Google Place pages and regular listings in search results

[XSMedia]

I'm trying to clarify something about search results which contain local listings.

Here is the search string for Google that will give you the same results that I am seeing -

http://www.google.co.uk/search?&q=letting agents glasgow&pws=0

Of the results that are returned, some of them have data which seems to be related to their Google Place page but the "title" links directly to their website.

What I wanted to know is, "Is it their actual website that has given them those rankings" or "Are they listed where they are because of a well optimized and ranked Places page?

[dignan99]

Hi Michael,

Good question.  There are a number of ways listings can show up ranging from organic only results, local only results(google 7 pack, and a mixed result of organic and local.

In your example, the organic/local mix is what we are seeing.  In this case many optimization factors are taken into account that include local and organic factors.

A well optimized page + strong organic seo is what would be needed to give a company the best chance at ranking in a high position.  This would include a verified and well optimized Google Places page.

[XSMedia]

Hi and thank you for your answer. From your experience, looking at the top two results, would you say they are most likely to be ranked where they are due to strong organic SEO  of their site AND optimization of their places page?

I have a clients site which, due to way it is set up, cannot compete with the number one site from an organic SEO point of view but I could easily compete with its Places page.

Thanks,

Michael

[dignan99]

My opinion is that both have properly optimized websites, with the listing in the A position having the potential of strong backlinks and extremely well optimized site(although I have not done much analysis.)

Since the listing in the A position is rather far from the city center, and it has not even claimed the Googles Places listing, any optimization that has occurred locally would be from info Google has scraped from the web.

The listing in the B position has claimed/verified their Google Places page, but has done a poor job optimizing it.  However, it does have a city center location.

I believe a company that wishes to compete in that market listing could do well if not better than the current top listings by doing appropriate SEO on the local and organic level.

[XSMedia]

Again, many thanks for your answers and your time in looking at these results. I hadn't even noticed that the first listing hadn't actually claimed their place page (which does surprise me).

When you say that a company could achieve the same results by doing appropriate SEO on the local and organic level, I take it you mean SEO on the Places page and local targeted SEO on the main site?

Many thanks for your help and advice on this. I wanted to gather as much information regarding this area within the local search before committing to the client.

I have done a great deal of research about local search and SEO but was unsure of what was making Google actually rank these sites where they're ranking them.

Regards,

Michael