The term local SEO encompasses a lot these days.
Almost every business stands to benefit from local search optimization, even larger national brands that don't quite consider themselves "local".
If your business has more than 1 location, make sure your foundation is strong by covering these basics of local search:
1. Each Location Must Have a Unique Phone Number and Address
- Whether you’re service based or have a storefront, each location needs to have its own phone number and address to truly be considered a separate location.
- For storefronts it’s easy to have a unique address and phone number for each location, however, for service based businesses it can be less black and white.
- Service based businesses still need a unique address and phone number; the address can be hidden if need be but don’t expect an additional Google page or local ranking unless you actually have other physical locations in operation.
- Virtual offices are a “no-no” for Google My Business pages.
- Instead build-out interior website pages that have the potential to rank in the organic section.
2. Each Location Must Have a Designated Spot on the Website to Cite the Address and Phone Number
- There are 2 popular trends emerging for multi locations - location landing pages and “find a location” call-to-actions on a homepage.
- Both are viable strategies, but I lean more toward the location landing page route due to user experience.
- In my mind, time is money! Therefore if I’m given the option to land on a page that already has the relevant details I need or searching for the nearest location then get those details - I’d be more inclined to choose the faster option (especially in regards to mobile).
- I like to complement the location landing pages by using that URL for each locations citation purposes. This means that when people are searching in that neighborhood, they will find that location page (address, phone number, hours etc.) right away as opposed to taking additional steps prompted on the homepage.
- REI and PetSmart provide great examples of location landing pages...
3. Each Location Needs Its Own Marketing Plan or Local Strategy
- Independently owned and operated franchises: This is the best of the franchise scenarios because you can create any plan and get help from agencies and freelancers without limitations.
- Corporate offered packages: This can be a great idea if you’re part of a franchise with an existing strong brand that’s already savvy to the world of SEO. The only caveat is that SEO isn’t really one size fits all, so just make sure what’s offered will be the best benefit to your overall business plan.
- Even if the plan is the same for all locations, it’s important to lay it out properly and have everyone on the same page
While there are many more ingredients involved in local SEO for multi locations - these basics should provide a great starting point for local search campaigns.
Digitopia is passionate about helping businesses grow by tapping into the power of social media and SEO. To discuss how we can help you grow your business, contact us today!
