How to Do Keyword Research for Multiple Locations

Your customers probably have plenty of options to choose from in your community. But even if you’re the sole provider of a product or service, it needs to be easy for people to find you. That’s why SEO is so valuable.

This organic marketing strategy brings customers to your website on autopilot. That being said, location-based keyword research is the backbone of any effective strategy. It becomes especially important when you manage multiple locations. 

You need to learn how to do keyword research for multiple locations to save time and stress while setting yourself up for success. You’ve come to the right place, as we’re going to walk you through the process step-by-step below.

But chances are you have better things to do with your time. Why not leave this task to the experts here at Proactive Online Marketing? Whether you need Fresno SEO services or Bay Area SEO services, we’re here to help you dominate your industry and area!

Why Location-Based Keyword Research is So Important

Keyword research in general is the essential first step for SEO – but it becomes even more important when trying to rank in specific locations. 

The optimal keywords for a roofing company in San Diego might not be the same in Sacramento. While sticking with a standardized keyword structure like “[City] roofing company” across the board might work to some extent, some locations may have a higher search volume for “roofers in [City]” or some other variation.

The only way to truly tailor each page to the location at hand is through location-based keyword research. However, it also helps you get a sense of which locations pose the best opportunity from a competitive perspective. 

This can be really powerful for generating quick wins. It might not take much work at all to rank in Fresno, whereas the Bay Area could have stiffer competition that has you spinning your tires and never really gaining traction.

Google as a search engine is placing more emphasis on sending customers to their ideal destination through the “Local Pack.” This is the map results displayed at the top of local searches. Failing to optimize your website for this means leaving money on the table.

A well-structured multi-location keyword strategy empowers businesses to rank for geo-modified keywords – like roofing contractor in Sacramento vs roofing services near me – while staying relevant and avoiding duplicate content issues.

So whether you’re a service provider, e-commerce brand, or brick-and-mortar business, you can’t overlook the importance of donating keyword research by location. So without any further ado, let’s get into how to do keyword research for multiple locations!

How to Do Keyword Research for Multiple Locations: Step-by-Step Guide

While location-based keyword research might sound as simple as adding different locations to the end of your keywords, there’s more to it. At least, if you’re serious about maximizing the potential lift SEO can bring to your business.

You need to understand regional search intent, competition, and local SERP behavior to craft a winning strategy that drives results. Here’s how to do keyword research for multiple locations:

Start With Seed Keywords

Every keyword strategy begins with broad-seed keywords that describe your business. These should be generic but still specific to exactly what you offer. So if you owned a law firm, potential seed keywords could be:

• Personal injury lawyer
• Divorce attorney
• Estate planning law firm

Or if you run a plumbing business, you could consider any of the following seed keywords:

• Emergency plumber
• Clogged drain repair
• Water heater installation

Basically, when someone asks you what you do for a living, that’s your seed keyword. 

You’ll want to use some sort of keyword research tool to get more specific about your seed keyword and get a better sense of its search volume and difficulty. You can use Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or some free keyword tool.

Incorporate Location Modifiers

There are so many different ways you can go about location-based keyword research. 

Are you trying to rank in specific towns, or do you want to get even more niche and target neighborhoods in larger cities? 

Maybe you want to zoom out and focus on counties in more rural settings. There are no right or wrong answers, and the decision should be based on the areas you actually want to service. Some typical location-based keyword variations could include:

• City-Based: “emergency plumber in Sacramento”
• Neighborhood-Specific: “emergency plumber in downtown Sacramento”
• Near Me Searches: “best personal injury lawyer near me”
• Service Area Keywords: “roof repair Orange County”

Don’t rely on just one format. Your customers probably don’t all search the same way, after all. Some might type “Fresno dentist,” while others search “dentist in Fresno” or “Fresno CA dentist.” Cover all variations so you’re not leaving any stones unturned.

Analyze Local Competitor Keywords

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. If you have a competitor crushing it through local search why not just steal their strategy? You can navigate their website and get a sense of not just the locations they’re targeting but the keywords they’re using to do so. Analyze their:

• Page titles 
• H1 Tags
• URL structure
• Menu setup
• Content style

Better yet, plug their URL into a competitor analysis tool through Ahrefs, SEMrush, or some other tool and filter based on top-performing keywords or pages. You can work smarter if a competitor in your niche has already done the heavy lifting of keyword research by location!

Use Google’s Localized Search Features

Google offers built-in tools to discover how users in different regions search for your services. This is why every business needs to have Google Analytics and Search Console set up. You can gather data on how your customers are actually finding you.

But there are tons of other tools Google provides to help you make the most of organic search as a business owner. Some of the most powerful include:

• Google Keyword Planner: You can filter search volume by location.
• Google Trends: Shows regional keyword popularity over time.
• Google Autocomplete: Type in keywords + a city name and see what variations Google suggests.
• Google Business Profile Insights: Reveals the exact keywords people use to find your listing in local searches.

If you’re not in the area you’re trying to rank in, you’ll need to modify your settings to search from a local IP address. Use a VPN or Google’s &hl= location parameter to mimic searches from your target cities.

Create Location-Specific Landing Pages

Now that you know how to do keyword research for multiple locations it’s time to get to work – but what comes next? You can’t rank for multiple cities by stuffing those keywords on your home page and hoping for the best.

The strategy we’ve seen work best involves creating specific landing pages for each location you want to rank for. These pages need to include:

• Localized Headings & Content: Tailor descriptions to specific city details. For example, San Diego roofers could talk about their approach to protecting against coastal weather.
• Unique Testimonials & Case Studies: Feature reviews & past projects from customers in that location. 
• NAP Consistency: Your business name, address, and phone number must match exactly across your site and Google Business Profile.
• Embedded Google Maps & Directions: Helps Google and users confirm your local presence.
• Local Schema Markup: Use structured data to tell search engines your page is location-specific.

Now, if your business serves several towns in a smaller region it might make more sense to create regional “hub” pages – like Plumbing Services in Orange County. You could then internally link to individual city pages.

Content Creation and Link Building

For example, say you’re trying to do junk removal SEO. You could create blog posts on junk removal advertising ideas, the cost of junk removal, licenses for junk removal, etc.

This will show Google you’re an authority on the topic of junk removal and help you rank for all things “junk removal.” That includes not just the educational content you produce but also those landing pages we mentioned earlier.

Be sure to balance your SEO budget with content creation and link building. Acquiring backlinks from other relevant, high-authority websites will do wonders to move the needle on your site’s authority and ability to rank for more difficult terms. 

Start by getting listed on city-specific business directories, like Yelp, Angi, and BBB. It’s not a bad idea to partner with local organizations to earn geo-relevant links as well. A more automated approach involves working with a provider to secure backlinks on your behalf.

Prioritize Based on Location Value

You’ll probably end up with a massive list of opportunities when you implement our advice on how to do keyword research by location. Not all of them will be worth pursuing. 

Focus on the best value – which doesn’t just include search volume but difficulty, conversion potential, and practicality for your business. For example, there’s tons of demand for roofers in the Bay Area – there are also a lot of roofers you’d need to compete with.

On the other hand, maybe you have no interest in setting up an office and training a team in the Bay Area if you’re based in San Diego. You might just want to focus on Southern California opportunities. Think strategically about what makes the most sense for your business.

Track and Adjust Keyword Performance by Location

SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy, though it is more hands-off than something like paid advertising on Google. All of this is to say you need to continuously monitor rankings and iterate over time.

We’ve already talked about getting Google Analytics and Search Console set up, but you might want to monitor your Google Business Profile as well to see how many users searched for your services within your target locations.

If a location isn’t ranking, analyze competitor pages. Are they using unique FAQs, testimonials, or better-structured content? Reverse-engineer what works and update your pages accordingly. 

Better yet, leave all of this to an expert who has experience producing measurable results in local search – like Proactive Online Marketing. 

Save Time and Set Yourself Up for SEO Success: Leave the Location-Based Keyword Research to an Expert!

Even with a basic understanding of how to do keyword research for multiple locations, there is so much nuance in setting up and running an SEO strategy that can take years to develop. Plus, you’d probably be better off spending your time serving clients or training your team.

Local SEO is what we do best, so leave all the heavy lifting to us at Proactive Online Marketing. For more than 15 years we’ve helped our clients generate more calls, leads, and sales through organic search. From attorneys to dentists, roofers, real estate, and more – we’ve done it all.

Get in touch with us today for a free consultation. We’ll talk about your business and how you can make SEO work for you. It’s risk free and we promise we’re not pushy. What do you have to lose? Take the next step towards dominating your region and niche today.

Parting Thoughts on How to Do Keyword Research by Location

Google is rife with opportunities for local businesses, especially those who run multiple locations currently or are eager to expand to a new service area. But, knowing how to do keyword research for multiple locations is an essential first step.

We hope you feel confident in getting started with location-based keyword research. Just remember that this isn’t a burden you need to take on – even if you have the time. 

With how much nuance is at play it’s worth investing in the expertise and experience only a professional can bring to your website. Let us help you pinpoint the best local keywords so you can dominate your market today.

A free consultation is a click away!

Bryan Halverson

Bryan Halverson is the Owner of Proactive Online Marketing, an SEO-focused Digital Marketing Agency that covers the Central Valley and beyond. For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out at bhalverson@proactiveonlinemarketing.com