Remember when every business website looked like it was playing geographic bingo with its headings? “Professional IT Support Services Stoke | Best IT Company in Stoke | Computer Help Stoke”. It made my teeth itch then, and it still does now.
This nonsense started back when search engines such as Infoseek, Alta Vista, and Lycos were so easily manipulated, you could change an SEO title and a H1, submit your site, go have a cuppa, and come back to see where you were ranked. Local businesses noticed that adding their location to every heading seemed to help them rank better. And like most outdated SEO tactics, it stuck around way longer than it should have.
You Don’t Need To Location Stuff, Trust Me
Picture this – an IT support company’s website where literally every page heading (H1) reads like a local directory listing:
- “IT Support Services in Stoke for Businesses”
- “Stoke Computer Network Installation Services”
- “Business Cyber Security Solutions Stoke-on-Trent”
- “Stoke IT Consultancy for Local Companies”
It’s about as natural as… well, it’s not natural at all, is it? And your readers can tell. Plus, let’s face it, Google’s been clever enough to understand local context without this keyword stuffing for years.
I’m not saying DON’T include your location in ANY of your H1s – it could make perfect sense for your home page H1 if written properly. And if you have specific location pages, then fill your boots. But EVERY H1 on EVERY page? Dear god no.
The Basics You Need For Local SEO
I’m by no means a Local SEO expert – there are people out there who have made it their mission to become an absolute mine of information and knowledge in this one particular skill, but the basics are just common sense.
Clear Business Information
Your Google Business Profile, consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details across your website and the web, and properly structured contact pages do far more for your local SEO than cramming ‘Stoke’ into every heading.
Natural Geographic References
Instead of force-feeding location terms into your H1s, weave local references naturally through your content:
- Mention local business districts
- Reference nearby landmarks
- Discuss local business challenges
- Share local case studies
Local Content That Makes Sense
Create content that demonstrates genuine local expertise:
- News about local business developments
- Insights about regional industry trends
- Content about local business events
- Area-specific service information
The Right Way to Use H1s
Your H1s should focus on clarity first. If including your location makes sense, brilliant. But don’t force it.
Good H1 Examples:
- “IT Support for Coaching Businesses”
- “Network Security Solutions”
- “Managed IT Services”
- “Technology Consulting for Manufacturing”
These days search engines understand local relevance through multiple signals – they don’t need you to stuff locations into every heading like you’re trying to win SEO bingo.
Focus on creating content that naturally demonstrates your local expertise and connection to the area. It’s better for your users, better for search engines, and definitely better for your sanity.
Want to see what other SEO Myths I’ve busted? Check out the SEO Myths Debunked eBook, or find it on Amazon Kindle.
