Why Your Service + Location Pages Aren't Working (And How to Fix Them)

Many local service businesses have pages like "Plumbing in Downtown Toronto" or "HVAC Repair in Scarborough." But despite the effort, most of these pages get little or no traffic. Here's why—and how to fix it.

The Problem: Thin, Templated Pages

The most common issue is that these pages are created from a template with just the location name swapped out. Google sees this pattern and often ignores these pages because they provide no unique value.

A page titled "Plumbing Services in [City A]" that's nearly identical to "Plumbing Services in [City B]" is effectively duplicate content. Google won't rank both—and often won't rank either.

Why This Matters

When you search "plumber near me" or "plumber in [specific area]," Google serves results based on:

• Relevance — Does the page actually address this specific service and location?
• Authority — Is the business established and trusted in this area?
• User signals — Do people who click stay, or bounce immediately?

If your page is thin, it fails on all three counts.

What Works Instead

1. Real Local Content

Include specific details about the area. Mention neighbourhoods, landmarks, or local context. If you've done jobs there, reference them (with permission). Add photos from actual local projects.

2. Address Local Problems

Different areas often have different issues. Older neighborhoods might have pipe problems. High-rises have different HVAC needs. Speak to those specifics.

3. Local Trust Signals

Reviews from customers in that area. Local partnerships or affiliations. Anything that shows you're actually present and active in the community.

4. Genuine Helpfulness

Answer questions people in that area might actually have. What are common issues? What should they know before hiring? What's the typical cost range in this area?

A Practical Structure

Here's a page structure that works:

1. Clear Headline: "[Service] in [Location]" — simple and direct
2. Opening Paragraph: Who you are, what you do, why you're relevant to this area
3. Services Offered: Specific to this location if applicable
4. Local Context: What you know about this area's needs
5. Proof: Reviews, case studies, photos from local jobs
6. Call to Action: Make it easy to contact you

Don't Over-Engineer It

You don't need hundreds of location pages. Start with the areas where you actually work and have customers. Build real, useful pages for those areas first. Expand gradually as you have more to say.

The Bottom Line

Service + location pages work when they're genuinely useful to someone searching for that service in that location. They fail when they're thin templates designed to "capture" searches without providing real value.

Focus on being helpful and specific, and the rankings tend to follow.