You know what drives me nuts? SEO gurus telling you to just “open a virtual office” or “get a PO box” to rank in new cities. That’s not a strategy. That’s a fast track to getting your business buried by Google.
Last week I talked to a contractor who’d blown $3,000 on fake addresses in six cities. Google caught on, nuked his listings, and now he can’t even rank in his hometown. Meanwhile, his competitor… a guy working out of his garage… ranks top 3 in every surrounding city. No physical offices. No bullshit. Just smart local SEO.
I’ve helped dozens of businesses crack this code over the years. Plumbers ranking in cities an hour away. Consultants dominating markets they’ve never visited. Wedding photographers booking gigs in towns they had to Google Maps to find. All without touching Google My Business or faking addresses.
Here’s how you do it without playing games that’ll bite you in the ass later.
Why This Works (And Why Most People Screw It Up)
Google gets that businesses serve areas beyond their garage. The electrician who’ll drive 45 minutes for a good job. The dog trainer who covers three counties. The caterer who delivers anywhere with a fat enough order.
What trips people up is thinking they need to fake being “local” everywhere. They spin up cookie-cutter city pages, stuff in some keywords, and wait for the phone to ring. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
The businesses killing it in multiple cities? They’re not gaming anything. They’re creating pages that help people in those specific areas. Sounds obvious until you see the garbage most companies publish.
The Foundation: Strategic City Selection
First mistake I see: business owners getting greedy. “If I can rank in one extra city, why not fifty?”
Because Google’s not fucking stupid, that’s why.
Start with 5 to 10 cities max. Pick ones where:
- You can show up and do the work
- Real people search for what you offer (check the data, not your gut)
- You know something about the area beyond what Wikipedia tells you
I worked with a tree service that wanted pages for every town in a 100-mile radius. We picked 7 cities where they’d already done jobs. Those 7 pages now bring in more business than their main site. Quality beats quantity every damn time.
Creating City Pages That Don’t Suck
Most city pages read like Mad Libs. “We provide [SERVICE] in [CITY NAME]!” Repeated 47 times with slightly different wording.
Your city pages need to prove you understand that specific area. Not just drop the city name into generic content.
The Content Formula That Works
Know the local problems. Every area has its quirks. Seattle basements flood differently than Houston basements. Phoenix pools need different maintenance than Orlando pools. If you don’t know these differences, you’re already losing.
I helped a roofer create content about why half the homes in Littleton have the same shingle damage pattern. Turns out there’s a weather phenomenon specific to that area. That page brings him 15 calls a month because it answers what homeowners Google.
Tell real stories. Skip the “we’ve served customers in Denver for over 10 years” crap. Talk about the Victorian in Capitol Hill where you had to match 100-year-old trim. The modern build in Cherry Creek with the nightmare HOA requirements. Specifics sell. Generics don’t.
Answer the weird local questions. A pest control guy I know ranks everywhere because he explains why certain neighborhoods have specific bug problems. Old fruit orchards mean more wasps. Former dairy farms mean different rodents. It’s hyperlocal content nobody else bothers creating.
The Technical Stuff (That Matters)
URLs: Keep them short and obvious. /denver-plumbing/ beats /service-areas/colorado/denver-metro-area/plumbing-services/
Title tags: City name plus what you do. Don’t get cute. “Emergency Plumber in Denver | Fast Service | [Your Name]”
Headers: Use the city naturally. If you have to jam it in awkwardly, you’re doing it wrong.
Internal linking: Put these pages in your main navigation. Hidden pages might as well not exist.
The Trust Factor (This Is Where You Win or Lose)
Google can smell fake local pages from space. You need proof you work in these areas.
Real customer stories. One verified review from someone in that city beats 100 generic testimonials. I know a painter who screenshots his invoices (addresses blurred) to show jobs completed in each area.
Local knowledge. Mention the construction boom in RiNo affecting parking. The city council decision that changed permit requirements. The hail storm that hit Highlands Ranch harder than anywhere else. Details only someone actually working there would know.
Actual photos. Generic stock photos of “Denver skyline” tell Google you’ve never been there. Photos of your actual work, in actual neighborhoods, with recognizable local features? That’s proof.
Get involved (or at least pretend to). Sponsored a local event? Donated to a neighborhood cause? Worked with other local businesses? Name names. It builds credibility Google can verify.
What Not to Do (Learn from Others’ Fuckups)
I’ve watched businesses destroy their rankings with these moves:
The shotgun approach. Creating 50 city pages overnight is like wearing a sign saying “I’m trying to game Google.” Start with a few. Prove they work. Then expand.
Find-and-replace content. If your Denver page could become your Austin page by swapping city names, you’re done. Google sees right through that lazy shit.
Targeting fantasy markets. Don’t create a San Francisco page when you’re in Fresno and won’t drive that far. When nobody ever converts from that page, Google notices.
Keyword vomit. Mentioning “Denver” in every sentence doesn’t help. Write like a human talking to another human.
Making It Work Long-Term
Building these pages is step one. Maintaining them is what separates winners from everyone else.
Keep them fresh. Add new projects. Update for seasonal issues. Comment on local developments affecting your industry. Dead pages might as well be deleted pages.
Track everything. Which cities call you? Which pages convert visitors to leads? I’ve seen businesses maintain 20 city pages when only 3 make money. Focus on what works.
Build local connections. A mention from a neighborhood blog. A link from a local business directory. A shoutout from a community Facebook page. These matter more than any generic backlink.
Watch competitors. Someone else ranking better in a city you want? Study their page. What are they doing you’re not? (Usually it’s being more specific and helpful.)
The Reality Check
This isn’t overnight magic. Most businesses start seeing real traction after 3 to 6 months of consistent work. You’re also not beating the Google My Business listings without an address. But ranking right below them in organic? Totally doable.
The winners are businesses that want to serve these areas. Not just collect keywords. If you’re creating a Denver page but would groan if someone called from Denver, you’re doing it wrong.
Some markets are harder than others. Lawyers and locksmiths? Good fucking luck. Those SERPs are bloodbaths. But most service businesses? Wide open if you do the work.
Start with one city. Make it the best damn resource for your service in that area. Prove it converts. Then replicate what worked. Skip what didn’t.
Just remember: every shortcut you take is a future headache. Build these pages like you give a shit about helping people in those cities. Because if you don’t, Google will find someone who does.
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