Convert Oganic ranking into Local Search Results

[Visiblics]

Hi,

Right now, my website appears in top 5 results in organic SERPs, but I noticed that my business has gradually started going down, as my local results have been replaced by organic search results.

Initially I used to rank in local results, but now, I appear in organic results so the no. of calls/day have decreased significantly.

Now, I again want to appear in local search results instead of organic results. Please advice what should I do to remove my listing from organic search results and improve position in local search results

PFA the screenshots for both the results for your better understanding.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

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[MiriamEllis]

Hello Parvesh,

Thanks for the clarification about this being your business. Within the scope of Q&A, I cannot perform a full audit of the situation, which is likely what you are going to need to pinpoint the exact cause of what you are experiencing. I can, however, provide a few quick thoughts from my limited look at the situation:

1. Searching from my own location in N. California, the search term in your screen shot, 'sacramento personal injury law firm' is not bringing up any blended or pack local results, for any business. Setting my location to Sacramento, I see the same thing. So, in this case, it appears that you have not been singled out in a change of results, but that Google is not choosing to display true local results for this query. Unfortunately, this is not something you can control. It it completely up to Google to decide for which queries they will show local vs. organic results.

2. This aside, you mentioned that you've got all the points in my earlier list well covered, but I would take a second look at #2 on the list. As a Local SEO, the first place I always look to begin gauging whether a site is locally optimized is at the footer. On your site, I do not see a marked up full NAP (name, address, phone number) in the the footer, and, in fact, am seeing a toll free number there. While you may be doing other things right on your website, this fact alone would indicate to me that you don't have a skilled Local SEO on-board your team. Lack of proper attention to local optimization can definitely hold back your ability to rank locally for any term, though this is evidently not the cause of your present scenario in which no local firm is receiving local rankings.

3. When a site is failing to rank for any term, I always start looking for duplicates. It appears there is a closed business sharing your address: https://plus.google.com/110885790754843227431/about?gl=us&hl=en

Perhaps this is a partner who has left the business, or you are attempting to shut down individual attorney listings due to Google's recent changes with their handling of multi-partner firms, but at any rate, it's still indexed at this point, even though it has been closed. Without a thorough look at the scenario, I can't say if there are duplicates that could be issues for you, but if there are, they always have the potential to lessen your ability to rank locally for a desired term.

4. Doing a maps.google.com search for 'sacramento, ca' vs. a search for your firm's address, I see that your business is located quite a ways outside the cluster of legal firms near the city centroid. Again, this would be another thing to look into if you are failing to rank for other terms which are still receiving local results.

In sum, there are many, many factors to consider in ranking issues when it comes to local. Right now, for the query you have mentioned, you are gaining the best possible ranking because you are #1 organically for a term for which Google is displaying organic-only results. There is nothing you can do to control Google's decision to display results this way. They could change what they are doing with that specific query tomorrow, but right now, you are in the best position you can achieve in this set of results.

Hope this helps!

Miriam

[Visiblics]

Hi Mariam,

Thanks for the detailed response. Yes, the highlighted one is my website. But my question is something else.

I asked that initially I used to rank well in Local results and were getting really good response (in terms of business), but suddenly my local listings have been replaced by organic Search Results. My website has started ranking organically on most of my local keywords, and my business is going down. I really don't want organic rankings, I would want to get my local listings back.

Could you please advice me on how to get my local listings back. I've already been doing, whatever you mentioned in your response.

I look forward to your response.

Regards

[MiriamEllis]

Hello Parvesh,

I want to clarify whether your screenshots are intended to display your own business, or if you are merely illustrating the difference between the local results you would like to have vs. the organic results you currently have. Is your business the Sacramento legal firm being highlighted in the screenshots? Please, do clarify this for me.

In order to send the strongest possible local signals to Google, you will need a powerful combination of the following:

1. A physical address and local phone number within the city you'd like to rank for.

2. A terrific, locally optimized website

3. A Google+ Local page for the business and a clean record with Google

4. Google-based reviews

5. Reviews from other sources

6. Citations (as mentioned in Wissam's comment)

7. Possibly, linkbuilding

The competitiveness of your industry and location will dictate how hard you need to work at each of these things to gain local visibility. If you can see anything on that simple list that you know you haven't fully implemented or explored yet, then this may well be the key to your question.

I'm responding in very general terms here, not being sure of your actual business or the nature of the efforts you have made to date. I hope this helps you get started thinking about a plan of action!

Miriam

[wissamdandan]

Please note that the optimal solution is you need to appear in the Map Listings AND also in the Organic listing.

not everytime someone search for a lawyer in sacremento will trigger the local map.

to increase you rankings in Google+ Local you need more citations (here or sign up with Local Citation Finder by Darren)

and increase your review count.