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Do You Absolutely NEED a Wbsite Now To Rank On Google Places?

by adriver38
13 replies
How are you guys handling this? Im just wondering if we are going to have to start telling business owners, who dont have websites, they must have a website to rank high in Google Places? Thats another $400 + service on top of $450+ monthly Google Place Optimization fee I charge, which is great for me, but not so great for already struggling businesses. Should we tell them its optional but for optimal results they need one?

Anyone here care to share a basic overall plan of attack they would use to get a business owner a highly ranked Google listing, with regards to Onsite/Offsite SEO. Im pretty confident in building out the listing, keywords, reviews and citations but a little fuzzy on exactly how much organic SEO will be needed for this now.
#absolutely #google #places #rank #wbsite
  • Profile picture of the author VegasGreg
    It is not needed to have a web site to get ranked high in Google Places, but I highly recommend it as an added benefit.

    Even if it is a real simple 1 page site, just add it into the mix.
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    Greg Schueler - Wordpress Fanatic... Living The Offline Marketing Dream...

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    • Profile picture of the author adriver38
      Greg....are you familiar with the new algo changes to Google Places? According to several popular SEO blogs its looking like its pretty important now unfortunately.
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  • Profile picture of the author burnbebe
    Why wouldn't you want a Web site? It's a given for me to have a site. But I do agree, you don't need one...

    Just make sure you have a steady stream of reviews... that way you could get on top in no time.
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    • Profile picture of the author adriver38
      I have a website, this post wasnt really about me, its about our clients. There are lots of people who are still in the dark ages or just cant afford one or whatever the case, dont have a website.

      Burnbebe: You are sure with the new changes to Google Places algorithm (Oct 28th) that you can still rank high in Places without a website? Do you have clients where this is the case currently? I know you used to be able to, but now Im pretty sure SEO is a factor in the equation.
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  • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
    You don't need to have a website to be ranked in Google Places: For example if you do a search for knoxville locksmith only 5 out of the 10 results displaying have web sites.

    Although of course they still may need a website for their business!
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  • Profile picture of the author VegasGreg
    Well, I can't say one of the factors that I track for local businesses is GMap ranking with a website and without a website. All my clients have a website, so I can't compare.

    However just doing a quick search for random local keywords, I still see GMap top listings without websites, so that does confirm that they are not 100% needed.

    I do think having a website can help in the overall factors though as you can interact/interlink them, which helps with seo.

    If your clients can't afford a site, throw them up a 1 page blogger site. But seriously though, if they can't afford a $10 domain name and $10 a month for hosting, they probably aren't the kind of clients you should be dealing with.

    Don't ask them if they can afford a website, ask them if they can afford NOT to have one.
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    Greg Schueler - Wordpress Fanatic... Living The Offline Marketing Dream...

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    • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
      Hi Warriors

      In our view local businesses that only have a google maps listing will eventually fall off the perch.

      We are so confident in this that we have added a simple local website creation to our Google Places listing marketing. Plus we have also added a small continuing SEO push for the website so that we are seen as giving more value for the "extra dollars' that we now charge.

      If you leave out these two small factors your clients will eventually be unhappy.

      Regards

      Bronwyn and Keith
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      • Profile picture of the author PaulintheSticks
        Originally Posted by bronke13 View Post

        Hi Warriors
        In our view local businesses that only have a google maps listing will eventually fall off the perch.
        The other problem is if you don't have a maps listing, it may be impossible to get on the first page.
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        • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
          Hi

          Thats right - what we are seeing is old GP listings with either NO website or a Google Maps only entry are dropping already.

          Plus, all of our listings that were fully optimized are getting more traction.

          The ones that also have additional SEO done are taking over.

          Pretty cool.

          Customers are happy.


          Regards

          Bronwyn and Keith
          Originally Posted by healingaqua View Post

          The other problem is if you don't have a maps listing, it may be impossible to get on the first page.
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          • Profile picture of the author adriver38
            My client has a pretty crappy website (flash on the first page, image heavy w/ no image tags ect.) The only thing it had going for it was domain age. It still ranked #8 on the 1st page of Google. He wasnt interested in an SEO overhaul and I just optimized his listing and moved it from #20 to #3 in the 7 pack.

            I recently had his web designer at the very least, give the website a relevant title tag as well as a meta description that both included the city name and main keyword. This was about 3 weeks ago. He now ranks C sometimes B in Google Places and it is a merged listing result (meaning the organic and Places listing are somewhat rolled into one result) Im pretty sure the only reason his listing in Google Places it still ranked high is the fact that the city and keyword are in the title and meta description.

            I think website SEO does matter but it may just be on a basic level as far as onpage optimization that includes the city and keyword in the meta tags. Thats just my humble opinion, it might require more than that in more competitive markets. Although, Im in a very big city and hes a salon owner with tons of competing salons, so who knows?

            I really like the idea of adding basic webpage creation and SEO to the Google Places service. Bronke13: Are you creating webpages only for the business owners who dont have websites or all of your Google Place clients? As far as an extra SEO push...what does that include if you dont mind me asking? Great info! Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author halfbakedrew
    I have lots of maps that dont have websites, and rank on the first page. It all depends on what you are going after as well. The link under me is a site that I had up for 120 key words on GP lisitin then my old partner black hat it then every thing fell down. I made an other one with out the website and now its only up for one or two on a good day.
    Signature
    http://www.seodrew.com/

    Alot of poeple say they cant start they're business because of the lack of money so I have started a company that works with you to get started on your online business
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  • Profile picture of the author LiquidSeo
    Originally Posted by adriver38 View Post

    How are you guys handling this? Im just wondering if we are going to have to start telling business owners, who dont have websites, they must have a website to rank high in Google Places? Thats another $400 + service on top of $450+ monthly Google Place Optimization fee I charge, which is great for me, but not so great for already struggling businesses. Should we tell them its optional but for optimal results they need one?

    Anyone here care to share a basic overall plan of attack they would use to get a business owner a highly ranked Google listing, with regards to Onsite/Offsite SEO. Im pretty confident in building out the listing, keywords, reviews and citations but a little fuzzy on exactly how much organic SEO will be needed for this now.

    Yes - without a website, you will be at a significant disadvantage going forward.

    To be clear, many of the current businesses ranked in the 3 or 7 pak do not have sites, but as Google starts to apply these new rules, these companies will fall out of page 1.

    Of course, keep in mind this fact. You need an optimized website - and there is no requirement that it is: www.yourbusiness.com . For example, you could use a Kudzu or InsiderPages citation as your business website. I have used InsiderPages for 3 lower-end clients now as their "website".

    Check out the tags on these sites - the code is well put together.

    All this aside, I tell all new prospects and existing customers that we have to get a website built. If they push back, I suggest the free InsiderPages listing as their site as a fall-back option.

    As a real world example...I have a client in a neighborhing suburb of Atlanta ranking as letter "A" on the GP map for:

    "Atlanta Drug Crimes Attorney"
    Atlanta Drug Crimes Lawyer - Google Search


    His site is optimized, and I've built my share of links He is also ranked organically #1 for "Atlanta Drug Crimes Lawyer".

    Before the new changes, he was not in the GP at all. Now, he is Letter A for one of his core terms.

    In time, we will see more of how Google is handling the blended results, old GP, and new GP results. But in the meantime, we just have to accept that there 3 different algorthyms at play.
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