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View Full Version : Same Business Names Under Different Addresses - Will it work in Google Local Listing?



dianecoleen
09-21-2012, 04:58 PM
We all know that most consumers today often refer to Local listing search. And I have seen few business, listed in Google with different addresses(satellite office) but under Same business name. I was wondering does it affect your listing in ranking in local search result?

Also, do you have possible answer on what does Google considers in ranking your Local listings? I know few, such as Reviews, merging of Business page and Local+ page and physical address, but are there any others, please let me know any additional information you know about Local Listing ranking in Google.

I tried searching about this topic already but I didn't find answers that's why i posted in here. If ever the post is not related then feel free to move it. Can't find the Local listing category, sorry :o

vangogh
09-25-2012, 02:11 AM
I think some of those duplicate addresses are companies hoping to dominate search result. If I'm not mistaken the rules from Google are one address per company, but that doesn't seem to stop people from registering multiple addresses.

In general links play an important part in ranking. With local search it makes sense to get links from local organizations. The Chamber of Commerce is probably a good one. Odds are there are a few you can join nearby. They'll charge you for membership, but most will provide a link back to your site from their site on a profile page. One of the best sources for learning about local search is David Mihm's site. He was one of the first SEOs specializing in local and he updates a page of local search ranking factors (http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml). It's a survey of SEOs who know local and combines they're responses to come up with 90 potential positive factors and 18 potential negative factors. Definitely worth reading and studying and you'll probably want to subscribe to David's blog.

dianecoleen
09-26-2012, 06:03 PM
The rules with one address per business are right. I'm just curious on how some company had their multiple listings without being banned or perhaps being blacklisted on the search result.

We'll try to get listed with those site. Hopefully we can get a link back from them.
I subscribed on the blog already. That was really a helpful post. Thank you!

I have one question left if you don't mind. Does the phone number you provided on Google listing detect your current location? Does it affect your ranking in local search?

vangogh
09-26-2012, 06:06 PM
Google doesn't really police the listings like they should. While they say you can only have one address, they don't exactly do anything to prevent you from setting up more than one.

I'm not sure if there's any kind of detection on the phone number. I would think as long as it's registered to the business in the specific location it's good. Of course a business could list an 800 number so maybe being location dependent isn't such a big deal.

dianecoleen
09-27-2012, 12:41 PM
Alright! Thank you for providing such helpful comments. Anyway, I'll have to wait first for my local listing to be approved and study the blog content of David Mihm.

If anyone here would like to share additional thoughts about my query then feel free to do so =)

TimPiazza
09-27-2012, 01:57 PM
The only important factor with the phone number is that Google will use it to collect your business information and verify that you have permission to administer the local listing page for the business. Once you have the page set, you can change the phone number to a tracking number so that you know how many calls come from your Google listing.

Business Attorney
09-27-2012, 06:15 PM
How is the one address per company intended to apply. Can only one McDonald's show up? Only one Target or Walmart? Only one Shell station or Marathon station? It seems counter productive to give you local listings for a category but leave out everyone in the category that has more than one office (unless you happen to search in that one spot). If I am looking for a local accounting firm in the Chicago area, I wouldn't find a local listing that leaves out most of the local offices of regional accounting firms very useful. In this area, many of the best medical practices have multiple offices, often near different area hospitals. Are their many offices left off most local searches?

TimPiazza
09-28-2012, 10:46 AM
Every legitimate business location can have a Google local business page. I think what was implied by diane is someone who might not even have a business location in the sense of a store or office, but is creating multiple listings using their home, their friends' business addresses, their relative's home. Some people are motivated to exploit every possible advantage. It's somewhat desperate, but effective.

vangogh
09-29-2012, 12:04 AM
Every legitimate business location can have a Google local business page.

It used to be that you could only have one listing per business, but it seems now it's exactly like you say. One listing per business location. Here are the guidelines for a Places page (http://support.google.com/places/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=107528). You do need to actually have a physical location for each listing. For example while I can easily serve people in any location on the planet, I'm only allowed one listing. On the other hand McDonalds would be able to have listings for each restaurant.

I wonder if the change came when they switched to Google Places. I completely missed the multiple listings addition. It does make sense, though it used to be abused by people who only had one location, but created listings in every state or city in the country.

dianecoleen
10-04-2012, 10:05 PM
The only important factor with the phone number is that Google will use it to collect your business information and verify that you have permission to administer the local listing page for the business. Once you have the page set, you can change the phone number to a tracking number so that you know how many calls come from your Google listing.

-This make sense. Although before, I really thought Google is tracking the location of the business through the registered phone number. Thank you for the heads up though!




I think what was implied by diane is someone who might not even have a business location in the sense of a store or office, but is creating multiple listings using their home, their friends' business addresses, their relative's home. Some people are motivated to exploit every possible advantage. It's somewhat desperate, but effective.

-This is actually doing effective in some firms. They just naming the addresses as their satellite offices, or I think they called it citations. Though it is originally not an office but a friends or relatives home. This type of technique is trully dominating the local results.




I wonder if the change came when they switched to Google Places. I completely missed the multiple listings addition.

-I'm thinking of how they consider one listing in the local search ranking. Considering that they have multiple business listing.
Thanks for all your help! Really appreciate it!

vangogh
10-05-2012, 03:24 PM
This is actually doing effective in some firms. They just naming the addresses as their satellite offices, or I think they called it citations. Though it is originally not an office but a friends or relatives home. This type of technique is trully dominating the local results.

I'm pretty sure this goes against what Google really wants, but realistically how could they check. As long as the address and phone number are valid they likely assume it's a valid business location. If the practice becomes too common and people complain about visiting locations where there is no business I can see Google working to prevent the practice.

dianecoleen
10-15-2012, 02:48 PM
I really hope so that they will take actions to that. I'm not sure how long does this practice would take. Anyway, thank you for such a helpful information.

WebBizIdeas
10-15-2012, 04:32 PM
Hi dianecoleen,

Post Panda & Penguin Google has changed many of their policies. Today, ranking in Local Results now has many factors. But the #1 factor that you touched on has to do with your physical address. Google can only identify you if they know who you are. They do this by tracking your Company name, Address, and Phone Number. It is called a NAP. So you asked if it matters if you use different company names & phone numbers. Yes, it matters a lot. Because if you are not consistent you are really telling google you are two different companies. Here is a quick graphic I created to illustrate the point:

272

Every year David Mihm does his local search ranking factors. I would highly suggest reading through his surveys ranking factors (http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml) to find what other factors Google is using to rank local businesses number in Google.

Jeff

vangogh
10-15-2012, 05:52 PM
Welcome to the forum Jeff. Good point about consistency. I think that's a key point that gets missed a lot in all of this. You and I might easily figure out that ABC Co. and A.B.C Co are the same, but to a search engine they're 2 completely different entities.

WebBizIdeas
10-15-2012, 11:58 PM
Yes Vangogh,

because of what you stated, we FORCE our clients, and highly recommend all other small business owners to fill out what we call a Local Business Information (LBI) Form (http://www.webbizideas.com/tutorials/local-seo/lbi-form.html) (click on resources you need to download it). This document forces a business to define what their official Company Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP) will be BEFORE submitting their business everywhere online. Plus, it helps them keep consistent when submitting their business online.

Every business should have this saved on their computer, printed out, and every employee should know about it so consistency online occurs.

Jeff

dianecoleen
10-16-2012, 06:58 PM
Hi dianecoleen,

Post Panda & Penguin Google has changed many of their policies. Today, ranking in Local Results now has many factors. But the #1 factor that you touched on has to do with your physical address. Google can only identify you if they know who you are. They do this by tracking your Company name, Address, and Phone Number. It is called a NAP. So you asked if it matters if you use different company names & phone numbers. Yes, it matters a lot. Because if you are not consistent you are really telling google you are two different companies. Here is a quick graphic I created to illustrate the point:

272

Jeff

Thank you for the explanation Jeff and Welcome to the forum! My biggest concern is that few of our competitors has this sort of listings under different names under different address. Like, they have this listing in LA under LA Law Firm, then under Sta.Monica, they will have LA lawyer Esq., something like that. Is that really okay in local listing? I also see some listing under same business name but different addresses, like what you have in your illustration. I'm freakin confuse on such listings.. Even though they have different listings they still rank on no.1 position. They are really dominating the search result.

BTW, I have actually bookmarked David Mihm's website. Thanks to vangogh and to you too.


I think that's a key point that gets missed a lot in all of this. You and I might easily figure out that ABC Co. and A.B.C Co are the same, but to a search engine they're 2 completely different entities.

If you would have an ABC Co. listing in two different places would that be a hindrance for you to rank in local search? Please bear with me if I sound weird in asking all these things. Thank you for all the help!

vangogh
10-22-2012, 11:10 PM
If you would have an ABC Co. listing in two different places would that be a hindrance for you to rank in local search?

There's an added difficulty, because now you're trying to promote two things instead of one. Your efforts are then split and you have to put that much more effort in to get the same results you would have gotten by putting it all into one site.

cobase
10-23-2012, 12:10 PM
Some people are motivated to exploit every possible advantage. It's somewhat desperate, but effective.

Be careful when getting too cute/tricky with Google; you can be absolutely sure they are aware of what people are doing to game the system. Right now they are probably working on the next algorithm to weed out these people from search results, and once you go down the path of gaming the system, you're pretty much stuck standing out as someone who is spammy. That's why both Panda and Penguin (Google's last 2 algorithms) caused many websites to drop dramatically in ranking overnight. Those sites were gaming the system and they got burned; many have not recovered. And I can guarantee you it will continue to happen.

Harold Mansfield
10-23-2012, 01:42 PM
Getting listed in Local search is incredibly easy. No tricks needed. Just create a profile in Google places. Your zip code is the trigger.
Google (http://www.google.com/places/)

Back that up with a G+ profile and your location information on your website and you're done. Now work on your SEO as always.

dianecoleen
10-29-2012, 07:17 PM
@Vangogh Let's assume that the business just wants to own a listing on that different place so in case when someone would search on a firm specifically on that area there will chances of appearing in search result. Although the one that they will prioritize to market was the original location and the other location will only be considered a branch or satellite offices so consumers from that specific place can get in touch and be close enough with the firm. Anyway, I have actually seen lots of firm doing that and they are really competitive in terms of ranking their local listings.

@cobase, just wondering if there are also algorithm in local search?

@Harold Mansfield, thanks for reiterating the process. Though I'm more concern about the considerations on how to rank on local search.

Harold Mansfield
10-29-2012, 07:34 PM
@Harold Mansfield, thanks for reiterating the process. Though I'm more concern about the considerations on how to rank on local search.

Check this out. It's not as complex as you are making it out to be.
Local Search Ranking Factors | Local SEO Best Practices for Ranking in Google +Local (http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml)

dianecoleen
10-29-2012, 07:49 PM
Thank you @Harold. Been reading and experimenting on it for a couple of weeks. Had a very busy week. :)

Tyrant
05-19-2013, 05:41 PM
I would not recommend trying to trick Google's verification system, if you are caught doing that you can certainly expect them to affect your ranking in a negative way.

dianecoleen
06-24-2013, 06:19 PM
I would not recommend trying to trick Google's verification system, if you are caught doing that you can certainly expect them to affect your ranking in a negative way.

Thank you for the additional comment Tyrant. And I'm glad that some of our businesses so far were listed and verified to Google local listing. I already connected this to our G+ local page.