Location page SEO is an important subcategory of SEO local businesses need to worry about. It involves optimizing individual business pages for local search.
Optimizing these types of pages involves creating an individual page for each business location you operate and adding content specific to that location.
The idea behind this strategy is to increase your rankings in local search by giving Google more relevant pages to refer customers to.
In this post, I cover what location pages are, why they’re important for local SEO and how to optimize them.
Location Page SEO: Overview
Location pages are landing pages you create for each physical store location you operate.
Each page should meet several requirements, including:
- Title tag targeting city or area(s) served
- Specific services you offer to that city or area(s)
- Images of that specific store location or images of you serving that specific city/area
- Clear and easily accessible call to action
- Google Map embed for that specific location
- Customer reviews and testimonials for that specific location
- Local business schema
It’s important that you tailor your text, images and messaging for the specific area you serve with your location pages.
Avoid copying and pasting content from one location to the other, unless it’s factual information that’s the same for each location, such as “Services we offer: dusting, sweeping, mopping, window cleaning and trash collection.”
Why Location Pages are Crucial for Local SEO
Location pages are important for local SEO because they target keywords that have local intent.
These keywords typically combine a service-based keyword modifier with a location modifier, such as “cleaning services nyc,” or a product-based keyword modifier with a location modifier, such as “furniture store nyc.”
If you enter either of these keywords in Google, you’ll see relevant businesses who operate in New York City.
Enter a more specific search modifier, such as “brooklyn,” and you’ll see businesses who operate in the Brooklyn area of NYC.
The reason why the “brooklyn” modifier pulls more relevant search results is because businesses who operate in this area have created pages that specifically target Brooklyn. This is precisely why location pages are so important for local SEO.
Local search results show up in two primary locations in Google: the local pack and localized search results.
While ranking in the local pack primarily involves optimizing Google Business Profile, creating location pages allows you to increase your odds of showing up in localized search results.
Best Practices for Location Pages
Use these strategies when you create location pages to increase their likelihood of ranking:
- Make location pages easily accessible on your website. Add a Locations dropdown menu to your main menu, and add each location page as a submenu item. Add a Locations section to your homepage with a box for each location, and consider adding a dedicated Locations page to your site.
- Avoid creating duplicate content by adding unique content to each individual location page.
- Match search intent for each keyword you target.
- Follow standard SEO practices, including fast loading times, mobile-optimized design and accessibility.
How to Optimize Location Pages
Use these strategies to optimize location pages:
- Determine how many location pages you need to create (one for each location, one for each area you serve, etc.)
- Find the right keywords to target
- Optimize your call to action (CTA) to your location page
- Use images that are relevant to the page’s targeted location
- Embed a Google Map on each location page
- Display reviews and testimonials the targeted location has received
- Add relevant internal links
- Add relevant local schema
- Acquire backlinks for location pages
Determine the Number of Location Pages You Need to Create
The number of location pages you create should be based on:
- The number of locations you operate
- The areas you serve
The former should take priority over the latter if you have more than one business location. In this case, create one location page for each physical location you operate.
If you have one business location but serve numerous areas or cities, create one location page for each area or city you serve (whichever is more relevant in your area).
If you’re not sure, enter your product/service in Google using different location-based search modifiers to see which modifiers bring up you or your competitors.
Find the Right Local Keywords to Target
Use a keyword research tool or plain old Google searches to determine the best keyword to target for your location pages.
In the example I referenced earlier using furniture stores in Brooklyn, a store in this area might also wish to target “furniture in brooklyn” rather than “furniture store brooklyn.”
However, when I enter “furniture in brooklyn” in Google, I get a lot of product-based search results. Because I want to target a keyword that has local intent, I’m better off targeting “furniture store brooklyn” because it brings up more localized search results.
When you do find a keyword to target, use it in your permalink and title tag.
Tailor Your CTA to the Location
Your call to action should match the way the location you’re advertising operates.
If one location has online reservations and the other only serves customers in person, the location with online reservations should have a “Make a Reservation” CTA.
If multiple CTAs are possible based on the number of products and services you offer, use the most relevant CTA at the top of the page (the one customers are most likely to seek on Google).
Use Location-Specific Content
Add content to location pages that only applies to the specific location you’re promoting. This mainly applies to services and hours of operation but also includes achievements and stories that apply to that specific location.
When customers visit this page, they should get an idea of the types of services and products this specific business location offers. You should not reference products and services other locations offer.
Use Location-Specific Images
A fantastic way to add credibility to a website is by adding custom images that depict your business and the people who run and work for it.
Take photos of each business location you operate, and add them to their respective location pages on your website.
Your storefront and customer-facing areas are most important. You’re more than welcome to add images of employee-only areas to boost credibility, but it’s better to focus on content that directly contributes to conversions.
Add Google Maps to Each Location Page
Embed a Google Map element on your location page that depicts your store’s exact location on a map.
If your page targets the area you serve, showcase the service area instead. You can do this using Google Business Profile.
Many WordPress themes and page builder plugins support Google Maps. This should make it easy to embed a Google Maps element on your page.
It’ll give customers a visual representation of where your business is located. It also makes it easier for them to look up directions.
Showcase Location-Specific Customer Reviews
Each location you operate should have its own profile on Google, Yelp and Facebook. This allows customers to write reviews for the specific locations they visit.
Add a section to your location page that showcases your top reviews. This is something our plugin Starfish Reviews can do.
If you work closely with customers, request personalized testimonials from them, and display them on location pages as well.
Insert Relevant Internal Links
Customers visit location pages to learn more about your business, the products you offer and the services you perform.
Not only should the page’s content depict this information, other pages you link to should be relevant to this information.
Possible candidates for internal links include service pages, your About page, your Contact page, product pages and, of course, your homepage.
Insert Local Schema
Local business schema is an important part of optimizing a website for local SEO.
Schema is markup that transforms information into structured data, making it easier for bots to read. This includes Google’s search engine bot.
Important local schema all local businesses should include on web pages are NAP (name, address and phone number), your services, a Google Map and your operating hours.
If you use WordPress, you can add local schema to your website with almost any SEO plugin. Most have local features these days.
Related: The Best Local SEO WordPress Plugins for Small Businesses
There are also dedicated local SEO plugins that allow you to add local schema to your website without a dedicated SEO plugin.
Acquire Backlinks for Individual Location Pages
Backlinks are important for your domain’s authority as a whole, but they’re also important for page authority.
The more high-quality backlinks a page has, the higher its likely to rank so long as it meets other ranking factors.
Related: 19 Local SEO Ranking Factors to Know
To acquire backlinks for location pages, set up partnerships with local news stations, newspapers and influencers, pay for ads, and host community events that earn you free press.
Ask partners to share a specific location page when they link to your website.
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