I have a question about local SEO. For listings such as Google Business, Yahoo Local, Yelp, and other local citations, should the descriptions that I use all be the same or should they be different? Does them being the same or different help or hurt SEO, or does it not matter? I know that NAP has to be the same, but I am curious about varying the descriptions or using the same one across multiple listings. For some local citations that I did in the past, I simply took the same text from my G listing and duplicated it, but I do not know if this is the best way to continue. Does anyone have an opinion on this matter? Thanks in advance for your help!
Local SEO Description Question
- Thread starter hm25819
- Start date
ReformTheBox
Junior Member
- Sep 26, 2014
- 158
- 50
I don't see how anyone is even letting the "Same description" slip as a pass for ranking in local SEO. I strongly disagree with anyone who would say it is okay to reuse the same description for citations.
First
Go through all of your current listed citations, if you don't have the knowledge of using a tool that will help with this process or the money to buy the tool/programs then you can manually search all of your listed citations by simply pasting the business phone number into the google search engine.
www.google.com > Business phone Number >
While you are checking all of the citations submitted with your company phone number keep in mind it is also a good idea to search online for your business address excluding the phone number as you might have potentially had an alternative business phone number at one time this would bring up anything attached to that address. (Even if you are a mobile service)
Build yourself a URL citation list as you are checking previous citations. Look for inaccurate hours, claim the listing to a @businessdomain.com email address, if the citation source allows it update it with photos, update logo, add on to the description, inner link citations to social media accounts when applicable.
Second
After properly getting a real idea of where your business stands in the online world you are ready to create a few citations per month. You will see outdated methods saying more citations the better.. This statement couldn't be anymore false! pace your self with about 15 - 30 citations per month... MAX. Custom and original descriptions will allow you to use your citations as more of an additional way to target keywords and not to keyword stuff copy pasting the same information is telling google more information about your company.
https://whitespark.ca/top-local-citation-sources-by-country/ FREE (Good place to look for citation sources you need to be in.)
Think of it like this, if you are pasting the same description each time, when google crawls that site and gets your information it's not going to see anything new.. completely contradicting the numerous statements Google has made about adding fresh content on a regular basis will organically rank you after enough time has past. Google says this because it knows if you are real business actively submitting fresh content about your business, in time the content will show a pattern of the same services you provide, pitched in the content aka "keywords"
Third
If you want to rank good in not only Google local but Google Organics the most important thing is your website. I'll give you a basic check list of things you want too do in order to have a successful internet campaign.
-What keywords are you trying to rank? Pick 3 - 5 keywords, 1 of them being the most searched phrase, which generally is "service and city name" Or vice versa.
-Is your Home page Tittle tag mentioning your primary keyword?
-Is your home page meta description including your primary keyword? (Try to mention the keyword 3 times between tittle tag and meta description. Don't over do it. if they keyword is in the domain then don't mention more then twice because it would count in the domain.)
-What is your page speed? https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
-Is your website mobile friendly? https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/
-Have you set up Google mapmaker?
-Does your website have schema? I prefer JSON http://json-schema.org/example1.html https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool (You can also use data highlighter tool in webmasters)
-If you have a store front do you have google maps directions on the home pages?
Create an inner link circle using GMB and other social sites such as face book linking to each other posts.
If you have more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best too help answer. I can't give away all my secrets but this is some very basic stuff to help get you in the right direction.
P.S
The very short answer to your question. Use original descriptions on every citation you submit.
First
Go through all of your current listed citations, if you don't have the knowledge of using a tool that will help with this process or the money to buy the tool/programs then you can manually search all of your listed citations by simply pasting the business phone number into the google search engine.
www.google.com > Business phone Number >
While you are checking all of the citations submitted with your company phone number keep in mind it is also a good idea to search online for your business address excluding the phone number as you might have potentially had an alternative business phone number at one time this would bring up anything attached to that address. (Even if you are a mobile service)
Build yourself a URL citation list as you are checking previous citations. Look for inaccurate hours, claim the listing to a @businessdomain.com email address, if the citation source allows it update it with photos, update logo, add on to the description, inner link citations to social media accounts when applicable.
Second
After properly getting a real idea of where your business stands in the online world you are ready to create a few citations per month. You will see outdated methods saying more citations the better.. This statement couldn't be anymore false! pace your self with about 15 - 30 citations per month... MAX. Custom and original descriptions will allow you to use your citations as more of an additional way to target keywords and not to keyword stuff copy pasting the same information is telling google more information about your company.
https://whitespark.ca/top-local-citation-sources-by-country/ FREE (Good place to look for citation sources you need to be in.)
Think of it like this, if you are pasting the same description each time, when google crawls that site and gets your information it's not going to see anything new.. completely contradicting the numerous statements Google has made about adding fresh content on a regular basis will organically rank you after enough time has past. Google says this because it knows if you are real business actively submitting fresh content about your business, in time the content will show a pattern of the same services you provide, pitched in the content aka "keywords"
Third
If you want to rank good in not only Google local but Google Organics the most important thing is your website. I'll give you a basic check list of things you want too do in order to have a successful internet campaign.
-What keywords are you trying to rank? Pick 3 - 5 keywords, 1 of them being the most searched phrase, which generally is "service and city name" Or vice versa.
-Is your Home page Tittle tag mentioning your primary keyword?
-Is your home page meta description including your primary keyword? (Try to mention the keyword 3 times between tittle tag and meta description. Don't over do it. if they keyword is in the domain then don't mention more then twice because it would count in the domain.)
-What is your page speed? https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
-Is your website mobile friendly? https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/
-Have you set up Google mapmaker?
-Does your website have schema? I prefer JSON http://json-schema.org/example1.html https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool (You can also use data highlighter tool in webmasters)
-If you have a store front do you have google maps directions on the home pages?
Create an inner link circle using GMB and other social sites such as face book linking to each other posts.
If you have more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best too help answer. I can't give away all my secrets but this is some very basic stuff to help get you in the right direction.
P.S
The very short answer to your question. Use original descriptions on every citation you submit.
ChristopherColumbus1492
Newbie
- Nov 7, 2016
- 43
- 23
I don't see how anyone is even letting the "Same description" slip as a pass for ranking in local SEO. I strongly disagree with anyone who would say it is okay to reuse the same description for citations.
First
Go through all of your current listed citations, if you don't have the knowledge of using a tool that will help with this process or the money to buy the tool/programs then you can manually search all of your listed citations by simply pasting the business phone number into the google search engine.
http://www.google.com > Business phone Number >
While you are checking all of the citations submitted with your company phone number keep in mind it is also a good idea to search online for your business address excluding the phone number as you might have potentially had an alternative business phone number at one time this would bring up anything attached to that address. (Even if you are a mobile service)
Build yourself a URL citation list as you are checking previous citations. Look for inaccurate hours, claim the listing to a @businessdomain.com email address, if the citation source allows it update it with photos, update logo, add on to the description, inner link citations to social media accounts when applicable.
Second
After properly getting a real idea of where your business stands in the online world you are ready to create a few citations per month. You will see outdated methods saying more citations the better.. This statement couldn't be anymore false! pace your self with about 15 - 30 citations per month... MAX. Custom and original descriptions will allow you to use your citations as more of an additional way to target keywords and not to keyword stuff copy pasting the same information is telling google more information about your company.
https://whitespark.ca/top-local-citation-sources-by-country/ FREE (Good place to look for citation sources you need to be in.)
Think of it like this, if you are pasting the same description each time, when google crawls that site and gets your information it's not going to see anything new.. completely contradicting the numerous statements Google has made about adding fresh content on a regular basis will organically rank you after enough time has past. Google says this because it knows if you are real business actively submitting fresh content about your business, in time the content will show a pattern of the same services you provide, pitched in the content aka "keywords"
Third
If you want to rank good in not only Google local but Google Organics the most important thing is your website. I'll give you a basic check list of things you want too do in order to have a successful internet campaign.
-What keywords are you trying to rank? Pick 3 - 5 keywords, 1 of them being the most searched phrase, which generally is "service and city name" Or vice versa.
-Is your Home page Tittle tag mentioning your primary keyword?
-Is your home page meta description including your primary keyword? (Try to mention the keyword 3 times between tittle tag and meta description. Don't over do it. if they keyword is in the domain then don't mention more then twice because it would count in the domain.)
-What is your page speed? https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
-Is your website mobile friendly? https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/
-Have you set up Google mapmaker?
-Does your website have schema? I prefer JSON http://json-schema.org/example1.html https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool (You can also use data highlighter tool in webmasters)
-If you have a store front do you have google maps directions on the home pages?
Create an inner link circle using GMB and other social sites such as face book linking to each other posts.
If you have more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best too help answer. I can't give away all my secrets but this is some very basic stuff to help get you in the right direction.
P.S
The very short answer to your question. Use original descriptions on every citation you submit.
I can't believe only one other person thanked you for this post. Very helpful, even years later- very rare in the SEO world.
Nateolsen
Junior Member
- Aug 31, 2013
- 187
- 25
I don't see how anyone is even letting the "Same description" slip as a pass for ranking in local SEO. I strongly disagree with anyone who would say it is okay to reuse the same description for citations.
First
Go through all of your current listed citations, if you don't have the knowledge of using a tool that will help with this process or the money to buy the tool/programs then you can manually search all of your listed citations by simply pasting the business phone number into the google search engine.
www.google.com > Business phone Number >
While you are checking all of the citations submitted with your company phone number keep in mind it is also a good idea to search online for your business address excluding the phone number as you might have potentially had an alternative business phone number at one time this would bring up anything attached to that address. (Even if you are a mobile service)
Build yourself a URL citation list as you are checking previous citations. Look for inaccurate hours, claim the listing to a @businessdomain.com email address, if the citation source allows it update it with photos, update logo, add on to the description, inner link citations to social media accounts when applicable.
Second
After properly getting a real idea of where your business stands in the online world you are ready to create a few citations per month. You will see outdated methods saying more citations the better.. This statement couldn't be anymore false! pace your self with about 15 - 30 citations per month... MAX. Custom and original descriptions will allow you to use your citations as more of an additional way to target keywords and not to keyword stuff copy pasting the same information is telling google more information about your company.
https://whitespark.ca/top-local-citation-sources-by-country/ FREE (Good place to look for citation sources you need to be in.)
Think of it like this, if you are pasting the same description each time, when google crawls that site and gets your information it's not going to see anything new.. completely contradicting the numerous statements Google has made about adding fresh content on a regular basis will organically rank you after enough time has past. Google says this because it knows if you are real business actively submitting fresh content about your business, in time the content will show a pattern of the same services you provide, pitched in the content aka "keywords"
Third
If you want to rank good in not only Google local but Google Organics the most important thing is your website. I'll give you a basic check list of things you want too do in order to have a successful internet campaign.
-What keywords are you trying to rank? Pick 3 - 5 keywords, 1 of them being the most searched phrase, which generally is "service and city name" Or vice versa.
-Is your Home page Tittle tag mentioning your primary keyword?
-Is your home page meta description including your primary keyword? (Try to mention the keyword 3 times between tittle tag and meta description. Don't over do it. if they keyword is in the domain then don't mention more then twice because it would count in the domain.)
-What is your page speed? https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
-Is your website mobile friendly? https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/
-Have you set up Google mapmaker?
-Does your website have schema? I prefer JSON http://json-schema.org/example1.html https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-tool (You can also use data highlighter tool in webmasters)
-If you have a store front do you have google maps directions on the home pages?
Create an inner link circle using GMB and other social sites such as face book linking to each other posts.
If you have more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best too help answer. I can't give away all my secrets but this is some very basic stuff to help get you in the right direction.
P.S
The very short answer to your question. Use original descriptions on every citation you submit.
Totally agreed! You wouldn't use duplicate content for websites so why local? but many people do.
TerasConsulting
Newbie
- Apr 8, 2017
- 2
- 0
all description should be change; Different content help us. its also mater.
Snipped
Create an inner link circle using GMB and other social sites such as face book linking to each other posts.
If you have more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best too help answer. I can't give away all my secrets but this is some very basic stuff to help get you in the right direction.
P.S
The very short answer to your question. Use original descriptions on every citation you submit.
GMB I assume is google my business? How would achieve this small link block. Do you mean from the local business google+ page?
Another question if I may and this has always confused me..
Is the orange Organic search and the Red local pack searches?
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