Two Locations - Two location pages?

[Caroline]

Hi,
I hope you can help? If a client has a main office and then opens another location in another city. Should we create two location pages or just one? Should the home page be retained as the main office? Or is it better to add a location page for the main office too now?

If we created two location pages, we would have two GMB listings. Would the original GMB point to the home page or the new location page we have created for the main office?

Many thanks as I have confused myself.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Caroline,

Yes you should have a GMB listing for each location if they are walk-in staffed offices. (SAB is a different story) If I understand you correctly this is the best option I think.

Main Location - GMB link to home page which has the most juice & ranking power

2nd Location - GMB link to a location page that's rich with info containing services and location mentioned a couple times, with of course complete NAP listed w/ schema or other rich markup.

 

[Caroline]

Thanks. So just so I undertsand. With the scenario I mentioned- a main office and a another new location, only 1 location page required for the new location? Not two location pages?

You mention SAB being a different story, but if a locksmith opened a branch in another city (and he is a SAB) wouldn't you claim the GMB listing and make it a SAB?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks. So just so I undertsand. With the scenario I mentioned- a main office and a another new location, only 1 location page required for the new location? Not two location pages?

There are so many variables that it can depend on situation. I was picturing based on what you said an established main office that was really a "main" office and the other one secondary. So as far as linking GMB I would send "main" to home page.

BUT need to think about the user too. So it kind of depends on business but if each one really needs it then could have 2 location pages.

"We have offices in City 1 and City 2" with links to those pages for customers. But generally I think most would say point the most important location to the home page, in the GMB dash.

You mention SAB being a different story, but if a locksmith opened a branch in another city (and he is a SAB) wouldn't you claim the GMB listing and make it a SAB?

Tricky - depends in part on how close together the locations are and if they are really legit. Technically SABs are only supposed to have 1 GMB page with service area settings covering the other cities. But I realize you probably won't rank in city #3 if your home or office is in city 1. So that's why lots of SABs break the rules and try to set up multiple GMB listings in different cities, often using locations that aren't kosher. So it's another case of the spammers pushing the boundaries and Google having to crack down to limit abuse.

There is some gray area in this depending on a couple factors, but def in a highly scrutinized industry like locksmiths, I would play by the rules.

Does this make sense?
Anyone else feel free to weigh in!