Local SEO is no longer just about showing up in your immediate area. As competition grows and customer habits change, businesses need to think bigger—like attracting nearby towns, expanding service areas, or reaching entire regions. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach in a way that drives visibility, traffic, and conversions.
What Does “Outside Your Core Location” Really Mean?
Before you jump into expanding your local SEO, it’s crucial to understand what “core location” means. Your core location is your business’s primary city or town—where your physical address is, or where most of your customers currently come from. Expanding outside that means targeting additional areas where potential customers live or search from. These might be neighboring cities, suburbs, or even zip codes where you want to build a stronger presence. Recognizing the boundaries of your core area helps you plan where to go next strategically.
Why It’s Worth Expanding Beyond Your Core Location
Expanding your local SEO reach helps you get discovered by more people who are ready to buy. Maybe you’ve hit a plateau in your local market, or maybe your services are already being used in nearby towns, but you’re not showing up in search there. By expanding your SEO presence, you unlock more visibility, build more authority, and create new revenue streams. It also positions your brand as a leader in your entire region—not just your immediate neighborhood.
How to Do Local Keyword Research for Nearby Locations
If you want to rank in other areas, you need to know what people are searching for in those places. Local keyword research should focus on phrases that include geographic modifiers—like the city name or “near me.” Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or Google Search Console to find high-value keywords that reflect both your services and the locations you want to reach. Don’t just look at volume—check for keywords with lower competition or underserved intent. The goal is to match your content to real-world search behavior in each location.
Top 10 Ways to Expand Your Local SEO Beyond Your Core Location
Discover how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach by focusing on the right strategies. These quick wins can drive long-term growth in neighboring markets.
1. Understand What Expanding Beyond Your Core Location Really Means
When we talk about expanding your local SEO beyond your core location, we’re referring to targeting customers in areas where your business doesn’t have a physical presence but still provides services. Your core location might be your home base, where you’ve already built solid rankings. Now it’s time to look at neighboring cities, suburbs, or regional hubs where potential customers are searching for what you offer. By understanding the difference between your core area and target expansion zones, you can begin building a localized strategy that’s smart, scalable, and designed to meet search intent beyond your immediate ZIP code.
2. Identify Why Expanding Your Reach Is a Strategic Move
The main reason to learn how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach is growth—plain and simple. Your current market might be saturated or maxed out, and nearby areas could be wide open opportunities. Even if you’re not physically located in those towns, if you’re providing services there, you should show up in local search. Expanding your presence also boosts brand visibility, drives more leads, and helps you compete with regional players who may be trying to steal the spotlight from your business.
Also Read: Local SEO Chicago Services for Real Business Growth
3. Do Hyper-Local Keyword Research for Each Target Area
Keyword research is where your expansion strategy takes shape. You can’t just reuse your current city-based keywords and hope they work elsewhere. Start researching search terms that include new city names or regional modifiers, such as “best landscaper in Oak Park” or “HVAC services near Aurora.” Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest to gauge interest and competition levels. If you’re serious about learning how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach, this research phase is where the groundwork happens—and it’s absolutely essential.
4. Create Optimized Local Landing Pages That Are City-Specific
Once you know which cities you’re targeting, create individual landing pages for each one. These pages should be written specifically for the local audience—don’t just swap out city names and duplicate the content. Include details like services offered in that area, local team photos, or testimonials from nearby customers. These geo-optimized pages are a cornerstone of how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach effectively. Make each page unique, useful, and aligned with the searcher’s needs in that location.
5. Adjust Your Google Business Profile’s Service Area Settings
While you can’t have multiple Google Business Profiles without separate addresses, you can update your service area settings. This tells Google where you operate beyond your base address. Make sure your service areas reflect the exact cities or neighborhoods you’re targeting. Over time, Google uses this info—alongside your content and engagement—to understand your geographic relevance. And while it may not guarantee a top ranking instantly, it’s one of the behind-the-scenes steps in learning how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach.
6. Build Local Citations in Each New Market
Local citations—your business name, address, and phone number listed on directories—play a major role in local SEO. When expanding, make sure to submit your business info to directories and platforms relevant to each target location. Think chambers of commerce, local business listings, or regional review sites. Even if your address stays the same, the mention of your business in connection with another area helps search engines associate your brand with that location. Consistency is key, and this step quietly but powerfully supports your visibility strategy.
7. Get Customer Reviews That Mention the Cities You Serve
Social proof works even harder when it’s location-specific. Encourage your customers to mention their city or neighborhood in their reviews. A review that says “They were fantastic in Schaumburg” does more than build trust—it reinforces your presence in that area for both users and Google. If you have service area pages, feature some of these local reviews on each one. This not only supports your SEO but also improves conversion rates by speaking directly to the people in those locations.
Also Read: Smart Ways to Master Local SEO Brisbane for Better Visibility
8. Build Local Backlinks from Regional Websites and Blogs
A smart local SEO expansion strategy includes backlinks—especially from sites in your new target areas. Reach out to community blogs, local newspapers, or neighborhood influencers to collaborate on content or PR opportunities. Offer a guest post, share a case study relevant to the area, or sponsor a local event. These backlinks act as votes of confidence and signal to search engines that your business is relevant to those locations. If you want to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach, regional links are golden.
9. Use Local SEO Heat Maps to Visualize Your Reach
Data doesn’t lie—and heat maps are an awesome way to see where you’re winning and where you need work. Tools like Local Falcon let you run local rank tracking reports based on geography. You can visually understand how well your business ranks across different parts of a city or metro area. This lets you track the progress of your local pages, pinpoint weak spots, and validate your expansion strategy. It’s not just about guessing—it’s about getting insights and adjusting with purpose.
10. Create Location-Relevant Content That Attracts Local Interest
Want to go beyond landing pages? Start publishing blog posts or resources tied to the communities you’re targeting. Write about local events, trends, or how your services connect with the area. For example, a roofing company could publish a blog on “How Chicago Weather Impacts Roof Longevity” while targeting suburban clients. This type of content helps build trust with local readers and increases your chances of ranking for long-tail keywords. It’s one of the most flexible ways to build authority as you work to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach.
Expand Your Local SEO Footprint with Confidence
Knowing how to build local SEO outside your core location and expand your reach is one of the most effective ways to grow your business sustainably. By researching the right keywords, creating content tailored to specific areas, and building up your presence through reviews, citations, and backlinks, you’ll be able to attract customers in new markets—without sacrificing your core brand identity. Start with one new city, build your strategy with intention, and watch your visibility grow. The local map is yours to conquer—one optimized page at a time.
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Phoenix Local SEO Services to Help Your Business Stand Out and Grow
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