Webinar Follow-up ... Local Ranking Issue

[SearchAppeal]

Hi Linda and comapany.

I had asked a question relating to this issue yesterday and you (Linda) asked me to post it here to take a look. Here it is!

First off, the company is a process server in Ottawa, ON. Domain is processserverottawa.ca and also redirects psoprofessional.ca.

When searching for primary terms like "process server in ottawa" the site ranks organically at the bottom of page 1. However it does not show in the pack. Usually it can be found in more results around J.

The question here is, why is it not appearing in the pack when competitors have nothing really going from them?

A few misc. notes:

- Almost all others have kw in the biz name
- Site and G+ are new within a couple months
- Reasonable citation work done recently
- Yellowpages network has the address wrong (478 instead of 178). I keep being told they can't change it since it is from the phone provider which is BS since it was a client created listing.

Is there something I am missing?

Current efforts are focused on:
- obtaining client reviews
- on-site blog being created for local content

So why is it not in the pack when it ranks organically? How can "Process Servers +" rank in the pack when they haven't claimed their business page and their site is basically a one page word document?

---------- Post Merged at 10:43 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:42 AM ----------

I should also mention the post code won't change to the proper one on my G+ page. I am going to try to call support and ask I guess.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi SearchAppeal,

I have some good news and bad news. The good news is I think I figured out the puzzle. The bad news is you may just have to wait.

The reason listings with nothing going for them rank and your client does not is that it appears to me they have not even worked into the local database yet.

Ranking for city + KW could be hard due to competition or whatever. But no matter how you cut it a business should rank for KW at their exact address because there is no competition at that address.

Well they don't even rank on maps for process server 178 Clarence St Ottawa, ON. They just aren't there: http://goo.gl/maps/s8LjF

So that specific part of the problem means either they are penalized or the listing is too new and does not rank yet.

How long ago did you verify?

There is no history in Map Maker so I could not look to see if there is a violation in dash but there is one possible problem.

I can't tell in street view. Is that a residence or commercial office?

If office, do customers come to them or do they only go out to serve?

If office, are they open full-time to walk in traffic or is it one guy that's usually out serving docs?

 

[SearchAppeal]

Hi Linda,

I didn't follow up sooner as I never got the email notification you responded (usually do).

It was verified maybe two or three months ago. The site is steadily climbing in organic rankings but still no action in local results.

Yes it is a residential building with a home office. Clients can come to the office but the nature of the business dictates mostly time on the road.

DO you think this is the issue? Does it need to be swapped to service area? If this is the case do I need to make a new page or is this in the settings?

Can a service area buisiness still rank well?

I need to get this fixed asap as it is missing a lot of potential business because of it.

Thanks again,
Jordan

 

[SearchAppeal]

I just got off the phone with the Google local help or whatever they call themselves. The girl I spoke with kept saying it was just because of ranking factors and there was no issue with my listing or location.

I am baffled. This is killing me right now as I have no answers.

 

[Linda Buquet]

No she's wrong.

If it's service area business and home address, needs to set up service area and hide address. It won't hurt ranking at all. And could help it if you are penalized due to wrong settings.

No don't set up a new listing. The settings are right in your Places dashboard. Where, depends on if listing is in new dash or old. Look around for service area setting or a question like do you serve customers at their address.

If can't find, let me know which dash it has and I'll tell you where to find it.

 

[SearchAppeal]

I found it. Thanks.

There is a second option "I also serve customers at this address". I ticked this as well since documents can be dropped there. I was torn on that one as it is a yes and no answer.

I guess I will just wait and see if there is any change.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

I found it. Thanks.

There is a second option "I also serve customers at this address". I ticked this as well since documents can be dropped there. I was torn on that one as it is a yes and no answer.

I guess I will just wait and see if there is any change.

If you do indeed serve customers at the business address then you should be fine.

I think that part of the reason for the "questions" sequence in the new dash versus explicitly "hiding" the address in the old dash is to take some of the responsibility off of the user and let Google decide if they want to display the address.

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

Could the description be an issue? "process" and "service" show up 4 times each in 60 words in the G+ page desc. Just asking.
And images? the only image is a logo? would these be enough to bump it up from page2 map results to pg 1?

 

[SearchAppeal]

Could the description be an issue? "process" and "service" show up 4 times each in 60 words in the G+ page desc. Just asking.
And images? the only image is a logo? would these be enough to bump it up from page2 map results to pg 1?

There has been no change since swapping to service area.

I will try editing the description and adding photos as well. Not sure what else to try at this point.

 

[Linda Buquet]

But the main issue was not just setting up service area, it was hiding address. The address is still showing. Still need to hide it.

In addition to what Margaret said, name is in description twice and city is in there twice. All that repetition, especially repeating city can cause a rank drop. But this is more than a rank drop. Seems like a penalty since even if they rank low they should rank for KW + exact address and they don't.

Still I've had folks pop right up after cleaning city, name and KW rep out of listing. You have nothing to lose. I'd strip that down to stuff like some of the benefits of their service listed on their about us page. No KWs, city or biz name.

See if that helps. Although I've also seen listings that were penalized for description spam that kept the penalty even after being cleaned up.

 

[SearchAppeal]

But the main issue was not just setting up service area, it was hiding address. The address is still showing. Still need to hide it.

I can't hide the address. This option doesn't exist anymore apparently. The help says they will basically take care of it for you if appropriate.

"If you previously used the old Places dashboard, you?ll notice that we no longer have the Do not show my business address on my Maps listing option. We will apply the correct address settings for your business based on your choices from the new dashboard and the nature of your business."

 

[Linda Buquet]

Did you tick the correct boxes that say we see customers at their location - we don't accept customers here? Sorry I can't remember the actual wording, but if those are set up properly the address will be hidden. Double check those settings.

 

[SearchAppeal]

I have ticked all available boxes as conservatively as possible. It now shows "we deliver products or service to their location" but now "we also serve at our location". Also removed much of the description.

I checked again today and it came up on the second page, first result in maps which is an improvement.

When I search for "process server + address" it now shows. Looks like it may be getting some life back slowly?

 

[Linda Buquet]

"we also serve at our location" should not be checked if it's a home which from what I remember is the way it looks on street view in maps.

 

[SearchAppeal]

"we also serve at our location" should not be checked if it's a home which from what I remember is the way it looks on street view in maps.

Correct. That is how it is set now.