Local SEO: Citation Consistency
-
My company manages local SEO campaigns for local-service SMBs (e.g. plumbers, dentists). One of the things we do is claim and manage directory listings. To provide trackable results, we apply tracking phone numbers to the directory listings, but those phone numbers don't match the phone number listed on the client's site.
So we have a problem from a citation consistency standpoint.
On the one hand, we'd like everything to be consistent -- business name, address and phone number -- to achieve citation consistency.
On the other hand, we want to prove the value of what we're doing by showing the client data from tracked phone calls.
Can we provide best-practice Local SEO and Maps Optimization - and achieve citation consistency - even if we're introducing inconsistency by using tracking numbers?
-
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately, call tracking is taboo in Local SEO. Here are some articles on this I think you will find helpful:
http://searchengineland.com/be-wary-of-call-tracking-numbers-in-local-search-26895
http://searchengineland.com/for-local-seo-lack-of-call-tracking-solution-spawns-cloaking-70198
The thing is, the phone number is one of your key trust metrics with Google...equal to or greater than street address. Getting this mixed up can have pretty severe consequences, making it not really worth it to even go down the call tracking road.
I understand the frustration with this, especially given how useful call tracking can be in paid search campaigns, and etc., but the best you can do with call tracking is to train the business owner and his/her phone staff to do this the old fashioned way. Train them to ask, "How did you hear about us?" Not very high tech, but it does provide some data to you to see how your work is benefiting the business.
I hope the articles help, Robert. Your questions is a very important and valid one.
-
In my experience no. Two numbers for one business just doesn't work.When I've tried to implement this I've had trouble:
A) Getting all the NAPs to match and its not easy to get that done with just one number.
B) Convincing the client to put anything but their business number on their website.
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
-
Examination of Anchor Text Ratios for SEO
A new article on Search Engine Journal asks even though anchor Text Ratios are considered important by many SEOs for ranking in Google, are they really something to worry about?
Link Building | | mary314 -
Backlink Transparency with SEO Agency
Hello everyone. I recently started working with an SEO agency and today they gave me an updated keyword report which showed some increase in rankings. I was not aware that any backlinks had been created yet so I asked for a report of the links. Their response is below and I am just wondering if this is normal practice being I have not worked with any type of SEO agency yet. "
Link Building | | wonderd24
Hey Daniel, We release a small report on them which the guest blog team will do soon. We don't reveal all backlink sources unfortunately because people have tried to bother the webmasters we have and basically steal our techniques. But rest assured you will be ranking at the top of the pack with our methods 😃
"1 -
HELP - Should I Disavow SEO, Site Analysis, and Website Worth Links?
I have a gadget site and have MANY links to my site from sites that offer web analysis or SEO tools. For example, the site chkme.com has over 1,000 links to my home page. I don't know who they are, why they are linking to my site, and their site is irrelevant to my industry. Should I disavow links from sites like these? My site seems to be linked to from a lot of "website worth" type sites as well. I think I may have been hit with an unnatural site penalty but I do NO blackhat or any type of link building whatsoever. Thanks in advance 😉
Link Building | | Humanovation0 -
My site has more than 1,341,796 total links but only 500 external links after months of SEO. Please help me ,not sure what went wrong.
My site has more than 1,341,796 total links but only 500 external links after months of SEO. Please help me ,not sure what went wrong.
Link Building | | rsethia1230 -
Should I outsource any SEO work or can I do it all?
My website needs a lot of improvement and we are working on it but I also don't want to fall behind on the SEO work. I am guessing that I can do much of it myself through SEOmoz.org but is there a part that busy folks should get others to do? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Utah Tiger
Link Building | | Boodreaux0 -
Where I need to jump? Web OR Social OR Local Directories
I am working on patio umbrellas keyword to achieve top 3 ranking in Google. I have achieved top 30 ranking with help of on page optimization and want to achieve top 3 ranking with help of link building. Today, I was checking SEO web directories on SEOmoz. Now, I can't make any changes on live website exclude content. So, I have only one option to deal with link building. There are 3 sections over there including Web Directories, Social Directories & Local Directories. So, which is best one to improve my ranking on Google? If anyone have additional inputs for link building so eager to know that. I want to achieve top 3 ranking with my keyword by next 2 months.
Link Building | | CommercePundit0 -
SEO directories
Recently I did a research of one of mine competitors and to my surprise his major backlinks located on seo directories like: http://alistdirectory.com/ http://www.ggfb.org/ http://www.bitterskank.com/ http://www.directorypage.net/ And .... he is showing on first page of Google by particular keyword "Dentist Dubai". Frankly speaking I am confused a little bit, because I believe that this SEO strategy has stopped working a long time ago. Could someone share with me his thought about this? Furthermore all of those websites are asking about a Reciprocal link, which I did find on his website. How he did it? Thanks, Russel
Link Building | | smokin_ace0 -
Article spinning - is it a spam or legitimate way to build SEO
I am being told by one SEO company that article spinning is the best way to achieve best rank on google. They use software that modifies articles and then submit them into lots of blogs and directories. I am worried that this is not a good long term strategy vs manually writing articles and put them into directiries
Link Building | | bfurman0