How to Build a New Service Area SEO Strategy as You Expand Your Business

Do you want to expand your company into new markets, but you can’t gain a digital foothold in another city? Having good search engine rankings in one city is tough, but adding another area makes it even harder. However, there are some simple steps you can take to scale your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy while you expand your service area.

Learn how to execute an effective multi-location, new service area SEO strategy below.

Getting Started: How to Rank Multiple Locations on Google

Before you can start optimizing your SEO strategy for multiple locations, you need to ensure that Google knows your business either has multiple offices or services in multiple cities. There are two main ways to do this.

Create a Google Business Profile for Each Location

For any business that wants to be at the top of Google’s rankings, maintaining a Google Business Profile (GBP) is essential. If your business has multiple offices in different areas, start by creating separate Google Business Profiles for each location.

In each listing, make sure to include the business name, address, phone number, and website URL for each office.

To build trust and engagement online, include photos of your office, company culture, and interactions with customers. If you are already serving multiple areas, encourage your customers to leave reviews and respond to them efficiently.

Create Landing Pages for Each Location

After creating a GBP for each office, you need to improve your website accordingly. Creating landing pages for each office improves local SEO by providing geo-specific details about each location. This helps search engines connect possible customers to the appropriate landing page. To optimize your conversion rate, each page should include these things:

• Business Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Operating Hours
• Location
• Services

Later in this article, we’ll explain how to further optimize each landing page for both SEO and customer trust.

Digging Deeper: 6 Steps to Optimize Your New Service Area SEO Strategy

1. Create an Effective URL Structure

Once you have created landing pages for each of your office locations, you need to structure your URLs. This will help Google understand your website better.

To start, set up your landing pages as either subdomains or subdirectories of your main domain.

• An example of a subdomain would be: gainesville.phoscreative.com
• An example of a subdirectory would be: phoscreative.com/gainesville

According to Google, neither URL structure is better for SEO purposes. However, there is a chance that Google will crawl and index your website’s subdomains as separate websites, which would require more time and effort to rank and gain backlinks for each subdomain. Therefore, we would recommend setting up landing pages as subdirectories, not subdomains.

You’ll also want to create internal links between the landing pages, the services page, and the homepage. Include either a location directory with links to different pages or link the pages directly to your homepage.

Internal links on your website provide double the benefits: they make navigation for users easier, and they build link equity.

2. Research Local Keywords

Keywords are the building blocks of SEO. They are necessary before you even think about appearing on any SERP. So, optimize each landing page specifically to attract customers from the correct areas with local keywords.

Start by using tools like Google Keyword Planner to research keywords searched by potential customers in each location. Then, include these words on location pages, titles, meta descriptions, blog posts, social posts, and any other relevant media. This will boost your impressions on SERPs.

3. Accumulate Reviews for Each Location

Encourage your satisfied customers to leave Google reviews for your business. Having positive reviews not only builds your business’s reputation, but it also contributes to higher SEO rankings.

4. Include Relevant Content on Landing Pages

As mentioned earlier, landing pages must include necessary operating information. However, you shouldn’t stop there. They should also include keyword-optimized content and information that builds credibility. Relevant information with local keywords triggers search engines to show your page on local SERPs.

For each location, you should include these items:

• Location-Specific Blogs
• Service Descriptions
• FAQs
• Reviews
• Photos (both of your office and local work you have done)

5. Leverage Local Business Listings

Local business listings (or citations) include your business name, address, and phone number.
Begin by researching any local industry-related directories. Then list your business with accurate information in relevant directories like Yelp, Next Door, or Angi’s.
This signals to search engines that your company is established, and it makes it easier for potential customers to come across your company while searching for local services.

6. Gain Local Backlinks

Backlinks are links to your website from another site that you do not control. Backlinks help build your company’s reputation in local communities.

To build them, identify local community blogs or news sites, and reach out with relevant content. When another site posts your blog or links to your website, your digital reputation is increased.
In addition, create meaningful partnerships with local businesses. Be present in your community and serve it faithfully. These genuine connections naturally lead to word-of-mouth promotions and backlinks to your website.

Capitalize on Your SEO Strategy with PHOS Creative

While this might seem overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. SEO is a long-term strategy that your business should invest in, and at PHOS, our marketing team is dedicated to driving your mission through strategic, thorough, research-driven SEO tactics.

If you want your business to expand geographically, it is crucial to have a strong digital presence and reputation. Contact PHOS to accelerate your online success today!