Best to use Landing Page or Home Page

[Mike Simmons]

I do agree with the one site advice, for sure...here's a question which will probably show my lack of knowledge, but that's never stopped me before, and I find I learn a lot more anyway :

I am setting up a landing page for my own listing, as a test--so, when I build citations, should I use the landing page URL, or my main site?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Business With 2 Locations: One Website or Two Websites - What's The Best Approach

Hey Mike, welcome. And all Qs are welcome too. That's how we ALL learn!

Citations ideally should usually go to home page which is usually the link you'd add to the G+ Local page. So what link are you going to put there?

If you ask which SHOULD I put there, it depends a little on situation however in MOST cases I would recommend the home page as it's typically going to be the easiest to rank well and is the place any natural backlinks you may have are likely to point to. So IMO you'd have to have a pretty good reason to link G+L to a landing page rather than home. But again it depends and I know a few situations where it could make sense, but I'd normally advise against it.

 

[Mike Simmons]

Re: Business With 2 Locations: One Website or Two Websites - What's The Best Approach

Hey Linda, thanks for the quick reply..yes, life is a learning process anyway--never seems to stop.

OK, so I have been doing a lot of research--I have done a few G Places for clients, but just a few, web design has been my main focus. I have had pretty good luck with ranking, but as I said, that only involves a couple sites in G Places.

In my research, I have come across a course that I had bought 6 months ago--just read it now , and other posts in forums, that say that linking your G+ page to an optimized landing page has been very effective...I've kinda been thinking to use a sub domain rather than a sub directory......now you are telling me that a landing page is not as desirable as just using your main domain url...hmmm.

I wasn't quite sure I got it though, which is why I am here ...I was thinking, ok, I use a landing page for the G+ page, then which site/url do I build citations to, and do I build other links to both the LP and the main site?.......

I know that you have a ton of experience with G+ Local (Places), etc...so your opinion carries a lot of weight....so landing pages that are better optimized still are not as good as just using your main site for your Google Local listing? For ex., my main website that I am using, there really isn't even a way to put much content on the home page--the theme is not designed that way.......

thanks,

Mike

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Business With 2 Locations: One Website or Two Websites - What's The Best Approach

Mike since you posted in another consultant's thread that was about a totally different topic "Business With 2 Locations: One Website or Two Websites" and now your issue is getting more involved, I'm splitting it off to it's own thread so as not to take Travis's thread off topic.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Business With 2 Locations: One Website or Two Websites - What's The Best Approach

In my research, I have come across a course that I had bought 6 months ago--just read it now , and other posts in forums, that say that linking your G+ page to an optimized landing page has been very effective...I've kinda been thinking to use a sub domain rather than a sub directory......now you are telling me that a landing page is not as desirable as just using your main domain url...hmmm.

There are courses that recommend all kinds of stuff, some of it questionable and in some courses guideline violations are even recommended - so you need to be careful.

So you know how Google is dinging for over-optimization and all kinds of SEO tricks? Well the most normal natural scenario for a REAL, LEGIT business is they link to their home page. That's normal.

Now in cases where lets say it's a big multi-location chain, you'd do a landing page for each location. That would be normal.

Or lets say if the home page was flash and could not be well optimized you'd maybe do a landing page.

But just to do a landing page to try to boost ranking 'could' be seen as over-optimization.

Plus as I said the home page is just naturally going to be the easiest to rank.

But as I also said there are exceptions. If for some very odd reason you can't add content to home or optimize home then I guess you would need to do a home page.

I have seen inner pages rank. I've even done it. And I've even recommended to some pros I know the idea of testing a subdomain page in a certain way that I know would get killer rankings. BUT it's over-optimization which these days is risky SO you have to weigh the risks.

Also depends on the city and competition. If it's not intense, why risk it? Just optimize home if you can.
If you REALLY know how to do on-site REALLY WELL specifically for local, you'll rank super high.
But if you can't really can't optimize home, which sounds kinda weird, then I guess you don't have a choice.

Sorry, I know it's not black and white, but there are seldom absolutes. It always depends on the situation.

Anyway those are my thoughts but there are a dozen ways to cut it.
Hopefully others will wiegh in with their opinions.

 

[WineCountryCarpetCleaning]

I do agree with the one site advice, for sure...here's a question which will probably show my lack of knowledge, but that's never stopped me before, and I find I learn a lot more anyway :

I am setting up a landing page for my own listing, as a test--so, when I build citations, should I use the landing page URL, or my main site?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

Not totally understanding your motives here, but IME the only reason to link g+ to a landing page is to try and preserving an organic ranking from being blended into the local results. This can work in a really soft SERP. If it is competitive and has much traffic the g+ link is a good source of trust for the organic ranking itself, IME this trust can be the difference between a stable top three ranking and an endless google dance.

If you are trying to create a landing page that will somehow disguise your location forget it, that is not going to work.

Good luck man, I should add that this is all just my experience, I do not do local search as a business and i probably know less than a fraction of what some of these other posters know.

 

[Dave]

I agree with Linda, but as she said there are a lot of caveats which could suggest an alternative to the home page.

General rule IMHO = home page, but clearly there are numerous situations where that might not be the best case. The alternatives are potentially many, and I think Linda referenced quite a few of them.

My experience and $0.02

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Dave!

If it is competitive and has much traffic the g+ link is a good source of trust for the organic ranking itself, IME this trust can be the difference between a stable top three ranking and an endless google dance.

Really like that line. I may steal it. And it applies in lots of situations. Trust is a very important ranking signal in local.

 

[Mike Simmons]

Re: Business With 2 Locations: One Website or Two Websites - What's The Best Approach

There are courses that recommend all kinds of stuff, some of it questionable and in some courses guideline violations are even recommended - so you need to be careful.

So you know how Google is dinging for over-optimization and all kinds of SEO tricks? Well the most normal natural scenario for a REAL, LEGIT business is they link to their home page. That's normal.

But just to do a landing page to try to boost ranking 'could' be seen as over-optimization.

Plus as I said the home page is just naturally going to be the easiest to rank.

But as I also said there are exceptions. If for some very odd reason you can't add content to home or optimize home then I guess you would need to do a home page.

But if you can't really can't optimize home, which sounds kinda weird, then I guess you don't have a choice.

Sorry, I know it's not black and white, but there are seldom absolutes. It always depends on the situation.

Hey Linda,

Thanks for your reply, and to the others that chimed in...

Well, I may have to switch themes to do much home page optimization, as the one I am using, as weird as it sounds, pretty much only has the options for the home page to use theme widgets--so it has a slider with some info...and a couple in the lower section--testimonial and recent projects....I could use text widgets but it doesn't look very good.

Anyway, I have seen quite a few WP themes that are similar--not really made for much home content...so, I'll have to consider things here--it's my own consulting site, like the way it looks, but for doing on-page for the home page, not the best.

I am not looking to game G, or anything like that, and I know about not believing everything that you read in courses......

Yes, this are no absolutes in this whole existence...and especially in doing anything that involves Google and such.

thanks again,

Mike