Showing Up in Google Search

[Sacha]

Hey,

I have a website and a Google Plus page, I'm on FaceBook, TripAdvisor as well. You should be able to find that all by searching Dantes Italian Kitchen in Google.

However if I search from 'takeaway in west bromwich' my business doesn't show up on the google maps thing (with each business assigned a letter).

How do I get on there exactly, any ideas?

Thanks

 

[EpicWebs]

The first step is to add your business to Google Places, that doesn't guarantee a position for that keyword on the map, but you have to do that first.

If after a little while your not appearing then it's time to look at hiring an SEO consultant to look into and work on it for you.

Good luck with your site.

 

[fisicx]

I have a website and a Google Plus page, I'm on FaceBook, TripAdvisor as well. You should be able to find that all by searching Dantes Italian Kitchen in Google.

I see you at the bottom of the page. Your website should be at the top of the page. And the reason it isn't (and why you will struggle with Google maps) is because you are using 1and1.

Bin 1and1 and get proper hosting and a real website. Nothing you will do will make any difference until you move away from 1and1. Hiring an SEO consultant is pointless.

 

[EpicWebs]

I see you at the bottom of the page. Your website should be at the top of the page. And the reason it isn't (and why you will struggle with Google maps) is because you are using 1and1.

Bin 1and1 and get proper hosting and a real website. Nothing you will do will make any difference until you move away from 1and1. Hiring an SEO consultant is pointless.

I disagree unless the SEO consultant doesn't know what they are doing, which is likely, make sure you find a good one.

 

[fisicx]

No, what I meant was don't hire an SEO consultant until they have moved away from 1and1.

 

[EpicWebs]

No, what I meant was don't hire an SEO consultant until they have moved away from 1and1.

Oh ok, yes please get a proper website built.

 

[Sacha]

Well if I search 'dantes italian kitchen' the first 3 results are for this business.

If I search 'takeaway west bromwich' then the google map results the other businesses that are on the map some of them don't even have a website. So not sure why using 1 & 1 would matter.

I'm not in a position financially and the business isn't at a scale yet where I can justify a whole website and an seo specialist. Maybe if we have 2-3 stores sure.

I'm just trying to get the business show up on the map...

 

[Sacha]

The first step is to add your business to Google Places, that doesn't guarantee a position for that keyword on the map, but you have to do that first.

If after a little while your not appearing then it's time to look at hiring an SEO consultant to look into and work on it for you.

Good luck with your site.

I'm already on that. If you search 'dantes italian kitchen' then it should show up on the map. It's just when I search 'takeaways west bromwich' other takeways (some even without websites) are shown while we aren't.

 

[EpicWebs]

The problem your having is that 'dantes italian kitchen' is obviously your company, so the competition is quite low. Where as 'takeaways west bromwich' is quite vague and could mean any of the takeaways in west bromwich, making it more competitive. A more competitive search term takes hard work and time to show for, sometimes it's even too competitive to realistically reach.

Keep promoting your site and talking about it, over time you will start to see more visitors which is great.

 

[Sacha]

I understand that, but if you search takeaway west bromwich all the takeaways in west bromwich show up on the map... just not me. Even though I am one of the few that has a website and I have a google places verified and everything.

I don't need a fancy website or high rankings, I just want to be shown on the map when people search for takeaways, the same as every other takeaway in the area seemed to have managed...

 

[EpicWebs]

Google doesn't yet have enough information about your site from other sources, not just yours to know that your site is relevant to takeaway west bromwich, because of the vagueness of the search term, it's not 100% obvious to google yet.

On the reverse you wouldn't want your business showing for something completely unrelated, so google works on the basis that it doesn't know yet what keywords to show your site for.

 

[Sacha]

So be patient for now?

Other than a new website and ceo specialist could I perhaps contact google and do some kind of advertising to get ontop of the competition?

 

[EpicWebs]

You can use google adwords to advertise on google, but it costs per click, you mentioned your not in the position financially for a new site or SEO, so I would recommend talking about your site and letting people know about it, then just being patient. If you don't currently have a blog section on your site, that is something you can do for free to try and bring in some extra visitors.

Good luck with your site

 

[Sacha]

Well I've just looked on Google Maps without searching for anything specific.

I still get the same problem. Subway, Mcdonalds, loads of other businesses show up on the map. But we don't. I have a verified google business profile... How come I can't see it on the map?

 

[OakBridge]

The first step is to add your business to Google Places, that doesn't guarantee a position for that keyword on the map, but you have to do that first.

If after a little while your not appearing then it's time to look at hiring an SEO consultant to look into and work on it for you.

Good luck with your site.

Yes, that's the correct technique.

 

[EpicWebs]

Well I've just looked on Google Maps without searching for anything specific.

I still get the same problem. Subway, Mcdonalds, loads of other businesses show up on the map. But we don't. I have a verified google business profile... How come I can't see it on the map?

What are you searching?

 

[Sacha]

Nothing. Just go onto Google Maps and look at West Bromwich, you zoom right down and on New Street (where we are located, right in the centre of the town) we don't show up for some reason even though plenty of other businesses do show up. I'm already on google places and it is verified my google business account is 100% complete.

 

[EpicWebs]

Might just have to be patient and wait for google to show your company without a specific keyword for your company.

 

[UKSBD]

You appear on Maps because you added a listing.

Would Google know where you are if you didn't add a listing?

If the answer is no, then you're unlikely to appear high.

You need Google to be very confident that they know where you are, and what you do and you also need Google to be very confident the Google+ Page is connected to the website.

Your listing is verified which is good, but you need to connect it to your site better, make the description better, make some posts, add location information to your images and try and get some reviews and interaction.

You then want Google to be sure where you are by making it clearer on your website where you are (put your address on your homepage) and getting more pointers to Google of where you are.

 

[fisicx]

So be patient for now?

It's not going to make any difference. Google has already index and ranked your site and considered your relevance to the maps and found you wanting.

You say you cant' afford to pay for a site (doesn't have to be fancy). You could put a better site together than you are currently paying 1and1. For example:

Install wordspress - free
Install a restaurant/takeway theme - $50
add an SEO plugin - free

All you then need to do is all all your content and optimise for your keywords. Free (but will take a couple of days). And the new site would have the advantage that people can place orders online.

None of the above is any more complicated than building a 1and1 site but it will have the advantage that you can build it so google knows what you do and will get you ranked for 'takeaways in west bromwich'. There are loads of things wrong with your site but website reviews are only for full members.

 

[DesignerNick]

You also need to build some citations

 

[Sacha]

Many thanks for your advice fisccix, UKSBD and others.

Fisicx I will look into your suggestions and most likely implement them within the next few months. What I find hard to understand is why you are so sure it has something to with my website? If I search 'takeaways in west bromwich' the 1st result on Google Map Results (result A for me) is 'Eatwise Takeaway' which is a Google Plus Page... They don't even have a website.

So why should a Google Plus Page with no website and no SEO be ranked higher than me?

Also you DON'T NEED TO SEARCH 'takeaways in west bromwich'. If you just use Google Maps and look at West Bromwich my business doesn't show up.... AT ALL. Other businesses that ONLY have a Google Plus page, and NO WEBSITE are showing up...

So clearly it has nothing to do with my website.

I do however very much appreciate your suggestions and I will definitely implement them.

 

[UKSBD]

It does show up.

The less impotence/trust/confidence Google puts in a listing the more you have to zoom in.

Change it to Street, put a comma before and after West Bromwich, always use the apostrophe in Dante's, put your address on your homepage, and once a few me people mention you online it will improve.

 

[fisicx]

I has everything to do with your website. Google is comparing your map listing with the details on your website and on Google+. Because they don't match EXACTLY Google doesn't trust you.

Google is a dumb machine, it looks at the information it has about you and makes an automated judgement. Because it sees differing data depending on the source it doesn't know which one to trust. Just because something seems illogical to you doesn't me Google applies the same logic.

 

[EpicWebs]

Still, being patient, combined with letting people know about your website and improving it as much as you can. There isn't much else we can advise you to do as you want to keep your site and don't have the budget for adwords, SEO work or a new site (although I would recommend still getting WordPress + theme installed and a £5 a month host).

Good luck with your site, keep talking about it, keep updating it and improving it

 

[Sacha]

Hey guys thanks again for the great advice everybody.

I will be implementing everything with regards to the website as soon as I get some time to focus on our online presence again. The truth is I just wanted a site and domain name and corresponding email address, no need for anything fancy at the moment but I will definitely be getting a proper site with the ability to place orders online and stuff in due course.

Regarding the suggestion to implement citations does anybody have any recommendations on what site I should use to create citations? I did today put us up on yell.com, will that suffice or should I add it on other directories and if so which ones are the best?

Further I just wanted to give an update regarding the issue with Google Maps and not showing up on there. Today I had a phone call from Google and a lady was just confirming our details. I confirmed everything with her and I am now seeing our business on Google Maps. So not sure if that was related but I suspect it was.

Many thanks again

 

[EpicWebs]

Awesome good job, it might of been a technical issue.

 

[pcproblems]

What you need my friend, is content... Tell the visitors all about what your business has to offer, tell them all about your fine food and that you are indeed a takeaway in West Bromwich. Pictures are very nice but the search engines would like some well written text to get their teeth into... Might I suggest that you type 'diy seo tutorial for beginners' into Google or your favourite search engine

 

[HazelC]

You can use google adwords to advertise on google, but it costs per click, you mentioned your not in the position financially for a new site or SEO, so I would recommend talking about your site and letting people know about it, then just being patient. If you don't currently have a blog section on your site, that is something you can do for free to try and bring in some extra visitors.

Good luck with your site

I was just about to say the same thing - don't pay for Google Ads, go in for the awareness and branding and content. Use social media (facebook, Google+ and twitter are ideal) and link back to your website from it to encourage traffic to your website. Write blog posts on a weekly / twice weekly basis, using the keywords you want to be found for. Try and use your keywords throughout your website and aim for 300+ words on each page.

Websites can be expensive, but actually they might not be as much as you think? I used Geek Designs and they were pretty reasonable. They have done loads of restaurant and take away websites which are ranking pretty well. They're based in Peterborough and do websites from £350 for a 3-5 page website... a good price to get started at? http://geekdesigns.uk/

 

[HazelC]

What you need my friend, is content... Tell the visitors all about what your business has to offer, tell them all about your fine food and that you are indeed a takeaway in West Bromwich. Pictures are very nice but the search engines would like some well written text to get their teeth into... Might I suggest that you type 'diy seo tutorial for beginners' into Google or your favourite search engine

I just said that - but slower that you, so I got my reply underneath you But I do completely agree.