Local SEO Backlinks Question

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Alright, so I'm dipping my toes into the pool of local SEO with Google Places. Here's my question. When I'm building backlinks for my client's site, do I backlink their site or the Google Places Page? Or a combination of the two?

Because here's the thing. I have their site ranking on page 1 already. But this is just their site, not the Google Places page. So it's below all the Google Places results. But it is on page 1.

The keyword is electricians charlotte nc. Here's the link to the google search:
Code:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=electricians+charlotte+nc&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=
His site is currently number 6

electricianscharlottenc(dot)gbhosts(dot)com

(yes it's a subdomain I set up for free. Like I said hes my test client.)

in the results underneath the places results. And also his yelp page is a couple places below (#8 I think)

So to get his places page listed in the top 7 (Places A - G) should I be backlinking his site or the places page. So far I've backlinked his site from the citations. Should I also include links to the places page?

Note: I know backlinks are not the only factor in Local SEO. But I know it's part of it. If you want to discuss any other factors that you have found to be helpful (besides "you need a lot of reviews"), that would be helpful too!
#search engine optimization #backlinks #local #question #seo
  • I would not back link the Google Places listing, because that is owned by Google and it is Google you are trying to influence.

    But I might build back links for other resources online such as the Yelp reviews, etc., although that may look incredibly unnatural to Google and raise red flags in their algorithms.

    If you have articles or blog posts that linked to the client (even if only the blog comments link to the client), then building back links for those items would be natural and easily within the scope of what I would do to improve the clients' ranking.

    I'd be interested in hearing what others thing about linking to Yelp or Google Places. But until I hear someone say they have tested that and found it beneficial, I would avoid doing that.
    • [1] reply
    • I have heard of social bookmarking them simply to get them indexed. This is only if the client you are ranking has no listing on the sites. Sometimes they have old listings that just need to be edited. But any further backlinking than getting them indexed with SB's I have not heard about. Like you said, I don't want to throw up any red flags.

      Perhaps this would have gotten more response in the offline forum...
  • you might want to have citations and reviews for google place
    • [1] reply
    • LOL yeah working on getting him those reviews too. But that can be tricky also.
      • [1] reply
  • I would also be interested in this course, plz send me a link
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    Local SEO Backlinks Question

    Alright, so I'm dipping my toes into the pool of local SEO with Google Places. Here's my question. When I'm building backlinks for my client's site, do I backlink their site or the Google Places Page? Or a combination of the two? Because here's the thing. I have their site ranking on page 1 already. But this is just their site, not the Google Places page. So it's below all the Google Places results. But it is on page 1.