How to Do Keyword Research for Multiple Locations (Practical Guide)

If you’ve ever tried to rank a business in more than one city, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: what works in one location doesn’t always work in another. Search volumes can vary wildly, competitors change, and even the search results themselves may look completely different.

That’s because search engine positioning for local queries is heavily influenced by proximity, intent, and SERP features like the Local Pack. What dominates page one in one city might not even appear in another.

For example, if you search for coffee shop near me, Google will return a local pack like this:

This guide will walk you through a repeatable, scalable process for keyword research across multiple locations. We’ll cover how to:

And along the way, we’ll show where SEO PowerSuite’s Rank Tracker fits in — helping you preview results for different cities, measure performance, and stay on top of local SERP changes without extra manual work.

Understand local intent types before you start

Before you build your keyword list, you need to understand the kinds of searches you’ll be targeting — because not all “local” keywords look the same.

Geo-modified queries

These include the city or region in the keyword:

These are straightforward to identify, but don’t assume they’re the only ones worth targeting.

Implicit local queries

These don’t include a location, but Google still serves local results based on the searcher’s location:

These can have high conversion potential because they’re often used by people ready to buy or visit.

Service-area vs. brick-and-mortar nuances

If you serve customers at their location (e.g., mobile mechanics, plumbers), your targeting strategy will differ from a business where customers visit you (e.g., restaurants, clinics).

Check SERP intent before committing

Before adding a keyword to your list, search it from the target city (or use Rank Tracker’s location emulation). Look for:

Build your seed list the right way (once)

When you’re targeting multiple locations, you can’t just brainstorm keywords for one city and copy-paste them for all others. You need a repeatable framework that works across every market you serve.

Start with your business taxonomy

List all your core services, then layer on relevant qualifiers and audience segments. For example, if you’re a plumbing company:

Add your location taxonomy

Next, define every area you want to target:

Combine into a seed grid

Think of this as your keyword blueprint. Each row is a combination of:
{service} + {qualifier} + {location}

Example rows:

This seed grid ensures you won’t miss opportunities — and makes it easier to scale when adding new cities later.

Keep it lean at the start

If you try to build out hundreds of combinations for every city right away, you’ll overwhelm yourself. Start with your highest-value services and largest markets, then expand.

Expand keywords with scalable geo modifiers (without spam)

Once you have your seed grid, it’s time to turn it into a list of real search terms people use. The trick is to expand it systematically — and avoid creating dozens of near-identical phrases that no one actually searches for.

Core geo-modifier patterns

Start with proven combinations that consistently drive local intent:

Seasonal or time-based modifiers

Some services spike at certain times or have urgent demand:

Use entity cues for hyperlocal targeting

In some cities, landmarks, districts, or ZIP codes are strong intent signals:

Be careful not to overdo this — only use area names people actually search for.

Deduplicate and normalize

Combine your patterns, then clean the list:

Pro tip: Tools like Google Keyword Planner or your existing site’s search query data can help weed out deadweight terms before they bloat your list.

Validate local demand and difficulty per location

Not every keyword in your expanded list will be worth targeting in every city. Demand, competition, and even SERP layouts can vary dramatically between locations. Validating your list before you start creating pages will save time and prevent wasted effort.

Check search demand at the city level

Analyze local SERPs for competitiveness

Search your keyword from the target city (VPN, location settings, or Rank Tracker location emulation). Look for:

Factor in intent and conversion value

Sometimes low-volume keywords can be worth it if the intent is highly transactional. For example:

Create a demand/competition matrix

Assign each keyword-location combo a score for both demand and competitiveness. Prioritize the ones with a good balance of realistic ranking potential and business value.

Cluster and prioritize across cities (avoid cannibalization)

When you’re targeting multiple locations, it’s easy to end up with overlapping keywords competing against each other — especially if you’re working with both city-level and neighborhood-level terms. Clustering helps keep your strategy organized and prevents self-competition.

Cluster by service first, location second

Group all related service keywords together before layering in the location.
Example:

Separate by search intent

Even within the same service, intent can vary:

Different intents usually require different page types.

Prioritize by opportunity score

For each service-location pair, score it based on:

Avoid cannibalization

Make sure each keyword cluster maps to one unique page. If multiple pages target the same term in the same city, you risk splitting ranking signals.

Map keywords to page types and site architecture

Once your keyword clusters are finalized, it’s time to decide how they’ll live on your site. The right structure ensures search engines (and users) can easily navigate from broad topics to specific local offerings.

Choose the right page type for each keyword cluster

Keep URLs consistent

Use a predictable, clean structure:

Internal linking strategy

Balance scalability with uniqueness

While you want a repeatable template, avoid making every page a carbon copy with only the city swapped out. Each page should have unique content, imagery, and local proof points.

On-page optimization for location pages (without boilerplate bloat)

Creating multiple location pages doesn’t mean copy-pasting the same content and swapping out the city name. Google’s helpful content guidelines make it clear: pages should offer unique value for the location they target.

Craft unique, location-specific titles and meta descriptions

Structure content with H1s and H2s

Add genuine local proof points

Include local trust signals

Avoid doorway-page patterns

If the only difference between your Austin and Dallas pages is the city name, you’re creating thin content. Instead, add unique FAQs, local case studies, or neighborhood coverage details.

Content beyond the location page — building topical authority per market

Your location pages are the foundation, but supporting content can significantly boost your visibility and authority in each market. By creating locally relevant, value-driven resources, you expand the ways potential customers can find you.

Create localized blog posts and guides

These not only target long-tail searches but also show local expertise.

Publish city-specific case studies

Highlight completed projects in each market, detailing the customer’s problem, your solution, and the outcome. Add photos, quotes, and local references.

Cover regulations, permits, or seasonal considerations

If certain services require permits or have seasonal demand shifts, create informational content tailored to that city’s requirements.

Use multimedia for stronger local engagement

Internal link to location pages

Every piece of supporting content should link back to the corresponding city page to strengthen its authority.

Track positions & performance by location

Multi-location SEO only works if you know which markets are performing and which need attention. Tracking your rankings and visibility at the city level lets you measure the impact of your efforts and spot new opportunities.

Set up location-specific tracking

In SEO PowerSuite’s Rank Tracker, you can:

Track Local Pack visibility as well as organic positions

For many local searches, the Local Pack is the main battleground. Rank Tracker’s SERP analysis shows whether you appear in map results, how far down organic listings start, and which competitors dominate.

Automate reports per market

Send weekly or monthly updates showing rankings for each city separately. This makes it easy to:

Annotate changes for context

If you’ve updated a page or launched a local campaign, add a note to your ranking timeline. This helps tie results to specific actions.

Link building and citations with local proof

While on-page optimization lays the groundwork, off-page signals play a huge role in determining which business ranks in each city’s local SERPs. Building location-specific backlinks and citations strengthens your authority in individual markets.

Earn locally relevant backlinks

Build consistent local citations

Use press releases for local campaigns

When you open a new location, host an event, or launch a local offer, a targeted press release can earn coverage — and high-quality local backlinks.

Avoid low-quality directory spam

Stick to trusted, relevant sites. Hundreds of irrelevant directory links won’t help — and can even harm — your rankings.

Keep scaling without losing quality

Multi-location SEO can grow quickly — and with each new city or service area, the complexity increases. Without a scalable process, quality often drops, and pages start looking like cookie-cutter duplicates.

Document your workflow

Keep a shared SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for:

This ensures every team member or freelancer follows the same quality standards.

Use templates, but customize them

Expand in controlled batches

Instead of launching 50 new city pages at once, roll them out in waves. This lets you:

Maintain ongoing optimization

Scaling doesn’t mean “set and forget.” Continue to:

Conclusion

Keyword research for multiple locations is more than just adding a city name to your target terms — it’s about understanding local intent, validating demand per market, and creating unique, valuable pages for each audience.

When done right, multi-location SEO creates a web of highly relevant, well-optimized pages that dominate local SERPs and drive consistent, high-converting traffic. But success depends on staying organized, tracking performance at the city level, and continuously refining your approach.

With a clear process, the right tools, and a commitment to quality, you can scale local SEO without losing the personal touch that wins customers in every market.