Ranking Reports - How to report with SERP's changing so much?!

[zurron]

Hey guys,

I am getting very mixed results here between clients, so would love some feedback if you have any better ideas for me.

Firstly, can you rank both 1st organically and 1st on local on a blended page?

Now, we have a client who was #1 organically last month (above blended maps). And is now 100+ organically, but #2 on a blended maps. Surely because Google are showing the Maps result, they are dropping the organic result instead of having top 2 spots?

Either way, how would you report on this to the client?

1. Would you say it's just a blanket ranking result of 1st to 2nd? I feel this is a little misleading to the client though.

2. Compare organic and local individually? So, down 100+ spots organically and up 100+ spots locally? I feel this makes the results look bad when they are actually excellent.

3. Any other ideas?

Would appreciate any feedback! Thanks in advance.

Daniel

 

[sergiuliano]

Hi Daniel,


My suggestion is to Report the exact position as all results were organic results, and specify to the client that it is a blended result.

it will pe something like Google Position: 4 , ( 1st on blended results )

you could use different icons in your report which will show which are organic and which are blended results.

 

[zurron]

Hey sergiuliano,

Thanks for your quick reply.

My only issue with that approach is it might be misleading with Google changing their SERP's each month and make good results look bad!

 

[DarrenW]

Hey Zurron,

First off, yes, you can rank in both the maps and organically, I would say you want to make sure the client is well versed on how unpredictable (especially in local) Google can be...if it helps, provide links to some articles that underline this.

A drop of #1 to #100 sounds like something you might want to look into as it seems quite dramatic. Has the ranking been steady in previous months? How has the traffic been affected (or effected?? English lesson please?)

I like Sergiulianos approach, highlighting the 2 separate rankings, have you been hired to improve both metrics?

Overall, if the client knows a little about how Google works (don't we all ) and you have been doing all the right things up till now, a few drops can be worked out as long as you have a plan and have an idea of why something has happened.

Honesty & communication is ALWAYS the best/only way IMO

 

[Linda Buquet]

Firstly, can you rank both 1st organically and 1st on local on a blended page?

Now, we have a client who was #1 organically last month (above blended maps). And is now 100+ organically, but #2 on a blended maps. Surely because Google are showing the Maps result, they are dropping the organic result instead of having top 2 spots?

It's possible to get 2 spots on page one 2 different ways.

1) If you know how and try to you can get both the organic and blended and get a double #1 or at least 2 on page one. But not by accident. Have to know what you are doing and be very good at it and it requires a couple special tricks to make it happen.

2) If Google switches your KWs and starts showing the old pack algo and you have a strong organic and strong local both listings will show.

But in your case it sounds like what happened is the blended local replaced the organic. So he did not actually drop 100 in organic at all. His #2 blended is only possible because he ranked so high organically. When his organic and local listings came together it resulted in a #2. And if #1 in blended happens to be an EMD or is a business that has city in their name, that's why they outrank you.

I would not report the -100 as it's not relevant.

You could spin it positive by explaining now he's #2 in Local which is good because it's more visible, adds the map marker, G+ page and reviews.

 

[Marie Haynes]

So Linda, the obvious question then is what the trick is to getting a double on page 1. Are you talking about getting the same page to rank both organically and locally? Or is the trick getting a second page to rank organically?

To the OP, if you have dropped from first page to 100+ organically then I would be worried that a penalty of some type is in play. I have seen sites with Penguin or Panda or manual unnatural links issues that have been penalized organically but their local rankings remain untouched.

 

[Matt Justice]

If you live and die by SERPs, you're going to be facing an uphill battle forever.

Change your metrics... educate the clients to care about inbound leads, not a ranking change from week to week.

It's a different conversation to have when it's, "oh there's only been 42 calls this month, it seems kinda slow." Oh really? And each client is worth 7k on avg with an 8% close rate, and you were getting how many leads from the internet before working with me?

Yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.....

 

[Nick.SEOSpark]

So Linda, the obvious question then is what the trick is to getting a double on page 1. Are you talking about getting the same page to rank both organically and locally? Or is the trick getting a second page to rank organically?

Yes, that is along the right lines. Essentially, optimising an inner page and using that to rank in organic. See this thread where we had a really good discussion about this.

http://localsearchforum.catalystema...ranking/5180-double-ranking-organic-maps.html

 

[Linda Buquet]

So Linda, the obvious question then is what the trick is to getting a double on page 1. Are you talking about getting the same page to rank both organically and locally? Or is the trick getting a second page to rank organically?

Sorry Marie, I meant to answer and give you the link Nick just did, so thanks Nick!
But the answer is 2nd page.