Local organic rankings: 1 site per city or multiple cities per site?

8 replies
  • SEO
  • |
Can someone explain the differences, pros and cons for local organic rankings between these two types of sites:

1) You build one site per city:eg
plumberhouston.com
plumbermiami.com

2) You build one site targeting many cities, and target each city with a dedicated page
plumber.com/houston
plumber.com/miami

Thanks!
#cities #city #local #multiple #organic #rankings #site
  • Profile picture of the author Gene Pimentel
    Depends on what you're trying to accomplish. As far as SEO and search engine rankings go, it doesn't matter. The content and on-page optimization is far more important. Either option should contain relevant keyword(s) as you have shown.

    If your intention is to create a property to sell, you'd want to go with the straight-up domain name.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
    I'll chip in here because I do something very similar (for myself and clients).

    You'll find it easier to rank in the short-term using system A. Despite what people would have you believe, EMDs are still effective; gone are the days, though, of worthless EMDs. Keyword being worthless. That being said, once your main domain gets some strength in G, you'll find it easier and less time consuming to use system B.
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  • Profile picture of the author belgianguy
    Thanks for the tips!

    What if the competition is tough? Would a single domain with many related pages to that city be easier to outrank competitors than if you only have one page dedicated to that city?
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
      Originally Posted by belgianguy View Post

      Thanks for the tips!

      What if the competition is tough? Would a single domain with many related pages to that city be easier to outrank competitors than if you only have one page dedicated to that city?
      In my experience - yes.

      I can crush local competition with system A. I can do it with system B, too, but it takes longer. The EMD update was aimed at low-quality EMDs. Build a quality site on your EMD and you'll benefit. If someone tells you otherwise, just put your fingers in your ears and walk away blowing raspberries. Is domain name as important as it used to be for ranking? No. Far more important now is on-site optimization, but an EMD will still give you an advantage and, I'm guessing, it always will.
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  • Profile picture of the author belgianguy
    Thanks for the input Get Rich Methods, but I wasn't necessarily talking about an EMD, but more about the fact that a dedicated domain per city will have multiple pages and a page structure dedicated to ranking specifically for that city as opposed to having just one page for that city on a site that targets multiple cities.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
      Originally Posted by belgianguy View Post

      Thanks for the input Get Rich Methods, but I wasn't necessarily talking about an EMD, but more about the fact that a dedicated domain per city will have multiple pages and a page structure dedicated to ranking specifically for that city as opposed to having just one page for that city on a site that targets multiple cities.
      Apologies! Still waking up here...

      Option A is still the best route in my experience. You've given the reasons yourself: "a dedicated domain per city will have multiple pages and a page structure dedicated to ranking specifically for that city."
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  • Profile picture of the author belgianguy
    Thanks for clearing that up ... and a good morning to you ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Tom Addams
    haha . . . thanks You, too!

    I'd be happy to expand more on the "whys" but I sense you already have a very accomplished understanding of SEO. I'm not saying my approach is the best, but I know it works for me. I have a little development agency (I set it up and ran it for some years, but now mostly oversee due to time-constraints for me) and we do a lot of work in this area. But, like I say, option B is great; it's just long-term. We used that approach for something quite big in the building contractor area and it worked out well. If I was doing it solo, though, and wanted quick results . . . . well, you know which route I'd take.
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