Changing GMB website from Facebook page to new website

[Grabgooglesgoogles]

Hi all!

I've recently started working with a local gastropub in Spain. They've had their Facebook page linked to from GMB as their website for several years, and the FB has several links and citations built around it.

They get lots of activity via GMB, with 500 +/- actions per month.

They've just had a new website built for the first time, and my question is how to manage the link change over to a website instead of the FB page (in GMB panel). I don't want their search appearances and traffic to tank because of it, and obviously need to work on building up some citations and links around the website first.

Can anybody with experience of making this change comment from their experience and give any helpful advice? Timeframes/link & citation levels necessary/things to take into account?

Am I essentially waiting for the website to have more authority than the FB page? Is there also a time factor included as its a new website aside from this? Are there other things at play?

Thanks in advance!

Jack

 

[Grabgooglesgoogles]

Hmm, and does anybody think that an appropriate way to judge which has the higher authority, would be seeing which appears highest organically for branded searches?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Hi @Grabgooglesgoogles Keep in mind that using a social media page as the GMB website is not compliant according to the guidelines. Historically Google has gone back and forth on whether or not this is allowed but according to the current guidelines it isn't.

I would switch it out to the actual website sooner than later. There's a chance that rankings might be impacted but it's the logical thing to do as part of a sustainable, long-term strategy.

I think your idea about looking to see what ranks higher for a branded search is a good one.

 

[Lluc]

Hi @Grabgooglesgoogles

Does the new website have a menu page? You could test adding the menu page in GMB first...

I agree with Colan, in the long term you want to have the websites URL in GMB.

Bear in mind the seasonality of the business, you might not want to make those changes during the summer season, which should allow you to build some links and citations to the new website.

Does the website have the business schema markup?

Saludos!

 

[Grabgooglesgoogles]

Thanks for your feedback guys, I appreciate it.

I get that it might go against guidelines which I'm not keen to do, however I'll have to bend the rules and leave it a while, as I can't justify making a change which may result in significantly lower local traffic, albeit for a short(ish) period of time. It could be very expensive!

I'll do citations and some links and then go for it, probably watching the SERP authority against the FB page. Of course I want the website on there, I just want to manage the change as best as possible.

And yes, I've already linked to the website menu from the GMB page! localBusiness schema markup is already deployed on homepage too, although this month I need to finish the menu markup.

It'll be the first time I've done menu markup- does anybody have a good resource to follow along to (with code!)?

Thanks again guys.

Jack

 

[chadkimball]

I'd wait to make this change until the site has more authority. It is likely your client will lose rankings (aka money) when you make the switch if the site is low authority. And your client probably doesn't care about google's guidelines.

 

[Grabgooglesgoogles]

Hi @Grabgooglesgoogles Keep in mind that using a social media page as the GMB website is not compliant according to the guidelines. Historically Google has gone back and forth on whether or not this is allowed but according to the current guidelines it isn't.

Colan, does this mean I can report the competition for doing this? I'd say at least 40% of the competition use FB pages as website in our local area.

 

[Grabgooglesgoogles]

I'd wait to make this change until the site has more authority. It is likely your client will lose rankings (aka money) when you make the switch if the site is low authority. And your client probably doesn't care about google's guidelines.

Yeah that's my take on it.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Colan, does this mean I can report the competition for doing this? I'd say at least 40% of the competition use FB pages as website in our local area.

Yes you can.

 

[vinchenson]

Yes you can.

Hey Colan, do you mind sharing the link of the google's form you use when you report a listing that is not following google's guidelines? I don't find anything for reporting the webpage that is listed. Thanks.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Here you go - Business Redressal Complaint Form - Google My Business Help

 

[vinchenson]

Here you go - Business Redressal Complaint Form - Google My Business Help

Thanks!