Multi-Location SEO: Strategies for Growing Chains and Franchises

Juggling one ball is easy.

Juggling 20 balls while riding a unicycle is... complicated.

This is the difference between doing SEO for a single local shop and doing it for a Multi-Location Franchise.

When you have 5, 10, or 50 locations, the rules of the game change. You can't just copy-paste your website 50 times (Google hates that). But you also can't build 50 completely different websites (you'll go broke).

You need a scalable system. You need to think like an octopus: One central brain, but many arms reaching into different local markets.

Here is the strategy we use to help growing chains dominate the search results in every city they serve.

The Structure Debate: Subdomains vs. Subfolders

This is the first technical question every franchise asks: "How should we structure our website?"

You have two main choices:

1. Subdomains: chicago.yourbrand.com
2. Subfolders: yourbrand.com/chicago

The Winner: Subfolders.

Why? Because Google sees a subdomain as a totally separate website. If you use subdomains, you split your "SEO Power" (Domain Authority) into tiny pieces.

If you use Subfolders, all the power stays on one main domain. Every link you get to your Chicago page helps your Dallas page rank higher. It is a "rising tide lifts all boats" scenario.

The "Landing Page" Formula

You need a specific page for every single location. We call these "Location Landing Pages."

Warning: Do NOT just duplicate the page and swap the city name. That is "Duplicate Content," and Google will penalize you.

Each page needs to feel unique to that neighborhood. Here is the anatomy of a perfect Location Page:

If you do this, Google sees 50 unique, valuable pages. If you don't, Google sees 50 spammy copies.

Managing Google Business Profiles at Scale

If you have 20 locations, you need 20 Verified Google Business Profiles.

Do not verify them one by one using different Gmail accounts. That is a nightmare waiting to happen.

You need to use Google Business Profile Manager (Agency Dashboard).

This allows you to:

• Bulk verify locations.
• Give access to local managers (so the manager in Austin can reply to Austin reviews).
• Lock the brand name so nobody can change it accidentally.

The Challenge of Consistency

In a single-location business, keeping your data consistent is easy. In a franchise, it's chaos.

The manager in Miami might change the phone number on Facebook. The manager in Seattle might change the hours on Yelp.

Suddenly, your data is a mess. You need a "Single Source of Truth."

We use software that locks your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across the internet. If a local manager wants to change their hours for a holiday, they do it in one dashboard, and it updates Google, Facebook, Yelp, and Apple Maps instantly.

Content Strategy: Local vs. National

You should have a National Blog for general topics (e.g., "How to choose a roofer").

But you also need Local Content.

Encourage your local teams to send you photos of community events they sponsored or specific local projects they finished. Add these to their specific Location Page. This proves to Google that you are actually part of the local community, not just a faceless corporation.

Conclusion: Scale Without Chaos

Growing from 1 store to 10 stores is the most dangerous time for your SEO. If you don't have the right architecture, your new locations will cannibalize your old ones.

But if you set up the "Octopus" structure correctly—Subfolders, Unique Content, and Centralized Data—you can dominate the map pack in every single city you enter.