Google Places REPLACES standard listing?

13 replies
I have a client that has not claimed their Google Places listing, yet it's showing up on page 1 for their main search term.

Does that listing replace their normal website listing? IOW, will their normal website still show up lower down in the rankings?

How about after I have them claim the Places listing? Then, the Google will know their website. Could that have a negative impact on their rankings if their website is not well optimized?

Is there any benefit to SEO if they're already on page 1 (in the Places section)?
#google #listing #places #replaces #standard
  • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
    If their listing is not claimed. Then it won't have all the business information displayed on it.
    Also any benefit to doing SEO,..................... I suggest you outsource this.
    Otherwise, I don't know why you would have asked the question.
    I would have that client listed in as many spots as possible on the first page of Google.
    And no, a Google Places listing should not replace a website listing.
    They should both be on the first page of Google.

    Also by doing proper SEO, they will show up for additional keywords as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Keith Price
    Prior to the Google Places change, I was very successful at getting my clients multiple listings on page 1.

    I asked my question because I don't understand how the changes with Places affects seo. It used to be you had the 10 box PLUS the ten organic listings. Now, they've merged them and you only get 10 listings, some of which have map pins.

    From what I've read, seo can now improve the Places listing.

    So, I'm not clear as to whether a site that shows on page 1 with a Places pin ALSO shows their standard website listing.
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    Keith Price

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  • Profile picture of the author krzysiek
    Keith,

    I understand what you're saying. You're worried that if you add a website to the listing, the Google places rank might drop due to crappy / not good enough SEO on the website (website rankings might be bad).

    And, it's a good question. I have also read about the ranking of your webpage now affecting your local listing results... but this is a tough one. And unfortunately I don't think many people have been in this type of situation (first position on Google local listings with no website) so I think you might have to give it a try and see how it goes.

    As it is already number 1 and the listing obviously isn't even optimised yet, I think if you optimise the listing and perhaps make a website with decent on-page SEO, then I think retaining your rankings shouldn't be a problem - I don't think they will 'punish' you for adding a website - but at the same time, I do understand what you are asking!
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  • Profile picture of the author warner444
    if you run the main keywords and find your client #1 optimizing his places page will only insure that position. When you optimize a Places page you can add videos, imagges, a custom message, and coupons. All these will help sell through. A good trick is to add the local area city names and zip codes in the description as areas served.

    Read the Google help pages about Places so you have a good understanding of how it works. Google provides a good tour here Place Page Tour : Get started - Google Places Help

    If you run additional related keywords you should find some that do not show Places, optimize their site for those. Google does rank sites higher in places when they have good site seo. That may not seem to apply when they are #1 on places bit that is only for one term. People come up with lots of search term variations. Good keyword research is as important for places as for sites.

    Since the places result does show the main site link as the result, seo for the site remains important for most sites in most situations. Some companies may be best served with Places as the only site.

    The number of additional company citations is a ranking factor for Places. A citation is where the company is listed in a local directory that includes address and phone number.

    Endless Rise has a local reseller program for Places that does full optimization, KW research, places them in 350 local directories, and adds images plus 1 nice video a month to Places and Youtube, if you prefer to outsource. You just sell it for whatever the market will bear and pocket the difference without doing all the tedious part.
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  • Profile picture of the author Leather
    does anybody know any way I can get my Google Places listing to show everytime someone searches for my business??

    right now, when people search for my business just by it's name, only our website comes up at the top. if they type in 'my business name + location' my Google Places listing comes up at the top.

    I'd ideally like whenever anybody googles my Business Name for the Google Places listing to come up at the top (or near the top under my website) but as of yet I have not been able to find any advice on how to do that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Keith Price
      Thanks everyone for great responses (extra props to warner444). Keep them coming.

      @Leather, Google Places is almost always triggered by some kind of location keyword (city, zip), so just having the company name is not always going to trigger the Places results.
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      Keith Price

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  • Profile picture of the author k60mall
    Keith don't fix what is not broken. If your client has a maps listing and an organic listing on the first page then leave them alone.
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  • Profile picture of the author Keith Price
    k60mall,

    Problem with that is that the Places listing, while on page 1 isn't claimed, so we don't get any benefit of coupons, videos, description, or links to website -- just the physical address and phone. So, it sort of IS broken.
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    Keith Price

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  • Profile picture of the author localdominator
    You can still claim the listing and not provide the website information until you feel like it. It's not required (since you are worried about tying the two together)
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  • Profile picture of the author Yogini
    I'm in a similar question with a potential client. Is the consensus that claiming a google places page without listing the website would not harm things (the person is number 5 for their places page for a phrase though it's not too competitive a phrase). I would also like to add photos, descriptions, hours and more information to fill out the page.

    Debbie
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  • Profile picture of the author johndee
    Hello Everyone,

    I am just wondering if any of you know a way on how to boost up the ranking of a Google place listing? I am having a difficult time to rank in search engines using Google place.

    Thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author warner444
    2 things I know of that have been tested and shown to improve Google Places ranking is the number of additional citations for the business. ( A citation being a directory listing where the business address and phone number are included) and if the business website has high natural rankings.

    I have not tested this but it stands to reason all local type websites should have a geo tag. See Geo Tag Generator this geo tag generator, enter any address on earth and they will generate Geo Meta Tags. Nifty.

    SEOmoz just reported on a Places Ranking Study SEOmoz | Google Places SEO: Lessons Learned from Rank Correlation Data (I hope you took a statistics course of you read the full study from the link in this post)

    This report shows Number of reviews and number of listings in maps as helping.

    Anyone can make a map, say "my favorite places in Cleveland" map, which happens to have several of your local clients on it as well as your favorite pizza and hair cut place. Or a person could create a new persona just for map making.

    Get the client to ask their best customers to give them reviews and make it easy for them by giving them the link. It is against Google TOS to offer any "gratuity" for a favorable review and if you write fake ones you might get found out and you client could possible get de-listed. Not worth the risk. The client might sue you, I would.
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    • Profile picture of the author johndee
      Thanks warner444!

      The geo tag codes are very interesting. I'll try that.
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