Local Small Business: 5 Must Have Elements of Service Area Pages

Before I can talk about the necessary elements of your service area page specifically, I need to address the purpose of a service area pages.

Gone are the days of your website pages just being a digital brochure for your company. A website but more specifically a service area page now has many jobs including:

• Get found – The service area page should be optimized for search to help you get found online.
• Build trust – Your service area page is a key element to building trust. Once a person arrives on your page, it needs to validate their geographic area and challenges.
• Educate – Your service area page should teach people how to recognize what their problems and challenges are.
• Inform – Once a person has found you and trusts you, you need to inform them on how you can solve their problems.
• Nurture – Often people need to come back to your website numerous times before making a purchase. Capture their email address and continue to create valuable content that is relevant to their stage in the customer journey to nurture them through to the sale.
• Convert – A conversion can be many things from subscribing to a newsletter, to calling you, to scheduling a onsite visit. Conversion opportunities need to be an element of the design of your service area page to help guide the journey.

What is a Service Area Page?

Service Area pages (SAPs) also known as “areas served” pages helps Google associate your service with your target service areas when a prospective client is looking for what they offer in your town. These website pages should be around 600 – 1000 words long focusing on the specific towns, cities, neighborhoods, districts, or communities where your business offers services. Doing this can help your small business website and Google Business Profile show up when people search for those areas and services.

Must Have Service Area Page Elements

It’s time for the moment you’ve been waiting for: must have service area page elements. These service area page elements are crucial if you operate in multiple locations or serve a specific region and serve as a way to communicate to potential customers that you cater to their area and can meet their needs locally.

1. Service Descriptions: Clearly explain the services you offer in each service area. Highlight the benefits and unique aspects of your services to capture the attention of potential customers.
2. Service Area Coverage: Provide a comprehensive list of the specific cities, towns, or neighborhoods you serve, or even include a map showing the boundaries of your service area.
3. Contact Information and Employee Bios: Make it easy for potential customers to reach out to you. Include your phone number, email address, or a contact form so they can inquire or book your services. Write content about your employees and their connections to the area. Do you have employees who live in the area? Do they frequent the area in their free time? Do they go to a local university? Talk about it on these pages to not only connect with potential customers but help show Google the people who work at your company. It’s helpful if you can link out to employee pages on your site, or profiles on other, industry-relevant sites.
4. Testimonials and Reviews: Showcase positive feedback and testimonials from customers in each service area. This helps establish trust and demonstrates your reputation in those specific locations.
5. Localized Content: Incorporate content that is relevant to each service area. This can include information about local events, local businesses,  landmarks, (like parks, lakes, and popular neighborhoods) or any other details. Try to connect with potential customers in that area and relate them back to your services as best you can. Include other unique aspects of the city users can connect with like city nicknames, demographic information, or events that happen annually, especially ones your company participates in, and bonus points for photos. Moreover, talk about your company’s connection with the area as well. Are you part of the Chamber of Commerce? Do you donate to a charity or non-profit in the city? Do you sponsor any events in the city? Brag about it and add external links to all of the local websites you can.
6. (Bonus) Relevant Keywords: Optimize your service area pages with location-specific keywords that potential customers are likely to use when searching for services in their area. This will help improve your visibility in local search results.

The purpose of your service area pages is to increase your visibility in local searches and provide potential customers with relevant information about your services in their area. By creating dedicated pages for each service area, you can tailor your messaging and provide localized details that resonate with your target audience.

Contact your marketing consultant at Indispensable Marketing

If you’re a small service based business that needs help with optimizing service area pages to show up on the first page of search results on Google at Indispensable Marketing we can help. We offer marketing strategy consulting, marketing audits, monthly marketing packages, consultations, exploratory calls or monthly local SEO services. Contact us for more information.