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DataPins continues to set the pace for the future of local SEO for contractors throughout the United States.
As the founder of DataPins – a Local SEO software designed to boost rankings in specific cities, towns, and zip codes, I’ve tested every Local SEO tactic in the book, including inserting zip codes into SEO titles.
Zip codes in SEO titles were used relatively often, starting around 2013 and gradually becoming less common.
However, the tactic is still used occasionally, especially by contractors who work in expanded service areas.
What The Data Says About Using Zip Codes in SEO Titles
At DataPins, we took five popular industries (plumbing, roofing, painting, pest control, and electrical) along with ten of the most popular zip codes in the United States to test the impact of this tactic on SEO success.
Keyword Volume
We first measured the estimated search volume of keywords, including zip codes, to see if these terms were worth targeting from a traditional SEO standpoint.
Here are the results:
Zip Code
Plumber
Roofer
Painter
Pest Control
Electrician
79936
0
2
0
0
0
90011
0
0
0
0
0
60629
1
0
0
0
0
90650
0
8
0
1
0
90201
0
1
0
0
0
77084
23
27
0
130
0
92335
0
0
0
0
0
78521
0
0
0
0
24
77449
1
0
0
3
0
78572
0
0
0
0
0
Out of 50 tested keywords, 11 registered search volumes. Of the 11 with search volume, only five had a search volume above 3.
What this tells us is that users searching for zip code queries is a rare occurrence but does happen from time to time.
At DataPins, we also understand that search volume is an imperfect metric as it is estimated and does not account for nearly 50% of “hidden queries” on Google Search Console.
However, DataPins’ internal data confirms that zip code queries are relatively rare, even in those “hidden terms.”
Keyword Rankings
It’s one thing for users to include zip codes within their search queries, but how Google interprets those queries is another matter.
We know that Google uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand the intent of keywords. As a result, Google may interpret a zip code as the equivalent of a city name since that’s what the user intends to find.
We tested this by measuring the amount of top-10 rankings for these queries that include the zip code within their SEO title.
Here’s what the data says:
Query
Top 10 Rankings with Zip Code in SEO Title
plumber 79936
0
plumber 90011
0
plumber 60629
10
plumber 90650
1
plumber 90201
3
plumber 77084
1
plumber 92335
0
plumber 78521
1
plumber 77449
0
plumber 78572
0
roofing 79936
0
roofing 90011
0
roofing 60629
1
roofing 90650
1
roofing 90201
7
roofing 77084
1
roofing 92335
0
roofing 78521
0
roofing 77449
1
roofing 78572
1
painter 79936
0
painter 90011
0
painter 60629
5
painter 90650
4
painter 90201
7
painter 77084
0
painter 92335
3
painter 78521
0
painter 77449
0
painter 78572
2
pest control 79936
0
pest control 90011
0
pest control 60629
3
pest control 90650
1
pest control 90201
3
pest control 77084
1
pest control 92335
0
pest control 78521
0
pest control 77449
0
pest control 78572
0
electrician 79936
0
electrician 90011
1
electrician 60629
5
electrician 90650
2
electrician 90201
5
electrician 77084
0
electrician 92335
2
electrician 78521
0
electrician 77449
0
electrician 78572
0
Of the 50 test queries, precisely half (25) featured at least one top-10 ranking with a zip code in the title tag. Of those 25 queries, 14 featured more than one ranking with the corresponding zip code.
Yelp results accounted for many of the rankings, leading to inconclusive analysis because of the platform’s premium domain authority, which allows it to rank despite zip code insertions rather than because of them.
Volume and Ranking Correlation
Next, we looked at the correlation between top-10 rankings and search volume for each query.
Here’s what the data says:
Query
Volume
Top 10 Rankings with Zip Code in SEO Title
plumber 79936
0
0
plumber 90011
0
0
plumber 60629
1
10
plumber 90650
0
1
plumber 90201
0
3
plumber 77084
23
1
plumber 92335
0
0
plumber 78521
0
1
plumber 77449
1
0
plumber 78572
0
0
roofing 79936
2
0
roofing 90011
0
0
roofing 60629
0
1
roofing 90650
8
1
roofing 90201
1
7
roofing 77084
27
1
roofing 92335
0
0
roofing 78521
0
0
roofing 77449
0
1
roofing 78572
0
1
painter 79936
0
0
painter 90011
0
0
painter 60629
0
5
painter 90650
0
4
painter 90201
0
7
painter 77084
0
0
painter 92335
0
3
painter 78521
0
0
painter 77449
0
0
painter 78572
0
2
pest control 79936
0
0
pest control 90011
0
0
pest control 60629
0
3
pest control 90650
1
1
pest control 90201
0
3
pest control 77084
130
1
pest control 92335
0
0
pest control 78521
0
0
pest control 77449
3
0
pest control 78572
0
0
electrician 79936
0
0
electrician 90011
0
1
electrician 60629
0
5
electrician 90650
0
2
electrician 90201
0
5
electrician 77084
0
0
electrician 92335
0
2
electrician 78521
24
0
electrician 77449
0
0
electrician 78572
0
0
No clear correlation emerged within the data regarding a zip code’s search volume and top 10 rankings.
For example, the highest volume query, “pest control 77084,” only produced one top-10 ranking with the zip code in the title tag, while the one search volume, “plumber 60629,” had the most top-10 rankings (10).
Multiple queries with zero registered search volume had numerous top-10 rankings. Conversely, several queries with registered search volume lacked any top-10 rankings.
Other Considerations
Google is a powerful machine with complicated AI-driven algorithms that are much more intelligent than any human test. As a result, each query is unique in Google’s ecosystem, meaning there is no one-size-fits-all answer to an open-ended question.
With this in mind, it’s essential to consider other factors that influence the impact of zip codes on an SEO title tag.
User Intent
Despite a lack of correlation between registered search volume and top rankings, user intent is a factor in all search queries. This is true not only of zip codes but also of county names, township names, and other local identifiers that may be unique to a region or location.
That’s why contractors looking to succeed with Local SEO should learn the nuances of their service area, the clientele, the culture, and the dialect. Reflecting this knowledge within your web content is the best way to demonstrate a unique local expertise.
Spam and Algorithmic Violation
The greatest potential danger of implementing a wide-ranging zip code SEO strategy is producing spam content and violating Google’s Helpful Content Update algorithm.
Mass-producing location pages for every zip code in your service area violates Google’s Helpful Content guidance, as these pages are produced exclusively for search engines rather than offering unique value to users.
Because cities can have multiple zip codes, producing pages on a zip code basis creates more unhelpful content, increasing the likelihood of your content being filtered as spam.
SEO-Friendly Alternatives
Aside from the negligible benefits of inserting zip codes in a title tag, there are better alternatives for Local SEO. One example is DataPins, which populates location identifiers, including schema markup and geo-coordinates to your site’s most relevant pages.
These local signals come from your real-life jobs, demonstrating social proof of your company’s work in the field. DataPins adds local relevance to existing pages, so they continue gaining unique content based on your performance.
Final Verdict
Like most things in SEO, the answer is “it depends.” However, using zip codes within the SEO title is not a viable strategy at scale. In some cases, zip code insertions in the title can benefit rankings, but they are anecdotal circumstances requiring granular analysis and execution.
The dangers of using a large-scale zip code insertion strategy are clear, as this tactic violates Google’s guidelines and dilutes the value of your site’s content. A better alternative is using DataPins to populate valid location signals onto your pages, using schema markup and geo-coordinates.
Homeowners researching local plumbers, roofers, or other service providers are naturally drawn to those with many positive reviews and recommendations from other internet users.
This stems from a psychological phenomenon first coined in 1984 as social proof.
When I invested millions into developing my software tool, DataPins, my goal was to equip local contractors with the resources to generate and demonstrate social proof as part of their marketing campaigns.
I can say today that I’ve succeeded in that goal. Still, only a small percentage of contractors understand social proof and how it translates to marketing a local business.
With this in mind, I’ve compiled 25 social proof statistics that impact marketing in 2024.
Table of Contents
Social Proof Statistics
1) 72% of consumers will only purchase after reading a favorable review.
22) A roofing company that installed DataPins on their website increased organic traffic by 660% and top 20 keywords by 118%.
Source: DataPins
23) A water heater repair company receives an average of 1,100 monthly clicks from Google organic search alone with DataPins.
Source: DataPins
24) Websites with multiple pages of pins averaged 80.9% more monthly Google clicks than websites with only a single pins page.
Source: DataPins
25) DataPins users that utilize automated review requests increase frequency by over 94%.
Source: DataPins
Social Proof Examples
Various things fall under social proof in a digital marketing context. The key is credibility and verification, whether it’s a customer review, an award badge, or a geotagged photo of your company providing services. DataPins focuses on social proof that users can verify with a single look.
Customer Reviews
Most websites have a testimonials or reviews section. However, the feedback only qualifies as social proof if it comes from a verifiable source. For example, a screenshot of a customer review is not social proof because the web admin can manipulate the photo to serve an agenda.
Consider using a plugin like DataPins, which inserts a reviews slider onto your website. The slider plugin pulls Google and Facebook reviews via API so that users can see genuine reviews from top platforms and click them.
Award Badges
If you receive an award, the platform should provide a custom badge that you can upload to your website’s homepage using its HTML. In addition, the nominator should send you a transparent image file, usually in SVG format. Ask your web developer to insert the image onto your site.
Awards can come from various sources. However, the best social proof comes from reputable institutions within your industry or region. For example, a roofing company in Denver, CO, should showcase awards from roofing-related institutions or regional and local organizations.
GeoTagged Photos (Pins)
The SEO industry disagrees on the value of geotagged photos as a ranking factor. Our research found that geotagged photos of themselves provide marginal SEO value, if any. However, DataPins software combines geotagged photos with mini-maps, schema markup, and geo-coordinates.
We call this consolidated data a pin. The good news is that the software tool collects and inserts this data into one pin for each job you perform. The software does all the work; you only need the DataPins plugin. Pins increase local SEO rankings and boost conversion rates significantly.
Applying Social Proof to Your Marketing Campaign
You can benefit from the statistics above by demonstrating social proof on your business website. My software, DataPins, is available to contractors throughout the United States and has proven to generate favorable results for its users. You can contact me directly to discuss how DataPins impacts social proof.
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