Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is critical for businesses looking to boost their online presence. This is helpful if you have businesses in multiple locations. These SEO methods target local audiences, enhancing your ranks in search engine results for each site.

You might be an expert in local SEO, but working on a multiple location SEO can be tricky. Although it needs extra time and effort, multiple location SEO isn’t impossible. This article will show what differentiates local SEO from multiple location SEO. Also, we will see how to deliver your international clients the best SEO service possible. Buzznberry is your one stop shop for expert multilingual link building strategies.

What Is Multiple Location SEO

Local SEO focuses on enhancing search engine optimization for your business in your area. Multiple location SEO aims to optimize your website in your business’s locations. The goal here is to get the most out of the Google searches in the different geographical areas of your company. 

Let’s look at one example. You have a client with a grocery store in one part of the country and another on the opposite side. When someone searches for a grocery store near them online, your client’s business should appear as high as possible in the search engine list. 

A multiple location SEO plan allows search engines to differentiate between your clients’ business locations. So, local clients are given appropriate information about the available items or services near their area. Incorporating multiple location SEO entails ensuring that search engines possess the essential data to differentiate between various locations.

Because of this, implementing a multiple location SEO strategy becomes imperative for physical businesses operating in two or more physical locations. Besides, e-commerce businesses catering to multiple regions, even online, can enjoy adopting this approach. Furthermore, directories that add localized content or companies should embrace multiple location SEO to achieve optimal outcomes.

Benefits Of Multiple Location SEO

Enhancing brand recognition and online visibility through location based rankings can improve the discoverability of your businesses. Google, for instance, provides extra information about your shop and includes it in the local 3-pack, making it easier for potential customers to find you online.

The map feature showcases the proximity of your shop to users and provides essential details such as address, phone number, website link, and operating hours. This comprehensive information helps customers make informed decisions and choose your shop over others.

Increased Brand Awareness

Developing an exceptional brand that offers remarkable solutions to people’s challenges and everyday needs is one aspect of a well-crafted branding strategy.

The other crucial element is ensuring widespread brand awareness. The more consumers are aware of your brand, the greater the chance they will consider you.

Multiple location SEO endeavors increase the likelihood of your company appearing at the top of relevant customer searches for your chosen keywords.

Higher rankings lead to a more favorable perception of your brand.

More Local Customers

More than half of all Google searches are for local businesses. Over 70% of customers resolve their searches by visiting a nearby shop within five miles.

Multiple location SEO ensures that your company is found when people search for your solutions. The more places you serve, the greater the potential rewards.

How Do Search Engines Rank Multiple Locations?

Understanding how search engines scan local listings on search engine results pages (SERPs) is crucial. Your main goal should be to make your client’s geographical information visible on their website. This will help the search engine to rank their site.

An essential part of your multiple location SEO strategy should involve optimizing your client’s citations and any mentions of their business online. Search engines consider how their name, address, and phone number (NAP) are presented across the web when determining their ranking on the SERPs.

Thus, it’s in your client’s best interest to ensure consistent and accurate company mentions across the web for each location. 

Now let’s look at some tips on how to get better multiple location SEO ranking in Google. 

Optimize Local SEO Strategies

Your local business clients need a Google Business Profile (GBP) for business listing. If they have many locations, they should have different Google Business Profiles for each one.

To begin, create a Business Location Group. This allows you to manage posts and changes from a single location across several profiles. To make things more efficient, Google allows you to bulk-upload information.

Ensure that particular business data for each location are filled up for the largest of search results, along with their multiple location SEO GBP listings. You may do this by uploading a spreadsheet to their GBP and seeking mass verification.

Let’s look at some tips that you should keep in mind while filling out your GBP: 

• Ensure to link to each location’s specific page on the main website.
• Provide a phone number for each listing that links clients to that location. Avoid dialing the central office phone number.
• Keep the business name constant throughout all listings, and avoid incorporating city or other location-specific phrases.
• Choose as few categories as possible from Google’s given list. At the same time, try maintaining uniformity across all listings. The only exception is if two sites provide different services, which is uncommon.

Work Out The Best Area Management

The first step to getting your clients’ multiple locations ranked on Google is determining which location based websites to create. This includes places where the client is present, like a storefront or office. Yet, it can also extend to their service area often.

List the top five or six locations closest to your client’s local business. Focus on areas within a reasonable distance, around 15-30 minutes away, rather than targeting locations too far, like 3-4 hours away. Identify where their customers will come from to visit the business and create specific location based websites for those cities or areas.

The relevance of this local SEO effort depends on the accessibility of your client’s products or services. For instance, it may not be worthwhile to compete for ranking a coffee shop in a town 30 minutes away, but it might be worth pursuing an Italian restaurant or specialized dental practice.

Conduct thorough keyword research to analyze search volume and keyword difficulty. Look into implementing keywords such as “cheap airline tickets” or “cheap airfare.”

Use Google Search Console to identify popular search questions that lead to your client’s website appearing in SERPs. This information will help you gauge the value of creating an entire city page based on the keyword volume.

Assess your client’s competitors for the target keywords. Identify the big brands in their industry and choose your battles wisely to avoid wasting time, money, and resources competing against industry giants.

Manage The Content On Your Location Based Websites

Reviewing the content on your main competitors’ websites and identifying opportunities to combine similar information across multiple locations while avoiding complete duplication is crucial.

For a comprehensive location page, the following company information should at least be included:

• Address
• Telephone number
• Working hours
• A Google Maps embed
• Exclusive deals available only at this location
• Services that are specific to this area
• At least one paragraph of an original text with location based keywords
• Links to directories, such as Yelp links
• You can create informative and valuable location pages to enhance your local SEO efforts. 

Avoid duplicate content and contact information for other locations when creating a location page. In multiple location SEO, not using the same generic content on your client’s location-specific sites is essential.

When crafting content, keep local keywords in mind. For instance, some places may refer to it as “pop,” while others use “soda,” making it vital to tailor your approach to the local terminology.

Enhance website credibility by incorporating reviews and promoting items or services exclusive to that specific location during your multiple location SEO efforts. This helps Google understand the relevance of the city page concerning the place you’re trying to help your clients rank for.

Location Based Websites

Clients that do not have physical sites in specified areas might never benefit from exposure. Making website pages with the city name they wish to rank for can assist.

For example, a legal business in Philadelphia wants to be included in New Jersey’s map pack. Though the closest results appear first, city pages might naturally rank behind the map pack.

Although location pages may not receive much traffic, they have excellent conversion rates and keyword ranks in Google Analytics. More location-specific pages may result in more significant Google rewards.

Combining all location pages increases conversion rates, which your agency should highlight in a white-labeled SEO report. SEO for multiple locations requires unique and relevant content, not repetitive pages with different city names in the title tag.

How To Optimize Multiple SEO Locations Webpages

Businesses targeting consumers in multiple locations must practice multiple location SEO. It applies regardless of having a physical location to visit.

Let’s see a list of strategies that will help you boost your client’s multiple location SEO rankings. 

Optimize The Website Structure

When agencies face the challenge of doing multiple location SEO for the first time, they might wonder if each location needs its website.

The simple answer is no. Having separate location based websites for each location might seem reasonable for a local business, but it harms SEO and user experience.

It confuses the local audience and customers in general when one company has multiple location based websites. This can be wildly confusing for people if the sites vary in quality. Moreover, getting one website to rank well on search engines is challenging enough. Doing the same for many location based websites at the same time is even harder!

Optimize Location Based Websites Local SEO

Many companies do not add enough content to their location-specific pages when setting up their site for multiple locations.

Search engines value relevant and high-quality content. Making sure they find such content is the best way to ensure that each of your pages ranks.

You should ensure that potential clients landing on those pages can access any information they need. Consider including the following:

• Answers to questions.
• Detailed service descriptions, with separate pages if there are many services.
• Directions to the chosen location.
• A list of exclusive advantages for that location.
• Photos related to the location, your work, or anything else relevant.
• Reviews or testimonials from satisfied clients.

Manage Your Citations

Multi-location and local SEO involve managing your company’s online mentions and on-page optimization. Google evaluates your business’s local search ranking based on how your name, address, and phone number (NAP) appear across the web, regardless of links.

Inconsistent listings or a wrong phone number can negatively impact your SEO. To prevent this, search the web and ensure your NAP is consistent for all your business locations. Avoid tagging your company name with a location (e.g., “Home Depot in Springfield”).

Illustration Management

When beginning local SEO for multiple locations, consider photo and video content management. Images and videos offer unique content for your location based websites and local listings.

Search engines view images as engaging and providing valuable, original material. Photos also enhance the readability of content and make it more shareable. Photos appearing in a mobile search of business directories can be convenient for users.

According to ThinkWithGoogle data, 50% of online customers purchased based on photos. So, incorporating visual content can impact your local SEO campaign success and customer engagement.

Use Google My Business

Have you ever wondered how to make the most of those tiny maps that appear in many local Google searches?

Google My Business is a valuable tool that enhances your business’s appearance in those features, making it worth exploring.

Ensure you claim and optimize the profiles for your company’s locations, as it’s the best way to have control over your presence there.

Don’t worry about having separate accounts for each location. You can manage them through your primary account, keeping things simple.

Encourage Reviews

Positive feedback attracts new customers and plays a role in modern purchasing decisions. For instance, nearly half of consumers (49%) want to see four-star or higher reviews before considering a business.

Reviews carry trust, with most people trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

In location-specific Google results, especially those involving map functions, reviews hold importance. Thus, encouraging customers at each location to post reviews (with incentives, if possible) is essential.

Create a system to manage positive and negative reviews. Divert those with lower ratings to customer support for resolution while encouraging positive reviewers to share their thoughts on social media.

Add Your Business To Local Directories

Ensure your firm is listed in all relevant local directories within your niche. This is a great way to enhance your multiple location SEO efforts. 

Including your company’s name, location, and phone number (NAP) on many location based websites is a major multiple and local SEO boost. Moreover, it’s a huge convenience for your potential consumers.

Another reason this step is helpful for various location SEO is that you don’t want to rely on aggregator sites to give Google accurate information about your company. 

Google algorithms might retrieve out-of-date material. Due to this, it’s vital to check and maintain your citations.

Make Your Business Locations Stand Out

To improve the success of each company location, consider your competition and find ways to stand out. Different regions bring unique business rivals, offering new challenges and opportunities to explore.

You should analyze the local scene. This includes changes in competitors’ Business Profiles like opening hours, services, and accessibility.

Once you identify these unique aspects, you should use them to attract customers. You should highlight each feature on their location page and Business Profile, increasing visibility for those seeking these criteria. Google even displays this relevant information in local listings.

Work On Your Website Authority

Create a link-building strategy with quality backlinks from relevant sources to grow and establish authority. Consider the importance of location for link relevance. Seek links from local news outlets, publications, and established sources in each area.

Here’s an example of strategies for a multiple location business:

• Create detailed, high-quality content for each company location.
• Explore localized content opportunities, like detailed moving guides with essential local information for those relocating.
• Publish shorter, localized content related to your in-depth pieces in content clusters.
• Address user questions with shorter, localized pieces on your Google Business Profile.
• Create internal links from pertinent pages and articles on your website to your location pages.
• Update and expand existing content to add more value over time.
• Conduct an audit to combine pages competing for the same keyword and remove underperforming pages.
• Building excellent links for local SEO takes effort, especially if you have many locations. Avoid shortcuts and focus on the most critical business locations, as this is a long-term strategy.

Integrate PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns into your search marketing strategy to enhance your link-building efforts. Use location targeting in social media to boost brand awareness, generate brand searches, and direct traffic, cutting out the competition.

Tracking Multi Location SEO Rankings 

Once you have established the basics, tracking your campaign’s performance is essential. Although it might be difficult, it’s possible! 

Tracking rankings is simple at its core. You select the terms you want to monitor, input them into a rank-tracking tool, and let the program do the work.

Yet, things get more complicated when dealing with multiple locations. You should keep in mind how people search for information in each market. 

Keyword Tracking 

You can track nationwide performance for location-specific keywords. Geo-targeted phrases like “bank deposits” without specifying exact locations. This allows you to observe your national search ranking for location-specific searches. At the same time, making the location-specific website the preferred landing page.

At the zip code level, track 5-15 keywords to track local performance.

For local search ranking, use broad phrases with local intent. This way, you can check how you rank for local searches.

Measuring Multiple Location SEO Performance 

Organize your pages by content type. Product pages and blog material are two examples. Also, use geo organization to measure traffic and conversions by area.

Segment your top markets for each service by revenue. For example, top 10 and 11-50, and track their success.

Analyze successful strategies in those markets to identify areas for improvement in the laggards.

Measure performance on both desktop and mobile and create a separate dashboard to compare it to competitors.

This method of evaluating traffic will help identify the top performers in each local market.

Comparing Multiple Domains, Subdomains, and Subfolders

The terms “multiple domains,” “subdomains,” and “subfolders” refer to different ways of structuring a website. Each choice has significant implications for local SEO when dealing with multiple locations.

Your website’s structure impacts how people find you on Google and other search engines. As a multi-location marketer, deciding between domains, subdomains, and folders can affect the scalability of your multiple and Local SEO efforts and the convenience of managing information for local branches and stores.

Multiple Domains

Multiple domains mean having separate websites with different URLs. Businesses with global locations might use this method for geotargeting. They use trusted country code top level domains (ccTLDs) like .co.uk for the United Kingdom, or .fr for France. Questioning of whether subdomains have inherent authority is hotly disputed among local SEO specialists and difficult to anticipate. It can also be helpful for informational microsites or showcasing new company divisions or business strategies.

Pros: Multiple domains can improve the chances of appearing in search engine results.

Cons: Each new domain won’t inherit the search engine authority and trust built over time by the original website. This means starting content creation and SEO efforts for each new domain from scratch, increasing costs, time, and complexity as the business expands into new locations or markets.

Subdomains

Subdomains give the impression of being more integrated into a company’s main website domain and core business model.

They can be used to highlight independent product lines targeting different consumer personas. Yet it may not be the most efficient approach.

Pros: Subdomains may inherit some domain authority and trust from the main domain.

Cons: Whether subdomains inherit authority is debated among Local SEO experts and is hard to predict. This structure also increases resource and cost demands. It makes it challenging for local SEO with multiple locations. This is especially true when many pages need creation and updating.

Subfolders

Subfolders are the most used and recognized method for structuring site data for SEO purposes. They are considered the most secure and reliable approach.

Subfolders provide a logical and hierarchical structure for both humans and search engines. They improve data management and scalability. Thus, making them effective for various product lines and multiple locations SEO.

Using subfolders ensures a consistent design across all pages. It leads to a better user experience, which is crucial since design contributes to most of a website’s trust.

Get The Most Out Of Your Multiple Location SEO Work

Establishing a Google Maps presence and excelling at local SEO can be challenging for multi-location companies. This becomes even more true if your organization lacks organization or a well-defined plan. Moreover, you need a skilled team to support your efforts.

Encouraging buy-in for scaled content and off-page visibility can set your company apart. It helps leverage the potential of quality local content.

To determine if these tools can benefit your multi-location SEO strategy. Seek insights from team members and industry peers and study internet case studies. Track online reviews on review sites and Google Business, as they influence the ranking of some of the world’s top companies.

Conclusion

Multiple location SEO is crucial for businesses with two or more physical locations or serving various regions. It aims to optimize each location’s online presence. Its goal is to make it easier for local customers to find relevant information about products or services nearby. Implementing a multi-location SEO strategy involves creating location based websites. This ensures accurate and consistent business information across directories, setting up Google My Business profiles for each location. It also involves some marketing effort. 

An example is optimizing content with location based keywords, managing online reviews, and earning quality backlinks from relevant sources. Organizing and optimizing web content for different locations is crucial for SEO. Businesses can improve online visibility, attract more local customers, and outperform competitors in specific regions. Multiple location SEO enhances brand recognition. Not only that, but it also boosts overall organic traffic and conversions.