Google Places preview showing for business name, but not URL

[Goedekers]

This post is deleted!

[Mark_Jay_Apsey_Jr.]

Simple.

#1-Register number1direct with google places separately.

#2-You can also include the number1direct in the google places listing with an extended listing.

#3. make sure you maximize you photos. I only saw 4 photos and I think you can do 7.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Number1Direct - Is Number1Direct doing business locally? If it's simply your online store, then it isn't a local business. From your description, my takeaway is that you do business locally as Goedeker's and that Google is properly displaying your information, but that your online store under a different business name isn't being given local results, which is also correct if it's an e-commerce site devoid of in-person transactions. Have I understood your 2 business models correctly? Please, help me out if I haven't. *Be advised that you do not want to have Google think there are 2 different business names sharing an identical local area code phone number and street address. It may be necessary to keep the two business models separate (one local and one virtual) since they have two different names. If you can provide some more information, I'd be happy to discuss this further. Sounds like a complex situation. Miriam

[Goedekers]

Hi Miriam,

I understand the confusion. We mix business between the website and the physical store. We just used a different domain name to try and go for a larger audience, as the store name (a family name) is a little hard for people to pronounce if they've not heard it - or spell if they have heard it!

When customers come in the store and are looking for something that we don't have here, and want to do some additional local browsing before they buy, we tell them they're welcome to come back to the store to order or they can do it online through our website. If someone local orders something online, they can stop by the store if they want to ask any questions or get updates.

All of our contact information is the same between the two. Domain is registered to the same address, physical address is displayed the same everywhere, and phone number is the same. It's one business, just a unique domain. We only run the one website.

I hope that helps!

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Again, Number1Direct,

Thanks for providing the additional information. Yes, this is a tough situation because you have branded your website differently than you are known locally. Because of this choice, you may not be able to get Google to show your Place Page for the 'number1direct' queries, because it looks pretty clear that this brand name is associated with an e-commerce website. I do have a few thoughts, though:

1. You should not be using a toll free number on your Google Place Page. That absolutely must be a local area code phone number.

2. Similarly, I would recommend that if you want to do all you can to associate your domain name with your actual business name, you couch all 800 numbers in image text and put your local area code phone number in real text down with your address in the footer and on the contact page.

3. I would also recommend using hCard or schema to display your NAP (Name, Address, Local Area Code Phone number in the footer and on the contact page).

4. I see Goedecker's in the title tag of your homepage. I'd put it first in order on the contact page and I would refer to the business as Goedecker's Number 1 Direct throughout the copy on the website. I realize, this is a little awkward but you want the connection to be as clear as possible.

5. I would move break the Contact Us link out of the About Us section up into the main navigation and give it its own top level link.

6. I would add content to the homepage explaining 'Visit our Store at 13850 Manchester Road, Ballwin, Missouri 63011' or shop here on our website'.

These are some tweaks you could make to see if it makes a difference. While it's impossible to force Google to change the way they display results for a query, you can influence this. Right now, your website is very much geared to being a virtual shopping destination. If you can alter that emphasis to give more focus to the local nature of your business, then you might see a change in how Google is perceiving your company. Good luck!

Miriam