Local SEO for a company with 3 sites, for 3 different type of businesses

[niclaus78]

Hi I've been working for an employment lawyer in Sydney for 3 years now, all good, I built many citations and fixed all ones and the website/blog are ranking fine.

Imagine I created the citation using e.g Anton Forester Employment lawyers, name, phone and address.

Now the client just launched a website about property with the same name/brand and a different business title e.g Anton Forrester Property Lawyer and another 3rd website about conveyancing with the same name/brand and another business title e.g Anton Forrester Conveyancing law.

My question is how do I build citations now that the name is different in the 3 cases, 3 websites but possibly the same phone and address?

Thanks a lot

Cheers

Nico

[RobertFisher]

Nico,

The short answer is you do not unless, you want to create a massive problem for yourself. In Local - and most attorney sites are Local - you want to take care of the NAP. Name, Address, Phone. If you have the same address and phone number but different business names, you create the possibility of merge listings, etc. which cost massive time and money to fix.

I understand how it would at first seem logical: If "x" strategy worked for us in employment law, let's use it for these other areas. But, the other problem I think you can create is brand confusion. (We work with large and small law firms in the US and groups of law firms though we are a full service agency.) I think, there are two methods you could follow:

- If the firm is situated where they can have an address that is Ste. 101, 103, 105 and have 3 distinct phone numbers (I caution against even close to the same), you could possibly do what you are talking about without a problem arising around duplication and merging.

- If not, your options are a bit more diminished given how specific ... employment lawyers is. This becomes a bit of a branding issue. If over three years, in Sydney people assume anything with Anton Forrester is employment law you will have a hill to climb without some rebranding work. (Trust me, this is a better choice than tearing down all you have done with citations, etc.) You could use another Masthead attorney in the firm with Property Law and a third with Conveyance. (Knowing attorneys, I leave it to you to handle the ego issues. Typically that is something handled by written agreements.)

As to the site, you could do it with three sites and no matter what you choose, you still have to have different enough address and phone number with each entity. Typically, I would say you could use the employment law site and build out pages for the other areas; I am not as sure in this case based solely on the branding component tied to the local merging issues.

Please understand, we have dealt with many merged local listings for a long time and are very, very, strong in Local. You really are risking a lot with trying to use the same name (Anton Forrester), Address, and Phone.

I hope this helps,

Robert

[niclaus78]

Thanks a lot Robert awesome answer!

One more question if possible:

What happen if instead of Anton Forrester Property, the client wants to use A.F Property Lawyer same adress different phone number?

thanks a lot again.

Regards

Nico

[RobertFisher]

Unfortunately, it is still the same issue. I just made this up: Mess with the NAP, deal with the crap.

There is no way I would do this based on one thing alone: Experience in trying to assist those who have.

Sorry, I wish it was easier,

Robert