Tag Archive for: Local Search

Ad intelligence software promises to show you everything your competitors are doing: their keywords, budgets, creatives, and landing pages.

But many surface insights you could get for free.

Meta’s Ad Library shows what advertisers are currently running. Google’s Transparency Center does the same for search and YouTube. TikTok’s Creative Center reveals top performers by industry.

So, when does paid software earn its cost?

• You’re tracking multiple competitors across platforms and losing hours to manual checks
• You need historical data on which ads they tested and killed
• You rely on spend benchmarks and real-time alerts to catch shifts before your clients do

That’s the gap paid tools fill. If they’re good.

Many aren’t. They bury useful insights under dashboards that create more work than they save. The data looks complete until you actually try to use it.

This guide covers six platforms that deliver real intelligence (if you know what you’re looking at).

We’re not promising magic improvements. We’re showing what each tool reveals, who it’s built for, and what you give up at each price point.

What Is the Best Ad Intelligence Software?

1. Similarweb

Best for stalking competitors’ ads at scale — plus, their SEO, traffic, and market moves

Similarweb reveals your competitors’ complete paid strategies, from their winning ad creatives to their most successful publishers.

It also includes SEO and competitive intelligence tools in every subscription, so you get the full picture of how your rivals attract and convert traffic across every channel.

This cross-channel context is especially helpful if you already use native ad libraries but want scalable intel that ties everything together.

Learn Your Competitors’ Highest-Performing Publishers and Ad Networks

If your competitors are running ads, Similarweb shows you where (and how to beat them).

You’ll see:

• Which ad networks and placements work best for your top competitors
• Where their ad budgets go, broken down by channel
• Industry-wide trends that reveal missed opportunities

Say Similarweb shows that multiple competitors spend over 50% of their display budgets on a single publisher.

That’s a data-backed signal you can’t ignore.

Use that data to target the same publisher to test similar placements. Or find underused publishers in the same category for more affordable traffic.

Get Inspired by Proven Ad Creatives

Similarweb’s database makes it easy to browse display ads by publisher, network, and format.

• See the messaging and offers competitors use to get conversions
• Learn how many days each ad was active, so you know which ones excelled (and which ones failed)
• Find out which formats your competitors are using, including product, display, and video ads

Of course, copying your competitors’ ads word-for-word isn’t the goal.

The real value is in spotting patterns: the hooks they repeat, the formats they invest in, and the offers they continually test.

These insights let you design campaigns that build on what already works in your market.

When you’re juggling multiple accounts, this saves hours of creative testing, and points you directly toward proven formats.

Reverse-Engineer Competitors’ Search and Shopping Campaigns

Similarweb shows you which keywords your competitors bid on and how much they’re spending.

This helps you identify high-value keywords that drive conversions and avoid wasting budget on terms that don’t perform.

From there, you can build stronger landing pages that target your competitors’ most successful keywords and match intent.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

Similarweb offers multiple plans, but only the most expensive one includes dedicated tools for ad intelligence.

This plan costs $649/month ($540 billed annually). Similarweb also offers business and enterprise plans, but pricing and tools are not publicly available online.

2. Semrush Advertising Toolkit

Best for multi-platform ad intelligence, from Meta and TikTok to Google Shopping

When you’re managing multiple clients or campaigns, switching between Meta, TikTok, and Google dashboards gets messy fast.

Semrush’s Advertising Toolkit consolidates that chaos into one workspace — letting you analyze competitor campaigns and build your own in the same place.

You’ll get deep intel on keywords, budgets, ad copy, and creative trends.

Plus, actionable advice on how to turn that data into high-performing campaigns.

Track Competitor Keywords and Budgets

The Advertising Research tool reveals everything, and we mean everything, about your competitors’ Google Ads strategies.

Enter any domain and you’ll see:

• Estimated ad traffic
• Cost per click (CPC)
• Highest- and lowest-performing keywords
• Organic search position
• Keyword difficulty
• URL

No more wasting ad budget on terms that don’t perform. You’ll know exactly which ones to target in your next campaign.

The tool also tracks keyword trends over time.

See which keywords competitors continuously invest in month after month.

When a keyword consistently appears in their paid strategy with stable or growing volume, that’s a clear sign it’s profitable.

With this data, you might test variations of the keyword in multiple ads to capitalize on its success.

Or use them to inform your broader content strategy beyond paid campaigns.

Spy on Google Shopping Ads

Have an ecommerce brand?

The PLA Research tool shows you which products your competitors promote most heavily in Google Shopping.

You’ll see position, volume, price, product titles, URLs, and trend data for each listing.

When a product shows up month after month, it’s likely a top seller.

If you don’t carry that product yet, you might consider adding it to your catalog.

Already sell it? Increase your Shopping ads to compete directly.

You can also view all of your competitors’ Google Shopping ads in one place.

Analyze their copy, images, and offers.

Then, apply these insights to your own listings:

• Adjust your product titles to match high-performing formats
• Test pricing strategies that undercut or match theirs
• Prioritize ads for products where you have a competitive advantage. Think better reviews, faster shipping, or exclusive features they don’t offer.

Here’s another cool feature:

Instead of bouncing between tools, Semrush’s AI-powered Ad Launch Assistant lets you create and optimize Google and Meta ads directly inside the platform.

The tool generates copy and visuals tailored to your brand, from attention-grabbing headlines to conversion-focused descriptions.

Instead of writing everything from scratch, all you have to do is review each element:

• Headlines
• Descriptions
• Site links
• Callouts
• Images
• Videos

Simply refine the voice and messaging as needed. You’ll be able to test multiple variations in minutes instead of hours.

Unlock Deeper Insights with AdClarity

AdClarity is Semrush’s advanced cross-channel ad intelligence tool.

Need complete visibility into competitor display, social, and video campaigns?

This is where you’ll find it.

You’ll get a lot of data with this tool.

Including how much rivals spend, which publishers drive the most impact, and the exact creatives they’re using across platforms:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• X
• Google Display
• Pinterest
• YouTube
• TikTok
• LinkedIn

Say a competitor suddenly doubles their TikTok spend. You’ll spot the shift immediately and can adjust your strategy in real time.

AdClarity also automatically identifies your competitors’ top publishers and campaigns.

So there’s no guessing or testing which ones work well for your target audience.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

The Semrush Advertising Toolkit is $99 per month.

It includes Advertising Research, PLA Research, Ads Launch Assistant, and more.

The higher-tier plan ($220/month) includes AdClarity, along with all of the above.

3. SpyFu

Best for affordable Google Ads intelligence with deep historical data

SpyFu is built for one thing: uncovering Google Ads strategies.

If your strategy leans heavily on Google, it’s one of the most detailed and budget-friendly advertising intelligence software options available.

Download Competitor Keywords Without Limits

SpyFu shows you everything your competitors do on Google Ads — and lets you export it all with no limits.

Many ad intelligence platforms cap your keyword downloads, so this is a plus.

Type in any competitor’s domain and you’ll see:

• Every keyword they’ve ever bought on Google Ads
• Estimated monthly clicks and CPC
• Total spend on paid search

For example, say you’re in SaaS project management and Asana is your top competitor.

Search their domain, and SpyFu shows you their current and historical ad keywords. We’re talking thousands of terms, not just the top 50 or 100.

Download the complete dataset and…

• Feed it into your analytics tools or Google Sheets
• Share it with your team for campaign planning
• Build custom reports for leadership
• Cross-reference it with your CRM to see which keywords actually convert

Spot Overlaps and Waste in PPC Strategies

SpyFu’s Kombat tool compares your PPC strategy against up to two competitors at once.

But instead of having to sift through 10,000 keywords, the ad intelligence tool automatically groups them into helpful buckets:

• Core Keywords: Terms all competitors are bidding on
• Consider Buying: Valuable keywords they use, but you don’t
• Potential Ad Waste: Terms that neither competitor uses but you do

So, you know exactly which terms to focus on (and which to remove from your campaigns).

This is especially helpful if you’re newer to paid campaigns.

Or have limited time (or tolerance) for turning data into actionable insights.

SpyFu also tags certain terms as “Great Buys” and estimates how many impressions you’ll get for each one.

Plus, it shows which competitors already bid on them, so you can piggyback on proven opportunities.

For example, the report below reveals that Asana’s competitor, Monday.com, uses “top task management apps” and “work time tracker app” in its ad strategy.

Asana could (and probably should) target both terms since SpyFu’s data shows they’re worth the investment.

Learn From Ads That Worked (or Failed)

SpyFu’s Ad History tool shows every ad variation competitors have tested for a given keyword.

If an ad copy ran for 14 consecutive months, you know it was effective.

If it vanished after a week? Probably a dud.

This kind of insight lets you write ads with fewer flops and faster wins.

This is especially valuable if you handle multiple accounts. You can skip obvious mistakes and start from proven winners.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

SpyFu offers three main plans, all of which come with ad intelligence and SEO reports.

The most affordable plan is $39 per month.

However, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher tier to get 10+ years of historical insights ($59-$249/month).

4. PowerAdSpy

Best for analyzing ad engagement across social media platforms

PowerAdSpy specializes in social advertising intelligence with one key differentiator: engagement data that shows what’s actually resonating.

You’ll see which competitor social ads are getting likes, shares, and comments across 11 platforms:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Google
• Google Display Network
• Native
• Quora
• Reddit
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• TikTok

If you need to understand which creatives are worth replicating at scale, PowerAdSpy is a strong option.

Search Ads by Keyword, Competitor, or Domain

Want to know which competitor ads crush it on Instagram Reels?

Or which offers rivals push hardest on YouTube or TikTok?

Plug in a keyword, competitor’s name, or domain, and you’ll instantly see all of their active and historical campaigns.

That single search can replace hours of platform hopping between ad libraries.

Reveal What’s Actually Driving Engagement

Every ad includes engagement data specific to the platform you’re analyzing.

Assessing competitors’ or clients’ Facebook ads? Sort by likes, comments, impressions, and popularity.

You can also filter by ad type and call to action, depending on the platform.

This is especially useful for spotting:

• Whether video or static images dominate your niche
• Which CTAs (“Learn More” vs. “Sign Up”) consistently get clicks
• What ad hooks (“Free trial” vs. “Save 50%”) keep resurfacing across competitors

See How Competitors Win Attention on Reddit and Quora

PowerAdSpy tracks sponsored posts on Reddit and Quora.

These platforms matter because buying decisions often start there.

Conversations on these sites can also influence how LLMs (such as ChatGPT and Perplexity) surface your brand in answers.

By analyzing these ads, you’ll see:

• Which threads your competitors target (like “best project management software” on r/productivity)
• How they position offers in Q&A format
• Which ads earn upvotes, shares, and comments

See what competitors are saying and which conversations are shaping buyer intent.

Spot content angles that consistently earn engagement. Identify threads or audiences they’re overlooking.

Another helpful feature?

Search by topic, like “games,” to find the competitors dominating that ad niche.

Include a custom “like” range so you narrow results to the level of popularity you prefer.

Then, zero in on the highest-performing ads and gather details such as ad copy and social engagement to improve your campaigns.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

PowerAdSpy has six different plans.

The one you choose depends on the social platforms you want to analyze, and the features you need.

Only need Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube?

(And don’t mind missing out on features like ad budget, ad type filter, and advanced analytics?)

The most affordable plan ($69/month) might work for you.

Need all the features and platforms? You’ll pay $399 per month.

5. Adbeat

Best for tracking competitor display ads and landing pages

Adbeat specializes in display, native, and programmatic advertising.

But it goes beyond ad creatives.

You’ll also see landing page insights, so you get intel on the complete customer journey.

See Which Landing Pages Are Actually Converting

Adbeat shows you which landing pages drive the most ad traffic. And how long each page has been live.

For example, Squarespace’s longest-running landing page has been active for 794 days.

That’s over two years.

When a page stays live that long, you know it’s consistently converting.

This intel helps you see which page layouts, offers, and messaging are worth replicating.

If you work for an agency and have multiple clients, this is particularly valuable. It’s a fast way to benchmark what “good” looks like in each vertical.

Reveal Media Buying Strategies and Publisher Insights

The Advertiser Dashboard breaks down where competitors allocate their budgets across channels, networks, and publishers.

You’ll also see share-of-voice data to understand their market presence.

For example, Adbeat found that Squarespace ran 524 ads in one month.

And 78% of their spend went to programmatic ads.

Details like this highlight which channels matter most in your niche. And where you can reallocate budget to get better performance for your own campaigns.

Benchmark Campaign Performance and Spot Trends

Adbeat’s ad intelligence software lets you monitor how your competitors’ budgets shift over time.

But what’s especially helpful is that they break it down by ad type: standard, native, and video.

For example, Squarespace’s longest-running video ad has been live for 413 days.

If they’ve kept it running that long, it’s a moneymaker.

In other words, it’s worth considering if you’re investing enough in video ads. And studying individual high performers for hooks, visuals, and offers.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

Adbeat’s pricing starts at $249 per month for display, programmatic, and native ad intelligence.

For advanced filters, alerts, and historical data, you’ll need the higher plan ($399 per month).

There’s also an enterprise plan, but pricing isn’t listed publicly.

6. Pathmatics by Sensor Tower

Best for enterprise-level ad spend intelligence across mobile, social, and video

Pathmatics is built for large teams and big brands.

Household names like P&G and Unilever use this platform, so expect enterprise-level pricing and complexity.

But if you’re managing high-volume spend or reporting to leadership, it offers the transparency and benchmarking you can’t get from native tools.

Uncover Competitors’ Ad Spend Across Every Channel

Pathmatics shows you where every ad dollar goes in a pretty granular way.

It breaks down spend by platform, campaign, or creative — and tracks impressions, reach, and frequency over time.

Say you notice a competitor’s Instagram spend suddenly increased by a significant amount in a single week during Q4.

That signals a major campaign launch — possibly holiday shopping or Black Friday prep.

With this data, you can adjust your strategy immediately. And compete head-to-head with your main competitors.

Pathmatics also lets you benchmark your ad spend against multiple competitors at once.

If you’re investing $500K on display while your top three competitors each spend $2M+, you’ll see that gap.

Use this data to justify budget increases to leadership.

Or to identify where smaller reallocations could close the gap faster.

Benchmark Market Share and Share of Voice

Pathmatics tracks your share of voice against competitors in your industry and region.

If three brands dominate 80% of impressions in your category, you’ll see who owns what percentage.

This data helps you understand your position in the market.

Are you a distant fourth? Or neck-and-neck with the leader?

You can also identify which competitors dominate specific channels and spot opportunities where they’re underinvesting.

If the market leader owns Facebook but ignores TikTok, that’s your opening.

Evaluate Creatives That Resonate

Every ad includes details like format, placement, messaging, CTAs, and audience profiles.

See which creatives competitors keep running and which ones they kill after a few days.

Track the exact messaging and offers that stick around for months or years.

Use these insights to refine your own creative strategy.

Double down on formats that consistently deliver, and try localized messaging in new markets where your competitors are seeing success.

Pros and Cons

Pricing

Pathmatics’ pricing is custom.

Request a quote if you’re interested.

Turn Competitive Intel into Campaign Wins

The right ad intelligence software isn’t the one with the most features.

It’s the one you can trust.

This means reliable data, less manual work, and the ability to scale campaigns across platforms with ease.

On a budget and focused mainly on Google Ads? Start with SpyFu.

Need deep, multi-site advertising intelligence across search and social with campaign execution built in?

Go for Semrush’s Advertising Toolkit.

Once you’ve picked your platform and gathered competitive intel, the next step is making sure your paid and organic strategies work together.

Learn how to align SEO and PPC to maximize visibility, reduce wasted spend, and improve your ROI.

The post 6 Best Ad Intelligence Software to Outsmart the Competition appeared first on Backlinko.

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Managing local search marketing for one location is straightforward.

But managing multi-location SEO — whether it’s 10, 50, or 100 branches — gets complicated fast.

Each location needs unique content.

A single mistake in your business info can mislead customers and hurt trust.

And it’s tough to see which branches are actually driving results.

Everything changes when you’re managing SEO for multiple locations.

Our six-step system below tackles these challenges in order of priority.

You’ll learn exactly how to:

• Create high-performing location pages
• Optimize Google Business Profiles (GBPs) across every branch
• Manage reviews, citations, and backlinks efficiently
• Track performance by location to see what’s really working

Plus, you’ll get our free toolkit to help you build a scalable SEO strategy for multiple locations.

Let’s dive in.

Step 1. Create Location Landing Pages

Every branch needs its own home online.

Without a dedicated location landing page, your GBP has nowhere reliable to link. And customers looking for local hours, directions, or services may bounce straight to a competitor.

So, start by confirming the basics.

Talk with branch managers or franchise owners to verify core business details — official name, address, phone number, operating hours, and available services.

Copy our location details sheet and use it to gather and confirm accurate data for every branch.

Once it’s filled out, this sheet becomes your single “source of truth” — helping you prevent endless downstream errors when managing dozens of listings and citations later on.

Do Location-Focused Keyword Research

Once you’ve gathered accurate data, move into keyword targeting.

Each page should focus on one primary keyword set that combines your core service with its city or neighborhood modifier (e.g., “dentist in Austin”).

Doing this avoids keyword cannibalization between branches while signaling clear relevance for local searchers.

If you’re unsure where to start, use tools like Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.

Then, check Google’s “People also search for” suggestions to find real-world queries customers use in each market.

Map those target keywords to their corresponding locations in your spreadsheet.

Build a Modular Template and Page Structure

To scale efficiently, create a modular framework for every location page. This ensures consistency across branches while letting you customize local details.

Start with a simple, SEO-friendly URL structure.

Use subfolders (e.g., example.com/locations/austin).

Why?

They inherit more domain authority and are easier to maintain across large sites.

Each page should include these essential content blocks:

• Name, address, and phone number (NAP)
• An embedded map and clear driving directions
• Local photos and customer reviews
• A concise overview of services offered
• A strong, localized call to action

Once your template is set, link to these pages internally so search engines and users can easily find them.

Add links from your main navigation or a dedicated HTML sitemap, and cross-link between related locations or service pages when relevant.

This type of modular setup helps every page stay on-brand while still serving unique, location-specific content.

Want a shortcut?

That’s where our Location Page Template comes in.

It’s a plug-and-play framework that keeps pages consistent while giving you room to localize copy, visuals, and CTAs.

Instead of rebuilding from scratch, just fill in the blanks and launch pages faster.

Publish Unique, Optimized Content

Even with templates, every location page should feel distinct and relevant to its community. Boilerplate content can hurt engagement and limit your local visibility.

So, add local flavor wherever you can — photos of the branch exterior or team, nearby landmarks, or community involvement.

These small touches make each page authentic and help prevent duplicate content issues.

But don’t just stop there.

Rotate seasonal offers, update photos, and feature new testimonials to show both search engines and customers that your locations are active and trusted.

Finally, dial in your SEO details.

Titles, headers, image alt text, and LocalBusiness schema should all include the branch’s city or neighborhood.

These signals help Google connect each page to the right local search intent.

Step 2. Build and Optimize Google Business Profiles for Every Location

Multi-location SEO starts with accuracy and consistency in your GBPs.

One wrong detail — or a suspended profile — can tank visibility for that branch. And when you’re handling dozens of listings, a small mistake can spread fast.

Claim and Verify Every Listing

Start by claiming and verifying each profile.

If you have 10 or more branches, use Google’s bulk verification process. It’s faster and easier than doing it one by one.

Next, check every listing against your master spreadsheet from Step 1.

Make sure the name, address, phone number, hours, and landing page URL all match. Even one typo can hurt rankings.

Then, add UTM tracking to your website links.

This lets you see which branches drive traffic, leads, and sales in Google Analytics (GA4) or your customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Optimize Your GBPs Completely

Verification is just the start.

If you’re doing SEO for multiple locations, it’s not a one-time job — it’s a system you have to run efficiently across every branch.

Start with categories.

One wrong choice can confuse Google, so build a shared list of approved options every branch can use.

Precision matters more than volume. So, pick one main category and a few secondary ones that match what that branch actually offers.

Not sure which categories competitors use?

Tools like GMBspy show the primary and secondary categories of top-ranking businesses in your market.

From there, focus on consistency and automation across every profile:

• Standardize visuals: Give each manager a short photo checklist (e.g., storefront, interior, team, and one or two local highlights) to keep listings current.
• Use a brand-approved description template: Maintain a consistent tone but personalize each listing with local details.
• Keep data aligned: Hours, URLs, and phone numbers should always match your website and location pages. Even one mismatch can cause issues across your network.
• Automate updates: Tools like Semrush Local or BrightLocal can push edits, track reviews, and monitor changes in bulk.
• Pre-load FAQs: Seed each profile’s Q&A section with verified, brand-approved answers before customers fill in the gaps.

Post and Update Regularly

Google rewards freshness.

Regular posts, photos, and updates show that your business is active. And they help each location stand out in Maps and the local pack.

Share short posts for promos, events, and new services. Rotate new photos or short videos every few months to keep your listings looking current.

Even small updates like adding seasonal offers or highlighting staff can make a difference in clicks and calls.

And don’t forget the Q&A section.

Add common customer questions yourself with accurate, brand-approved answers. Then, monitor it regularly so you can respond fast when new ones appear.

The hard part?

Doing this for dozens — or hundreds — of branches. Manually updating each profile is exhausting and easy to fall behind on.

Tools like Semrush Local can make it easier by letting you manage posts, photos, and info for all your locations from a single dashboard.

Step 3. Collect and Manage Reviews

Reviews drive both rankings and trust.

At scale, the challenge isn’t getting one review — it’s managing hundreds across locations every month without dropping the ball.

Automate Review Acquisition

Start by collecting customer contact info at checkout or after service.

That lets you send automated review requests by text or email through your point of sale (POS) system or CRM.

Each branch should have its own short review link or QR code so customers can find the right profile fast.

Add those links to receipts, follow-up emails, and even in-store signage. Small touches like that can boost response rates over time.

Most customers don’t ignore review requests on purpose, they just forget.

A simple reminder can make a big difference in review volume.

Centralize Review Monitoring

Tracking reviews one branch at a time wastes hours.

Use review management software like Semrush’s Review Management or GatherUp to pull feedback from every location into one dashboard.

Set alerts for negative reviews so you can respond quickly and win back unhappy customers.

Over time, you’ll start spotting trends — like which cities get the most reviews or which teams need more support.

Standardize Responses

Consistency matters as much as speed.

Create a few brand-approved templates for positive, neutral, and negative reviews. Then, teach local staff how to personalize them with names or specific details from the customer’s experience.

Small touches like that make responses feel authentic while staying on brand.

You can also make a copy of our Review Response Templates to speed things up and keep messaging consistent.

The goal is to sound human without going off-script. That balance keeps your tone aligned across every branch while still making each customer feel heard.

Step 4. Ensure NAP Consistency and Manage Citations

With one location, you can fix a wrong phone number in minutes.

With dozens, a single typo can spread across aggregators, directories, and maps — causing mass confusion for customers.

And the fallout doesn’t stop there.

Inconsistent business information leads to missed calls and negative reviews. Which can snowball into lost traffic and weaker local performance.

Centralize Your Data

Keep using our Multi-Location SEO Toolkit you built earlier to track each branch’s core details.

List the official name, address, phone number, hours, Google Business Profile URL, and landing-page URL for every location.

Keep it updated — this one file keeps every branch aligned.

Next, make it easy to see what’s current and what’s not. Use the “Last Verified” column to track when each location’s details were last checked.

If different people manage different regions, assign ownership right in the sheet. That one small habit prevents duplicate edits and conflicting updates later on.

Automate Distribution

Once your data is solid, automation makes running multiple locations easier and saves hours of manual updates.

Tools like Semrush Local and Moz Local keep your listings in sync across the web.

They also make it easy to update details like hours, phone numbers, and URLs whenever something changes.

Audit and Monitor Listings Regularly for Accuracy

Your listings won’t stay accurate forever. That’s where routine maintenance makes all the difference.

Run a quarterly NAP audit to catch inconsistencies before they snowball. Your listings tool can scan every profile and flag details that don’t match your master sheet.

Then, spot-check the platforms that matter most: GBP, Apple Maps, Yelp, and Facebook. If you’re in a specialized industry, check directories like ZocDoc or FindLaw, too.

Keep a running log of what you fix each quarter.

Over time, patterns will reveal which platforms or regions slip most often. That insight helps you tighten your process and prevent repeat issues.

Step 5. Build Local Backlinks That Actually Move the Needle

With one location, a few chamber of commerce links or directory listings can boost authority.

But when you’re managing dozens of branches, growing that process across your entire network takes more than luck. It takes systems.

Focus on Community and Local Partnerships

Local links help boost visibility and build trust.

They show that real people in each community engage with your business.

So, encourage branch managers to get involved. Sponsor events, join community groups, or collaborate with nearby businesses.

These efforts often lead to natural mentions and backlinks that show local relevance to search engines.

To streamline the process, collect ideas that work and turn them into a shared playbook.

Systematize Outreach

Multi-location SEO relies on repeatable systems that make expansion easier.

Document what’s working so every branch can replicate it.

Use our Local Backlink Opportunity Tracker as your central database to log outreach, track live links, and measure results across all locations.

Add notes on what type of partnership or content earned each link so others can reuse the same playbook.

Centralize research at the brand level to save time. Identify sponsorship pages, community events, and local publishers that align with your audience before branches start outreach.

Over time, you’ll start to see what works best.

Certain link types, partner categories, or content formats will consistently deliver stronger results.

Use those insights to refine your playbook and make link acquisition faster, easier, and more predictable across your entire network.

Use Tools to Prioritize and Track

Link research tools come to the rescue in automating link opportunity discovery for every branch.

Start with Semrush’s Backlink Analytics to see which local websites link to your competitors. Those same sponsors, media outlets, and directories are strong prospects for your own branches.

You can also build city-specific prospect lists using searches like “our sponsors” + city name or “community partners” + city.

Try prompting AI tools like ChatGPT or Google’s AI Mode to surface local organizations, events, and publications worth contacting.

Make sure you track every outreach attempt and live link in the Backlink Opportunity Tracker.

Review your data regularly to see which branches or regions are earning coverage and which need extra support.

If some locations have fewer opportunities, that’s normal.

Smaller towns and rural areas often have limited local media or sponsorship options. In those cases, expand your search to nearby cities or regional publishers.

Step 6. Track and Attribute Performance by Location

Tracking performance can get complicated, especially when you’re running a local SEO strategy for multiple locations.

Without clear attribution, you can’t prove which branches — or tactics — are driving results.

Use UTMs + Location IDs Everywhere

Building a consistent local SEO strategy for multiple locations means tracking every branch the same way — from clicks and calls to conversions and revenue.

Multi-location tracking starts with structure.

Add UTM tags to every GBP link, ad campaign, and email.

They make it possible to separate traffic, leads, and conversions by branch inside GA4 and your CRM system.

Use a clear naming convention so you can filter results without digging through rows of messy data.

Tie Calls and Forms to Branches Automatically

Phone calls and form fills are two of the strongest conversion signals in local SEO.

Don’t lose them in a generic tracking setup.

Use tools like CallRail to assign unique phone numbers to each branch. That way, you can see which campaigns and locations are driving calls directly from search or ads.

For web forms or booking widgets, embed hidden location IDs so submissions are tagged automatically to the right branch. It takes a few minutes to set up, but it eliminates hours of manual cleanup later.

Centralize in a Multi-Location Dashboard

You can’t improve what you can’t measure.

Use a platform like Looker Studio. It can combine GBP insights, GA4 data, call-tracking results, and CRM metrics into one dashboard.

At a glance, you’ll see how all locations perform side by side. Then, drill into individual cities or stores to find what’s working and what needs attention.

Optimize Based on Insights

Once you have consistent tracking, insights start to stand out.

Spot underperforming branches early and dig into the “why.”

Maybe reviews are trending negative, citations are inaccurate, or local pages haven’t been updated in months.

At the same time, identify top-performing branches and replicate their wins across the rest of your network. Share these insights regularly with local managers so strategy and execution stay aligned.

Level Up Your Multi-Location SEO Game

Consistency is the quiet advantage in multi-location SEO.

Why?

Because brands that systemize how each branch builds trust, relevance, and citations win the long game in local search.

In short: The top performers don’t rely on guesswork. They build repeatable frameworks.

If you’re ready to scale smarter, explore our Local SEO Tools comparison.

You’ll find the platforms and features that make local SEO for multiple locations faster, easier, and far more effective — no matter how many branches you manage.

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