Multi-location businesses usually have a hard time fulfilling their goals of dominating the local search results, usually due to the fact that they’re not sure how to handle their situation. However, local search rankings aren’t too difficult to achieve so long as you know what you’re doing. Here are 8 ways your multi-location business can work its way up the search directory.

1. Finding Your Business

Whenever multi-location websites are created, many don’t keep in mind store directories. When someone comes onto your site, can they easily access your store directory? This concern is more common than you think. Let’s consider a customer looking for a new TV from your business. If they typed in TV, they would be brought to a specific page for TVs, but if they typed your business name into Google, they’ll be brought to your homepage. From there they may not be able to find the TV category or your location details if they wanted to shop in person. All of this stems from a hard-to-find directory. Make sure it is available and easily accessible.

2. Static Site Structure

Instead of using a dynamically generated URL’s on the site, static ones are encouraged to be simple and easy to follow. If you are still unsure on what to do, here are some examples for you:

Canadianwebhosting.com

Canadianwebhosting.com/hosting

Canadianwebhosting.com/hosting/canadian_windowshosting

Canadianwebhosting.com/hosting/linux_hosting

The same way, your business could use this format to clearly denote your brand and/or location.

3. Adding Internal Links

Trying to add internal links not only bolsters your SEO, it also gives your customers a better overall experience. One of the most common things for a multi-location website to have is several outbound links, which not only hurts SEO but also dilutes the PageRank scores to the individual as well as the location directory.

4. Schemas

If you are given any chance to incorporate schemas, it’s a good idea to take advantage of that opportunity. While your basic information such as your name, phone number, address are a given, things like offers, hours, reviews and news are also relevant. Remember, these won’t necessarily result in rich snippets, but it’s worth a shot. Not to mention, your customers wouldn’t mind having this information.

5. City and Neighbourhood Pages

It’s smart to have city pages for city searches, and obviously, neighbourhood pages for neighbourhoods. Most people establish these pages and think they’re done. Remember, you can’t just make these pages and put out meaningless content; be sure to add solid content that enriches users who land on your page. Make each place a great destination that people can appreciate when they land on it.

6. Individual Location Pages

As previously mentioned, when a user is searching for something in particular on your website, they expect to be sent to a page that has this information. If you send them to your homepage, where everything is cluttered and it’s hard to find the information they are searching for, they’re more likely to get irritated and leave. Click to learn more about lowering your website’s bounce rate.

Alternatively, you could create specific landing pages that have the information, while also providing extra useful information that could help them in the future. You will want to add location pages such as:

Hours of Operation

Photo

Certification/Licence

Awards and Achievements

Short Staff Bios

Public Transportation Options

Parking Options

Conclusion

Ranking locally is no easy task, and it should be that way. If you’ve invested time and effort into it, you should be rewarded. Multi-location websites might have a harder time making it, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to do so.