Which Address to Use for Ranking in Google Places

[April Hammond]

Hi There,
I am trying to get my restaurant ranked higher in Google Places. I have done the research of things I need to do to rank higher (citations, being listed in directories etc), but I have one dilemma. I know it's important to keep our address consistent across all sites and on our website. Here's the issue - our mailing address is 57 NY-9P, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. We are in the town of Malta, NY zip code also 12020. Google Maps only recognizes the Ballston Spa, NY 12020. We'd prefer to use the Malta, NY for our address but I'm afraid that since Google likes Ballston Spa better - that is what we should use. Does anyone have any opinions on which one I should use?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi April and welcome,

I'm curious when you say: "but I'm afraid that since Google likes Ballston Spa better" what are you referring to or why do you think that?

I get your restaurant regardless of whether I search for:

57 NY-9P, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 0r 57 NY-9P, Malta, NY 12020

Google does not try to auto correct the Malta address and say "did you mean... Ballston..."

April, hang on til some of our other pros weighs in. Changing city address in GMB is a big deal that should not be done without thorough research.

(FYI to others: I didn't do any deep research to know which would be correct - was just showing that Google does not auto correct Malta.)

 

[April Hammond]

Hi Linda, Thanks for the quick response. When I go to the Google search bar and type in "57 NY-9P, Malta,NY", google displays the address as Ballston Spa. That's why I think Google prefers Ballston Spa over Malta.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Oops does on maps too. I was looking for "did you mean" which didn't show but now I look closer I see she just changed the city. Checked Map Maker and it does as well.

Let's wait for some maps or citations heavy hitters to advise, not my area of expertise.

(Moving to the citations forum where this will get more eyes from the right people.)

 

[April Hammond]

Thanks for all your help Linda. Hope one of the experts can help with this!

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Unless I'm mistaken Google will normalize it to the city they think is the correct address, no matter which address you put in. If this case is different it would be the first one I've seen.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

As a best practice, use the city that the location is physically located in according to Google Maps as well as Map Maker. In Google Maps, check to see which physical city borders it falls inside. And in Map Maker, you can test it using a tactic where you drop a pin at the address and see what Google suggests as the city. I have used those aporoaches several times in the past.

 

[James Watt]

Malta doesn't seem to have borders set in Google's database, so Colan's first trick wouldn't work. His second does though, Google suggests Malta as your city, so you should be safe going with that.

 

[OutSourCed]

I own 17 businesses in 3 different industries.

I started using descriptors both product-wise and using city names as a suffix in my company name, e.g. Billy's Computers San Diego. I know I may get some blowback on this but I have had great success and zero issues from the "aficionados" that lurk in Google Map Maker.

Consider adding your city name that you want to your restaurant to appear.

I'll admit it may be this works for me due to the fact I have multiple companies in multiple cities and Google may simply see this as a franchise differentiator.

 

[JoyHawkins]

April,

The correct city would be Malta according to where your business falls on Google Maps. I think what's causing the confusion on Google Maps is that there is a building mapped with your address but it's mapped in the building right next to you. Can you confirm if both these buildings share this same address or if the building I marked as A has a different address?



The second issue is that the listing for that building incorrectly listed Ballston Spa as the city. I'll correct that now.

 

[April Hammond]

Hi Joy! Both of those buildings use the same address. B is the restaurant and A is the house the restaurant owns that a few of our employees live in.

So you will correct the city of the house (A) to Malta and then for all my listings across the web I can use Malta, NY?

I am trying to get our restaurant to show up in the top 3 in Google Places when someone types in restaurants Malta NY. Right now we are number 5. So I'm going to get us listed on more directories and I know that the addresses needed to match what Google thinks!

Thanks so much!!!

 

[JoyHawkins]

Thanks for clarifying It's been corrected.