We get asked a lot if a Google Business Profile can rank in Maps for many different service queries like landscaping near me, lawn care near me, or hardscaping near me. The short answer is that Maps and the local pack will usually show a location page from the site that matches the searcher and the business location. That means location pages are the ones that win in Maps and near me queries. Service pages are for organic rankings and should be written so they do not compete with your location pages.
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Why location pages win in Maps and near me searches
When someone searches with a city name or the words near me, Google tries to show businesses that are physically located in the area the user named or in the area Google thinks the user is in. That means Google will pick the most relevant page on the site that matches the location it thinks the user is in. In most cases, that is a location page, not a service page. We need to design our site with that in mind.
Location pages should be the pages that carry local intent. They are the pages Google will serve for queries with a city modifier or with near me. Service pages should be location-neutral so they do not fight the location pages for the same queries.
How to structure your location pages for both Maps and organic
We teach a simple split: use Google Business categories and top level topics together, but place them in different parts of the page so each element gets its moment. That means one of these goes in the SEO title and the other goes in the H1. Both are covered on the page, but separating them helps Google see both the GBP category and the topic entity.
Follow this format for location page titles:
- Brand first
- Category or topic next
- City, State last (use the official Wikipedia name)
Example title: Brand – Landscaping Services – Las Vegas, Nevada
On the same page the H1 should use the other item. If the SEO title contains the Google Business category, then the H1 should contain the topic term. Or vice versa. The idea is to cover both the Google Business category and the topic entity on the location page so the page is fully optimized for Maps and for organic results.
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Branding and naming conventions for location pages
Lead with the brand in the SEO title. The location is typically city and state. Use the official place name as it appears on Wikipedia. For some cities that are obvious or unique, the state may not be needed, but the safe route is to use the city plus state spelled out. The H1 can repeat the city and topic, and at that point you can omit the brand because the page is on your branded domain and the brand is already in the title.
Using a consistent naming pattern helps Google link the Google Business Profile, the site, and the location page together. That helps the location page show up in Maps when Google thinks the searcher is in or near that city.
Why stuffing service pages with locations hurts your rankings
We still see many sites that put city names or near me phrases into their service page titles. That creates a problem. If you stuff location modifiers into service page titles, you can end up with multiple pages on the same site optimized for similar queries. When that happens Google sees competing pages. It may rank more than one page from your site for a query, but usually they will be lower than if you had only one clear, relevant page.
Competing pages mean Google is unsure which page on your site is the best match for the query. So Google might show page one and page two results from your site for the same keywords. If you had just one well-optimized page for that query, it would likely rank higher. In short, duplicate or overlapping optimization makes rankings unstable and lower.
When two pages ranking is okay
There are times when two pages from the same site rank on page one for the same query. We sometimes leave that alone if both pages are in the top ten and are taking up two spots. This can help visibility in the short term. But usually this pattern does not last. Eventually Google will prefer one page and push the other down. That is why our recommend step is to consolidate or retitle pages so only the most relevant page competes for the key search query.
How far will Maps reach? The one hop and two hop idea
Maps favors businesses located near the search area. If the search includes a city name, Google will try to return businesses that are physically located in that city. If your business is in a suburb or a nearby town, it can rank for immediately adjacent cities, but only up to a point.
We think of this as hops. One hop means an adjacent city. Two hops is the next city over. Once you get more than two hops away from your business location, map rankings fall apart. If you try to target a big metro area from a business that is two or three cities away, you will likely fail to get into the top three of the map pack. Google will prefer businesses that are actually inside the city named in the query.
That is why it is usually futile to try and rank in Maps for a city where your business is not located. You can still rank in organic results, but the map pack is tied closely to physical address and distance.
How we recommend structuring service pages
Service pages should be location-neutral in their SEO titles. That way they do not compete with your location pages in the local pack. The service pages should focus on the service plus the brand in the title. The H1 can then mention the region, county, or metro area that the company serves. That allows the service page to be useful and helpful to site visitors while avoiding direct competition with the location pages.
Example: SEO title: Brand – Tree Removal Service
H1: Tree Removal Services in Pike County, Kentucky
Then inside the service page body we can list and link to the individual location pages that fall inside Pike County. That keeps the service page useful to people across the county while the specific location pages remain the targets for near me and city queries.
How to stop competing pages and fix cannibalization
When we audit sites we often find multiple pages optimized for the same queries. That makes rankings worse. Here is how we fix it:
- Identify all pages optimized for the same service or location.
- Decide which page should be the main target for each query.
- Consolidate content from weaker pages onto the primary page where needed.
- 301 redirect old pages that should not remain indexed.
- Retitle any pages that need to remain but are targeting different queries.
This approach clears up confusion for Google. When there is only one correct page to rank, that page will often move up in position.
Simple checklist we follow for local SEO
- Create a location page for each physical service location.
- Use Brand – Category/Topic – City, State as the SEO title for each location page.
- Put the other element (category or topic) in the H1 so both are covered on the page.
- Keep service page titles location-neutral. Use the brand and service in the title.
- In service page H1s mention the region, county, or metro area the business serves.
- Link service pages to the matching location pages inside the content.
- Remove or consolidate competing pages that target the same query.
- Track map rankings for the city the business is located in and for immediately adjacent cities only.
Practical example: plumbing in Pikeville
Say we work on a plumbing site in Pikeville, Kentucky. Pikeville is in Pike County. We would build a location page titled Brand – Plumbing Services – Pikeville, Kentucky. The H1 would use the topic term or GBP category that was not used in the title. Service pages like “Drain Cleaning” or “Water Heater Repair” would have titles that focus on Brand – Water Heater Repair, not Brand – Water Heater Repair – Pikeville. Inside those service pages we would mention Pike County in the H1 and list the towns in Pike County with links to each town location page. That keeps things clear for Google and for visitors.
What to expect after we make these changes
Once we clean up competing pages and set up location pages correctly, rankings tend to stabilize. Location pages will perform better in Maps and near me queries. Service pages can still rank well in organic results for specific service keywords. The whole site becomes easier for Google to read and for users to navigate.
Can one location page rank for multiple related search terms like landscaping, lawn care, and hardscaping?
Yes. A well optimized location page that covers a top level topic and the Google Business category can rank for many related search terms when those searches come from or near that location. The location page should include the main service categories and related services in the content so Google sees the page as relevant for those related queries.
Should service pages include city names in their SEO titles?
No. We recommend keeping service page SEO titles location-neutral to avoid creating competing pages. The H1 can mention the region or county the company serves, and the service page can link to the specific location pages that cover each city.
What is a competing pages issue and how do we fix it?
Competing pages occur when two or more pages on a site target the same or very similar queries. Google gets confused and may rank both pages lower than a single strong page would rank. We fix this by consolidating content, deciding on one primary page per query, redirecting old pages, or retitling pages so each has a distinct target.
How far can our GBP rank in Maps for cities near our business?
Maps works best for the city the business is in and for immediately adjacent cities. If you try to rank in the map pack for a city that is two or three hops away, it will struggle. You can still rank organically for those cities, but the map pack favors businesses that are physically located in the search city.
When is it okay to leave two pages ranking for the same query?
If two pages from the same site are both ranking on page one and you are capturing two spots, you might leave it alone for a short time. However, this usually does not last. We usually recommend consolidating or retitling so one page is the clear target. That gives the best chance for a stable, higher rank.