Here’s how this came up: a Treasure Map student asked me the today in the student only Treasure Map Facebook group, “Casey, should I make a ton of city-specific pages for every town near me? What if I tried to copy Thrive and build a city page for every major market in the country?”
Now, that’s a fair question. But my straight answer? That’s not a winning Local Agency Marketing Strategy.
Why I Don’t Play the “50 City Pages” Game
Here’s the truth: thousands of agencies spam city pages. Even the big guys do it. But nine times out of ten, that’s a move from agencies struggling to get traction in their own backyard.
Meanwhile, we’re doing just fine by focusing only on two counties: Los Angeles and Ventura. In fact, we’re so busy we turn down an average of eight clients every single week. That’s proof you don’t need to “be everywhere” to be successful.
So if your strategy is “rank in every random city”? You’re doing it wrong.
The Smarter Local Agency Marketing Strategy
Patrick (the guy who sparked this conversation) runs his agency in Bluffton, South Carolina, a town of about 36,000 people. He was trying to figure out if he should build out city pages like the big agencies, or focus on his county (Beaufort, around 200,000 people) and maybe expand into nearby Savannah or Charleston.
My advice? That’s a fantastic plan.
Here’s why:
- A county with 200k people is more than enough opportunity.
- You’ll get more business by being known locally than by pretending you’re based in twenty other cities.
- Expanding to nearby counties (30–90 minutes away) is smart if you can realistically serve them.
That’s a real Local Agency Marketing Strategy… serve the people who are close enough to actually become clients.
What Actually Works (From My Experience)
I’ve been at this long enough to see what moves the needle. Here’s what’s worked for me and the businesses I help:
- Get Recognized in Person
Don’t just exist online. Join local business groups, attend events, shake hands. Real humans should know your name. - Pay Attention to Population Density
My wife’s agency thrives in Oxnard (about 300k people). My agency works in LA County, and we’ve got 100+ clients there. The size of your market matters more than trying to rank everywhere. - Use Local Tactics That Actually Get Attention
- Speak at luncheons and networking groups.
- Reach out to local TV and radio stations, they love quick spots on topics like AI.
- Host free monthly events to show off your expertise.
- Get your logo and brand in front of the community.
Bottom Line
If you want a Local Agency Marketing Strategy that works, stop chasing fake city pages. Own your county, build real local relationships, and expand only where it makes sense.
That’s what I’ve done, and trust me… it works.
If you want to dive deeper into the nuts and bolts, like the real problems businesses face with local SEO and the practical fixes, check out my guide: The Complete Guide to Local SEO Services: Problems, Solutions, and the Language That Sells