When it comes to driving more local traffic, few strategies work as effectively as creating location-specific landing pages. These pages help you speak directly to your local audience while also increasing visibility in local search results. Whether you’re a single-location business trying to rank in a smaller geographic area or a national brand aiming for multiple cities, a well-planned approach to location-specific landing pages can propel your website above the competition.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore why location-specific landing pages matter, how to strategize your keyword research, and the best practices for setting these pages up correctly. By following these steps, you’ll better position your business in local searches, improve user experience, and potentially increase conversion rates.
Before diving into the “how,” it’s essential to understand the “why.” For any local SEO plan, the aim is to match a user’s location-based search intent with relevant, hyper-local content. Here’s why location-specific landing pages make sense:
One of the first steps in building effective location-specific landing pages is to identify which cities or regions to target. If you’re a single-location business, you’ll focus on your immediate city or neighborhood. If you operate in multiple cities or even states, you’ll need a structured approach.
Building location-specific landing pages starts with the right keyword research. Rather than randomly sprinkling city names across your website, you want to laser-focus on keywords that have both commercial intent and local relevance.
If you’re a plumber, your primary keyword might be “emergency plumber.” Combine this with a city name to form localized phrases like “emergency plumber in Chicago” or “emergency plumber Chicago IL.” This is typically the first step to telling search engines you offer services in that specific region.
Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords are related terms that help search engines understand your page context better. For a location-based service page, related terms might be:
Sprinkling these terms throughout your content provides more context for both search engines and human readers, enhancing your page’s authority.
Users often type longer queries when they’re close to making a purchase. For example, “where can I find the best emergency plumber in Chicago’s North Side?” or “affordable plumber with free estimates in Chicago.” While these queries may have lower search volume, they tend to generate higher conversion rates due to their specificity.
Free and paid tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can help you find local search volumes and additional keyword ideas. Identify keywords with decent search volumes and medium-to-low competition to get the most bang for your buck.
Search engines and site visitors both appreciate clear, well-structured pages. Here’s how you can effectively organize your location pages:
Use consistent URL structures for your location pages. For instance:
bashCopy codeyoursite.com/locations/chicago
yoursite.com/locations/new-york
yoursite.com/locations/los-angeles
This helps search engines and users alike navigate to the right page quickly.
Include your primary location-specific keyword in both the H1 tag and the page’s meta title. For instance, if your page is about plumbing services in Chicago, your H1 could be “Professional Plumbing Services in Chicago,” and the meta title could be “Plumbing Services in Chicago | Company Name.”
Break up your content using subheadings that highlight different services or important details. This also gives you a chance to include secondary keywords. For example:
Adding local landmarks, area codes, and neighborhood references can signal more relevance to both search engines and visitors. If your business operates near a famous stadium or downtown area, mention it. Consider embedding a Google Map for easy directions.
Having a structure in place is just the beginning. You also need high-quality, unique content that resonates with local audiences.
Don’t just copy and paste the same information across different location pages with the city name swapped out. Instead, tailor each page’s content so it speaks directly to that region’s audience. This increases E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals and keeps your content fresh.
Nothing boosts trust quite like genuine customer reviews. Showcase local reviews from clients in that specific area. You can also embed a Google Business Profile badge or relevant local awards to underscore your credibility.
Visual elements can make or break user engagement. Use images or videos specific to the location—pictures of your local office, employees at work in that city, or recognizable local landmarks. Ensure you add descriptive alt tags for all images to reinforce location relevance.
Each location-specific landing page should have a clear call-to-action that urges users to act. For instance:
When your CTA references the user’s city directly, it feels more personal and urgent.
Use the target keyword and city name in your title tag and meta description. Aim to keep your title under 60 characters and your meta description between 140 and 160 characters to avoid truncation in SERPs. Make it enticing enough to encourage clicks.
Link your location pages to and from other relevant pages on your site. For instance, if you have a “Services” page, link to your “Chicago Services” page from there. Proper internal linking helps search engines crawl your site efficiently and helps users find related content.
LocalBusiness schema markup can give search engines more structured data about your business. Elements like your business name, address, phone number, hours, and reviews can be displayed directly in SERPs. This not only improves click-through rates but also boosts your authority in the eyes of search engines.
Most local searches happen on mobile devices, so your landing pages must be mobile-friendly. Ensure quick load times, easy navigation, and responsive design to keep visitors engaged and reduce bounce rates.
NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency is crucial. All references to your business on the internet—your website, Google Business Profile, local directories—should display the exact same information.
Building a solid link profile is integral for ranking location-specific landing pages:
Seek out local partners, community websites, and local chambers of commerce to build backlinks. These highly relevant local links are excellent signals to search engines that you’re a vital part of the community.
Identify blogs and websites that cater to the audience in your target region. For example, if you’re a local HVAC company in Denver, writing a guest post on a Denver-based homeowner’s blog can earn you a quality backlink and attract potential leads.
If you’re hosting an event or supporting a local charity, a press release can earn you coverage in local news outlets and even link back to your landing page. This publicity is both a ranking and credibility booster.
Nothing beats a good deal, especially when it’s tailored to the local area:
You’ve put in the effort. Now it’s time to see if your location-specific landing pages are performing:
Some businesses create nearly identical pages for every city, only swapping out the city name. Google sees this as a manipulative tactic (often referred to as “doorway pages”) and can penalize your website. Always provide unique, valuable content.
Stuffing too many keywords or local references into a single page can backfire. Maintain a natural flow in your writing. Focus on readability and user experience.
A location page is not a one-and-done affair. Regularly update hours, reviews, and promotions to reflect current events or seasonal changes.
If your pages aren’t optimized for mobile, you’ll lose out on a sizable portion of local traffic. Keep your design responsive and easy to use.
Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario to illustrate best practices:
John uses a keyword tool to discover popular search terms. He finds:
He also uncovers related long-tail keywords like “eco-friendly cleaning in Dallas” or “move-out cleaning Fort Worth.”
For each city, John creates a dedicated page. The URL structure is consistent:
bashCopy codejohnshomecleaning.com/locations/dallas
johnshomecleaning.com/locations/fort-worth
johnshomecleaning.com/locations/arlington
Each page has a customized H1, such as “Affordable Home Cleaning Services in Dallas.” John also includes unique copy, customer testimonials from that city, and a map highlighting his service area.
He uses location-specific keywords in the title tag, meta description, and subheadings. For instance, Dallas’s meta title:
“Home Cleaning Services in Dallas | John’s Home Cleaning”
He includes calls to action like “Call our Dallas team now for a free quote!” He also embeds local photos and a short video of his cleaning team at a Dallas home.
John partners with a local Dallas realtor who links to his landing page as a recommended cleaning service for new homeowners. He also writes a guest post on a Fort Worth community blog about “Keeping Your Home Sparkling in the Texas Heat,” linking back to his Fort Worth page.
Within a few months, each city page gains traction in local SERPs. John notices a spike in calls from these cities and sees that his bounce rate on these pages is much lower than generic pages. He continues to build reviews in each area and updates seasonal promotions.
If your business spans multiple locations, you can expand your strategy:
This approach ensures you’re not overwhelming your homepage while still catering to users in different regions. It also provides a smooth user experience—people can pick their region and find specific information quickly.
Google’s guidelines emphasize Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), especially for Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) topics. While local business pages aren’t always under YMYL, showcasing E-E-A-T can still give you a competitive edge.
By weaving E-E-A-T best practices throughout your location-specific landing pages, you signal to both users and search engines that you are a credible resource.
Creating location-specific landing pages can seem daunting if you’re starting from scratch. However, the benefits—improved local visibility, better user engagement, and higher conversion rates—make it worth the effort. Here are your final takeaways:
With a solid plan, your location-specific landing pages can quickly become the linchpin of your local SEO strategy. By demonstrating a genuine commitment to each community you serve, you’ll not only rank higher but also build a stronger, more trusted brand presence.
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized numerous aspects of modern life, from healthcare and finance to entertainment and communication. Among the many breakthroughs...
Read moreIt almost seems like something out of a history book, but it really wasn’t that long ago that people still used in-person travel agents to plan their vacations. To navigate, they had to consult...
Read moreWhether you’re a cannabis startup or an established company, if you want to dive deeper into the U.S. cannabis industry that is projected to grow to $40 billion by 2025, you need cannabis SEO to...
Read moreWe are ready to help your business not only get found online, but scale your business as fast as you’d like us to.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
© Copyright 2022 LSEO.com | Privacy Policy