Setting up a ranking test, any suggestions?

[JacksonPowell1]

Hello all,

Currently my company uses different tracking phone numbers on all of our different web listings, in order to get the most accurate data about where the calls are coming from. So we have a different number for Yelp, GMB, our website, and so on. I am planning a test to see if making the numbers consistent will have any impact on local rankings.

I plan to use whitespark local rank tracker to track the rankings, and to run the test for two months. Is there anything that I should definitely do or not do to get the most accurate information? Has anyone here ever done this test before?

Thanks,
Jackson

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Hey @JacksonPowell1 we've been using call tracking across dozens of businesses over the last couple years and have not seen it hurt ranking. Still curious to see what you find out.

Question for you: Do you add the tracking numbers to the "additional phone number" field in GMB?

 

[JacksonPowell1]

We do add them to GMB in the "additional" field. I'm really trying to test how consistency of the "P" variable in NAP affects rankings. NA are the same everywhere, phones numbers are different everywhere. You've seen that not affect things negatively?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

As long as the numbers are in GMB you should be fine. With that said I love testing and I am really curious to see what you discover.

 

[Yan Gilbert]

There is thread where Josh Gill did some rank testing for citations. It might be useful to go through.

Citations not indexed - Local Search Forum

My thoughts are that if you add as an additional phone number, Google will see that as a match and all will be good.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Hey @JacksonPowell1 we've been using call tracking across dozens of businesses over the last couple years and have not seen it hurt ranking. Still curious to see what you find out.

Question for you: Do you add the tracking numbers to the "additional phone number" field in GMB?

Colan, I think he is talking about using a separate number for Facebook, then YP, then Yelp, etc.

I know you have been using GMB call tracking but have hou guys have been doing different numbers for all major listings over the past few years?

Hello all,

Currently my company uses different tracking phone numbers on all of our different web listings, in order to get the most accurate data about where the calls are coming from. So we have a different number for Yelp, GMB, our website, and so on. I am planning a test to see if making the numbers consistent will have any impact on local rankings.

I plan to use whitespark local rank tracker to track the rankings, and to run the test for two months. Is there anything that I should definitely do or not do to get the most accurate information? Has anyone here ever done this test before?

Thanks,
Jackson

Timeframe is important. Even 2 months might not be long enough to see the effects. With that in mind, I would make sure the changes are indexed relatively quickly. Since it's the major sites it sounds like, that shouldn't be an issue I wouldn't think. But I'd double check it.

Also, I'd watch organic ranking. If organic ranking goes up or down, that will affect maps as well. Need to account for that.

I'd also account for any new Google reviews gotten in that time.

It would also be best not to touch the website to test well.

Same for backlinks.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

I know you have been using GMB call tracking but have hou guys have been doing different numbers for all major listings over the past few years?

For Yelp and Facebook, yes we have.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

For Yelp and Facebook, yes we have.

Good to know, thanks!