If your business operates in more than one location, you are already aware of how challenging it can be to rank well in search results across all locations. Each branch, franchise, or outlet has its own audience, market, and competition. Using a generic SEO strategy for all locations will not bring you the desired results. That’s when it becomes essential for you to practice local SEO for multiple locations.  

Doing local SEO for multiple locations will bring more traffic to your business, generate more leads and help grow each branch of your business regardless of how many stores you may have. Here, in this post, we will discuss everything you need to know about applying a multi-location SEO strategy and how franchises can improve local SEO rankings.Read on for further insights. 

What is Local SEO and Why is it Important for Your Business 

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to make your business appear on local search results. This optimization becomes especially essential when people conduct “near me” searches in a particular locality. Local SEO makes your business visible to local users when they search for the products or services that you offer in your selected locations. 

Businesses that operate in more than one location, they need to customize local SEO for each location individually. This is where a multi-location SEO strategy becomes essential. Such an SEO strategy will help your business in the following ways: 

●     Increase your visibility on Google Map and local searches

●     Attract high-converting, geo targeted traffic

●      Outrank your competitors in each local market

Proven Steps to Practice Local SEO for Multi-Location Businesses 

Here are some proven steps to conduct local SEO for multi-location businesses that will make your website rank on top of local search results. 

Prepare Landing Pages for Each Location 

To successfully use a multi-location SEO strategy for your business, create separate landing pages for each location. These pages should include the following:

●     The name, address, and phone number(NAP) of the business

●     Location-specific content( services, team information, offers and promotions)

●     An interactive Google map that shows your exact location

●     Unique Meta titles and descriptions for each location

●     The page should be easy to find from the Google business profile 

Each page should have different content. They need to be unique, helpful, and specially made for your local area. 

Optimize Your Google Business Profile for Multiple Locations 

Improve your Google business profile for different locations. This helps you show up better on Google Maps and mobile searches.

●     Make a listing for each location or take ownership of one

●     Enter accurate NAP in all listings

●     Add high quality images

●      List your service categories and the hours you are open

●     Engage your audience with location specific posts and offers

●     Get reviews for each location and respond to them

A well-kept Google Business Profile for each location will boost your online visibility and improve your rankings. 

Ensure NAP Consistency for all Locations 

NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) is very important for local rankings on Google. If you do not keep them the same, it will confuse search engines and hurt your rankings.

Here are are some steps to maintain NAP consistency:

●     Use the same format for all your listings, directories, and website.

●     Check and update your listings on sites like Yelp, Facebook, Bing, Apple Maps, and other important directories.

●     Use tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal to manage and monitor your citations.

Maintaining consistency is vital to building trust, both for Google and your users. 

Work on Local Keywords and Post Localized Content 

Each of your franchises serves a specific location. Prepare your content for geo-targeted SEO strategies that focus on these: 

●     City or neighborhood names in page titles, headers, and body text

●     Local events, community involvements, and partnerships

●     Address pain points experienced by region-specific customers

●     Get user testimonials

●     Use location specific keywords in all your contents 

Localized content will boost your website’s SEO. It will also help users connect with your business more genuinely. 

Build Local Backlinks for Each Location 

Backlinks are a strong factor for ranking. If you run your business in different locations, you need location-specific backlinks. General backlinks to your main site won’t be very helpful. 

Here are some smart ways to build local links for your website: 

●     Submit your business to local directories

●     Organize local events, sponsor and collaborate with non-profits

●     Get featured in city-based blogs, news sites, or community platforms

●     Publish press releases for new openings 

These links will help increase the authority of each location page. They will also improve its performance in that area. 

Manage Reviews Separately for Each Location 

Reviews play a very vital role in local SEO.  They become more valuable when you are managing a multiple location business. Potential customers usually judge a location by the Google ratings and user reviews. These reviews work as a signal of trust which you need to take seriously. 

Effective ways to manage reviews for each location separately:

●     Encourage customers to leave reviews on the Google Business Profile for the specific location they visited

●     Respond to all reviews promptly — both positive and negative

●     Highlight location-specific feedback on your landing pages 

Remember, Google reviews that have local keywords and details usually rank higher. 

Optimize Your Business for Google Maps and Mobile Users 

Did you know that more than 60 % of local searches are conducted using mobile phones? Many users look for directions or nearby options while looking to buy a product or hire a service. That is why it is essential for you to optimize Google Maps for multiple locations. 

Here are some tips to increase your chances of appearing in local mobile searches:

● Use accurate Geotags and categories in your listings

● Embed maps on your location pages

● Add keywords naturally in your listing descriptions

● Collect more reviews — they influence map rankings significantly

● Update your services and business hours

Optimizing your Google Business Profiles for maps will increase visibility and number of visitors in your stores. 

Use Structured Data (Schema Markup) 

Schema markup helps search engines understand the content and context of your pages. In multi-location digital marketing, using structured data tells Google exactly where each location of your business is, what product or service it offers, and how the users can contact this business. 

While using local business schema for your individual location pages, make sure to include the following: 

● Name

● Address

● Phone

● Business hours

● Latitude/Longitude (optional but helpful)

● URL and social media links

This structured data can help improve rich snippets and will increase click through rates from search results. 

Final Thoughts  

Ranking your business in multiple locations may appear challenging. But with the right multi-location SEO strategy, you can easily make it possible. If you are still wondering how to rank multiple business locations, we, DigitalBenz are here to help. 

We are a reputed local SEO marketing company in Kolkata, specializing in offering multi-location digital marketing services to businesses. When you partner with us, our expert digital marketing team will create and claim Google Business Profile for each of the business locations, prepare dedicated landing pages, and make your business rank on top of local search results. Connect with us today to discuss further.