1 Website, 2 Business Names, 2 Locations

[SilhouetteBS]

I took on a dentist office as an SEO client. They have 1 website, 2 business names and 2 locations. Each location has it's own business name. They are both within the same city as well.

I'm not exactly sure where to start with them since they have 2 different business names. If it were 1 name with multiple locations I would just create a Contact Us page for each one, but is that the best thing to do when the location names are different? Should I create a different website for each location or is that smart because then they are competing against each other? Any help from the community on the direction I should take would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[ultimatetech174]

Having the same website for all listings is absolutely fine. The phone number, if added, is the thing that must be unique to each listing

[Njnbiure45r4]

Here's the component - as Google has recently cracked down on EMDs (specific in shape domains) quite closely in their natural SERPs. Most issues surrounding this associated with skinny content material Roblox promo codes sites that have been getting with the aid of largely at the fact that they'd key phrases in their domains.

[Adlanera]

My private opinion is that this is not a top-notch idea. The writing is on the wall that Google isn't pleased with EMDs. For local businesses, I like to take a look at this from a branding perspective and a human angle Best Survival Machete. If you're Green Tree Dental, I'd rather see you have greentreedental.Com as your domain call.

[MiriamEllis]

Also a good question!

Here's the thing - as you know, Google has recently cracked down on EMDs (exact match domains) pretty heavily in their organic SERPs. Most problems surrounding this related to thin content sites that were getting by largely on the fact that they had keywords in their domain names. In other words, a poor quality site might have ranked well for 'frozen fruit juice', just because the domain name was frozenfruitjuice.com. This was a rather lame situation and the EMD action on Google's part was aimed at cleaning some of this stuff out of the SERPs.

However, it has been noted by several Local SEOs that the EMD penalty didn't seem to strike as hard in the local arena. There is still some thought that having the domain name berkeleychiropactor.com might be helping a site to rank for the search 'berkeley chiropractor'. Because of this, some Local SEOs are still recommending that EMDs be considered, provided that the site being built on the domain is strong - not weak.

My personal opinion is that this isn't a great idea. The writing is on the wall that Google isn't thrilled with EMDs. For local businesses, I like to look at this from a branding perspective and a human perspective. If you are Green Tree Dental, I'd rather see you have greentreedental.com as your domain name. It is true to your brand and instantly recognizable by human visitors. Further, you will have the confidence that it should stand the test of time, in terms of any further penalties Google might choose to roll out. Because of this, I really do prefer going with a domain name that is as close to the business name as possible. I just think it's more natural, and I believe that Google is very into natural these days.

[SilhouetteBS]

One more question relating to this now that I know we will be doing 2 sites. When choosing a new domain for local SEO I am seeing some mixed reviews on if you should include the city name in the domain name. What are your thoughts?

[MiriamEllis]

Good for you, Silhouette! You've advised the client well. It will be important as you move forward to make sure that the original site no longer references the second location, and then there will be citation cleanup, etc. And be sure you are not duplicating text on the two sites. These need to be two totally distinct websites. Glad to hear the client was willing to see the light of day on this. Way to go!

[SilhouetteBS]

OK, I was able to talk them into doing a second website for the 2nd location/company name. Looks like I've got some work to do to get this new site up in the rankings. Thank you for your help.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Silhouette,

If this was my client and they wouldn't bring their branding into cohesion, nor build a second website, I honestly wouldn't know how to advise them. Their desire to promote two differently branded businesses on the same local website is a recipe for all kinds of trouble, as we've discussed, so there wouldn't be some 'right' way to do what you're asking about. I would tell the client that they will likely end up with a mess on their hands in their citations and ranking failures and that I couldn't work with them if they weren't going to take my advice about this. Remember, this client has hired you because of your ability to advise them. If they won't take the advice, your hands are tied. I'd have a last conversation with them and then, if they couldn't respect the fact that they've hired me for my expertise in this matter, I would drop them. Clients who can't take advice are not good clients.

If there is some kind of problem with funding that is preventing them from immediately building a new website, you could offer to give them 3 months or whatever to accrue this funding, during which time you will do nothing. Don't build any citations for either business or do anything social. Then, when they've got the necessary funding, you could build out the second website, do a thorough citation cleanup campaign and then begin building new citations as needed.

I understand, it can be so frustrating to encounter businesses like this who, because of their thinking, are on the road to potential disaster. But you can't force them to let you help them. If they won't listen, they are kind of setting themselves up to learn from experience. If you drop them now, explaining the reasons why you are doing so, you may very well hear back from them in six months when they realize their results are all messed up.

Hope this helps!

[SilhouetteBS]

So if they are unwilling to do a second website at this time, would it be best to create a contact us page for both locations? If that is the case, when I create social profiles for these companies do I point them to the contact us page accordingly or point them both to the home page?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Again,

No - if they want to promote 2 brands, then the best thing would be for them to run two totally separate websites, in my opinion. Promoting two business names on the same website may have negative consequences in terms of Google's ability to parse the information and clients' ability to identify a location with a business name. Hope this helps!

[SilhouetteBS]

If they are absolutely not going to to bring their branding into cohesion is the best option to just create a separate contact us page?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Silhouette,

In that case, then either route would be appropriate (i.e., bring their branding into cohesion on a single website or build out a completely separate website).

[SilhouetteBS]

Vadim, we are using Wordpress, so thank you for the information on the plugins.

[SilhouetteBS]

Miriam, you are correct that they are two completely different addresses and phone numbers. They also have specific dentists at each location. Thank you for your thoughts.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Silhouette,

If I'm understanding this correctly, your client has

1. Two business names (for example, Red Rock Dental Clinic and Green Tree Dental Center)

2. These two locations are in the same city, but have COMPLETELY different addresses AND phone numbers (let me know if the phone numbers are the same)

3. Completely different dentists and staff at the two offices (if not, let me know)

4. A single website representing both businesses.

If the above is correct, the dentist has two options.

1. Bring their branding into a state of cohesion so that their dental practice has just one name. Then, you would simply create 2 landing pages on the website - one for each of the location, and include the complete NAP of both in the footer and on the contact page. If they go this route, your job will be to do a citation cleanup campaign to edit all mentions of their business on the web so that the single, chosen business name is properly associated with both locations.

2. If they have to keep both names for some reason, then I would recommend that they develop a completely separate website for one of the locations. Here's why: the core signal a local business sends to the search engines is comprised of its name+address+phone number+website. If the client maintains 2 names, they are sending a very confusing signal to the bots that both Red Rock Dental Clinic and Green Tree Dental Center are the business' name. Imagine the bots hitting the website and say, "Wait, what is the name of this business???".  This could lead to a number of problems including citation inconsistency, merged listings, duplicate listings and ranking failures. So, if they must keep the 2 names, I suggest they separate them completely with two different websites. Note, in this case the NAP must be completely separate (the phone number cannot be the same for the two different addresses). And, the content would need to be completely different on the two different websites.

Either route would be fine, but their current scenario is not, in my opinion, okay. Having two different businesses share the same website just isn't something I would ever recommend to any local business owner, even if he owns the two businesses. Upshot: they need to solidify their branding or expand their marketing with the development of a second, unique website.

Hope this helps!

[vmialik]

Yes stick to one website as you want to grow its authority and if you have two websites you have to cut that authority in half and website authority helps with Local rankings.

On the page you can create separate location pages, Yoast's Local SEO (paid) plugin can help with this.   These will have specific Name, Address, Contact, Info, Hours of Operation devoted to that location.

Now having said that. This is not an ideal situation as customers might not "get-it" two different business names yet one company, they might have questions. Ideal situation would be to have one name for both locations.

Hope this helps.