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Whitby,

I think the reason it has taken a while for someone to answer is there is a long answer and a short answer and you really need the long. I am not quite sure what the tool is that you are referring to on Moz, but you have some issues here. I will ignore UI/UX and just speak quickly to SEO. First, never have an entire site that is essentially a single page.

You have multiple meta descriptions and it appears that each property has been coded as a page but it is not. The "H1" is over 700 characters and appears to be pulling from multiple places, etc. Almost everything is Bold or Strong. etc

I used a site: search operator and you are showing about 165 pages and I have no reasonable way of knowing how to get to them without using a site: (unfortunately, I am not your customer and they have no idea what that is). Your entire sub directory structure is odd to me as in some places you use .../subject of post/whitby-blog and others you use the opposite, etc.

I have to ask if anyone is looking at your Google Analytics or WMT? Your analytics code is not before the closing head tag where it should be and you may or may not be getting good data.

So, Given how you state they explained the problem I think they are at least worth a look but I would get a second and third opinion. There are some great SEO's in the UK. (Several are regulars on Moz and if you PM me I will send you a couple I have worked with whose work I can attest to.) You need some real help here if this is going to rank for you over time.

Sorry, wish I had better news.

Robert

Thanks Lesley, and again, with ecommerce it would matter much less.

Best

Any link that is followed will provide some level of link juice - even if it is reciprocal. The algorithm just views the reciprocal link as having less value. They do not void each other out to use your terms in my opinion.

I think the way you are going about it is the best way for this practice.

Best

No.

Schema and NAP are two distinct things, while schema can markup NAP elements, NAP as it is used in Local is more about ensuring you are using the same N, A, and P everywhere. The order of it is irrelevant; people are just accustomed to seeing it as Name, Address, Phone in that order.

If you only use schema on a web page to tell people where your business is, I am not sure they will find it easily. Will search engines find it? Yes.

I hope this clarifies a bit for you.

Rich,

If this was the only link coming to your business it might have some plus or minus effect, but a single link from a single site is probably not good or bad for you. With links it is the overall picture that matters more. I would do it if it makes business sense; if it is being done just to exchange links I would not.

Best

Lesley,

I know you and like you but this is TERRIBLE advice.

Google is fully aware of Regis and most larger virtual office suppliers. They are also aware of the street address look of UPS stores. I understand that people are doing it; I can show you a client who is large who cannot get his main office into the Local Pack in a major city due to trying to play games with this. He is a service area business in a major US city and he is the largest by double the next two competitors. This is a very competitive vertical. (Like wedding chapel Las Vegas.)

Because we are friends I know your business and I know that you are likely talking about an ecommerce company and that is a totally different issue from a wedding chapel. That wedding chapel will live and die with Local. An ecommerce site by its very nature does not; yes, local may help it and you may be able to game the system for a while, but that does not mean you should do it if you have a true bricks and mortar business.

Trust me this advice you are giving is the most dangerous kind there is with Local. I urge anyone who is considering this to stay far away from it. Do not believe because a few have gotten away with it that you will. If you are a service business and being in a Pack is important, you must consider with the recent update/change/Pigeon poop from Google that some industries in some cities have critical KW terms that now show a one pack. What if that business must be in the one pack to be successful and Google discovers the office is not real? It can affect everything Local.

Please do not give advice like this. Local is a true sub specialty of SEO and if you are not living it daily you should pass your clients to some firm that has a pro.

That is just pure experience talking,

Robert

Leslieevarts

First, I like EMD's a lot (even though we all know they have been losing value over time). Also, I think EGOL makes a really important point: with a client you have to lead with, "While typically this will not be a problem, with any change to an existing site, you risk losing some or all of your value." What we add to this is: We keep a complete FTP file of your old site and can put it back up if something goes critically wrong. While that should ameliorate any major issue, not even that is a guarantee you can get back what was lost."

If they question why you say that and that Brand b did not, simply say this, "I would be wary of anyone who can promise nothing bad will happen. I do not know Brand b and they may be a great firm, but guaranteeing anything today on the Internet is really playing with fire."

That said, I would change to the new domain and redirect current urls to the new ones using accepted good practices for 301 redirects. You will need to do a change of address in WMT and resubmit (submit the new) sitemap.

I would not build a new site and also switch as you are adding a variable to the change and that is scary to me. Wait until the change takes effect and you have had time to test it out (2 to 3 months is reasonable). Then if you want to create a new site, you should be ok.

I hope we have not scared or confused you. I can tell you that we regularly redirect sites, and somewhat less regularly we change domains. The most recent was about a month ago and we started seeing the links from the old domain on the new about a month after the change (In GWMT). So don't think it will happen in a day or two. Your change of address should help you with the rankings, but even that is not a guarantee.

All the best,

Robert

Lesley,

I understand fully what you are saying but have to disagree. Remember, if the chapel has only one address you cannot do this and should not do it. You totally endanger the money maker with a plan like this when you add "Local," etc.

Best

Robert

Think about it... They did a poor UI/UX site, none or few redirects from a fairly well ranked and high DA/PA site... do you really think they would even consider a custom 404 page? I think we spend more time trying to explain to clients that not everyone gets good design, SEO, etc. No matter what the name of their company says. 
Best

LInda,

I think the point about it being anecdotal really is what I was looking for. There is no clear direction from the search engines on this so that is one of the things that makes Moz so strong. Good SEO's sharing anecdotal and other evidence/ideas. 
Thanks so much,

Robert

Very good point Ash, very good. I have seen it continue to crawl for a year or more as well. Checking for the 404s as a comparison and redirecting to fix the 404's is a good explanation. Well done.

Tom,

Great points. I am not as concerned with content relevance as we are fairly careful with that. The issue was it was a new site but used old content and they did not do redirects. I am going to give it a try with what I find to be the most relevant pages from the old, but not with all as I do not want to "overdo" it.

Thanks

What? You callin me a fruit picker???

Actually I am pondering it quite a bit. Really a shame these people did this to them. And...bad job on the site as we must rebuild.

Thanks Andy.

I have never thought of anything beyond a site that was possibly developed a month or two ago, but an interesting possible client has come along and begs a question.

They had their site "redesigned" in April 2014 and it appears whomever did the work did not realize what a 301 was for. Using ahrefs or MajesticSEO, they have gone from roughly 15,000 referring pages to 500 and the time line perfectly intersects the redesign. Sooooo, just wondering if any of you geniuses has ever gone back that far to try and pull off a 301.... I am actually just thinking of a link building / content marketing plan but thought it was an interesting question.

Thanks for the help,

Robert

The Search Engine Watch piece is a bit misleading. It makes it seem as if the plaintiff's proved that Yelp was doing this and the court said it was OK and was "hard bargaining." If you read the piece by Vauhina Vara in the New Yorker, "The Terrible Yelp Ruling Is Not So Bad," it points out that the biggest reason for the appeal failing was the plaintiff's failed to prove Yelp had done any of the things they were claiming. The judge appears to have gone a little beyond with the... and if they had ... hard bargaining. I paraphrased that last bit.

I have to believe if it were a case where the claims were proven up, and the judge found that it was OK as here, there would be a push to a higher court with a real chance of reversal. At least I hope there would be!

Best

Egol's answer is really well thought out. One thing that really surprised me by Neil's article was the huge slap in the face ads. I say no to the first and it is as if I am assaulted over and over. Cannot stand that kind of experience and I actually think Neil is quite bright. Bummer.

Best

Ruben,

Amber, who heads up Local for us is a master of G maps application for this. Contact me as before and I will get you the directions so you won't have to worry over it. 
Best

This was truly a very well answered question. I had never read the Yoast post, but it is great. Well done and Thank You.

Robert

Miriam,

That is truly a great question. At the end of the day, it is somewhat confusing. Where Ruben is, the largest city within 20 miles of him is Tampa, the second largest within about 15 is Clearwater, within 5 or 6 is Palm Harbor, New Port Richey, etc. Trinity is not more than a neighborhood.

In Houston, I have lived in Montrose which is literally a mile from the city center. Does Google see me in Montrose ( a very distinct and well known area of Houston) or do they see me in Houston? My guess here is Houston. For Ruben and the law firm, I doubt there are 2 searches a month on Trinity lawyer or attorney and my guess would be one of those at least was a religious choice He is really better served using New Port Richey. I lived in Tampa and my business was in Clearwater. When he first mentioned Trinity, I had to look it up.

That is why I think (and we both know at best it is an educated guess) New Port Richey would serve him better. My only concern is this: Does Google, by virtue of them claiming Trinity for some X period of time in some way begin to recognize a given area?

Best,

Trevor,

Very interesting. When Disqus first made that change, I was discouraged as a lot of times there were scumbags anonymous unhappy people who had to say that Matt Cutts is really satan, etc. and I liked thumbing them correctly. But, I really do get the decision you/Moz made with this. Force people to say something if they disagree. Excellent.

I think the other thing it addresses is the person who reads the title and does not bother to read what was written on the subject. Now, they get no opinion if they can't discuss the subject. Thumbs up to you and the Moz team!