How to Create Effective Local Landing Pages

What Are Local Landing Pages?

Local landing pages are web pages designed to help search engines and your local customers understand your services and exactly where your business is located. The pages typically include directions to physical stores, business hours, and other information relevant to customers in a specific area.

Here’s a great example of a local landing page:

Local landing pages are essential for capturing local search traffic, which makes up a significant portion of online searches.

Local-intent searches account for about 30% of mobile queries and cater to users with high purchase intent

This article will show you how to build an effective local landing page. But first…

What Do Effective Local Landing Pages Look Like

Effective local landing pages are built with both search engines and your local audience in mind. As a result, they strike the perfect balance between local SEO best practices and user experience. This makes it easy for people in a specific location to find you, trust you, and take action.

Here are the key elements an effective local landing page will have:

• Optimized URL: A URL optimized for the specific services you provide and your location, where possible.
• Title tag: The title tag should be around 55-60 characters, include your main keyword and the target location, and reflect the page’s primary intent.
• Meta description: Your meta description should be around 150-160 characters, include the location, a clear value proposition, and a call-to-action if possible.
• Localized page title: Your landing page title (which appears as the H1 heading on the page) should also include your keyword and location.
• Hero image: Include a high-quality hero image that reflects the actual location, like an image of your storefront, the team at work, or even a recognizable local landmark.
• Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Your local landing pages must have prominent and compelling CTAs to encourage visitors to take action.
• Google Map embed: An embedded Google Map of your business location improves user experience by offering visual and interactive directions. You can also provide driving and parking directions to complement Google Maps directions.
• Name, address, and Phone number (NAP): Include a section with your business name, full address of your physical location, phone number, and any other relevant contact details visitors would need to reach you. These details are typically placed next to the map embed.
• Opening hours: Listing the hours your business operates ensures potential customers know when they can reach or visit you. It also helps with “open now” filters in Google search.
• Reviews and testimonials: Embed Google reviews or include direct testimonials from customers who were happy with your service in that particular area. Only feature authentic and relevant reviews or testimonials to establish credibility.
• Service information: You should also have a section that clearly outlines the specific services you offer in a particular location. Use bullet points, content blocks, or icons for better readability.
• Trust badges and accreditations: Include badges and accreditations like “Licensed & Insured” or “BBB Accredited”. These badges are seen as trust signals or a symbol of professionalism, which can positively impact conversions.
• Location-specific team members: Adding photos and short bios of actual team members who serve or work in the specific location will humanize and affirm your local presence.

Include these details in your design to create a landing page that assures search engines and visitors that your business is the best option for specific localized services. This will, of course, result in higher local SEO rankings, clicks, and conversions.

Assuming you have already conducted local keyword research to find the phrases that your target audience is searching, below how to optimize your local landing page.

7 Steps to Optimize Your Local Landing Page

Now that you understand what high-ranking landing pages look like, let’s explore how you can create or optimize yours to match the ideal structure in seven key steps.

1. Localize Your URL, Page Title, Title Tag and Meta Description

Your localization efforts must start with your URL, page title, title tag, and meta description. These elements are among the first things both users and search engines see, so they must clearly reflect your page’s local focus.

Start with an optimized URL, which should be short and clean, and mention your local keyword, which is often the specific service. So, instead of a generic landing page URL structure like www.yourwebsite.com/dental/, use something like www.yourwebsite.com/cosmetic-dentistry/.

This highlights the specific service you provide and the focus of that particular landing page.

Use hyphens to separate words in your URL and make sure the URLs are short (less than 60 characters). Short, descriptive URLs are memorable, and hyphens make URLs easier to read and understand. Search engines like Google also interpret hyphens as spacing and not part of the word.

The title tag and meta description act as your landing page’s preview. These details help searchers determine if the page matches their search intent. Therefore, your title tag and meta description should convey the topic or purpose of your webpage, like the great example below does.

Make sure your page title also includes the service and location details. For instance, “Fast & Reliable HVAC Repair Services in Phoenix” will be far more effective than “HVAC Repair Services.”

2. Optimize The Page For Conversions

The first step will help you drive traffic to your local landing pages. But how do you turn that traffic into actual leads or sales? You can only do that by structuring your landing pages in a way that encourages users to take the next step.

One of the design elements that will boost your page’s conversions is primary CTAs that are visible, clear, and action-oriented. The CTAs could ask visitors to book an online appointment, get a quote, schedule a service, or contact you.

Place your CTAs in multiple prominent spots. They should first appear early on the page, i.e., above the fold. Then you can strategically place your CTAs mid-page and at the bottom to make them easily accessible for your landing page visitors as they scroll down.

Have trust badges, ratings, review snippets, or a results showcase around your CTA buttons to nudge hesitant visitors to take action. Check out the example below.

People will rarely read through your entire landing page. So, make it easy for them to find the information they are looking for by breaking down your copy into content blocks, using bullet points and icons, adding images, and including headings.

Check out how ElectricMan does this below.

Create a mobile-first design that prioritizes simplicity and easy navigation. Keep your forms short, and ensure your pages have ample white space for easy readability on mobile screens. The buttons and links should be large enough to tap comfortably. You can even add click-to-call buttons for mobile users.

3. Include Relevant Content that Satisfy Search Intent

You must create valuable content that matches what local users are searching for so you can engage them and convert them on your landing page.

Start by identifying your target audience’s search intent. Are they just looking for information, or are they ready to buy?

For instance, queries with transactional intent, like “Book HVAC repair service in Phoenix”, mean users are ready to take action. In response, your landing page content should clearly describe the HVAC services offered.

• Do you have a specialty based on the local needs? Say emergency plumbing services, commercial heating, or residential cooling systems?
• How long have you been providing the services in your area?
• What is your unique selling proposition, or why should they choose your business over competitors? Do you offer same-day service? More affordable rates?

Where possible, include an FAQ section that answers the questions most people in that area will likely ask based on previous customer experiences.

Internal linking is a great local SEO strategy. However, avoid turning your local landing pages into doorway pages. These are pages with content written to rank for a particular phrase, but their main purpose is funneling users to other internal pages within a website. Google is not a huge fan of doorway pages. Therefore, doing this will definitely affect your ranking.

Instead of publishing duplicated mass-produced local pages, customize each page’s content to make it feel authentic and genuinely helpful for the local audience. You can use a content optimization tool like Surfer to create content that adds value to local users and meets the search intent.

The tool helps you optimize the content of your local landing pages for your target query by making sure you’ve covered the topic comprehensively. As a result, you end up with high-quality and relevant content that improves your organic search rankings.

4. Add Social Proof, Google Reviews and Other Accreditations

Most consumers will trust what customers say about a business more than what the business says about itself. That’s why you must add social proof to your local landing page. Assure visitors they’re making the right choice by choosing you, because your business has delivered great results to other people in the same location.

One of the ways to do this is to feature real top-rated Google reviews, which you can do by embedding a real-time Google reviews widget like the one shown below.

Prioritize reviews that mention the specific service and location to reinforce your business’s local relevance.

Next, add industry-specific certifications like NATE, EPA, ISO, or CPA, and accreditations like Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, HomeAdvisor badges, or the local Chamber of Commerce membership.

Also, display any local awards, media appearances, or the logos of locally recognized organizations you partner with to boost your credibility.

Other forms of localized social proof you can add include case studies, success stories, authentic testimonials, and before-and-after photos. Remember, the more authentic and relevant the proof, the more trustworthy and persuasive your page becomes.

5. Use Maps and Real Images of Your Business

Potential customers want visual proof that you are exactly where you say you are. Adding maps to your landing page will reassure them that your local business office or storefront exists. This will not only boost your credibility but also make it easier for them to find the nearest local branch of multi-location businesses.

To embed Maps, search for your Google Business Profile (GBP) on Google Maps. Click on “Share” and then “Embed a map”. After that, copy and paste the code where you want the map to appear on your landing page.

If you serve multiple locations in one region, you can just include a map highlighting your local service area instead.

Avoid using stock photos in your local landing pages, no matter how convincing they might look. Stick to authentic images instead. Original images provide a genuine representation of your business. This boosts your credibility and trustworthiness.

You can add various types of images to your local landing pages, including:

• Storefront or office entrance: These images help customers recognize your location when they visit. Ensure the images have visible brand signage.
• Interior photos: Photos of interior spaces like your workspace, reception area, and showroom give visitors a glimpse of what to expect. Use them to create a welcoming and professional impression.
• Product or service photos: These images help potential customers understand the quality, features, and benefits of your offerings. They make it easier for prospects to make informed buying decisions.
• Team photos: Featuring your staff in action and adding headshots of your team members humanizes your brand and fosters a sense of trust.
• Videos and virtual 360° tours: Videos and 360° tours provide a bit more detail than still images. They are also more engaging and allow you to showcase the finer details of your store and products. This can be instrumental in boosting conversions.

When uploading images, include location-based keywords in the alt text for better SEO and to enhance page accessibility to all visitors.

6. Highlight Your NAP and Business Hours

Your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) and business hours are crucial Google ranking factors for local SEO. Highlight them in a clear and easy-to-skim format on every local landing page.

Place them near the top of the page, preferably in a dedicated section that’s easy to find, to help visitors easily access the information.

Your NAP and business hours details should remain consistent on all online platforms to avoid frustrating users and confusing search engines.

Google compares the information on your Google Business Profile with what it finds on your website and other online citations. This means inaccurate NAP details will confuse Google and negatively impact your ability to rank well locally.

Accurate business hours also allow Google to display your business in relevant searches that use time-sensitive target keywords in their local searches. A great example is the Google Local Pack display that appears at the top of the search results page for queries with local intent and the time factor.

Keep holiday hours and any temporary closures updated to avoid inconveniencing potential customers or losing business.

7. Link Strategically to Mentions of Local Services

Strategic internal and external linking are crucial SEO tactics. They help you connect your location pages to broader and more useful content, within your site or on third-party websites. This will reinforce your local presence, boost your authority, and enhance user experience.

Link to other local service pages, location-specific blog posts, and local community initiatives your business is involved in. If your landing page is targeting people who search “HVAC Services in Pennsylvania”, you can naturally link to the various service pages like “AC repair or heating installation in Pennsylvania”. See how McCrea has done this on the landing page below.

If you serve multiple locations or offer different services by region, cross-link your pages, as Brewer’s Air Conditioning & Heating has done below.

These contextual links build a topical cluster around your service and location, which Google loves. Just make sure links are relevant, useful, add value, and fit in naturally.

Additionally, if you collaborate with local organizations or sponsor local events and charities, link to their websites. This will show your local market you are truly part of the community, which will build goodwill with your web page visitors and also strengthen your local SEO.

Bonus: Add Local Schema Markup

Adding local schema markup to your page will help you improve its visibility and functionality in local search results.

Local Schema Markup is a structured data code (written in JSON-LD format) that you add to the HTML code of your local business’s website. The code allows you to specify local business information like your NAP, business hours, services, service area, geo-coordinates, price ranges, and reviews.

This information helps search engines like Google understand your page better and display rich snippets in search results. This search result includes a review schema, for example.

Test your Local Schema Markup with a tool like Google’s Rich Results before launching to ensure it’s correctly implemented and eligible for rich results in Google Search.

If you are not comfortable writing the code manually, you can use plugins like Rank Math or Yoast. These tools simplify the process by generating local schema automatically based on the information you provide.

Final Thoughts

Creating local landing pages is a powerful way to attract local customers in your various service areas and solidify your business’s presence in the community.

But how do you build local landing pages that rank? Create and optimize your local SEO landing page by following the strategies we’ve outlined.

Localize your URL, titles, and meta description, optimize the page for conversions, add social proof, use original images, and include maps. Also, highlight your NAP and business hours, use internal and external links, and implement Local Schema Markup.

Looking to scale your local business? Book a free consultation to get expert guidance tailored to your business goals.

Author Bio: Meet Michal Leszczynski, Head of content marketing and partnerships at GetResponse. With 10+ years of experience, Michal is a seasoned expert in all things online marketing. He’s a prolific writer, skilled webinar host, and engaging public speaker. Outside of business hours, Michal shares his wealth of knowledge as an Email Marketing lecturer at Kozminski University in Warsaw. You can reach out and connect with Michal on LinkedIn.