How to use SEMrush to optimize local SEO for multi location businesses

If you’re running a business with more than one location, you already know that local SEO can be a pain. One Google Business Profile is hard enough—try juggling ten. This guide is for marketers, owners, or anyone stuck managing SEO for multiple storefronts. We’ll cut through the noise and show you how to actually use SEMrush to make this easier, not harder.

Let’s skip the fluff and get into real steps that make a difference.


1. Set Up Each Location as Its Own Project

SEMrush lets you track and manage separate websites or site sections as “Projects.” For multi-location businesses, this is your first move.

  • Create a new project for each location or location-specific landing page.
    • If your site uses unique URLs for each location (like /locations/dallas), set up a project for each.
    • If locations share a single page, you’ll have to get creative—track keywords by city name.
  • Don’t lump all locations into one project. You’ll lose the granularity you need to spot issues or wins at the local level.

Pro tip: Use a consistent naming scheme (like “BrandName - Dallas”) so you don’t get lost later.


2. Audit Local Landing Pages with Site Audit

Local landing pages are the backbone of local SEO. If your Dallas page is broken, it doesn’t matter how many citations you build.

  • Run the SEMrush Site Audit for each project.
    • Fix technical issues: broken links, missing meta tags, slow page load.
    • Check for duplicate content—especially an issue with templated location pages.
  • Pay attention to on-page elements: Each page should have:
    • The city/state in the title, H1, and meta description.
    • Unique content—not just “Welcome to our Dallas location!” repeated 20 times.
  • Ignore minor warnings: SEMrush will flag stuff like “low word count” or “missing alt attributes.” Prioritize fixes that affect user experience or Google’s ability to crawl/index the page.

What doesn’t work: Don’t just copy-paste the same content and swap out the city name. Google’s smarter than that.


3. Track Local Keywords for Each Location

If you only track “plumber near me” for your HQ, you’re missing the boat. You need to know how you rank in each city.

  • Set up Position Tracking for each project/location.
    • Add keywords that combine your service/product with the city (“plumber Dallas,” “emergency plumber Dallas”).
    • Target variations: neighborhoods, nearby suburbs, and “near me” phrases.
  • Set the correct location in SEMrush’s tracking tool.
    • Drill down to city or even ZIP code if possible.
    • Make sure you’re tracking mobile and desktop—local searches are often on phones.

Pro tip: Watch for locations that are underperforming. If your Austin branch is stuck on page 3, that’s where you double down.


4. Compare Competitors—Locally

It’s easy to get distracted by national brands, but local competitors matter most.

  • Use the “Competitors Discovery” feature in Position Tracking.
    • See who’s actually outranking you in each city.
    • Don’t just look at the big chains—local shops often dominate search.
  • Spy on their landing pages:
    • What do their local pages have that yours doesn’t? (Reviews? Local photos? Driving directions?)
    • Are they targeting different keywords?

What to ignore: National competitors that don’t have a physical presence in your city. Focus on the folks showing up in the Map Pack.


5. Manage Business Listings and Citations with Listing Management

NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency is still a real thing—mess it up and Google gets confused fast.

  • SEMrush’s Listing Management tool helps you:
    • Push your business info to dozens of directories at once, per location.
    • Spot inconsistencies or missing listings.
    • Track reviews across platforms (Google, Yelp, Facebook).
  • Add each location separately. Don’t try to shortcut this—each address needs its own listing.

Heads up: This feature isn’t free. SEMrush charges extra. If you’re on a tight budget, do a manual audit of Google Business Profile and the top directories (Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing, etc.).


6. Monitor and Respond to Reviews

Like it or not, reviews drive local rankings and conversions. SEMrush can’t reply for you, but it does help you stay on top of what’s being said.

  • Use the Review Management tab under Listing Management.
    • See new reviews from all locations in one dashboard.
    • Filter by star rating to spot problem locations.
  • Set up alerts so you know when a bad review hits.

What actually works: Reply to reviews—especially the angry ones. Don’t use canned responses. Google likes active owners, and so do real people.


7. Build (and Track) Local Backlinks

Links from local organizations, news outlets, or blogs can boost location pages. SEMrush’s Link Building Tool is helpful here, but only if you use it right.

  • For each location, research local backlink opportunities:
    • Chamber of Commerce, local newspapers, event sponsorships.
    • “Best of [City]” lists, community blogs.
  • Filter out generic, spammy directories. Quality beats quantity—one real local link is worth more than a dozen junk ones.
  • Track new backlinks in SEMrush, but don’t obsess over every lost link—it happens.

Pro tip: Reach out as a local business, not as “corporate.” Real relationships get real links.


8. Track Google Business Profile Insights

SEMrush can pull in some data from your Google Business Profiles (GBP), but don’t expect magic.

  • Connect your GBP for each location.
    • Get visibility on searches, views, and actions (calls, directions).
    • Spot trends—like if a location’s calls drop off suddenly.
  • But: SEMrush’s GBP integration is limited. For deeper insights, log in to GBP directly.

What not to bother with: SEMrush can’t fix GBP suspensions or listing merges. That’s a Google problem, not a tool problem.


9. Automate (Some) Reporting for Sanity’s Sake

If you’re reporting to higher-ups or franchise owners, save yourself the headache.

  • Set up automated reports for each location.
    • Include keyword rankings, traffic, and review summaries.
    • Keep it short—no one reads 30-page PDFs.
  • Export to Google Data Studio if you want more flexibility.

What doesn’t work: Overly complex dashboards. If you can’t glance at it and get the gist, it’s too much.


What to Skip (and What to Remember)

  • Skip:
    • Chasing every SEMrush suggestion. Their tool is broad, but local SEO is specific.
    • Ignoring real-world signals (like foot traffic or local events).
    • Over-optimizing for “near me” if your landing pages aren’t actually local.
  • Remember:
    • Local SEO is slow. Don’t expect overnight jumps.
    • Manual spot checks—searching in Incognito and looking at real SERPs—still matter.

Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It

Managing local SEO for multiple locations isn’t glamorous, but with SEMrush you can cut a lot of busywork. Start with these steps, focus on what actually moves the needle, and don’t get bogged down in every shiny new feature. Check in monthly, fix what’s broken, and keep improving. That’s it. No magic—just process.