If you’re still wondering whether city pages are worth the effort in 2025, the answer is a loud yes. With nearly half of all Google searches carrying local intent, businesses that want to stand out in search results across multiple locations need well-optimized pages. Whether you’re a roofer in Carterville, IL, or a plumber serving several towns in Southern Illinois, city pages can help you dominate local searches—when done right.
Why City Pages Still Matter in 2025
Google still prioritizes relevance and proximity as key factors when serving up local search results. That means your website must clearly show users—and search engines—that you serve a specific area. Here’s how city pages fit into that strategy:
- Local Relevance Wins Clicks: People search for services with local phrasing like “roofers near me” or “best HVAC repair Carterville IL.” A dedicated city page targeting each service area increases your chance of showing up for those searches. Instead of a generic landing page, Google sees city pages as hyper-relevant responses tailored to a user’s location.
- City Pages + GBP = Local Visibility Boost: When your city pages are linked to your Google Business Profile (GBP), you strengthen your presence in the Local Map Pack. This is the prime real estate where most local customers click. Adding unique and helpful content to your pages helps reinforce your location-based authority—boosting both organic and map rankings.
- Trust Through Local Detail: Good city pages aren’t just about SEO—they build user confidence. Adding real reviews from customers in the area, photos from job sites, shoutouts to local landmarks or community events, and area-specific advice shows that you’re more than just a company that could serve the area—you’re part of it.
How to Build High-Performing City Pages in 2025
To make your city pages truly effective—and avoid SEO penalties—follow these best practices.
1. Keep Each Page Unique
Avoid the copy-and-paste trap. Swapping out the city name while keeping everything else the same may seem efficient, but Google’s algorithms (especially post-Panda updates) can flag this as duplicate content. Instead, tailor each page with:
- Local customer testimonials
- Project photos from that location
- Mention of local challenges (e.g., “Carterville’s spring windstorms require durable roofing materials”)
- Area-specific service notes or codes
2. Nail Your On-Page SEO
Optimize every city page with:
- Geo-targeted keywords like “roof replacement in Carterville, IL”
- Your NAP (name, address, phone number)
- Schema markup to signal location relevance
- Fast, mobile-friendly layouts (since over half of users now browse on mobile)
3. Link Strategically
Thoughtful internal linking helps Google easily find and index your city-specific pages for better visibility. Instead of cramming 100+ links into your footer, include links from:
- Your homepage
- Relevant service pages
- An organized sitemap or location hub
This builds clear connections between content and helps search engines understand the structure and importance of each page.
4. Show Local Credibility
No physical address in every city? That’s okay. Show your presence with:
- Google Maps embeds (if applicable)
- Logos of local associations or awards
- Examples of community engagement or local projects
These trust indicators strengthen your credibility with both potential customers and search engines.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Building city pages is powerful—but cutting corners can backfire.
- Don’t Create Doorway Pages: Google defines doorway pages as near-duplicate pages created solely to funnel users into your site. If your pages only differ by the city name and lack real value, they risk being removed from search results. Make each page a true resource for that location.
- Avoid Link Overload: Stuffing hundreds of city links into your site’s footer might seem like a shortcut, but it dilutes the user experience and weakens your site’s hierarchy. Google might overlook or assign less value to those links altogether. Stick to structured, user-first navigation.
- Skip the Thin Content: City pages with just a few generic sentences won’t perform. Google’s latest ranking algorithms favor detailed, focused content. Think of each city page as its own landing page—built to attract, educate, and convert local prospects.
Give Hometown Marketing Group a call today if you are looking to get a website with some optimized city pages for your Carterville, IL business. We provide these services for many businesses in area and surrounding communities.
