Smartfinds Local Listing

Google Places Part 2

Four weeks after creating our thread and four weeks after taking our first order, those first clients started to get curious. Normally at this time we would have just or just about ranked the client. However, as usual, Google threw a curveball. The way the process works is we create a listing, submit the respective business information to various business and non business directories and wait for Google to crawl it, crediting the listing with its findings. Additionally, we create citations (re-occurrences information) at high authority locations like Facebook and Youtube. Obviously there is a bit more to it, which I will go into in my next post. Once the listing is credited with the findings, typically the listing leaps to the front of the pack. Not this time.

Now I can’t officially use Google as my scapegoat, as we are also at the mercy of the directories, however typically the directories will publish the business information that we submit within 2-3 weeks of submission and the better ones, instantly. If the directories haven’t published the information then there is nothing for Google to find. What leads us to believe its G’s fault is that when G finds the exact address matches, it will list the information on the bottom of the Google Places. page. From day one, the address was posted on the website, which if Google was doing its job on time, G would have found this info and noted its findings on the places page. So, we play the waiting game.

While we waited, over and over again we looked over everything we did with a fine tooth comb, questioning every move. Once we had tired ourselves out, we decided to double up on citations and submit to the highest authority sources. Nothing. Panic ensues.

Unfortunately and naively, we promised many of our client’s rankings in 4 weeks and for some, their listing hadn’t left the 32nd page since their listing was created. In fact, in more competitive industries, clients listings were so buried the listings were nearly impossible to find. Fortunately, most everyone that was at the 4 week point was been very understanding, which begs to question, maybe Wickedfire was a good place to complete our final testing? Would people without online marketing experience be as understanding? We don’t seem to think so. Especially if they had been paying more than the third world prices we are currently charging.

As we crept past the first week of January, some testing that we had been conducting on the side was showing some incredible results. Although based on our original ranking strategy, we added to the recipe to see how Google would react to certain stimuli. What we found was that in some verticals we were able to rank first page within 20mins of listing completion. Unbelievable. Tirelessly, we began re-fitting our current listings and adding the extra pieces to the puzzle, which brings us to present day…

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