Dominating Places with organic SEO

22 replies
Guys, now that there have been some major changes with Google Places I have noticed that I am able to dominate the Places with using traditional SEO. My maps/places have always been weak, but now I am able to dominate since they merged together. Has anyone else noticed this?
#dominating #organic #places #seo
  • Profile picture of the author cevin
    What do you mean saying "...but now I am able to dominate since they merged together...". You merged you maps? How you did this?
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    • Profile picture of the author Riz
      He didn't merge them, google merged them.

      On Oct 28th Google changed their local search algos and now the majority of local searches have merged organic and Places results.

      Riz

      Originally Posted by cevin View Post

      What do you mean saying "...but now I am able to dominate since they merged together...". You merged you maps? How you did this?
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  • Profile picture of the author Riz
    Now the formula for high rankings is:

    Optimized site + Optimized GP = high rankings.

    I think the Optimized site now has more power.

    Riz

    Originally Posted by Rocketguy View Post

    Guys, now that there have been some major changes with Google Places I have noticed that I am able to dominate the Places with using traditional SEO. My maps/places have always been weak, but now I am able to dominate since they merged together. Has anyone else noticed this?
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    • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
      Hi Riz

      That that formula is pretty much what we are seeing too.

      We had one GP listing that was totally useless no matter what we tried and now its scattered right throughout the local listings due to the quality SEO that was done in linkbuilding to the actual website.

      We have been "telling" our customer that we were doing the work and that the "GP results" would come but somehow they just didn't.:confused:

      That is until the last couple of weeks and the changes that Google made.

      Thanks Google. :rolleyes:

      Regards

      Bronwyn and Keith


      Originally Posted by Riz

      Now the formula for high rankings is:

      Optimized site + Optimized GP = high rankings.

      I think the Optimized site now has more power.

      Riz
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      • Profile picture of the author teaball
        Originally Posted by bronke13 View Post

        Hi Riz
        We have been "telling" our customer that we were doing the work and that the "GP results" would come but somehow they just didn't.:confused:

        That is until the last couple of weeks and the changes that Google made.
        Hi
        I am really interested in what you think the reasons were for not being able to get those higher promised GP results.

        Don't want to pry into what you did that didn't work, but if you want to share that, it might be helpful to me and others when that happens in the future.

        Thanks

        TB
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        • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
          Hi Teaball

          The main part of the reason we couldn't get the GP traction was that the industry was one that Google seemed to dislike due to others not doing the right thing. Hence we were penalised too.

          But now we are in great position.

          Regards

          Bronwyn and Keith
          Originally Posted by teaball View Post

          Hi
          I am really interested in what you think the reasons were for not being able to get those higher promised GP results.

          Don't want to pry into what you did that didn't work, but if you want to share that, it might be helpful to me and others when that happens in the future.

          Thanks

          TB
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          • Profile picture of the author teaball
            Originally Posted by bronke13 View Post

            Hi Teaball

            The main part of the reason we couldn't get the GP traction was that the industry was one that Google seemed to dislike due to others not doing the right thing. Hence we were penalised too.
            Do you mean other sites in the industry were doing things goog didn't like, such as, their site sales copy type stuff or SEO or driving traffic tricks ... or was it what the other sites actually did in their industry... like gouge customers, bad reputations.

            I guess what I'm asking was it "on site" stuff goog didn't like, or their actual off site biz?

            Thanks

            TB

            have to add this, have heard of sites being on servers that also host businesses that goog hates. and that has effected the ranking of the innocent sites.
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            • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
              Hi Teaball

              No, it is a site built in a field that some unscrupulous people had taken up a whole lot of "Bogus" businesses in the US.

              Unfortunately we didn't think that it would impact on us here in Oz - but were obviously wrong.

              Anyway, its all better now.

              Regards

              Bronwyn and Keith
              Originally Posted by teaball View Post

              Do you mean other sites in the industry were doing things goog didn't like, such as, their site sales copy type stuff or SEO or driving traffic tricks ... or was it what the other sites actually did in their industry... like gouge customers, bad reputations.

              I guess what I'm asking was it "on site" stuff goog didn't like, or their actual off site biz?

              Thanks

              TB

              have to add this, have heard of sites being on servers that also host businesses that goog hates. and that has effected the ranking of the innocent sites.
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              • Profile picture of the author scoopy
                bottom line whats the new formula is it what Riz has up ?

                High seo positions = GP ?

                -Scoop
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                • Profile picture of the author Bronwyn and Keith
                  Hi Scoopy

                  No here's Riz's formula

                  Now the formula for high rankings is:

                  Optimized site + Optimized GP = high rankings.

                  I think the Optimized site now has more power.

                  Regards

                  Bronwyn and Keith
                  Originally Posted by scoopy View Post

                  bottom line whats the new formula is it what Riz has up ?

                  High seo positions = GP ?

                  -Scoop
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                  • Profile picture of the author DataPeople
                    Organic SEO:

                    Optimizing web sites in a proper way and targeting the right keyword is vital issue specially consider organic seo or seo since seo means not only ranking websites but also includes right keywords selection and then optimized those targeted keywords in a web sites in natural way these may includes title tag, good rich, informative internal anchor text links, value added external links and of course relevant quality inbound links or backlinks.

                    My equation is
                    Top Quality Organic SEO = right keyword selection+ natural on page optimization+ relevant quality backlinks.
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                  • Profile picture of the author cassie_camay
                    Originally Posted by bronke13 View Post

                    Hi Scoopy

                    No here's Riz's formula

                    Now the formula for high rankings is:

                    Optimized site + Optimized GP = high rankings.

                    I think the Optimized site now has more power.

                    Regards

                    Bronwyn and Keith
                    yay new algorithm for Google. But why did they modified and changed there algo any sort of detailed information regarding the update?
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                  • Profile picture of the author localdominator
                    Originally Posted by bronke13 View Post

                    Hi Scoopy

                    No here's Riz's formula

                    Now the formula for high rankings is:

                    Optimized site + Optimized GP = high rankings.

                    I think the Optimized site now has more power.

                    Regards

                    Bronwyn and Keith
                    I don't know if this is bursting anyone's bubble, but I have a bunch of clients with no website and I focus solely on the GP listing and have it ranked front page with no problem. You don't have to have a website to have high rankings. I will submit that I don't think it hurts at all to have a great site, I encourage people to do so, but it can be done without. What I am doing now is offering my piece of expertise to good natural seo guys and trying to partner up to deliver the best of both worlds, since a combo is very effective. If anyone is interested, let me know. Best wishes,
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                    • Profile picture of the author deus ex
                      Originally Posted by localdominator View Post

                      I don't know if this is bursting anyone's bubble, but I have a bunch of clients with no website and I focus solely on the GP listing and have it ranked front page with no problem. You don't have to have a website to have high rankings. I will submit that I don't think it hurts at all to have a great site, I encourage people to do so, but it can be done without. What I am doing now is offering my piece of expertise to good natural seo guys and trying to partner up to deliver the best of both worlds, since a combo is very effective. If anyone is interested, let me know. Best wishes,
                      I would focus on both the seo rankings for the SERPs as well as google places local listings in multiple areas - google local search ranking factors and you can get all factors and mess around to rank one google places listing then move onto more locations via virtual offices, online phone numbers, etc
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                      • Profile picture of the author localdominator
                        Originally Posted by deus ex View Post

                        I would focus on both the seo rankings for the SERPs as well as google places local listings in multiple areas - google local search ranking factors and you can get all factors and mess around to rank one google places listing then move onto more locations via virtual offices, online phone numbers, etc

                        I agree. Using a combination will get you top results very quickly. I have seen this strategy work pretty well with getting multiple locations going.
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  • Profile picture of the author atrbiz
    with Google places it's important to have the business name as your geo-keyword.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve1776
    Here is a real good post on changes Google is making to GP algorithm. Good Examples of what can happen if you miss something minor in the changes Big G makes. Critical Changes to Google Places Guidelines – Avoid Google Purgatory, Read Now - Catalyst Local SEO Blog
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  • Profile picture of the author deus ex
    The multiple location aspect is key - google local seo ranking factors and you will come up with the ultimate checklist. The only key to it is getting your places to rank in the right areas and for all your keywords - this is usually nearly impossible
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  • Profile picture of the author rahulbatra
    I had also noticed this thing that Google places comes first in search. I really wondered that how organic SEO is going to handle this.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rocketguy
    I actually have several websites that appear above the local places rankings.
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    • Profile picture of the author MRomeo09
      If you're really good, and you're building deep links, you can completely dominate the first page like never before.

      For instance I have a real estate client that pays me a ton of money, we have her with the A position on the map at #1 position, and #2,3, and #4 are her deep internal pages. For the search My Big City Real Estate Agent. And this with a city over 2 Million population.

      I think you still need to know the "tricks" of Google Places, plus the "tricks" of Organic SEO, they aren't the same. And if you really do a good job with both you can completely dominate your competition.

      Plus I've found you can get really good results when you can advocate for one site for Places, and another for pure Organic. We now have some searches in less competitive fields where the first 6 listings are our own.

      Sounds sexy I know. But where the real sexy part is, is that the client starts getting a TON more calls. I've seen call volume double for some clients since the Google Changes. When you can completely dominate the above the fold listings, you are loving life, and hopefully you're getting the checks to prove it.

      Marcos

      P.S.- Bronwyn was it locksmiths? I've had a heck of a time with my legitimate clients.
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      • Profile picture of the author localdominator
        Originally Posted by MRomeo09 View Post

        If you're really good, and you're building deep links, you can completely dominate the first page like never before.

        For instance I have a real estate client that pays me a ton of money, we have her with the A position on the map at #1 position, and #2,3, and #4 are her deep internal pages. For the search My Big City Real Estate Agent. And this with a city over 2 Million population.

        I think you still need to know the "tricks" of Google Places, plus the "tricks" of Organic SEO, they aren't the same. And if you really do a good job with both you can completely dominate your competition.

        Plus I've found you can get really good results when you can advocate for one site for Places, and another for pure Organic. We now have some searches in less competitive fields where the first 6 listings are our own.

        Sounds sexy I know. But where the real sexy part is, is that the client starts getting a TON more calls. I've seen call volume double for some clients since the Google Changes. When you can completely dominate the above the fold listings, you are loving life, and hopefully you're getting the checks to prove it.

        Marcos

        P.S.- Bronwyn was it locksmiths? I've had a heck of a time with my legitimate clients.
        I agree with combining the Google Places tricks with organic. It has proved to be extremely successful for our clients. We do all the Google Local and we partner up with others for all the organic. That way everyone is doing what they do best and the combo rocks. Speaking of which, if anyone wants some good local pm me.
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