New office, new name, new website

[Joe D]

Ok, I have an existing Google+ Local page. Not merged yet I don't think. I did a little optimization a year back, citations etc. Was showing up pretty well when my website got hit by Penguin and rankings fell for Places as well as organic.

A year later my rankings haven't yet survived. I did set up a new website and this time taking care not to get penalized (hopefully). Organic rankings are good.

I just opened a new office closer to downtown of my city. I still have my old office for now, but it will only be by appointment. So my question is:

Should I close my old listing. Create a new listing, with a new name (which I've wanted to do before anyway), and new underlying website? Or just edit the old one?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Should I close my old listing. Create a new listing, with a new name (which I've wanted to do before anyway), and new underlying website? Or just edit the old one?

Hi Joseph,

Based on the info that you provided, you need to create a new G+ Local page for the new location, since it sounds like it's a different business (new name).

Only minor edits to name changes are permitted. Anything beyond that needs to have a new page created and the old one marked closed.


https://support.google.com/mapmaker/answer/1096113?hl=en&ref_topic=2889732#name

 

[Linda Buquet]

Colan is right about the name.

But need to warn you if you start fresh with new everything, new name, new site, new location, new Place page it could take months to rank.

Now if you have other solid reasons for moving and renaming and have carefully thought it through or must, due to trademark dispute or something, then that's one thing.

So you have carefully evaluated the name change? Made sure no trademark conflicts? Will get a new DBA, new checking account, redo all your business cards? Change any other business licenses you may have?

I ask because some folks don't understand the ramifications and how very difficult it is to change everything and how it affects Google rankings. They change name to something as casually as changing a title tag or tag line, just to try to boost Google rankings and end up shooting themselves in the foot.

If organic rankings are good, I'd at least keep that part steady as new domains are harder to rank. But could be the name change would require a different domain too, depending on the situation.

 

[Joe D]

Thanks! Makes a lot of sense