Warning: Multiple Websites Cause Problems with Google+ Local

[a11c]

Having multiple websites in existence for the same location can cause problems on Google local with incorrect URLs appearing on the listing. When these situations occur, support is unable to help resolve the issue as detailed below.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Multiple Websites and Google+

(NOTE: Copied from other post where it was kinda buried. Thought really important & deserved it's own thread.)

Whoa Alex, that's the 1st time I've seen or heard of that.

It makes sense in a way, knowing how the algo works. PLUS it explains some other problems I've seen. For instance with franchises, hotels, Insurance agencies, etc. Often if there is a site a consultant is working with for client, the URL gets overwritten by the corp or franchise site.

It also reinforces what I always tell consulting clients, especially attorneys who often have multiple sites and aggressive marketing strategies.

"Many business owners have a "divide and conquer" mentality - thinking the more sites the better.
In Google Local the best strategy is "United We Stand".

One site, one NAP identity. All authority, link building and marketing effort focused on one strong Internet presence."

 

[Linda Buquet]

Alex, could you do me/us a favor?

Would you copy that email in text here (skipping client name) so we have it if we need to copy and paste the advice for clients or want to quote it in other help threads?

FYI moved Sean's post about a different subject to new thread here:
http://localsearchforum.catalystema...t/7088-ranks-1-organic-dropped-out-local.html

 

[a11c]

Hi Linda,

Unfortunately, I no longer have access to that email account.

I uploaded the image to Google docs in hopes the Google OCR can transcribe the image into words. Thank you Google

"Hi there,
Thanks for getting in touch about the official website on yourBUSINESS NAMEInc business listing. It looks like the website you submitted is one of multiple official websites for yourlocation across the Web. If multiple websites exist for your business, we will not be able to moderate your preferred website onto the business listing. If you want to ensure that your preferred website appears on the listing, you should make sure it is the only official website for your business across the Web.

Thanks for your understanding and patience.

Warm Regards.

Sandy M.
The Google Local Team"

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Alex, you rock. That's easier to read too!
Off to Tweet it.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Alex, I came across the same response a few weeks ago:

Hi there,Thank you for contacting Google+ Local about your business listing. It looks like the website you submitted is one of multiple official websites for your location across the Web. If multiple websites exist for your business, we will not be able to moderate your preferred website onto the business listing. If you want to ensure that your preferred website appears on the listing, you should make sure it is the only official website for your business across the Web.

The client that I was working on in this case has 2 URL's for their website. One that was created by corporate and one that he purchased at some point.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I've seen this message several times too.

 

[Lloyd Silver]

Interesting thread. Question regarding this quote from the previous post.

If you want to ensure that your preferred website appears on the listing, you should make sure it is the only official website for your business across the Web.

This implies it's okay to have multiple websites for a business, but you need to have one "official website" for a business.

That begs the question, of course, as to what defines an "official website".

For me, I assume that if all of my citations, review sites, GMB page, etc. consistently refer to my "main" website, and I mark up that website appropriately with schema, that this should define it as "official".

But this is definitely something that concerns me as I use multiple sites with clients quite frequently for a variety of reasons although always consider one of their sites as the "official".

 

[Linda Buquet]

Lloyd I'm pretty sure they mean only one site period.

What I've always told clients that want separate niche sites or Adwords sites or whatever, is that those sites cannot have spider readable NAP. NAP in images only. Then Google can't get confused and swap links and link up the wrong site and mess up your rankings for the main site.

 

[accessted]

Thanks for this info.

If I am reading this correctly, this means that you should not have 2 different websites in your Google + profile. Is this correct? If so how would you get 2 websites with Markup? Have 2 different Google + accounts? What about if you own 2 different URL's and have contributor to for both of them. Would that be a red flag also?

 

[Linda Buquet]

If I am reading this correctly, this means that you should not have 2 different websites in your Google + profile. Is this correct? If so how would you get 2 websites with Markup? Have 2 different Google + accounts? What about if you own 2 different URL's and have contributor to for both of them. Would that be a red flag also?

Profiles and publisher mark up is something totally different.

This info is only regarding your Google My Business listing (Google Place page).

 

[accessted]

Thanks,

I just needed some reassurance

 

[Linda Buquet]

Sorry that was short reply. Was fighting to get a training video uploaded.

So what I mean is you could have multiple sites linked to your profile, if you are not a local business. I don't think it matters how many sites you have in your profile.

But this thread is about the problems that can come up if you are a local business and have multiple sites. It can confuse Google and therefore may cause ranking problems.

 

[Lloyd Silver]

Thanks Linda. That makes sense and is easily implemented.

 

[Lloyd Silver]

Oh. How about one more question.

Do you think it would still be okay to markup those non-official sites with schema, attaching it to the company, but not including any address or phone number? For example, markup a service using the Organization tag but no address or phone?