So I just want to keep everyone updated here on the test we are running at the recommendation of
@whitespark and they (Darren) are generously offering their keyword reporting tool to take our initial snapshot ranking of the service area keyword phrases.
I'm going to continue sharing updates here on this test because:
1) I think it's important and valuable for everyone interested in this topic to be kept up to date
2) I feel like I need transparency on the debate that led us here in the first place... (read by through the thread if you need to get caught up...)
Let me give you a summary of what's happening here:
The debate: I disagree with the statement that "adding service areas to your GMB has zero impact on your rankings in those defined service areas." I believe that adding service areas to your GMB, along with having sufficient amounts of location authority, can in fact drive rankings and productivity for the GMB in those defined services areas.
Contrary to my belief is what seems to be the more popular belief that adding service areas to your GMB has zero impact and zero influence on your rankings, presence, and productivity in those additionally added service areas.
At the core of this test is the goal to see if we can either prove, or disprove, the idea that adding service areas has zero influence on rankings and presence in those service areas.
My belief is that adding service areas to your GMB does in fact have an impact and can in fact influence your rankings and presence in those service areas... if and only if you have enough location authority to fuel your rankings at those surrounding services areas defined in your GMB.
A counter statement made to my statement was that if a business is in fact ranking within those outer-lying areas defined as surrounding service areas, then it's because the GMB simply has enough location authority to rank in those service areas -- and that with a sufficient amount of location authority, the GMB would be ranking in those areas with or without the service areas defined in the GMB.
The Test: So the plan is to generate some empirical data to see if we can bring clarity to this debate.
So we are taking two of our client's data where, over a year ago or so, I added a lot of surrounding service area zip codes, counties, and cities to the service area sections within their GMB's.
With the help, and generous offer, from Whitespark, we are going to first take a snapshop of the rankings for targeted keyword phrases within all of the defined service areas.
I sent the keyword phrases to Darren this morning so Whitespark now has them and I am waiting to be added to their keyword tool so I can likewise view their data.
I already have a custom Google My Business Insights reporting tool, so I'm going to be able to see the comparative impact of insights such as phone calls, views in search, views in maps, website visits, direct and indirect searches, etc...
Also, we already have over 1 year of keyword ranking data for both of these locations and for the targeted keyword phrases respective to each defined service area. And we have initial ranking data - pre-service area expansion - going back nearly 3 years.
So I'm excited to see Whitespark's local keyword ranking data and accuracy to compare to our data.
Then, once we (myself and my team) have verified and validated the ranking data from Whitespark, I will proceed to remove all of the surrounding service areas from our client's two GMB service areas --- so in essence, these locations will be taken down to just the locations where their business is verified.
The results: to put it simply, if we remove the surrounding service areas from the GMB's and see a substantial decrease in rankings and productivity, then it may be sufficient to say that adding service areas DOES in fact influence the rankings, presence, and productivity of a GMB in those defined service areas.
If we remove the surrounding service areas from the GMB's and we do NOT see a substantial decrease in rankings and productivity, then it may be sufficient to say that adding service areas to the GMB does NOT have any impact on the influence of rankings, presence, and productivity of that GMB.
Final thoughts: I think this is an extremely important test for us to work through. Not only will this help contribute to all us having a better understanding of the impact and influence of defined service areas, but regardless of which way the pendulum swings (so to speak) we should all be more empowered in our strategies and approaches to optimizing businesses in surrounding markets -- i.e. markets where businesses do not have verified locations.
Along with my appreciation to Darren at Whitespark for presenting the idea to test this thing out and offering his keyword ranking tool, I also want to thank
@JoyHawkins for this forum as a place where this debate and test can unfold.
Data being used in this test: For those who are interested, here's the initial list of keyword phrases being used for the initial rankings. Again, once we confirm and verify the initial rankings, I will proceed with removing service areas from the GMB's of the two locations.
Location #1 keyword list:
|
landscapers athens ga |
lawn care athens ga |
lawn maintenance athens ga |
lawn service 30011 |
lawn service 30511 |
lawn service 30529 |
lawn service 30530 |
lawn service 30547 |
lawn service 30549 |
lawn service 30558 |
lawn service 30565 |
lawn service 30567 |
lawn service 30599 |
lawn service 30601 |
lawn service 30602 |
lawn service 30603 |
lawn service 30604 |
lawn service 30605 |
lawn service 30606 |
lawn service 30607 |
lawn service 30608 |
lawn service 30609 |
lawn service 30612 |
lawn service 30619 |
lawn service 30620 |
lawn service 30621 |
lawn service 30627 |
lawn service 30628 |
lawn service 30629 |
lawn service 30630 |
lawn service 30633 |
lawn service 30638 |
lawn service 30645 |
lawn service 30646 |
lawn service 30647 |
lawn service 30648 |
lawn service 30666 |
lawn service 30667 |
lawn service 30671 |
lawn service 30677 |
lawn service 30680 |
lawn service 30683 |
lawn service arcade ga |
lawn service arnoldsville ga |
lawn service athens ga |
lawn service baldwin ga |
lawn service banks county ga |
lawn service barrow county ga |
lawn service bethlehem ga |
lawn service bishop ga |
lawn service carl ga |
lawn service carlton ga |
lawn service clarke county ga |
lawn service colbert ga |
lawn service comer ga |
lawn service commerce ga |
lawn service crawford ga |
lawn service danielsville ga |
lawn service homer ga |
lawn service hoschton ga |
lawn service hull ga |
lawn service ila ga |
lawn service jackson county ga |
lawn service jefferson ga |
lawn service lexington ga |
lawn service madison county ga |
lawn service maxeys ga |
lawn service maysville ga |
lawn service nicholson ga |
lawn service north high shoals ga |
lawn service oconee county ga |
lawn service oglethorpe county ga |
lawn service pendergrass ga |
lawn service russell ga |
lawn service statham ga |
lawn service talmo ga |
lawn service watkinsville ga |
lawn service winder ga |
lawn service winterville ga |
Location #2 keyword list:
garbage pickup athens ga |
garbage removal athens ga |
trash pickup 30601 |
trash pickup 30602 |
trash pickup 30603 |
trash pickup 30604 |
trash pickup 30605 |
trash pickup 30606 |
trash pickup 30607 |
trash pickup 30608 |
trash pickup 30609 |
trash pickup 30612 |
trash pickup 30619 |
trash pickup 30621 |
trash pickup 30627 |
trash pickup 30628 |
trash pickup 30629 |
trash pickup 30630 |
trash pickup 30633 |
trash pickup 30638 |
trash pickup 30645 |
trash pickup 30646 |
trash pickup 30647 |
trash pickup 30648 |
trash pickup 30667 |
trash pickup 30671 |
trash pickup 30677 |
trash pickup 30683 |
trash pickup arnoldsville ga |
trash pickup athens ga |
trash pickup barrow county ga |
trash pickup bishop ga |
trash pickup carlton ga |
trash pickup clarke county ga |
trash pickup colbert ga |
trash pickup comer ga |
trash pickup crawford ga |
trash pickup danielsville ga |
trash pickup homer ga |
trash pickup hull ga |
trash pickup ila ga |
trash pickup jackson county ga |
trash pickup jefferson ga |
trash pickup lexington ga |
trash pickup madison county ga |
trash pickup maxeys ga |
trash pickup north high shoals ga |
trash pickup oconee county ga |
trash pickup oglethorpe county ga |
trash pickup watkinsville ga |
trash pickup winder ga |
trash pickup winterville ga |
Also, stay tuned by following this thread as I plan on sharing as much information as I can as the test proceeds.
Bobby