Entries from Search Engine Roundtable tagged with 'google local'

A disgruntled searcher posted a thread at Google Maps Help forum complaining that he spotted a nude photo on a Google Maps business listing for a London based escort service. I personally don't think I see a nude photo, but...

Posted on November 9, 2009 8:24 AM

A couple weeks ago, Google began helping business owners find themselves with a link in their Google Local Business Center that read "See your listing on Google Maps." The thing is, for some, when you click on that link, it...

Posted on November 3, 2009 8:56 AM

Google has just updated the Business Listing Quality Guidelines for Google Maps. There are many changes to this guidelines page - in fact - it seems like it was completely revised. So I will show you the old version and...

Posted on November 3, 2009 8:34 AM

I spotted this old thread at Google Maps Help that has very useful information and yet, we have not covered it (go figure). In short, the thread goes through the possibility of having a single business listed in your Google...

Posted on October 29, 2009 8:41 AM

For at least a month now, there have been complaints in a Google Maps Help thread that Google is showing, in some cases, a single map result, when it should be showing seven map results. For example, a search on...

Posted on October 28, 2009 8:45 AM

I spotted an old Google Maps Help thread that reported that in the past, a competitor was able to add a coupon to this guys business listing. So if you visited his business, you would see a coupon for another...

Posted on October 23, 2009 8:47 AM

A very active Google Maps user reported a bug in Google Maps at Google Maps Help forums. Recently Google Maps launched place pages for each business listing. It basically meant Google made a nice shiny page for each local business...

Posted on October 21, 2009 8:54 AM

Linda from the Google Maps team posted a thread at the Google Maps Help forum announcing a new feature in the Google Local Business Center that helps businesses see their own listings on Google Maps. Linda said: Today, you'll see...

Posted on October 21, 2009 8:31 AM

When Google local business listings are showing on the web search results, Google is now asking users to confirm if the business information is accurate. Even if the business listing is verified by the business owner. Here is an example:...

Posted on October 20, 2009 8:28 AM

The local SEMs are buzzing about how Google dropped three listings from the local space in the Google search results. Now, instead of showing the "ten pack" of ten local search results pulled from Google Maps on the Google web...

Posted on October 12, 2009 8:18 AM

A Google Maps Help thread has several business owners complaining that they keep getting an error from the Google Local Business Center category field that says: Select at least 1 category that matches suggestions as you type The issue is...

Posted on September 14, 2009 8:09 AM

I have been noticing a recent spike in the number of complaints about their business reviews going missing in Google Maps. One of those complaints has a response from a Googler. A Google Maps Help thread has one business listing...

Posted on September 3, 2009 9:13 AM

Two threads at Google Webmaster Help report that .ME ccTLDs (domain names) can now be geo targeted in Google Webmaster Tools. Typically, Google doesn't allow you to geo-target a ccTLD (country specific top level domain). Google assumes that if you...

Posted on August 28, 2009 8:23 AM

Google Maps Guide, Brianna, announced in a Google Maps Help thread that there is a brand new verification form for those who use the bulk upload process, to upload their business listings to Google Maps. Google has struggled with spam...

Posted on August 17, 2009 8:11 AM

There is an unusual spike in complaints in the Google Maps Help forum that the Google Local Business Center is not functioning correctly. People are saying that although they are updating the information in the local business center, those updates...

Posted on August 7, 2009 8:45 AM

The Google Maps Help forums posted an announcement that there will be scheduled downtime this Wednesday, July 29th. The downtime will be between 1pm - 2pm(edt) / 10am-11am(pdt). I assume that after 2pm on Wednesday, we might be in for...

Posted on July 27, 2009 8:39 AM

A Google Maps Help thread has a few business owners and consultants suggesting that Google should allow multiple Google accounts to gain access to a single business listing. I cannot agree more. This is a feature that is currently supported...

Posted on July 24, 2009 8:01 AM

I have been tracking the WebmasterWorld thread on the July Google changes and a lot of people are now discussing how Google is treating location specific queries differently. By that I mean, the consensus in the thread is that there...

Posted on July 22, 2009 9:03 AM

The other day, Google announced improvements with analytics for the Google Local Business Center. I thought I take you through detailed screen shots of how my business listing appears in the LBC. (1) Analytic Graphs plotting both "impressions" (views) and...

Posted on June 4, 2009 8:29 AM

Google Maps updated the business listing quality guidelines over the weekend. The new guidelines are welcomed by those who have noticed an influx of spam or borderline spam submissions to the Google Local Business Center over the past couple years....

Posted on June 1, 2009 9:05 AM

In the past couple of weeks, we showed how Google Maps can cause real pain for some business owners. I first showed you how you can close down competitors on Google Maps and then I showed how your business listing...

Posted on May 7, 2009 8:14 AM

Like every month, we try to provide you with a Google webmaster report on what is going on with Google over the past month, in terms of the SEO perspective. You can read the April 2009 report, in case you...

Posted on May 6, 2009 9:08 AM

Let me start off by saying I find this hard to believe. A Google Maps Help thread has one individual claiming that a Yell.com representative claimed that if you don't pay for your Yell.com listing, your Google listing will drop...

Posted on May 1, 2009 7:50 AM

I found a very disturbing Google Maps issue via Google Maps Help forums. Mike Blumenthal has uncovered that Google is merging competing businesses that have nearby addresses. Let me say that again, but show you an example, that was uncovered...

Posted on April 29, 2009 8:30 AM

Over the past day or two, I have been hearing reports from webmasters and SEOs that Google's geo targeting technology has changed in a big way over in their international or localized search engines. I have one, possibly, two threads...

Posted on April 28, 2009 8:27 AM

Google has created a comprehensive user guide for the local business center. You can via the user guide over here. It is broken down in seven sections: Getting startedAdding a listingAdding more than 10 listingsVerifying a listingYour Local Business Center...

Posted on April 14, 2009 8:07 AM

The Google blog announced that Google is now showing more local results in web search for more generic queries. This is something that was noticed before the announcement but now it is officially confirmed by Google. This means that searches...

Posted on April 8, 2009 8:28 AM

A Google Maps Help forum thread has a post from Steve Thornton, the IT administrator at Solid Ground, an organization that does a lot of good. In short, Steve posted his extreme displeasure with how Google Maps is listing a...

Posted on April 7, 2009 8:02 AM

It appears that the Google Local Business Center is not working for many businesses interested in updating their Google Maps/Local business listing. A Google Maps Help thread (well, there are a few) reports the issues from several users. In short,...

Posted on April 2, 2009 8:11 AM

We have several business owners complaining in two different Google Maps Help Threads that the upload picture feature in the Google Local Business Center is not working. Basically, they are trying to upload pictures to their business listing but they...

Posted on February 18, 2009 8:32 AM

Google is trying really hard to educate business owners to validate their business listings in Google Maps. If every business owner did this, it would solve a lot of issues for Google. That being said, Google just announced in a...

Posted on February 18, 2009 8:22 AM

Mike Blumenthal has been covering Google Maps spam since Google Maps came out. I guess he got sick of covering the issues and not much being done about stopping it. He decided to do something a bit extreme. He hijacked...

Posted on October 31, 2008 7:40 AM

A Google Groups thread reports many business owners having difficulty accessing the Google Local Business Center. The error people are getting is: System Error We're sorry, but we are unable to serve your request at this time. Please try back...

Posted on October 6, 2008 7:44 AM

Google has primary used two sources of data for their Google Maps product. Google announced in a Google Groups thread, that they are going to be sticking with just one source for the foreseeable future. That source is Tele Atlas....

Posted on September 22, 2008 6:29 AM

A Google Groups thread reports a possible bug in Google Maps. In March, Google launched the ability to add videos to your Google Local Business listing. But it seems that if you add a video to your business listing, then...

Posted on August 12, 2008 8:47 AM

Maps Guide Sirene announced in a Google Groups thread that Google Maps has finally added the "fix incorrect marker location" back to the Google Local Business Center. If you login, and edit your business listing, you will see a link...

Posted on July 31, 2008 8:09 AM

Google announced that they have updated Google Maps with a new design. They made the top cleaner and bluer. But with that, they removed some features that really make Google Maps users upset. Last night, I saw the new Google...

Posted on July 30, 2008 8:38 AM

Ever since Google launched Universal Search, SEMs have been trying to leverage it to get their site into the first position within the vertical search engine that is ranking in the top slot. So for searches like new york hotel...

Posted on July 14, 2008 7:26 AM

Google's Local Business Center, the place businesses go to add or edit their local business listing at Google Maps, is having some major technical issues. A single post by Google Maps Guide at Google Groups really sums it up quickly:...

Posted on June 19, 2008 7:41 AM

Google Universal Search has been around for a while now. But today, Sam asked me to look at a search for scuba diving, which shows the local results smack in the middle of the page. Now, Sam (via Tamar) did...

Posted on May 23, 2008 12:23 PM

A Google Groups thread confirms that Google Maps is lacking support for a common feature needed both here in the States and overseas, support for multi-language listings. A Google Groups member asked: As a multilingual company our website is in...

Posted on April 25, 2008 7:45 AM

You can now enter any category that you feel is best for your company in the category section of your Google Local Business Center listing. In the past, you had to select a specific category that was in Google's database....

Posted on April 15, 2008 7:30 AM

Back about 6 months ago, one of the main factors in ranking well in Google Local and other local engines, like Yahoo, was to have your address as close to the center of the city as possible. A new Search...

Posted on April 11, 2008 7:11 AM

If you take a look at virtually any Google Local listing with reviews, you might notice that Google is showing twice as many reviews, as the company really has. For example, my company listing shows a review count of 4,...

Posted on April 9, 2008 7:58 AM

Blended Local Results with Unverified Listings by Eric Lander digs deep into a GrayWolf question about Google Maps plus signs in web search (from a while back actually). But something I did not know was, according to Eric, Google only...

Posted on March 4, 2008 7:45 AM

Looking for pizza in New York? Well, Google thinks that three results are simply not enough, you need 10. Yes, it is now official, Greg Sterling's Google Maps: From "OneBox" To Ten Local Links has the official word on the...

Posted on January 28, 2008 7:39 AM

Mike Blumenthal posted a thread at Google Groups reporting issues with Google Maps not showingCitysearch's content. Google's official maps representative, Maps Guide Jen, responded that this seems to be a temporary issue between Citysearch and Google. Citysearch's content is currently...

Posted on January 9, 2008 7:55 AM

A Google Groups thread reported that the bulk upload solution was returning 504 errors and not functioning properly since December 22nd. Google provides this bulk upload for to allow businesses to easily add their listing to Google Maps. If you...

Posted on January 4, 2008 7:28 AM

A Google Groups member points us to some shady practices that a business is applying on Google Local. Apparently, a website registered nearly 100 "businesses" at local nightclubs even though they don't own the nightclubs. Their intentions are to take...

Posted on December 13, 2007 9:26 AM

Mike Blumenthal has been vigilant about uncovering and reporting abuse of Google Maps's Local business submissions. In fact, in the past week or so, he has reported a couple of cases of Google Local abuse, where companies submitted hundreds or...

Posted on August 7, 2007 7:54 AM

Back on March 8, 2007, I reported at Search Engine Land how Google Local Business Center Adds Photos, Attributes, Maps Corrections & Stats. I went through how I added photos and updated some attributes. But since then I have been...

Posted on April 26, 2007 7:55 AM

Yesterday I wrote a very detailed write up on Google Local Business Center Adds Photos, Attributes, Maps Corrections & Stats. The features include (1) upload images to be displayed on the map, (2) add more attributes to your listing, (3)...

Posted on March 9, 2007 8:13 AM

digg_url = 'http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/012370.html'; Last week I reported Beware: Competitor Hijacks Google Local Business Listing, where I inaccurately reported that one could hijack another's business listing URL manually. That seems to be wrong. Mike Blumenthal, who runs a great Google...

Posted on February 13, 2007 6:52 AM

Google has the Google Local Business Center where you can add or edit your business listing in the Google Local results. I wrote about the edit business listing process before as well as wrote a really long one on How...

Posted on February 8, 2007 7:32 AM

Yesterday, at Search Engine Land, I reported that Google Adds Local Reviews In Search Results. In reality, they were there in the past, but Google made them bigger and added reviews. When I reported it yesterday, I noted that pizza...

Posted on January 31, 2007 7:54 AM

The local paid search industry is expected to double in a year, according to a MediaPost report on a Borrell Associates study. Paid local search is expected to remain the fastest-growing ad category, nearly doubling to $1.8 billion and accounting...

Posted on September 7, 2006 10:44 AM

A WebmasterWorld thread asks if there is a way to avoid showing your ads on Google Maps. Now before beginning there are two types of ads displayed on Google Maps. There are the ads within the maps (Google Local ads)...

Posted on August 23, 2006 7:24 AM