Multi-Location SEO: How to Structure Pages for 5+ Cities Without Cannibalizing

Multi-location SEO is the practice of structuring a single brand's website so each physical or service location ranks independently in its own city without cannibalizing the others. The core challenge is that every city page targets nearly the same intent — and getting the architecture wrong means Google picks one page to rank everywhere and ignores the rest.

Table of contents

1. What is keyword cannibalization in a multi-location site? · 2. What URL structure should I use? · 3. How do I differentiate pages that target the same service? · 4. Internal linking and the city-hub pattern · 5. LocalBusiness schema per location · 6. When to use a single domain vs subdomains vs separate sites · 7. FAQ

What is keyword cannibalization in a multi-location site?

Cannibalization happens when two or more of your pages compete for the same query, splitting clicks and ranking signals between them. In multi-location SEO it's especially common because every city page targets the same service keyword with only the city name swapped — Google merges them, picks one, and the others sink.

What URL structure should I use?

Use `/{service}/{city}/` or `/locations/{city}/` as the URL pattern, never query strings. Each city gets one canonical page per service. Avoid stuffing both city and neighborhood into the URL (`/dhaka/dhanmondi/plumbing/`) unless you genuinely have content for the neighborhood — otherwise it dilutes the page.

How do I differentiate pages that target the same service?

Each city page must have at least 60% unique content. Cover: local pricing examples, named local landmarks within the service area, real customer testimonials from that city, named local team members, response-time commitments specific to the city, and the local phone number. The boilerplate service description can be shared; the local context cannot.

Internal linking and the city-hub pattern

Build a central /locations/ hub linking to every city page, and have each city page link to its neighbors and to the central hub. Avoid linking from one city page to another with the city name as anchor text alone — use 'our team in {city}' style anchors that Google recognizes as navigational, not keyword-stuffed.

LocalBusiness schema per location

Each city page gets its own LocalBusiness JSON-LD with that location's address, phone, geo coordinates, opening hours, and a unique @id (e.g. `${SITE.url}/locations/dhaka#localbusiness`). Cross-reference each LocalBusiness back to the parent Organization with `parentOrganization` so search engines understand the brand hierarchy. Validate every per-city template before launch.

When to use a single domain vs subdomains vs separate sites

Single domain with /city/ subdirectories is the right answer 90% of the time — it consolidates authority and is the easiest to manage. Subdomains (dhaka.acme.com) make sense only when each city is a genuinely separate business unit with separate teams and content. Separate domains are almost never correct in 2026 — they multiply your link-building cost and split entity recognition for both Google and AI engines. **Pick the simplest structure that fits your business; complexity costs ranking.**

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cities can I realistically rank in?

Bound by content quality, not technical limit. 5–10 cities is sustainable for most service businesses; 50+ requires either a dedicated content team or genuine programmatic content backed by real local data feeds.

Should every city page have its own GBP listing?

Yes if you have a verified physical address in that city. No if you only serve the city remotely — in that case, list the city in the service-area of your nearest verified GBP and use a dedicated landing page for organic ranking instead.

Do I need separate phone numbers per city?

Strongly recommended. Local-area-code phone numbers correlate with higher Map Pack click-through and trust. Use call-tracking that preserves the number for users while routing to your central team.

What about hreflang for multi-city in the same country?

Hreflang is for languages, not cities. For multiple BD cities in Bangla, use a single hreflang="bn-BD" and differentiate by canonical URL path (/bn/dhaka/, /bn/chittagong/) — not by language tag.

How do I avoid the 'doorway page' penalty?

Doorway pages are thin pages that exist purely to funnel traffic to a different page. Avoid this by giving each city page genuine local content, real local conversion paths (booking, phone, address) and unique testimonials. If you'd be embarrassed to send a buyer to the page directly, it's a doorway.