Writing location pages without false location claims

Location pages can help customers in different cities find a business that serves them. Used carelessly, they can also mislead, by implying a local office that does not exist, or by repeating the same text with only the city name changed. Honest location pages are better for customers, and they are the approach search engines encourage.

Why accuracy matters

Customers who believe you have a local office may expect to visit, or may choose you over a genuinely local competitor for that reason. Misleading them damages trust. Search engines also treat large numbers of near-identical pages, created mainly to rank for different places, as doorway pages that break their spam policies.

“Serving” versus “located in”

Choose your words carefully:

• “Our Toronto office” or “located in Toronto” should only be used if you have a real location there.
• “Serving businesses in Toronto”, “delivery across the Greater Toronto Area” or “installation available in Toronto” are accurate if you genuinely serve customers there.

Give each location page real substance

A useful location page answers the questions people in that place actually have:

• Which products or services are available there.
• Delivery times, installation availability or service coverage.
• Local requirements, standards or regulations that affect the product.
• Examples of work in the area, where you can share them.
• How to contact you, and from where you serve the area.

Map listings and business profiles

Map and business profile listings generally require a real address where you meet customers, or a defined service area. Do not create listings at addresses where you do not operate, such as virtual offices that staff never visit.

Keep business details consistent

Your business name, address and phone number should be the same across your website and listings. If you serve several countries, make clear which details apply where.