question Google downgrading Geo Domains

[john888]

Any geo domain name experts out there. Is Google downgrading geo domain names in their search pages? My search for San Diego dermatology shows sandiegodermatology.com on 4th page. Not great positioning for his business. Looks like the only way to be on the 1st search page is to pay Google the money.

 

[Mister Funsky]

pay Google the money

They have not been a domainers friend in a while...changes in the search world coming soon I believe (nobody stays on top forever) which may level the field more...or make it worse.

 

[SBS66]

Geo or non-geo: if your content is not good it will get downgraded on organic SERPs. And, if it's bad and you decide to fork over $$$ on CPC your conversion will not be good. So.

 

[john888]

These sites are all the same Home Page, Services, About, Contact, 3 or 4 webpage site, very basic. Their content is the same since their services are very similar. The only difference I see is the domain name and possibly inbound links.

 

[SBS66]

For sandiegodermatology.com, it is at the bottom of page 3 on my serps (Florida) so it appears to be moving up. For a site you want to rank locally, it's also not about the number of pages, but more about what those pages have relative to the Geo-kewyord you're targetting. For my practice I have 3 sites that rank on page one for the keywords I've targeted; and of those took 6 months to gt there.

At the end of the day, Google has to show something relevant, not snazzy and full of long-winded pages/ copy that doesn't add substance.

 

[enlytend]

geo + keyword domains aren't useless but they aren't a free pass either. Results for searches with local intent (especially placement in the local 3-pack or on maps) are based on internal and external factors which establish the page as locally relevant. This includes consistent business information on important 3rd party sites, and an optimized and verified Google business listing. Local links have a strong correlation to rankings, and a good review profile helps. Ideal place to be for the "money" searches is the local 3-pack, since first organic may be well down the page - even "below the fold."

 

[SBS66]

....Their content is the same since their services are very similar. The only difference I see is the domain name and possibly inbound links.

I disagree about the content being the same for many of these sites, unless you're referring about copying and pasting content from one site to another. There is no such thing as completely original content; there is only your take (or the content writer's take) on the information,which tends to make it unique.

geo + keyword domains aren't useless but they aren't a free pass either. Results for searches with local intent (especially placement in the local 3-pack or on maps) are based on internal and external factors which establish the page as locally relevant. This includes consistent business information on important 3rd party sites, and an optimized and verified Google business listing. Local links have a strong correlation to rankings, and a good review profile helps. Ideal place to be for the "money" searches is the local 3-pack, since first organic may be well down the page - even "below the fold."

Mostly agree, but the local 3-pack is difficult to manipulate.

 

[enlytend]

Mostly agree, but the local 3-pack is difficult to manipulate.

Not in any particular order:

• Relevant & local links
• Verified and optimized GMB page(s)
• Citation building and cleanup - don't need a zillion of them, but accurate and consistent across major sources.
• Review profile
• On page optimization