Multi-city websites often create confusion around Google Business Profiles and phone numbers. Many site owners assume that every city page needs its own GBP and a unique local number, even when the business only operates from one physical location. That mistake leads to unnecessary risk, cleanup work, and potential suspensions. In this post, we clarify when separate GBPs and phone numbers are required, how to structure supporting city pages correctly, and how to keep location data clean so Google can trust it.
Table of Contents
Location landing pages vs supporting pages
We use two types of pages when a business serves many cities from one place. One is the location landing page. This is the page the Google Business Profile links to. It should match the city where the business is actually verified.
The other type is a supporting location page. These are pages for nearby towns and cities you want to rank in organically. They help search engines know you serve those areas, but they do not say you have a physical location there.
When each city needs its own GBP and phone number
If the business has real addresses in multiple cities, then each address should have its own Google Business Profile and its own landing page. Each location needs:
- Consistent NAP (name, address, phone) for that location
- Location-specific citations and directory listings
- Local business schema tied to that location
If the business is one physical location that serves several cities, keep one GBP. Link that GBP to the landing page for the verified address. Use supporting pages for nearby cities. Do not create fake GBPs or phone numbers for places you do not actually occupy.
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ID pages and how to use schema cleanly
Think of an ID page as a container that tells search engines where to find proof about a business location. We build two kinds of brand schema:
- Brand-level schema that is location neutral. This describes who the company is and what it does. Do not add location-specific data here.
- Branded location schema for each real place. This holds the address, phone, areaServed, and the location's sameAs links to local citations.
Keep the organization schema free of location details. Put location facts and sameAs URLs in the local business schema on the ID page for each physical location. That way, search engines and language models can find one clear set of corroborating links and data for each place.
The knowledge graph is a puzzle
We like to explain the knowledge graph with a simple image. Imagine a jigsaw puzzle. Each citation, social profile, review, and Landing Page is a puzzle piece. If those pieces match up, the picture gets sharper.
When Google sees many matching pieces for a location, it gains confidence. That helps local rankings. The ID page is one place we gather and point to those pieces. It makes it easy for crawlers and AI models to connect the dots.
Why some weak sites still rank
Sometimes we see websites with weak SEO scores still ranking high. Two common reasons are:
- Exact match domains can sometimes outrank stronger sites. They match search terms exactly and that can give a temporary boost.
- Branded searches and real user clicks from offline marketing. When people see a yard sign, radio ad, or direct mail and then search the company name, Google records strong, valid signals. Those clicks come from real users with real Google histories. Google trusts those signals more than fake click manipulation.
We often see a lift when businesses run offline campaigns like direct mail, local ads, or truck signage. People search the brand and click. That tells Google the business is real and relevant locally. But those gains can fade if the offline activity stops and the site lacks other SEO foundations.
EAT and author signals
Experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (EAT) used to be mostly for human reviewers. Now it looks like those ideas are baked into the algorithm.
One practical step we use is to attach content to a real person. Build a strong LinkedIn or author profile for the business owner or a staff expert. Then assign that person as the content author. This adds trust signals that search engines can verify.
For agencies creating content for clients, ask the client for a staff author. Make that person the named author and link to their LinkedIn or profile. That simple step helps content perform better than anonymous or generic authorship.
Practical steps checklist
Here are the actions we take to keep local SEO clean and steady:
- One GBP per real location. Do not create GBPs for places without a verified address.
- Link the GBP to the landing page that matches the verified city.
- Create supporting pages for nearby towns if you serve them from one location.
- Build an ID page for each location with local business schema, areaServed, and sameAs links to citations.
- Keep brand schema location neutral and focused on who the company is.
- Generate real user signals through offline marketing, reviews, and local ads where possible.
- Assign a real author to content and link to a verified profile like LinkedIn.
- Maintain consistent NAP across site, GBP, and directories.
What to watch out for
Avoid stuffing homepage schema with many location IDs or mixing location data into brand-level schema. That creates confusion for search engines. Keep each role separate. Let the ID page gather local proofs and let the brand schema describe the company overall.
Also avoid fake click services. Google gets better at spotting fake traffic. Real consumer signals are much more powerful and harder to fake.
FAQ
If we serve 8 cities from one office, do we need 8 GBPs?
No. Keep one GBP linked to the page for the verified address. Create supporting pages for the other cities. Only create separate GBPs if you have actual verified addresses in those cities.
What is an ID page and why do we need one?
An ID page is a single place that lists all the evidence about a location. It includes local business schema, areaServed, NAP, and sameAs links to directories. It helps search engines connect the data and trust the location.
Can offline ads really help SEO?
Yes. When real people see offline ads and search the brand, Google records strong user signals. Those signals can boost local rankings. They are worth combining with other SEO work so gains stick.
Should the organization schema include the address?
Keep the organization schema mostly location neutral. Do not mix every location into the brand schema. Put address and local details in the local business schema on the ID page for each real location.
How do we show EAT for content?
Assign content to a real person on staff, build a solid LinkedIn or author profile for them, and link the content to that profile. That gives search engines clear author signals and helps trust.
Final thought
We should organize location data so search engines can find clean, matching pieces of evidence. One verified location needs one GBP and one landing page. Multiple real locations need their own GBPs, landing pages, and ID pages. Keep brand-level data separate. Build real user signals with honest offline and online work. That mix will give the most durable rankings over time.