Promotion features in the year
Geo-Advertising or Local SEO

Which is better: geo-advertising or local SEO, or how to properly promote Latvian business in Google's regional search results in ?

We would like to clarify right away what geo-advertising is and where local SEO fits in.

Geo-advertising is the promotion (advertising) of products, services, or companies with consideration of their geographic location (geolocation), which is why such advertising is also called geolocation-based. Such advertising can be both paid and free. It can be found in Google Search, but it can also be on social networks like Facebook or Instagram.

Local SEO is a strategy for search engine optimization of a website or online store that helps achieve top ranking positions in Google for location-dependent queries where a city, district, or simply user location is specified.

Here you see a Google query for "geo-advertising" with the location — Riga. Such a query is called a location-dependent query. The screenshot shows that even after the June 2025 update, our company holds the top position in Google for this query. This is the direct result of local SEO.

While local SEO is a method of website promotion for top rankings based on geolocation (for example, geo-advertising Riga, massage in central Riga, or hairdresser in Imanta) and is suitable for companies with a website, geo-advertising suits everyone — both offline and online businesses, as well as companies without a website at all. From the above, it is clear that geo-advertising and local SEO are closely intertwined and used so that businesses can spend their advertising budgets efficiently and reach their target audience filtered by city, district, or even street. For example, if your services involve delivery only in Riga, it makes no sense to spend your budget across all of Latvia. In this case, effective geo-advertising and local SEO come to the rescue and save your finances.

At the beginning of , more than 46% of queries in Google Search were related to looking for local services or products. And if people are searching locally for your services or goods, this is a fantastic opportunity to announce your business to this audience. Isn't it?!

What needs to be done for this?

1. Take advantage of Google Business Profile and register your company. Then Google Maps will display your details to users searching for your services or products locally (in Riga or across Latvia). Here is how it looks:

   


2. Don't see your company in the TOP after adding it to Google? This means Google considers your company not yet sufficiently relevant. In this case, work with your Google listing and encourage buyers or clients to write Google reviews. It is also great to gather reviews not only on Google, but also on Facebook. This is crowd marketing, which builds trust among potential customers and boosts company relevance for Google rankings. If you don't have a website, that's where the steps end (skip directly to step 5) — but if you do have a website or online store, keep fighting for the TOP and read step 3.


3. You did everything, registered, gathered reviews, added content, but your site is still not in the TOP! What does this mean and what should you do? It means Google considers your site not yet authoritative enough. Website authority depends on many factors: usability, page loading speed, content. One crucial factor is link profile. It is vital to increase internal, inbound, and outbound links, which boosts company relevance.
   • Internal links — links within the website. Internal linking helps search engines navigate your site, while helping visitors understand the structure and browse further instead of leaving.
   • External links — inbound links pointing to your site. This includes registration in relevant directories, portals, and social media. Regular SMM (social media marketing) is also an avenue for growing link equity. Share news, products, special offers, and other updates on social media.
   • Outbound links — links from your blog to authoritative portals within your industry.


4. Next, audit your website for technical errors and make sure it is ready for regional promotion. Optimize title and description tags, tailor content to regional queries, and conduct technical improvements. This creates a strategic advantage, highlighting your site above competitors in Google search.


5. You did everything, but your site is still not in the TOP! What does this mean? It indicates Google temporarily deems your site insufficiently relevant. If you need lightning-fast results, paid geo-advertising is the answer. Who is paid geo-advertising suitable for? Any business that isn't yet ranking in the organic TOP or isn't prominent in Google Maps. Paid Google ads will solve this: you will appear with an "Ad" label, which is a great tool while organic rankings build up.
   

   While paid ads run, you have time to work on the site (content, links, technical SEO) to achieve the organic TOP.



6. For offline companies, companies without websites, and businesses with online stores, geolocation advertising is not limited to Google. You can target audiences within a specific district, street, or city on Facebook and Instagram. This is convenient, cost-effective, and prevents wasted ad spend.

If you implemented all or some of these steps, you will quickly notice the impact, as geolocation promotion in is a powerful tool for generating targeted leads and increasing sales.

If you have questions, you can always consult with us by phone: +371-26203243 or order a full or partial package of local SEO or geo-advertising (our SEO service rates can be viewed HERE).