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Hello Google Local Experts

I'm a little stress, to put it mildly.  I have been working hard to get to grips with Google+ and Google Local.  I have followed all the advice on Moz that I can lay me hands on.

Following advice, I have added my private address (in rich text snippets) to the header of my own site.  I've not felt particularly comfortable about doing that, but it's clearly one of the messages Google Local requires to be sure that your site is authentic.

My concerns got concrete last evening when a new follower on Google+ started to send me private messages - culminating in asking where I lived.  Despite family demands I went straight to my site and removed my house number.  Now I know I'm messing up my NAP - but Ahh - my About section points straight to my site which at that point had my full address in Bold on each page of my site.

I really am upset about this and think that Google should be rethinking their demand for displaying a companies address on the site.  If you are self employed you are put in a vulnerable position which is morally questionable.

Please would someone give me some advice on the best way to address my worries in the short term?

Please could someone with a bit of clout point this potentail danger to women out to the powers that be in Google?

Having read Rand's post about the canonical tag I very much wish to use it to advise Google that the duplicates created during archiving (due to the fact that the posts have multiple categories) are just copies.

I understand the theory, but can't transfer it into practice!  Could someone give me an idiots guide as to how to add the tag and to where.  My site produces approx 10 - 20 blog posts per week.  Each has at least 2-4 categories applied to it.  They are archived each month, at which point I have  a big jump in duplicates in my campaign panel.

Help!

C:\Users\Catherine\Desktop\me_small.gif

Thanks for helping Marcus.  I'm probably being very obtuse.  I've done as you instructed, as far as I could.  I couldn't unzip the file in /themes/new/ubiquity.zip.  Instead I unzipped the file and copied the extracted files in their directory i.e. /themes/new/ubiquity/*.php files and associated dirs.  I then logged into WordPress > Appearance > Themes and searched around but I know I'm missing out something important.

I wish I could get WP to just upload the zip file, but it totally ignores me, it's not even very big!

I think I need a coffee!

Hello Andera

You are quite right.  I don't know why I fly into flap when someone says something I don't understand.  That is what I'd requested (via the client).  But got the aforementioned response back.

Thanks for the cool clear accurate advice.  Will try again:)

Thank you Miriam, I am very grateful.  I'll follow all your advice to the letter.  I apologies if I came over a bit too anxious, it's just I was really rattled.  Feeling safe at home is something we lucky westerners take very much for granted, until we feel threatened!  Thanks again, taking positive, informed action is empowering!

Thank you David

I will try again, but I have told them three times over the course of three months.  I was told to first contact the tutor, which I did.  I got no response!  I contacted them again two more times and got no response at all!

I will.  The penny has dropped and you and Thomas has cleared up my confusion.

Thank you very much for you help

Catherine

Thank you that clearer - I'll put the bubbly in the fridge.  Good to know I'm not the only one!

Hello Dan

I have finally managed to get near to the examply you posted.  I've failed totally to find any help documentation however and so for my test site 'www.seoherts.co.uk' I've got a test customized category page minus anything other than the titles.

Could you be even kinder and direct me to some help for customizing the plugin?  You help  has really been amazing, you actually helped me back out of a corner.  Now I'm nearly home an dry.

Thanks Dan

Thank you Andy and respondant!

That is really helpful information.  I'm grateful for you following through!

Kind RegardsCatherine

Hi Rand

I nearly fell off my chair when I saw your face on this answer!

You've probably grasped that I am a struggling novice working on her own.  The only thing that got me through Wednesday night was the thought that I could ask for help in the morning.  I'm pretty sure that the additional links are not detrimental and that (having read the PA/DA link) the score we now have is a fairer reflection on our true DA.

I've set up our social profiles, established a blog and content strategy, followed all the 'make it readable advice' and am now doing the reaching out to other bloggers method you suggested.  (I've even got one genuine backlink to our piece on Finnish Digger Sitters) that was a proud day http://socialmedianordic.com/author/ingeborgv/page/2/.

My initial job with an old school SEO was a far cry from what I'm learning now.  Your site is awesome, I really can't thank you enough.

Catherine

Thanks that is good practical advice.