Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Tip

[JoyHawkins]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Yeah there isn't much you can do if you've already closed it. I don't close them anymore when I run across them. I just minimize them like Linda stated.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Ahhh good point Joy. Just minimize and don't close.

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Leaving non closed places on the map just perpetuates bad data. I'm still not convinced there is direct causal link between Closing a practitioner and negative ranking for the main feature. I don't doubt there are residual effects but those can be explained as normal parts of what Google expects that opening a closed practicioner means the feature is located there and someone screwed up by closing it.

 

[Charlie Needham]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Very informative thread, and I believe I have a data point to contribute.

I have a client that is in a similar situation. He expanded his business into another location (seperate city) that he bought out (took over completely, new branding, etc.) but kept their old number and obviously has the same address. The listing for the old business that was there is labeled as closed, and I sincerely believe it's holding back his new business. His other, original business ranks fantastic locally.

Unfortunately, it isn't a Dr or lawyer office so I don't believe I have the ability to "minimize" the listing as it was suggested above (changing the URL to not compete with the same page, etc.). Any advice for such a situation?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Unfortunately, it isn't a Dr or lawyer office so I don't believe I have the ability to "minimize" the listing as it was suggested above (changing the URL to not compete with the same page, etc.). Any advice for such a situation?

But if they rebranded isn't the site/URL already different? If so, that part of minimizing is already done.

How does it rank organically for "city keyword"? Because the ranking could in part be due to the site if it's either new or a new location page just getting indexed.

So if organic ranking is low, can't really say for sure it's the closed listing causing the problem.

So name is different but address and phone are the same? Phone is likely the clincher.

 

[Charlie Needham]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

But if they rebranded isn't the site/URL already different? If so, that part of minimizing is already done.

How does it rank organically for "city keyword"? Because the ranking could in part be due to the site if it's either new or a new location page just getting indexed.

So if organic ranking is low, can't really say for sure it's the closed listing causing the problem.

So name is different but address and phone are the same? Phone is likely the clincher.

You are right about the URL change, that should have done some minimizing. Brain must have turned off while writing my original post.

I have a call with said client coming up this Thursday. I will suggest an experiment with a number change. With that said however, I wonder how much I'll be able to glean from it when all of a sudden his number doesn't match with all of the other NAP information we've built.

Do you believe it would be essential for me to do a NAP clean up for the new number we experiment with? I suppose any movement would be a positive signal in that regard.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

I would not change phone. At least not yet.

I said: "How does it rank organically for "city keyword"? Because the ranking could in part be due to the site if it's either new or a new location page just getting indexed.

So if organic ranking is low, can't really say for sure it's the closed listing causing the problem."

So I'm not even sure the closed listing is the problem. Don't have enough info and would probably need to see listings.

BUT even if we were sure I'm not sure changing #s makes sense.

Google could fix this tomorrow, then you broke/changed NAP for no reason.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Charlie,

The problem with your case is that it is technically a new business. I wouldn't expect the "ranking juice" of the old location to pass to this one if it's a totally new website, new business name, new owners. Normally I find it takes around 6 months for a new business to rank anywhere good on Google. I would anticipate that's the case for your client here. What would help that timeline is a good, aggressive citation building campaign.

 

[nerboda]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Now, what about other duplicate local citations that are marked "closed"? Does anyone know if these can hurt rankings?

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Joy, do you still see this as a prevalent issue?

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Josh, I can say it's still happening. Had the problem three weeks ago..

 

[JoyHawkins]

Re: Can "Closed" Google Local Listings Kill Ranking? Important New Troubleshooting Ti

Yes I definitely do.