One Site, Several Branches
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One site, not five
Separate sites per branch split your authority, multiply your maintenance and confuse customers who find the wrong one.
One well-structured site with genuine location pages outperforms five thin sites, and costs a fraction to maintain.
Structure it properly
- Locations as a custom post type, with address, hours, phone and staff fields
- Services linked to the locations that offer them
- A location finder that works by postcode or town
- Enquiries routed to the branch automatically
Give each location real content
- Local projects and photographs, not stock images
- Which services that branch actually offers
- The team at that location, named
- Local specifics — parking, access, coverage
- Reviews from customers in that area
A location page that is the same text with a town name swapped is worse than no page at all.
Route enquiries correctly
An enquiry from a location page should reach that branch, not head office, and the routing should be visible in the notification.
That single piece of automation prevents the most common complaint in multi-location businesses: enquiries reaching the wrong place and going cold.
Let branches contribute, within limits
| Branch can edit | Head office controls |
|---|---|
| Their opening hours | Brand and design |
| Their team members | Service descriptions |
| Local news and projects | Pricing and terms |
| Their photographs | Site structure |
That balance keeps local content fresh without letting the site fragment.
Frequently asked questions
Should franchisees have their own sites?
How do we handle different services per branch?
What about separate phone numbers?
How many locations before this matters?
Several branches and one confusing website?
Location structure fixes it. Tell us how many sites you are currently running.