As a local business owner or marketer, you know the struggle of trying to stand out in a sea of competition. You've invested countless hours into optimizing your website, creating engaging content, and building a strong online presence. But no matter how hard you try, it seems like your business just can't break through the clutter and reach those valuable local customers.
You've tried various tactics – from targeted advertising campaigns to leveraging social media platforms – but the results have been lackluster at best. You've even followed all the best practices for optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP), but still, your rankings remain stagnant, leaving you feeling frustrated and uncertain about your next move.
What if we told you there's a secret weapon that could take your local SEO game to new heights? A strategy that not only amplifies your reach but also positions your business as a trusted authority in multiple areas? It's called supporting locations, and it's a game-changer for businesses looking to boost their visibility and attract more customers.
By incorporating supporting locations into your local SEO strategy, you'll be able to tap into a broader pool of potential customers, ensuring that your business appears in searches related to those areas. But it's not just about increasing your reach – supporting locations also help establish your business as a trusted authority, further enhancing your online reputation and credibility.
In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the world of supporting locations, exploring what they are, why they're so powerful, and how to effectively build dedicated landing pages that will take your local SEO efforts to the next level. Get ready to unlock a whole new level of success and watch your business soar in the local search rankings.
Table of Contents
What Are Supporting Locations?
Supporting locations refer to cities or areas adjacent to your primary location that can be included in your local SEO strategy. For example, if Columbus, Ohio is your main city, surrounding areas like Beckley, Grand View Heights, Marble Cliff, and Upper Arlington can serve as supporting locations. By creating dedicated landing pages for these areas, you can increase your visibility in local searches.
Why Use Supporting Locations?
Incorporating supporting locations into your strategy can significantly enhance your chances of ranking higher in local search results. Here’s how it works:
- Increased Relevance: Google prioritizes relevance in search results. By including supporting locations, you ensure that your business appears in searches related to those areas.
- Broader Reach: More supporting locations mean more potential customers. When users search for services in those areas, your business is more likely to show up.
- Enhanced Authority: Supporting location pages can establish your business as a trusted authority in multiple areas, further improving your online reputation.
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Building Supporting Location Pages
Creating effective supporting location pages involves several steps:
- Identify Relevant Areas: Choose cities or neighborhoods that are close to your primary location and relevant to your business.
- Create Unique Content: Each supporting location page should have its own unique content that caters to the specific audience in that area. This includes local keywords, services offered, and any area-specific information.
- Optimize for Local SEO: Ensure that each page is optimized for local search by including relevant keywords, meta tags, and schema markup.
- Link to Your Main GBP: Make sure to link back to your main Google Business Profile and other relevant pages on your website to create a cohesive network.
Common Questions About Supporting Locations
Do Supporting Locations Still Work?
Absolutely! While there may be some debate about their effectiveness, supporting locations can still play a significant role in enhancing your local SEO strategy. By providing additional options for potential customers, you increase the likelihood of attracting more traffic to your site.
How Do I Know Which Areas to Target?
Research is essential. Analyze your customer base, look at where your competitors are focusing their efforts, and consider using tools like Google Trends to identify areas with high search volume related to your services.
Can I Use Supporting Locations on My Homepage?
While it’s beneficial to have supporting locations on your homepage, it’s more effective to create dedicated landing pages for each area. This allows for more targeted content and optimization, which can improve your chances of ranking higher in local searches.
Where Can I Get More Help with Local SEO?
If you’re looking for more in-depth guidance on local SEO strategies, consider joining the Semantic Mastery MasterMIND. This program provides actionable strategies and connects you with a community of successful peers to help grow your local SEO agency.
Resources to Enhance Your Local SEO
- The Local SEO Toolkit for agency owners and freelancers – Get free tools to optimize your GBP and fill your pipeline with leads.
- How to Rank Google My Business – Free GMB Process Checklist – Learn how to rank your GBP in 90 days without needing an entire SEO team.
- Explore more resources to help you improve your local SEO strategies.
Conclusion
Incorporating supporting locations into your local SEO strategy can enhance your visibility and attract more customers. By creating dedicated pages for these areas and optimizing them effectively, you can leverage the power of local search to grow your business.
FAQs
Q1: What are supporting locations?
Supporting locations are additional areas or cities adjacent to your primary location that can enhance your local SEO strategy.
Q2: How do I create supporting location pages?
Create unique content for each area, optimize for local SEO, and link back to your main Google Business Profile.
Q3: Why are supporting locations important?
They increase relevance, broaden reach, and enhance your authority in local search results.
Q4: Can supporting locations help with my Google Business Profile?
Yes, they can improve your GBP's visibility and attract more local customers.
Q5: Where can I learn more about local SEO?
Check out the Local SEO Hump Day Hangouts for live training and Q&A sessions.