Does Merging your G+ Local and Business Page Result in Increased Ranking

[JoyHawkins]

So clearly there are a lot of bugs/issues to do with merging your G+ Local listing and G+ Business page. What I'm wondering is if anyone has noticed an increase in ranking after merging the 2? I would think that since content is so crucial to ranking on Google that the information from the posts + videos (which are non-existent on the local page without the merge) would definitely have a positive impact.

Has anyone tested this?

 

[Linda Buquet]

I'd be interested in hearing feedback about this too Joy.

I've read several posts in the Google forum, in fact just replied to one today that way after I merged I LOST my ranking. Don't recall anyone ever saying it helped. But you are right, it should, you'd think due to the ability to add fresh content.

I'll Tweet and see if we can get any insights from folks.

 

[Simon James]

I haven't tested it yet, but I would be willing to bet hard cash that if you post some relevant content and videos, it will help considerably.
Certainly generating targeted content will help with your natural listings, and should help you rank for long tail phrases that don't initiate places listings in blended search.

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

I'd love to get the answer to this myself. I too would have to agree that the new merged listing would do better long term (assuming you are posting updates, photos, videos, etc. on a regular basis).

Travis Van Slooten

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Our company Google+ Local page has gone up about 600 impressions/month since merging. That's the only feedback I have to share.

Linda, what type of effect did merging your listings have?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hmmm, good question, no idea. Just checked and no change really. I'm in a very small town and of course Internet marketing and SEO type keywords do not show in local usually, so my page would not be a good example of anything anyway.

 

[makanth]

I tried merging G+ Local and Business page with three clients in my company. For one client impressions got doubled and ranks improved, for second client I didn?t observe any improvements in impressions and ranks, for third client after merging I lost all G+ local analytic data & reviews and it showing G+ local analytic data from the day merged code activated. Now I am in confusion whether to apply merge or not for remaining clients.