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Rank Google Maps & More...?

by Andrew Prince
16 replies
Hello,

I am trying to help my dad rank in Google, and Google Maps. I am going to use fake towns, and fake professions for purpose of demonstration.

My dad is a Dentist in the town of Chicago, IL.

When I search for the keyword "dentist chicago"

I come up second in the search results which is google places. I have completed the profile 100% and have read a few guides on the best practices to ranking google maps. The one person currently ranking above me has 8 reviews, and my dad has 2. How can I get spot "A"?

He also has 4 offices and I was wondering how you do keyword research for local niches? When I type what I believe would be a root keyword into external keyword tool I don't get very many results (obviously) so I am struggling to know which keywords to try and rank his website for.

Is it best to just go after profession + cityname?

Example: DentistInChicago.com?

Because he has 4 offices, should I then buy the keyword with the city that gets the most traffic and then do , DentistInChicago.com/cityname1, DentistInChicago.com/cityname2 etc? Then build links to those individual pages to rank those city names as well?

I really appreciate all of your help. No one else helps him with his online presence and he needs to get his marketing out there and I really want to help.

Thanks again!
#google #maps #rank
  • Profile picture of the author fantail
    Andrew,

    Unless you take the 'black hat' road I would not recommend making fake profiles.

    Also, you have to use your phone to verify and you can't use it twice. I've noticed
    recently, Google is asking for our mobile phone number periodically before accessing
    our gmail accounts. Big brother is watching-

    There are plenty of affordable WSO's that can point you in that exact direction. It
    will save you alot of frustration. You have already stipulated your requirements so
    go take a look at all of them and choose the appropriate one.

    Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author mcconnon12
    Citations are huge! Don't forget that citations are any mention of your business on the web. No need to build links to your google place page either. Make it easy for your dad's customers to leave reviews and give them an incentive. Try and get citations from local sources as well. Best of luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Always-A-Warrior
    Citations are a pain in the okole, unless you can find an outsourcer who will do the painful work. I tried to do my own and gave up at 3.
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  • Profile picture of the author localbusinessguy
    You only have to build the citation for your dads business once then post relevant reviews.
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  • Profile picture of the author millerfamily
    How can I rank my eye care site on Google map ?
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  • Profile picture of the author ludimilojko
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Dittberner
      Consistency with Google Places is HUGE. Make sure once you get your categories and descriptions rock solid for your Places listing, that your citation sites (especially the Yelp, SuperPages, and InsiderPages) sites reflect that exact information as well.

      I had a client where everything was up to snuff, except there was a rouge "old" SuperPages listing (in addition to their "good one") from their old address and old services that was KILLING their ranking. To see if this is happening, go to the Google Places page, from a Google search, and under "Details" see if "Services" and "Specialties" is in-sync with what you have on your Google Places listing. I had SuperPages as the source for these "details" so I was able to contact them and have the bad listing removed. Instant jump in rankings.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Richards
    You need to have a 2 pronged attack to rank well with Goo Places, especially in the very competitive niches.

    Simply put:

    1. Create a well optimized website (keyword in url is ALWAYS a good thing) and get a ton of backlinks to that website...This website will be the one shown on your Goo Places listing.


    2. Create a well optimized Goo Places listing and then get a ton of Citations for that listing.

    If you're looking to get 4 different offices noticed, build out 1 perfect website, then clone that same site (changing the keyword phrase emphasis in the code and copy) over 3 new keyword rich domains.

    Then build 3 new Goo Places listings for these communities, get the backlinks and the citations going...

    Keep it simple. Optimize like crazy for each specific community. Backlinks. Citations. Simple, right? =)

    Hope that helps.

    Rob
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  • Profile picture of the author jsherloc
    Along with what everyone has mentioned, especially considering he has 4 different locations, you should read up on KML files. I have read that you can establish multiple "Placepoints"/business locations in the actual KML file, then upload the KML file to the root of the domain.

    This will help offset any "citation confusion" too.

    - Jim
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  • Profile picture of the author Danielm
    I hit a weird places issue the other day. My wife owns a service business franchise. Her places listing has pictures, videos, an exact match domain, some citations and even reviews. She comes up number 2 in our small town, number 1 in places is a business from another town, never owner claimed with no info listed at all outside of their name, address and phone number.

    The only thing that I can think of is that maybe she's not number one because it is a franchise and there are at least 200 similar listings across the country.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason X
    Here is what you need to do;

    Get more reviews than the comapanies above your Dad's. So if they have 8, you need atleast 8, but would be good to get 10.

    Build 150 + citations

    as far as buying many domains, It would be better to build one site, then do some good on-page SEO with the citys that he offers service too.

    Then start buiding backlinks to the homepage and also to all the inner pages.

    you could even create a page for each city that he offers services in and then build backlinks to that page.

    You will have more value long term if you build all within the same domain.
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  • Profile picture of the author bertranddo
    Hey i would definitely recommend citations and reviews to get your rankings up. I actually use to work at Google Places for a year and i have a website ranking for "dentist in [some city..]" on spot #3 of google (that one is bringing tons of very targeted dental leads) so i kind of can relate to the place u are right now.. if u send me a PM and ill be more than happy to talk with u over skype about my experience in details. There is just too much to say for a forum reply : )

    All the best,
    Bertrand.
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  • Profile picture of the author skyyisthelimit
    thx @ shorty those articles are great
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