SEO for multiple locations

Last updated 12 October 2026 · By the XKey team

Does each branch need its own Google Business Profile?

Yes – one profile per real location that serves customers in person during its opening hours. Each needs its own address, phone number (ideally a local one rather than one central number) and opening hours, and staff there to serve customers. Don't create profiles for places you don't have a staffed presence; Google treats those as spam and can suspend them. Manage them together in a business group so you can update hours and posts in one go. See the Google Business Profile guide.

What should a location page include?

Each branch should have its own page on your website, linked from its Business Profile. Make each one genuinely useful to someone visiting that branch:

• Full address, map, directions, parking and public transport.
• That branch's phone number, hours and any holiday changes.
• The team at that branch, with photos.
• Services that differ between branches – not every branch offers everything.
• Reviews from that branch's customers, and local details such as nearby landmarks.
• LocalBusiness structured data for that address – make it with the schema generator.

How do I avoid doorway pages?

Doorway pages are near-identical pages made only to rank for different place names. Google's spam policies target them. If two location pages would say exactly the same thing with the town swapped, they're not useful. Real branches have real differences – people, opening hours, services, directions – so write those down. Areas you serve but have no branch in are better listed on one service-area page. More in duplicate content.

How should the website be organised?

• A "Locations" or "Find a branch" page linking to every branch page.
• Branch pages at clear addresses, such as /locations/preston.
• Each service page linking to the branches that offer it.
• Your main menu and footer linking to the locations page.

See internal linking for why this structure matters.

How do I handle reviews across branches?

Ask customers to review the branch they used, with that branch's own review link. Track each branch's rating and reply to every review, ideally from the branch manager who knows the customer. A branch with few reviews is the easiest win – focus there first.

What if a branch closes or moves?

If it moves, update the address on its Business Profile rather than making a new one, so its reviews stay. If it closes, mark the profile as permanently closed and redirect its location page to the nearest branch or your locations page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use one phone number for all branches?

You can, but a local number for each branch is clearer for customers and for Google. If calls go to a central team, a tracked local number that forwards there works well.

Should each location have its own website?

Usually not. One website with strong location pages builds trust in one place and is far easier to keep up to date.

Can a virtual office have a Business Profile?

Generally no. Google requires a real location that customers can visit or that's staffed during the stated hours. Service-area businesses should hide their address and set an area instead.