Google Local Results - Incorrect Listing Url's
-
I have decided to re launch a small side project that I had to abandon a few years ago.
I want to specifically target Google Local Results.
I do need to overcome a proximity to centroid issue in a fairly competative niche.
Unfortunately a number of my listings i.e. Facebook and Yelp have less than optimal URL's.
For example:
https://www.facebook.com/businessname.targetlocation.keyword/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/business-name-key-phrase-and-keyword-locationWell you get the idea.
NB: None of these listings currently have reviews.
Now I know that its best to keep the info consistent across the board, so I wonder if I would be better off scrapping these listings in favor of ones with URL's that match the business name.
- I can see that I can merge FB pages so am guessing that this would work for FB, has anyone any experience of this?
- Am assuming yelp will have to be deleted in some way.
Any thoughts?
-
So glad this helped!
-
Thanks so much that does help.
Great advice as usual.
Justin
-
Hey there ... check out Whitespark's list of acceptable abbreviations: https://www.whitespark.ca/acceptable-google-maps-nap-abbreviations-and-variations
I think it will help with your question.
-
Hi Miriam,
Glad you like the topic
I'm thinking that cleaner URL's are better if you're trying to prompt customers for reviews, but I doubt the effect will be significant in my niche.
Other than that it's matching up the detail and I guessing that what I do might depend on the platform.
For FB the correct name is still found in the H2 tag.
For Yelp the name mirrors the URL in the H1 tag.
So I'm guessing that Yelp is perhaps more important to change than FB provided that I can get a better URL that is.
Do you have any insight into just how similar detail needs to be within your listings? For example will Google understand the following:
The addition or lack of a line like "South West England"
Details that are identical but different like "UK" V's "United Kingdom"
in the H2 tag
-
Great advice Bryan thanks...
You're probably right RE URL availability and I think that might be why the URL's were so complex to begin with.
There is almost zero engagement, one thing I do want to do is get some reviews, to improve my local results.
i know that FB will have perhaps less impact than Google but am guessing that the reviews will be far easier to achieve.
-
Hey There,
You know ... this is a really interesting topic and not actually one I have a solid answer for. If we were talking about website URLs on your own site, I'd definitely be cheering for any refinements you want to make to improve UX/SEO. But with local listing URLs, honestly, the URLs are frequently so ugly, I haven't paid a ton of attention to them, nor can I recall seeing anything written about this. I mean, look at this Superpage URL for a Whole Foods Market in California:
superpages.com/bp/Sacramento-CA/Whole-Foods-Market-L0503237111.htm
It's not exactly beautiful, is it? Other directories do a much better job, but it's just never been something I've paid a ton of attention to.
What would be the goal you'd have in mind with changing your present URLs? Do you think it would make them more recognizable, shareable, friendly in some way? Curious about this. I think it was in 2013 that Google rolled out custom URLs, which I've never really heard a ton about since then (possibly because Google has recently made it nearly impossible to get to Google+ Local pages at this point!).
At any rate, this is an interesting and worthy topic and I hope more members of the community will contribute their thoughts as to whether having beautiful local listing URLs matters, and if so, how?
-
Before you do either of those things, make absolutely sure that you can even get the URLs you'd prefer. It may be that the reason your current URLs are less than ideal is because the simpler versions weren't available at the time of creation.
That said, if there are a substantial amount of posts, engagements, etc. it may not be worth making the changes. For Facebook, I suppose it can't hurt to create a new page and merge the two, favoring the new. But Yelp is a little trickier regarding that sort of process (or lack thereof).
Lastly, ensure that any webpage (on your site, partner sites, adverts, social media, etc.) that links to the Facebook and Yelp pages is updated with these new URLs.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
When does the 2020 Local Ranking Factors Survey come out?
Local marketing experts rank the most important factors that influence Google's local search algorithm. Looking for the updated 2020 Local Ranking Factors Survey. Doesn't it usually come out about this time ??
Reviews and Ratings | | Staff090 -
Google My Business right had side block disapeared for a brand search
Hi Just redeveloped my site and went live end of April Since then whenever i do a branded search the GMB 'pack' has always shown on the right hand side whenever i do a branded search but it has disapeared as of the last couple of days. Any ideas why this can happen ? and is it anything to worry about or just a google 'glitch' that should right itself soon? If not any ideas how to fix ? (accounts and website all properly linked) etc When i go to GMB dashboard and click 'View on Search' it does show up as it should, but not when i go to do a google search for the brand name !? All Best Dan
Reviews and Ratings | | Dan-Lawrence1 -
Does having a Google My Business website help my local seo?
Everybody says it's important to put as much information as you can into your Google My Business listing. I'm wondering if it helps to take Google up on it's offer to give you a free website in addition to the website I already have of my own.
Reviews and Ratings | | KenLapp1 -
Not showing up in Google Local Pack despite being #1 ranked for keyword
Hey everyone, This has been an on-going problem that we've been having for a select location of ours. We've been #1 ranked for the keyword "dog groomers near me", however we don't show up in the Google Local Pack (top 3 locations box). We have a high 4.9 rating with 20+ ratings, and the other locations that DO show up have a 2.4 and 3.6 rating with less reviews! I've exhausted every resource and have even geo-tagged our specific photos on our landing pages. I'm not sure what to do anymore as we're already #1 ranked on every similar keyword. Thank you, Anthony
Reviews and Ratings | | anthonydegalbo0 -
What is the best online reputation management software for generating legitimate Google (and other online) reviews?
Hello! Does anyone have a good experience with using an online reputation management tool to help generate online reviews for a Google My Business listing, Facebook, etc? The reason I ask about a review software is because of my client's age demographic (50+), so we need to have an automated system to request reviews from their clients and to make it simple for them to leave reviews.
Reviews and Ratings | | eport122 -
Local Business Page Ranking Issue
**Concern:- **Please try to understand my concern. I'm not worried or talking about my ranking. #1. Business Name - Law Office of Paul M. Marriett
Reviews and Ratings | | jeenu_svs
Address - 308 West State Street #97 B, Rockford, IL 61101 #2. Business Name - Law Office Of Brendan Caver, Ltd.
Address - 308 W State St #96, Rockford, IL 61101 These are two business pages and both have different location as you can see in mentioned address. If #1 (Law Office of Paul M. Marriett) ranked on any keyword then #2 (Law Office Of Brendan Caver, Ltd.) does not appear anywhere in result. That's not for a single keyword. Issue is running for all keywords Approx (8-10). Keywords :-
DUI Lawyer Rockford,
DUI Attorney Rockford,
Criminal Lawyer Rockford,
Criminal Attorney Rockford,
DUI Lawyer Rockford IL,
DUI Attorney Rockford IL,
Criminal Lawyer Rockford IL,
Criminal Defense Attorney Rockford, Law Office of Paul M. Marriett ranked for upper mentioned keyword and you can see Law Office Of Brendan Caver, Ltd. is not appear anywhere in search.
....................................................................................................................................................................................... Keywords :-
Best Criminal Attorney Rockford IL,
Best Criminal Lawyer Rockford IL,
Best Criminal Lawyer Rockford,
Best Criminal Attorney Rockford,
Best DUI Lawyer Rockford,
Best DUI Lawyer Rockford IL,
Criminal Defense Lawyer Rockford,
Criminal Defense Lawyer Rockford IL,
Criminal Defense Attorney Rockford IL, Law Office Of Brendan Caver, Ltd. is ranked for upper mention keywords and Law Office of Paul M. Marriett is not appear anywhere in search.
Please check deeply and let me know.0 -
Google maps, G+ and Google reviews on right hand side of results page:
Hi Guys Happy Monday! I have been having a real headache trying to the get that panel on the right hand side of the Google results showing up when my company brand is entered as a search query. From all the research that I have done, it looks as though you can't have this panel showing unless you serve customers face to face in your place of work. Is this necessarily true? Our biggest competitor has a very stripped down version of this box which just contains the image from their Google+ page and also a link to their wikipedia page but the point is it shows up when you search for their brand... ours doesn't? Has anyone else recently configured this to work for their website? Any advice? Cheers in advance! Jamie
Reviews and Ratings | | SanjidaKazi0 -
Duplicate Google Plus Business Listings
Hi everyone, We have a client with duplicate Google Plus pages for two of their locations. The ones that are showing in search results for the most part are the ones we control, but we'd still like to report or delete the duplicates (which we do not control from our existing accounts). I used to notice the option to report a page as duplicate but no longer see that...any advice? Thanks!
Reviews and Ratings | | SUCCESSagency0