The Great Google Places screw over

[Benchtech]

So It's been 9days since my listing has disappeared off of Google Maps/Places along with my reviews I worked so hard for that made me stand out above my local competition and brought in on average 30 calls a week. Since then I have received 1 call from Google, and 19 calls from craigslist.

Submitted a support ticket and have been waiting 4days now with no response. =(

 

[PCX]

So It's been 9days since my listing has disappeared off of Google Maps/Places along with my reviews I worked so hard for that made me stand out above my local competition and brought in on average 30 calls a week. Since then I have received 1 call from Google, and 19 calls from craigslist.

Submitted a support ticket and have been waiting 4days now with no response. =(

Did you change anything on your listing? I wont even change the hours on my google places because the last time I changed the phone number, my listing was taken down for over a month.

 

[Benchtech]

Did you change anything on your listing? I wont even change the hours on my google places because the last time I changed the phone number, my listing was taken down for over a month.

I think that would make my cry...I did change the address and been regretting it ever since!

 

[PCX]

I think that would make my cry...I did change the address and been regretting it ever since!

I hate to tell you this, but when I changed my phone number, I lost all my reviews, then a few of them came back a week later (after it was finally back on google) then a few months later the rest magically appeared. Be prepared for the worst.

 

[ell]

I think that would make my cry...I did change the address and been regretting it ever since!

OMG, don't get me started on GP!! Mine was down over a year!!! let me give you some advice from a expert, DO NOT EDIT YOUR LISTING! If you changed your address or phone, web url, or anything else except pictures, your pretty much screwed for a couple months minimum. Google reps can make edits but they have no control over the google bots that handle the data, it is only updated once, maybe twice a month. The MAJOR key is that all your other web listings match your places listing EXACTLY or the bot will split your listing or completely throw you out. There a google places forum you can hop on, and a rep might read your post, but still there is only so much they can do BUT on the "bright side" after 13 months of anguish, I finally got my listing back to #2 plus all my reviews from years back returned. Your reviews are tied to your phone, address, title and url, as long as all those are consistent all across the web, they should return, unless you wrote them yourself from your own ip address, then they would be gone.

 

[jdpetrov]

I had my listing disappear for 4 weeks and I didn't even TOUCH my listing. Magically it came back.

Interestingly enough, even though I am visible top of the fold, no one seems to find me through my listing. I just live in a geographic area that has yet to clue in to the fact that you can get on them fancy internets and look for a computer repair place.

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

All goes to show that you can't rely on Google Places at all!

 

[anglian]

Does anyone know how google decides the places listings?
I occupy 1st place for my keywords, yet am only 10th in places, which might as well not even be there....
None of the places above me have any reviews, and some of them don't appear on the first 2 pages in search results.

 

[ell]

Does anyone know how google decides the places listings?
I occupy 1st place for my keywords, yet am only 10th in places, which might as well not even be there....
None of the places above me have any reviews, and some of them don't appear on the first 2 pages in search results.

I've done tons of research on gp, your rank is based on "trust", the more the google bot sees you on the web, with the same info, the more the machine finds you relevant. Reviews help, but they are only a small part of the algorithm, (which is closely guarded secret with google to keep things fair) and they change it too. Age has alot to do with it too, how long you have been around, and you must have a physical location, address listed on your web site helps, no po boxes or if you hide your address that buries you too. GP draws off google maps, so a physical visible location is required. Chances are if you google one of the top ranked places by name you'll see they are listed in many other search engines. Google will also penalize you if you spam your listing, repeating key words or putting your city name in your business title or description.

 

[Parkwaytech]

I've done tons of research on gp, your rank is based on "trust", the more the google bot sees you on the web, with the same info, the more the machine finds you relevant. Reviews help, but they are only a small part of the algorithm, (which is closely guarded secret with google to keep things fair) and they change it too. Age has alot to do with it too, how long you have been around, and you must have a physical location, address listed on your web site helps, no po boxes or if you hide your address that buries you too. GP draws off google maps, so a physical visible location is required. Chances are if you google one of the top ranked places by name you'll see they are listed in many other search engines. Google will also penalize you if you spam your listing, repeating key words or putting your city name in your business title or description.

Thanks, ell! That is awesome info.

 

[ell]

Thanks, ell! That is awesome info.

Just thought I'd share my experience, awful as it was, all of 2011 I was down 40%!!! Things are pretty much back to normal now, google really is the only game in town, I don't pay for any advertising. My listing merged with a online business that didn't even have a physical location! My listing had my details but their phone number! It was caused because my other web listings were not consistent, lesson learned the hard way

 

[Benchtech]

Google will also penalize you ..{for}.. putting your city name in your business title or description.

I have not found that to be true as there is a business here in my city with the name of the city in the business name. (Xouthgate Xomputers), and personally I have in my title as well as my meta info: Benchtech Computer Repair in Southgate xxx-xxx-xxxx

added the X so a bot does associate this with my competitor since this is an open forum.

 

[ell]

I have not found that to be true as there is a business here in my city with the name of the city in the business name. (Xouthgate Xomputers), and personally I have in my title as well as my meta info: Benchtech Computer Repair in Southgate xxx-xxx-xxxx

added the X so a bot does associate this with my competitor since this is an open forum.

Thats the trouble, you see other listings that are in violation, but they were created before they changed the rules, which happens constantly! Be aware one day you may go down mysteriously, and whats really troubling is when and IF google sends you an email, it doesn't even explain what you violated! I'd go look at the guidelines, you may be surprised to find your in violation, it just takes months before the google bot filters you out.

 

[Benchtech]

Thats the trouble, you see other listings that are in violation, but they were created before they changed the rules, which happens constantly! Be aware one day you may go down mysteriously, and whats really troubling is when and IF google sends you an email, it doesn't even explain what you violated! I'd go look at the guidelines, you may be surprised to find your in violation, it just takes months before the google bot filters you out.

I actually did after this happened, fixed what needed to be fixed and updated anything and everything that had my busines sinfo attached to it to all match.

Thanks for your help

 

[ell]

I actually did after this happened, fixed what needed to be fixed and updated anything and everything that had my busines sinfo attached to it to all match.

Thanks for your help

I forgot to mention one more very important tip, edit only once cuz every time you hit submit, it rolls you to the back of the review que, which can be anywhere from 30 days to 4 months. So don't touch it once you've edited, even if it takes 4 months.

 

[mygeek]

ell, so you're saying that it's now bad to had your location in your websites title and description?

 

[ell]

ell, so you're saying that it's now bad to had your location in your websites title and description?

It used to be, I skimmed through here and now I'm not sure if they are allowing it now or not, I just know if your business name is "xyz computer repair", and your places listing is named "xyz computer repair los angleles" theres a good chance the bot will pull you. http://support.google.com/places/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=107528

 

[ell]

ell, so you're saying that it's now bad to had your location in your websites title and description?

You can do anything you want to your website, but be sure your physical address is in the footer.Your places listing title, has to match the title of business, no urls or added words or description.

 

[PCX]

ell, so you're saying that it's now bad to had your location in your websites title and description?

It is fine to add your location to the title of your google places so long as it is also apart of your legal name and the name that is used everywhere else on the web.