Google places keyword variations

[x2264983x]

Hi all,

I have a site that is ranking #1 in Google Places for its main <city><keyword>search... but it does not rank for any of its basic keyword variations, which I find very confusing.</keyword></city>

ie (just an example)

Chicago Caterer (ranked #1 in google places)
Chicago Caterers (not ranked in google places)
Chicago Catering (not ranked in google places)
Chicago Catering Company (not ranked in google places)
Chicago Catering Companies (etc..)

How can I secure a google places ranking for these simple keyword variations? Do I build links to the google plus page using that anchor text? Do I get citations that contain that keyword somewhere on the page? Do I optimize for these keyword variations on the actual website itself? (not the places listing).

Obviously I don't stuff these keywords into the google places listing.

Any help would be much appreciated!

[KyleJack]

Hi Tyler,

You're right to dismiss stuffing keyword variants into your Google Places listing. The best way to go about this is to encourage more reviews on your Google+ Local page and beyond.

Set up your business location(s) on local review sites which Google uses as citations such as Thomson Local or Yell. Include call to actions for feedback on your website and any communications you have with your customers. Authentic reviews should naturally contain these keyword variations and (even better) should increase your overall propensity to rank in the space due to the (hopefully) positivity of the reviews.

Secondly, optimising your website or a particular page that serves a local intent would contribute towards a better ranking.

Keep in mind that the local algorithm is a unique beast. There are plenty of reasons why you may not be ranking for these search terms. For example perhaps your locality, the quality of your competition or the intent behind the search has determined your ranking. David Mihm, the Director of Local Search Strategy at SEOMoz conducted a survey last year to determine the importance of several local search ranking factors. As you can see, there are more than "several" factors.

Hope that helps,

K

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Tyler,

Kyle has provided some good advice here. I will add, it's hard to know the nuances of your client's exact situation without 1) seeing the Google Places Listing, 2) seeing the website, and 3) understanding the actual keywords/categories the client is going after. There could be nuances specific to your client and his market that I can't speak to without knowing the above.

Generally speaking, though, these things contribute to high rankings:

1. A really great website that contains all the right local hooks, awesome content and, yes, definitely excellent optimization for all target terms.

2. A violation-free Google Places/Google+ page. Correct choice of categories is very important here.

3. A variety of citations with consistent NAP (name, address, phone), well written descriptions and proper categorization.

4. Traditional SEO factors like linkbuilding and ongoing content development.

5. Social factors like active review profiles and other activities.

Sorry not to be able to give more specific advice. This is a general picture of what goes into high rankings.

Something you might want to consider doing is to figure out which of your client's competitors are managing to succeed in multiple local rankings for the targeted keyword variants and then do a competitive analysis to see if you can discover where and how they are surpassing your client. I like the free Local Competitive Analysis Tool from 51 Blocks:

http://www.51blocks.com/online-marketing-tools/free-local-analysis/

Check it out!

[x2264983x]

Hi Kyle & Miriam

I appreciate your answers, but part of the confusion lies in the fact that we have absolutely everything else nailed down, and yet we can't get the site to rank for the keyword variations in google places.

The site has the most positive (legit) reviews in its niche, ranks #1 in google places for its main term, has 400+ pages of content on the site and incredible organic rankings... and the website even ranks above the google places 7-pack for its keyword variations...

And yet... for its keywod variations (plural, ing, companies) it does not show up in google places. And yet the organic listing is actually above the 7-pack places listing for these variations.

Does having an organic ranking above the google places listing make it less likely that they will list your places listing? I wouldn't think so, as I've seen it before where a site ranks both #1 organically above the places listing then also ranks within the places listing on the same SERP.

Thanks for your responses guys...

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Again and Happy Monday,

Since the Venice update about a year ago, yes, it has become much less common for any business to have both an organic and a local listing on the same page. If one manages to get into the local results, their organic ranking is typically subsumed into the blended local listing.

There are some exceptions to this, usually in areas of low competition for which Google has less data, and there have also been experiments done in which Local SEOs have managed to optimize an interior page of the website in such a way that they've picked up double page one rankings (see this: http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/local-seo-ranking/5180-double-ranking-organic-maps.html), but this is not what I'd call a run-of-the-mill scenario.

So what is the answer to the phenomenon you are experiencing? Why does Google consider you more organic than local for those particular keyword variants? I don't believe this can be resolved with the general advice we can give here without investigating the actual business in question. I think you have 2 options:

1. Run the site through the 51 blocks tool, as I've suggested and see if you can discover some areas in which the competitors included in the local pack are outdistancing you.

2. Hire a really good Local SEO and give him/her the keys to the website so that they can try to uncover the nuances specific to your business.

*One thing I will point out, however, is that if you are managing to rank organically above the local packs for these variants, you may want to consider carefully whether you've really got a problem at all. Over the past couple of years, I have read so many comments (like this one: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/business/Tq4DsCCth7s/2Z-MyLEc2mMJ) in different places from business owners who have stated that their transfer from an organic to a local format resulted in a drop in traffic. This is an issue you might want to read up on further while making up your mind about whether something actually needs to be 'fixed'.

Hope this helps!

[x2264983x]

Thank you Miriam,

That really helps. I think we are probably wasting our time even worrying about this then. We have the #1 organic for all the keyword variations, above the places listing. So, based on the info you have provided, better to just leave it and not mess with it.

Thank you so much Miriam for the very helpful replies!!

T.

[MiriamEllis]

It is my pleasure!