Is creating backlinks to Google places pages worth the time and money involved?
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I have worked on a website and organically it is starting to do fine. The website itself is on the right track. Now, the places page, could use a little improvement.
I did make sure it has the right categories, has all unique pictures and videos, it does have a good amount of reviews and even citations from other local directories, and even the website links to it. It does show up for some local searches but I would like it to dominate more.
I've heard that if I've built links to that Google Places local page from other sources, it would rank higher and perform better. Is that true? Any other tips and tricks to make it perform better?
Thank you
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Hello Ryan,
Thanks for coming to Q&A with your question. I want you to know that your query inspired me to ask two of the best Local SEOs in the country for their opinion on this, and they both agreed that this oft-repeated advice about building links to Place Pages is bogus. I wanted to check with some of my chums before answering your questions, because I see this advice being given all the time on websites, and it's one of those strange myths of SEO that are self-perpetuating.The reasoning that it is not worth it to build links to Place Pages is that they are not indexed, therefore, building links to them is like throwing stuff into a black hole.
If you feel linkbuilding will be necessary to enabling your client to rank better, build links to his website. Not his Place Page.
Hope this helps!
Miriam -
Human behaviour:
Users do not usually link and talk about google places results. They talk and link about brands and their websites, their social network pages, etc.
(I have read about Google Places improvement with so many techniques too. My website had very good Google Places position here in local search but I never did something special about it, just following the Google requirements.)
Search Engines behaviour:
Lookiing the Human behaviour in maximum real view. Imagine you are a normal user. Supply the users.
I know local company in my country that has more than 200 posions in the maps, SER, everywhere. They even do know about existing of Google Places They had just provided very detailed information about their offices, working time, working details, phone numbers, addresses and so on and so on in every town they have office and every separate contact information.
My advice:
Make it look real, in e real way. Quote your contacts, addresses, e-mails, names of employers as much as as you think it's good enough.
Search in the net very popular company and try to calculate how much contact information they have in the world wide web and define percentage. Look how is this information spread, where and in what format, type, syntax...
Do the same. You will make users happy and Search Engines happy. And you will be happy at the end
Greetings and good luck
Anton
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