | SEO Type | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Photography Studio | Local SEO | Location-based client acquisition |
| Online Fashion Store | eCommerce SEO | Rank products and drive online sales |
| Job Search Website | Programmatic SEO | Create hundreds of job/city-based pages |
| SaaS CRM Software | International SEO | Target USA, UK, India separately |
| Health Blog | Content-driven SEO | Build authority, rank long-tail queries |
Common Mistakes Businesses Make
- Doing backlinking before fixing technical issues
- Ignoring Local SEO while running a physical store
- Targeting USA keywords while serving only India
- Building random blogs without a content cluster strategy
- Launching eCommerce sites without structured product data
Conclusion
Choosing the right SEO strategy is like choosing the right map to reach your destination.
If you know your business goals, you can pick the SEO type that gives real growth, not just traffic numbers.
Still confused about which SEO is best for you?
Let’s help you build a winning SEO strategy tailored to your business goals.
Contact our SEO experts today for a free consultation!
