Google Can Spot a Copy-Paste Job
You know those websites with 50 "city pages" that are identical except for the city name?
"We're the best plumber in [CITY_NAME]. Our [CITY_NAME] plumbing team has served [CITY_NAME] residents for years."
Google sees through this instantly. These pages don't rank. They waste crawl budget. And they make your site look spammy. Google's structured data guidelines for local business make it clear that each location needs unique, substantive content.
rolls eyes
What Makes a City Page Unique
Each city page needs genuinely unique content. Here's how:
Local statistics. Population, number of homes, average home age. "Austin has over 450,000 housing units, with 35% built before 1980 — meaning aging pipes are a reality for thousands of homeowners."
Neighborhood breakdowns. Mention specific neighborhoods you serve in that city.
Local customer testimonials. Feature reviews from actual customers in that city.
Photos from jobs in that area. Real before/after photos, geotagged to the location. Our GBP photos guide covers the technical details of geotagging.
Local regulations. Permit requirements, code compliance issues, seasonal considerations specific to that area.
Driving directions. "We're located 15 minutes from downtown [city] via Highway 290."
The Template Approach (Done Right)
You CAN use a template structure. Same sections, same layout. But the content within each section must be unique to that city.
Think of it like a form: the fields are the same, but the answers are different for every location.
How Many City Pages Should You Create?
Only create city pages for areas you genuinely serve. If you serve 8 cities, make 8 pages. Don't make 50 pages for cities you'll never visit.
Hear me when I say this... 8 excellent city pages will outperform 50 thin, duplicate ones every single time. Pair these pages with solid local keyword research to target the right terms.
Your SEO Checklist
City pages are part of the 113 tasks in SEO Checkup. Free. No credit card. 30 seconds.