Google Places, Optimization when in the Suburb of a Metroplex?

[networkelites]

A client's business just recently changed addresses.  Even though they are physically less than a mile from the previous location, the city has changed.  This has resulted in our Google Places results dissappearing (no surprise).  What is the best practice for people searching for <product><metroplex-primary-city>to still get our Google Places result, even though we are technically in a suburb of this metroplex?</metroplex-primary-city></product>

Already added the primary city name to the description.  What else can I do?

[SEODinosaur]

You can add the areas that you service in your google places account. You will need to log into your Google account associated with your Google places listing and add the areas that you do business in. It is best to add each city rather than a proximity from the business.

Before doing this I would make sure you let Google know that you have changed the address. You can do this in your google + places listing (must login with the user associated with the places account)

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Networkelites,

If I am understanding the scenario correctly, your client is no longer receiving mail at the major city address, but would have a different locale name on his envelopes in the post. Is this correct? Please let me know if I've not understood you correctly.

If I'm on the right track, then the work ahead of you looks like this:

1. Update the footer, contact page, tags and copy of the main pages (home, about, etc.) to reflect his new location...meaning the city name at which he now receives postal mail.

2. Update your Google+ Business/Local accounts to reflect the change of address.

3. Begin searching the web for every reference you can find to the old address and update these citations to reflect the new address.

If the client is no longer receiving mail at the major city address, Google will no longer view him as a legitimate result for such searches and you must educate the client so that he understands this. Additionally, I strongly recommend that you do not use any geographic terms in the business description field of the client's Google+ Local page as Google has historically treated this practice as spam. The address field is where location info belongs. The business description should be a sales pitch...much like a meta description. It's a great place to include information like:

Voted Reader's Choice by the Washington Post! First visit free with affordable care for your whole family. Get ready to smile!

That's just a really rough example, but you want to think like this in writing your Google+ business description.

Hope my list of points gets you started on the right foot. Good luck to you and your client. Moves are a big deal in local.

Miriam