Single business, multiple Websites, and Local Search

[Darrin Ward]

Currently working with a company that has 2 Websites targeted to different niches. They have a single physical address and are the same business, however the niches are distinctly different and in that sense it makes sense that they have different Websites.

The question is... how do you reconcile having 2 different Websites when you want to perform well in local search also? Even if they were two separate companies / legal entities, they would have the same physical address, which would presumably confuse Google.

[ClickyB]

My wife and I run several businesses from our home address (I also run a voluntary community organisation) and all of them are linked on Google local... They don't seem to mind (so long as they each have different operating names... otherwise it would be awkward I'm guessing)

[Darrin Ward]

So you have different "place pages" for each of the businesses, different entities/business names with the same physical address... and each of them rank independently for different things?

[ChillDot]

So you have different "place pages" for each of the businesses, different entities/business names with the same physical address... and each of them rank independently for different things?

You see companies in built up cities like london sharing addresses all the time, they just put their company name at the top so people know.

The only difference they have is maybe a separate floor or part of a floor, yet still the same building.

[CatalysteMarketing]

"My wife and I run several businesses from our home address and all of them are linked on Google local... They don't seem to mind"

Actually Google has a major problem with this, especially for home based businesses. I think you just have not gotten caught yet.

I help companies in the Google Business forum all the time that have problems.

Darrin, the key lies in the B & M world. If it were really 2 totally separate businesses, 2 different names, different industries (no cross over categories at all) and importantly different phone #s, sometimes it will fly.

However, important to realize even if they qualified and it was allowed, still a big problem would be Google potentially merging the 2 listings. Then you are back to only 1 listing but with scrambled mixed up data from both, all mixed up in 1 listing.

But if it's really just 2 different services or niches and same company, only one listing is allowed. You could have 10 niche sites, but still only one Place page, linked to one site. Then you just have to use the categories to try to rank for the different niches.

Sorry to reply so late, missed this when it was 1st posted. Hope you had a good Turkey Day! :-)