Why Multi-Location Businesses Need a Custom Local SEO Strategy?

Why Multi-Location Businesses Need a Custom Local SEO Strategy

Search engine optimization is an essential part of a digital marketing strategy because it helps in boosting a business’s visibility on the Internet. The higher the ranking, the more easily users will find your business, and your organic traffic will rise.

However, SEO impacts not only your online traffic but also your foot traffic. This can be attributed to local SEO, which is a part of a cohesive SEO strategy. Local SEO helps your business appear in local search results right when nearby customers are looking for what you offer.

So, if your coffee shop is in Pittsburgh, then a local SEO strategy can help your website rank higher for web searches, like “study-friendly cafés in Pittsburgh, live music cafés in Pittsburgh, and coffee shop near me.”

If we go in this sense, then every location will have its local SEO. If you run a multi-location business, like a coffee shop chain in 10 locations in Pittsburgh, then you will need a local SEO strategy targeting 10 different locations.

Let’s understand in detail.

Blog CTA image

See How Our Experts Can Drive More Traffic to Your Website!

SEO: Boost your rankings and drive more organic traffic today!

Website Design/Development: Create a stunning website that converts visitors into customers.

Paid Media: Reach the right audience at the right time with expertly managed paid media.

BOOK A CALL

Why One SEO Plan Doesn’t Work for Every Location?

Nowadays, the one-size-fits-all approach does not work at all for anything that matters. Your business is different from your competitors in terms of branding, vision, target audience, and products. Hence, a custom local SEO strategy needs to be created from scratch such that you can get the results that you desire.

When it comes to multi-location businesses, you will need a custom strategy for all the different locations because each location has its unique local dynamics and customer preferences. If you opt for a one-size-fits-all approach, then your business might not be able to rank for different locations.

As our local SEO consultants in the USA, creating unique pages and content can help you communicate with your target customers in a particular location clearly. Google considers location while displaying search results.

So, even if you have a pizzeria in Colorado, but your website content isn’t optimized for that specific area, you might end up missing out on customers searching for the best pizza near me or pizzeria in Colorado Springs.

What Does a Local SEO Strategy for Multiple Locations Entail?

According to Pittsburgh SEO experts, a local SEO strategy for multiple locations means creating a tailored SEO strategy for each branch, like optimizing individual location pages, managing separate Google Business Profiles, targeting city-specific keywords, and building local citations. So, let’s understand this in detail:

1. Create Location-Specific Pages

Location PagesEach location needs its dedicated page on your website. These pages should include the location’s address, phone number, hours, services offered, and a unique description tailored to the area. This helps the search engines to understand the relevance of your pages with respect to each location’s search queries.

2. Optimize Google Business Profiles

Google Business Profile is an integral part of a local SEO strategy, as it influences Google’s local search results and boosts visibility in Google Maps. So, for every location, a separate and optimized GMB profile will be created, which will include adding accurate business (NAP) information, high-quality photos, and managing local user reviews.

3. Implement Structured Data Markup

Local Business Schema (JSON-LD)

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Business Name",
  "image": "https://example.com/logo.png",
  "@id": "https://example.com/",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "telephone": "123-456-7890",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "City",
    "addressRegion": "State",
    "postalCode": "000000",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 37.7749,
    "longitude": -122.4194
  },
  "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://facebook.com/yourbusiness",
    "https://twitter.com/yourbusiness",
    "https://linkedin.com/company/yourbusiness"
  ]
}

Local structured schema markup on each location page to help search engines understand your business better. So, the professional SEO services expert creates a structured markup, which includes addresses, phone numbers, business hours, and reviews for each location. The data markup boosts visibility for location-based information in search results and increases click-through rates.

4. Localize On-Page SEO Elements

The SEO experts in Pittsburgh will create a strategy to optimize the on-page SEO elements for each location-based service page. The on-page SEO elements include title tags, meta descriptions, and headers, and they are optimized using location-specific keywords or geotargeted phrases. This makes the pages much more relevant to local search queries, and the bots can easily crawl and index your website.

5. Building Local Citations and Backlinks

The SEO experts will create a strategy to get your business name with correct information in authoritative local directories and websites. This will help in validating your business’s legitimacy and location. Consistent listings signal trust and authority, helping your business rank higher in local search results and the local pack. As a part of a comprehensive local SEO strategy, backlinks from local sources, like a local newspaper, partnerships with other local brands, and guest blogging on local sites can strengthen your domain authority.

6. Creating Location-Specific Content

The content team creates a unique content calendar for each location, publishing blog posts, articles, and in-depth guides as per the location-specific audience needs. We analyze the popular keywords for each location and create content pieces that help connect with the local audience and boost relevance in search rankings.

7. Implementing Localized Social Media Strategies

Social media can also help in diverting a huge amount of traffic to your website. That’s why, for every location, separate social media accounts are maintained, and location-based posts are created that highlight local events, promotions, or community involvement. The geotargeting feature is used to reach the user in the vicinity of each location and encourage community interaction.

The Cost of Local SEO Strategy for Multiple Locations

The cost of a local SEO strategy differs on the basis of different aspects, like the scope of work, the type of experts hired (freelancers, in-house experts, or agencies), and the size of your business. Here’s an idea of how much does local SEO strategy costs:

  • A basic local SEO package costs $1,500 – $2,000 per month, which includes Google My Business profile management, NAP data audit, and local citation optimization.
  • A comprehensive SEO package can cost $3,000 – $5,000 per month, which includes custom content strategy, technical optimizations, listing management, and monthly reporting.

As per the locations, the price of the overall SEO strategy will vary. Optimizing a business with multiple locations in highly competitive metro areas will typically cost more than targeting smaller towns or suburbs.

Similarly, optimizing several locations within the same geographic region, such as neighboring towns or suburbs, is generally less expensive than implementing a full-scale national SEO strategy. This is because nearby locations often share overlapping customer bases, similar keyword opportunities, and regional content themes, allowing SEO efforts to scale more efficiently.

Discuss with your local SEO consultant in the USA to get an estimate.

The Bottom Line

The importance of multi-location businesses today is the way that they can localize their SEO. You can get people’s attention with a one-size-fits-all solution, but it will not produce actual results in all the communities that you serve.

A local SEO plan directed at your company provides each location with the equipment to compete locally without diluting your brand. Under skilled management, smart tools, and constant deployment, your business can appear more dominant in each market.

Icecube Digital is your local SEO consultant in the US who can help you navigate the complexities of local SEO in multiple locations. You can expect greater visibility, improved engagement, and additional customers in all locations with our strategic partnership.

Common FAQs

Must each location have its landing page?

Yes. One for each branch helps with rankings and supplies customers with the correct local information they need.

What are the most frequent SEO mistakes multi-location businesses face?

Plagiarized content on each location page, not dealing with reviews in the right way, and incomplete Google Business Profiles are significant errors.

When do I need to refresh a local SEO plan?

Every couple of months. Search behavior, customer behavior, and business facts change, so having your SEO refreshed keeps it working.

Should I do local SEO in-house or outsource?

Creating an in-house team can become an expensive effort; hence, it is best to outsource your local SEO needs to SEO experts in Pittsburgh. By outsourcing, you save time and get access to experienced professionals who have worked with different businesses and have an idea about the latest trends and SEO techniques that work.

Digital Marketing Manager

LinkedIn
Nitin is the Digital Marketing Manager at Icecube Digital. He has helped many organizations grow their business online and improve sales through strong branding and consistency in communication.