800 number on website

[HiddenPeak]

Hi,

My client just sent me an 800 number that he would like to use to replace his number on the website. I know that it is best to keep a local phone number on the website and across all citations for NAP/Local SEO reasons.

Is there anywhere that I could still incorporate the 800 number and not have it affect SEO?

Thanks,

Erin

[chris.kent]

I would consider putting it an image with an alt attribute of"phone number for X" , then putting that in the header or somewhere very noticeable. Then still maintain the regular phone number in the footer or somewhere unnoticeable.People will most likely never notice the second phone number

[HiddenPeak]

Interesting suggestion... so the image would display the 800 number, but the alt-text would have the other (NAP) number?

Thanks!

[chris.kent]

yes. That would work, just to keep with NAP consistency. You don't even necessarily need to put in numbers in the alt-text. If the alt attribute is just text like it says "call in line for Joe's pawn shop" google wouldn't get confused. Then any screen reader would pick up the phone number you left in the footer for the person using it.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Erin,
Chris' advice is exactly what I would have given. Go ahead and add the 800 number to the masthead of the website or elsewhere in image text. Just be sure that the indexable text on the website features the local number, and be sure that this local number is the one being used on all of the client's citations. Consistency is king in Local SEO.

[HiddenPeak]

Miriam,

Thanks for the comment.

What about if I add the 888 number below the local number. Will this cause confusion with the search engines?

Thanks,

Erin

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Erin,

Do you mean add your toll free number to your website, or to your Google listing? If the first, what do you mean by adding it 'below' the local number? Where on the site? If the latter, yes, you are allowed to list a toll free number.

[HiddenPeak]

Miriam,

I am aware that it should be on the google listing. In this case, I am referring to the website. In other words, if the local number is at the top-right of the page, I would list the toll free number below with 'toll free' labeled as an option for the user. The toll free number would also be placed below the NAP in the footer of the page.

Thanks,

Erin

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Erin, Thanks for clarifying. Technically, this should not cause a problem for Google, but because of their history of issues with phone number confusion, when I'm optimizing a Local site, I put the 800 number in image text only. I don't include it in real text. I guess you could say I take a better-safe-than-sorry approach, just to avoid possible hassles down the road.