For local SEO, what is the 20 in the 80-20 Rule?

You should probably become an expert in SEO, and then you can focus on a niche such as Local SEO.

If you've been here since 2009 and you're not an expert as SEO yet, then I dunno..

You can be here for 8 years and not be an expert in SEO. You could have been an expert in SEO 3 years ago and no longer be an expert in SEO. I think local SEO is easier than national, so I don't know why you would want to dominate it on a national scale and then downgrade yourself to local because national is where the money is.

I don't know the the 80-20 rule is, and I have been doing this for a while now. Then again, I have never really cared to listen to what popular opinions are and gimmicks. I have always listened to results from testing.

Local SEO, with google places it really is more about optimization. On page optimization and completing your google places listing, getting reviews and citations. I have a client in NYC, who happens to be in one of the most competitive offline niches, in a major city. He is ranking #1 organically and in places. For him it required a ton of citations, and some high PR links.

For someone starting out, I would suggest that you just do on page optimization, and complete the google places listing. Wait a couple weeks and see where you land. Evaluate your competitors, and adjust to move forward.

If you're in a competitive niche, the key to success is not using a cookie cutter plan. You need to constantly adjust and try to move forward! Nothing is a guarantee to work, that is why you always need to be working to stay on top of your game.

I am not sure where you heard that, but if we accept this to be relatively true, 80-20 would be spread like this:

1) Pure search results (listings not merged with websites):

- 80% Google Places factors (citations, reviews, well-built Google Places listing)
- 20% website factors (on-site optimization, links)

2) Blended search results (linstings merged with websites):

- 80% website factors
- 20% Google Places factors

Hope that helps.

Greetings,
Nyagoslav
OptiLocal