How to rank your business in more than one town or city
If you serve more than one area, here's how to build location pages that actually rank, without them competing against each other.
6 min read
Dominate your entire service area, not just your postcode.
Most local businesses serve more than one town. But when customers search online, Google only shows them the businesses that look the most relevant to their exact location.
If you want to rank in five different towns, a single homepage listing all those areas won't cut it. You need a proper structure that tells Google exactly where you operate and why you are the best choice for each specific place.
In this article:
- Why one page can't rank for every town you serve
- Build one page per location, not one page trying to do it all
- Write real content for each page, don't repeat yourself
- Forget "LSI keywords," think about what someone would actually search
- Check what's already ranking before you build
- Link your location pages together properly
Why one page can't rank for every town you serve
Google rewards relevance. When someone searches for a service in their town, Google wants to show them a page built specifically for that place.
A single page trying to cover five towns at once dilutes its focus. It tells Google you are a generalist covering a wide area, rather than the specific local expert for the town the customer is searching in. Competitors who build a dedicated page for that exact town will beat you every time.
Build one page per location, not one page trying to do it all
Each town or city you genuinely serve should get its own page. This is about honestly representing where you do business.
Do not create hundreds of pages for towns you have no presence in. Google sees right through that. Stick to the actual areas where you have clients, where you travel to, and where you want to secure more work. Give each of those real locations its own dedicated space on your website.
Write real content for each page, don't repeat yourself
Every location page needs to say something different. If you copy and paste the same text across ten pages and only swap out the town name, you are creating duplicate content.
Duplicate content actively hurts all of your pages, not just one. Google will ignore them. Instead, write real content. Reference local landmarks, talk about specific client work you have completed in that area, and explain the specifics of working in that town. Make the page genuinely useful for someone living there.
Forget "LSI keywords," think about what someone would actually search
Stop worrying about outdated SEO tricks like keyword stuffing. Instead, research the actual phrases people search for in that town.
Think about real search terms like "web design Cramlington" or "SEO near me Newcastle." Structure your page's headings and content around those real phrases and the questions your customers actually ask. Write for the human reading the page, and the rankings will follow.
Check what's already ranking before you build
Look at who currently ranks in the top three spots for your target town and service. Figure out why they are there.
Do they have more local reviews? Is their page faster? Do they answer questions you haven't thought of? Use that information to make your page better, not just different. If you want a quick primer on fixing the basics first, read our quick SEO tips to get your foundation right.
Link your location pages together properly
A bunch of orphaned pages won't rank. You need a hub-and-spoke approach.
Your individual town pages should link up to a regional hub page, and that hub should link up to your core service page. For example, look at how we structure our North East web design hub. It connects all the local town pages together, showing Google exactly how the region is covered.
When your site is structured properly, every new location page strengthens the whole Growth System and your local SEO presence, driving more traffic and more enquiries across the board.
"Duplicate content actively hurts all of your pages, not just one. If you copy and paste the same text and only swap out the town name, Google will ignore them."
Key takeaways
- Build a specific page for every town you genuinely serve
- Write unique content for each location to avoid duplicate penalties
- Structure your site with a hub-and-spoke model to connect your location pages
- Focus on real search terms your customers use, not outdated keyword stuffing
Common questions
Can one website page rank for multiple towns?
No. Google ranks pages based on specific intent and location. A single page trying to target five different towns dilutes its relevance and will usually be beaten by competitors who built a dedicated page for each town.
How many location pages do I need?
You need one dedicated page for every town or city where you genuinely do business and want to rank. Do not create hundreds of pages for towns you have no real presence in.
Do I need a different website for each area I serve?
No. Running multiple websites splits your domain authority and makes ranking harder. Keep everything on one strong website and use separate location pages to target different areas.
Will duplicate content hurt my rankings?
Yes. If you copy and paste the same text across ten location pages and only change the town name, Google will ignore them. Each page needs unique, genuinely local content to rank well.
Shaun Chrisp
Founder, Chrisp Design
Shaun has spent over a decade helping local businesses grow with smarter marketing systems. Chrisp Design builds websites, AI systems and automation for businesses across the UK.