# Google My Business Problems & How to Solve

ThemJoy Hawkins

Imprezzio Marketing

@JoyanneHawkins

Problem 1: Google is sending customers to my old address

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

“We relocated our business in May of 2015.  Since then, when you ask for directions, Good Maps sends the customers to our old location. I have made MULTIPLE requests to have this corrected, and nothing has ever been done.  This is costing me money...

I just had a frustrating call with GOOGLE MY BUSINESS and that was totally useless.

Who can help? I have read in this forum that others have had the same issue and that this is a known Google issue with relocates.”

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/maps/nfwRsTK8CWA

• This happens because there are actually 2 markers for each business in Google Maps• The first is where the place label & map marker

goes • Users can update this via Google Maps,

Google MapMaker • The second is the one that directions uses. • Only Google can update this one

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handlehttps://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/maps/dZPaqi6p4Ks

• When a business moves, they update marker #1 and sometimes the direction marker follows…and sometimes it does not

• When it does not, this causes driving directions to go to the old location.

Solution:

http://www.joyannehawkins.com/why-your-driving-directions-might-be-wrong-on-google-maps-after-you-move/

Contact Google to fix

• Phone Support: https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_c2c_l?hl=en&rd=2#cft=5

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoogleSmallBiz • Forum: https://www.en.advertisercommunity.com/t5/Google-My-Business/ct-p/GMB#

Problem 2: Google can’t understand my address!

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

Does Google understand that

is actually the same as:

6770 South Sheridan Road E

6770 S Sheridan Rd

@JoyanneHawkins

• Head over to Google MapMaker and pull up your listing

• Click to edit the listing on MapMaker (don’t actually submit any edits)

• Do the different fields actually go in the appropriate boxes?

@JoyanneHawkins

• If Google can’t normalize your address they might think it’s a new street and add the format you used to their list (not at all ideal).

• Go back to GMB, edit the listing, and enter the street name exactly how MapMaker has it (in this ex: S Sheridan Rd)

Correct – what Maps has

Wrong – was in GMB

http://www.whitespark.ca/acceptable-google-maps-nap-abbreviations-and-variations

Further Reading:

Problem 3: Google My Business phone support is telling me my ranking is dropping because I’m not posting on Google Plus

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

• In 2014, Google phone support reps were telling people the description was a ranking factor

• A few months ago, they were telling people that posting on Google Plus would help

• I’ve had several cases where different reps gave me opposite advice for the same situation when I called in twice. WRONG

@JoyanneHawkins

Solution: Twitter Support!https://twitter.com/GoogleSmallBiz

Faster (no repeating yourself, spelling out words on the phone…etc)

You get someone in the USA, not India

Better & more accurate advice

Keep in mind you will only hear from them during business hours (PST)

@JoyanneHawkins

Problem 4: Google shows “permanently closed” when you search my business name.

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

• The most common case for this is when a business moves and they had duplicate listings before the move happened.

• Updating their address in GMB only updates the address on the one listing

@JoyanneHawkins

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

• It takes the “old” address on Maps and 302’s it to the new location

• The “old” listing will completely vanish from Google Search and Google Maps, making it impossible for customers to accidentally see.

• Since the listing doesn’t show up anywhere, the “Permanently closed” message won’t show up anywhere, either.

• Reviews from the closed listing will transfer to the new listing (double-check to make sure that happens).

There is a “Moved” feature on Google Maps

@JoyanneHawkins

Solution: To fix it, contact Google My Business via Twitter Support and asked them to mark the old location as moved.

@JoyanneHawkins

Problem 5: I am located outside the city I want to rank for

• Having a physical address in the city is the #1 local search ranking factor

• Physical addresses are different than mailing addresses!

@JoyanneHawkins

• This business is first organically

• They don’t have any major NAP issues

• They are using the proper categories

• They’ve been established at this location for years

• Why don’t they rank in the 3-pack for “handyman Tampa”?

@JoyanneHawkins

• When you set your location to Tampa and search just “handyman” they are B

@JoyanneHawkins

@JoyanneHawkins

Their mailing address:

5314 N Falkenburg RdTampa, FL, 33610

Their physical address is not in Tampa!

@JoyanneHawkins

Step 1: Go to Google Maps and search the city, state

@JoyanneHawkins

Step 2: Go to MapMakerSearch the city name,

and zoom into the map until you see the location

of your business.

Click the red “ADD NEW” button and select “Add a

Place.”

@JoyanneHawkins

Put the marker down on the map exactly where

your business is.

Select any random business category and a

fake name, and hit “Continue.”

@JoyanneHawkins

• On the record that comes up, the city that is automatically populated in the city box is most likely the one that Google Maps would consider your address to be in.

• If it lists a county (as in this case), it’s most likely because the area you are in is unincorporated.

@JoyanneHawkins

• Focus on organic for cities you’re not physically located in.• Getting the #1 organic spot results in a really

high CTR.• Start tracking the keyword without the city (ex:

“handyman”)• These types of keywords tend to get a higher

search volume but a lower conversion rate

Solutions

https://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factorshttp://searchengineland.com/rank-high-organically-not-locally-case-study-240692

Further Reading:

Problem 6: I have no idea how to search for duplicate listings for my business anymore!

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

Method 1: MapMaker

Search for:• business name• phone number

@JoyanneHawkins

Method 2: Google Search“name/address/phone variation” “write a review” inurl:about site:plus.google.com

@JoyanneHawkins

Listings with same phone # (Especially SABs that aren’t on MapMaker)

@JoyanneHawkins

Listings using the same address

http://searchengineland.com/definitive-guide-duplicate-research-local-seo-238719

Further Reading:

Problem 7: Google is showing a listing for one of the professionals at my office instead of the office itself

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

What Listings are Allowed?• Solo-practitioners are only

allowed one listing total• Allstate: Bob Smith• ABC Dental: Dr Bob Smith

• Public-facing professionals are allowed their own listing (ex: lawyers, doctors, realtors)• Support staff should not have

listings• If a professional works out of

more than 1 office, they can have 1 listing per location

Best Scenario

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

Strategies to Use• Find out which listing is currently ranking highest

and make it the primary listing you try to get reviews on.

• Try to keep categories from overlapping as much as possible

• When categories do overlap (ex: 2 dentists), minimize the profile that ranks lowest.• Removing the website is a great way to minimize

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

Example:Listing Category Website Field

Law Firm Law Firm, Lawyer Domain.com (homepage)

Lawyer A Personal Injury Lawyer Domain.com/personal-injury-page

Lawyer B Criminal Justice Attorney Domain.com/criminal-law-page

Lawyer C Divorce Lawyer Domain.com/divorce-lawyer-page

*Check which page Google currently ranks highest organically for that term

Problem 8: Why did Google suspend my page? Why won’t they tell me why they suspended it?

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

Spam is a REAL problem.

@JoyanneHawkins

• It is your job to know the rules and abide by them.• Google won’t help spammers get better by telling

them how they were caught. • Google can see information about your activity (IP

address etc) that others cannot see

@JoyanneHawkins

• URL is a redirect• Business name contains keyword stuffing• Multiple listings for the same business

Common Reasons why Listings get Suspended

Soft Suspension = Listing Becomes Unverified

Create new Google account, re-verify the listing, stop breaking the rules

@JoyanneHawkins

• Address is virtual• Business doesn’t exist (pure spam/lead generating

company)

Common Reasons why Listings get Suspended

Hard Suspension = Listing No Longer Exists in Maps/Mapmaker

http://www.joyannehawkins.com/the-1-book-every-local-seo-needs-to-read/

Further Reading:

Problem 9: My competitor is creating a bunch of fake listings, and they’re outranking me!

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

11 don’t exist (7 removed as spam + 4 pending removals)2 edited to remove keyword stuffing

3 actual legit company listings

@JoyanneHawkins

@JoyanneHawkins

• A listing for an “SEO company” that was acquired by a larger marketing company over a year ago

• A listing for a marketing company that tried to create a new name for just their SEO product (they had 2 listings at their actual office)

• An SEO company that has all their employees work remotely and was using each of their home addresses to create multiple listings

• An SEO company who apparently exists in Square One (a popular shopping mall)

• An SEO company that is at the same address as the Fairmont Royal York Hotel

The Fake Crap

@JoyanneHawkins

How to Tell?• Does what’s listed match the website?• Call the phone number, see how they answer the

phone. Say you’re calling to get directions.• Call from Gmail so they can’t call back

• Check Street View. Does it show a UPS store or a residential address? Is there any signage for the business?

• Search the address on Google to see who else is using it

• Search for their business license on the Secretary of State website

Where to Report? Report via MapMaker (usually takes a month) MapMaker Forum Google My Business Forum Make friends with a Regional Lead (or become one)

@JoyanneHawkins

What to Include• Do not reference 3rd-Party Sites as references (“Well

Facebook lists him at…”)• Authoritative Sites = business website,

government website• Include a LOT of details

This is the address of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel (http://www.fairmont.com/royal-york-toronto/). They have condos that people stay at so I'm guessing someone verified this listing using an employee's address. I called the Fairmont and they confirmed they do not have office space and no one registered there named [company name]. [company name] does have a real office in Concord that you can see here: [insert link to other location]

@JoyanneHawkins

Problem 10: Why is Google showing something different than what’s in the GMB dashboard?

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

• The GMB Dashboard is one of many sources Google gets information from. Others include:• Users via Maps & MapMaker• Data Providers (InfoUSA)• Information scraped from the business website

@JoyanneHawkins

Problem 11: Why does Google keep auto-updating my hours?

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

The Tuesday’s confused Google

@JoyanneHawkins

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

Your Website is the Most Authoritative Citation!

http://imprezziomarketing.com/seo-blog/seo/why-the-does-google-keep-updating-my-business-hours-a-case-study/

Further Reading:

Problem 12: What is the best way to keep up with changes in how Google interprets/enforces its guidelines?

Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle

• Whitespark Pulse• GMB Forum

News & Updates Board – Subscribe to RSS Feed

• New Google My Business Features page (Through ChangeDetection.com) @JoyanneHawkins

Thank You!

@JoyanneHawkins