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Phone Numbers - Google Places, Websites and Actual Business

by CleanMountainLiving
14 replies
I just need a little clarity on phone numbers, and hope some of you pros can help.

I understand that, for "citation" purposes in Places, that you should have for your clients their actual business phone number all over the web...in all the citation sources, etc.
Meaning...when you set up Places for a local client, you want to use their actual phone number to their physical business that already shows up in various places around the web.

BUT, I've also heard/read that you want to get a number that you can track...a virtual number or something that is easily tracked.

That said, if someone is working say a rent-a-site model, but upselling clients to Places listings, how do you work around this.

Obviously, on the rent-a-site model, you would want to have complete control of the phone number, so a virtual number is the way to go.

But, if your incorporating Places and directory listings, you want the same number for that business all over the net.

I'm sure I'm overthinking this, but any experiences to share out there????
#actual #business #google #numbers #phone #places #websites
  • Profile picture of the author rodelu
    I'm glad you posted this as I was having the very same question...
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    I'm confused. Exactly what are you doing with the rent a site model? If I understand you right, you've got a domain with a website. You sell a local client on paying you X per month to forward the number on that site to their own phone number. As another service, you later (or at the same time) try to upsell the client on a properly optimized Google Places listing plus various directory listings. I get that you would want those phone numbers to all be the same and to all be the client's real, physical phone number. But why would the phone number on the rent a site site negatively impact this? Unless you're doing something with the rent a site site that I don't understand, that's more of an SEO issue with keywords, etc. Or if you're driving traffic there via AdWords, that's more of a quality landing page issue. But I don't see the phone number negatively impacting the client's Google Places listing. I could be missing something, however.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Holmes
    No, you need to make sure the places listing is the REAL business number.

    I rent sites out and use a virtual number on every site I own, all seperate numbers. That way i track all calls, know what site they came from and how long that person was on the phone for.

    Sometimes you can get a client calls, but you can't make them pick up the phone until you tell them you had 30 calls last week lasting 10 seconds each - sort it out. And they do, so tracking and analysing data can be hugely important and beneficial.

    You don't have to tell Google that the site you made for a keyword and rented out is for your client and you jst don't assign it to Google places. It is simply an organic listing that should rank well for big local search terms and that you control. Client pisses you off? Next...

    Total control and that's the way it should be. However, you should not have control over your clients places listing, that is not yours. You can manage it, but it's your clients and should be linked to your clients site.
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    "Live like you'll die tomorrow, Learn like you'll live forever" - M. Ghandi
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    • Profile picture of the author CleanMountainLiving
      So, the key is not to marry any site I'm leasing to a client directly with that clients Places listing.

      Places listing and leased site kept separate.

      BUT, what if that client doesn't have anything.

      Say, we've got a new roofer in Dallas...absolutely no internet presence.

      The best offering for this client would be:

      Create Places/Directory listings
      Create website for business (elaborate or simple), tied to Places/Directory listings.

      These two things, in combination with optimization (including same phone numbers) and strategic SEO and citation sources, give the best shot of getting that client on page 1.

      As a separate service...offer them a site to lease, exclusively, for lead generation. This one would be MY site, that I'm leasing to this business, and since it's mine, I control the phone number, and I don't actively link it to my client's website or directory listings.

      Alright, got it and thanks.

      I was a tad bit concerned as I've read repeatedly that for your clients citations and "validity" in directories, you want the same phone number all over the web.

      But, on my lease site, I can put their name and MY phone number in an image widget or something on the site, so it's not even picked up by the SEs.

      Thanks for the help....and I've talked myself through it.
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      • Profile picture of the author jazyj
        Originally Posted by CleanMountainLiving View Post

        So, the key is not to marry any site I'm leasing to a client directly with that clients Places listing.

        Places listing and leased site kept separate.

        BUT, what if that client doesn't have anything.

        Say, we've got a new roofer in Dallas...absolutely no internet presence.

        The best offering for this client would be:

        Create Places/Directory listings
        Create website for business (elaborate or simple), tied to Places/Directory listings.

        These two things, in combination with optimization (including same phone numbers) and strategic SEO and citation sources, give the best shot of getting that client on page 1.

        As a separate service...offer them a site to lease, exclusively, for lead generation. This one would be MY site, that I'm leasing to this business, and since it's mine, I control the phone number, and I don't actively link it to my client's website or directory listings.

        Alright, got it and thanks.

        I was a tad bit concerned as I've read repeatedly that for your clients citations and "validity" in directories, you want the same phone number all over the web.

        But, on my lease site, I can put their name and MY phone number in an image widget or something on the site, so it's not even picked up by the SEs.

        Thanks for the help....and I've talked myself through it.
        CleanMountainLiving, I had a similar question and you explained it perfectly. Thank you
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  • Profile picture of the author sitefurnace
    Why dont you just alter the phone number being shown on the leased site to the customers real business number rather than a virtual one? If they cancel just change it to the new owners. Do you really need to track?

    Secondly, If you link up the leased site with the places listing it will have a huge positive effect on their places listing ranking. This will lock them in even further if they know that the leased site is not only providing them extra phone calls itself, but lots more calls from their better placed places listing.

    Dont know if i explained myself very well there!?
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    • Profile picture of the author MannyMarketing
      Originally Posted by sitefurnace View Post

      Why dont you just alter the phone number being shown on the leased site to the customers real business number rather than a virtual one? If they cancel just change it to the new owners. Do you really need to track?

      Secondly, If you link up the leased site with the places listing it will have a huge positive effect on their places listing ranking. This will lock them in even further if they know that the leased site is not only providing them extra phone calls itself, but lots more calls from their better placed places listing.

      Dont know if i explained myself very well there!?
      To me this seems like the best way of doing it. Why would you have a virtual number on their Google Places listing? Just have the virtual number on the "Rent a Site" while no one is currently renting it so if there are leads calling you, you can receive a call and potentially sell the lead to clients on a lead per lead basis, until you find a buyer for the site, and then just switch the virtual number on the site to their actual number. If they don't want the site anymore, put the virtual number back on there.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bennette
        I agree with Steve Holmes.

        Reason 1- Optimize their Google Places listing with their real phone number. You can still charge them to set this up and manage it monthly if you choose.

        Reason 2- The rent a site can target keywords that do not show up in Places, which can give you more local leads.

        For example: you get the client ranked for 5 competitive keywords for their Places listing and then you have a rent a site that targets profitable local low hanging keywords.

        Your rent a site has a virtual number that you control and when a client wants to move on you remove their logos, info etc. but all your work stays in place.

        I had clients think they didn't need me after they started generating leads because someone told them they could do it for cheaper. My reply; that's great I wish you continued success. Just so I'm clear, you do realize that I will be removing your logo and photos from the site and I will be available to offer the site to another ______ (fill it the blank with their niche)?

        Needless to say they're still with me and very happy.
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        • Profile picture of the author pdealcloser
          Thanks..I was having the same problem.
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          • Profile picture of the author Bennette
            Originally Posted by pdealcloser View Post

            Thanks..I was having the same problem.
            Your welcome pdealcloser.

            What I learned from trial and error in Offline is that you must decide on your ideal client. You either want a lot of smaller paying clients or more higher paying clients. Either way you need to decide.

            Some businesses after you get them results, think it's easy to get leads and they will have other companies in their ear telling them how they can do it for less.

            I've had a business leave and go with other company and when the leads stop coming in they tried to come back to me and I said sorry I'm working with someone in your niche. It's like someone mentioned before, if you did the work already and you have proven results, it's easy to get someone to take the site.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hugh
    I always change the website to reflect the renters real phone number.

    Hugh
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    "Never make someone a priority in your life who makes you an option in theirs." Anon.
    "Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon." -- Winston Churchill

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  • Profile picture of the author Charles Harper
    You can accomplish what you want with a Youtube Video (Free) and and Twilio Number ($1/mo. - 1 cent a minute) and skype-in.

    Easy - Peasy

    CT
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  • Profile picture of the author stone2010
    I use Google Voice numbers for the sites that i rent. But these sites are ranked in organic searches only not google places.
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    • Profile picture of the author BubbaJay
      We use Monster Follow up to create a unique trackable number for each client. That number forwards to the actual business number.

      Jay
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