How to Approach Google My Business (GMB) in 2016

Joy HawkinsImprezzio Marketing

@JoyanneHawkins

How to Approach Google My Business

(GMB) in 2016

Where to Start?

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Find all Your GMB Listings!

How Does a Listing End up on Google?

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● Google creates listings based on data providers (Ex: ExpressUpdate, Acxiom)

● Google users through Google Maps or MapMaker

● Business owners/marketing companies via Google My Business

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Method 1: MapMaker Search

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● Google.com/MapMaker● Search for the city the business is in.● Search Variations of business name, phone #,

website.

Method 2: MapMaker Select a Place

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● Google.com/MapMaker● Edit > Select a Place● Click around the marker where the business in● Right click the business name > Open link in new

tab

Method 3: Maps Search

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● Maps.Google.com● Search for the city the business is in.● Start typing business name

Method 4: Google Search

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● Google.com● Search for site:plus.google.com + phone # +

inurl:about + “review”● Open each URL in new tab

Method 4: (Brand New Addition)

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● Google.com● Search for inurl:google.com/maps + phone # ● Open each URL in new tab

Why Both?

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● Unverified listings don’t have Plus.Google.com URLs

● I have only seen Google start indexing google.com/maps URLs in the last month

Non-Verified Listings Verified Listings

Compile Your List...

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● If you’re on the plus page, click the map to get to Google Maps.

CLICK

Compile Your List...

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Not Verified

Finding CID #

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•Right click > View Page Source

•CTRL + F > “cid”:•Long string of

numbers after “cid”:

•"cid":"179740290298085994","infoWindow":

•Right click > View Page Source

•CTRL + F > ludocid•The CID will be the

string of numbers after “ludocid\\u003d and before #lrd

•+80026\\u0026ludocid\\u003d376285149384878007#lrd\\u00

From MapMaker From Maps

CID URLs

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● http://maps.google.com/maps?cid=5264542582139250082

● http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=90&cid=5264542582139250082

Remember: If it’s an SAB listing, there won’t be a MapMaker record so the MapMaker URL will bring up a blank screen.

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•See all the categories

•Check formatting of address

•See additional business names

•See reviews•See photos

MapMaker Maps

GMB Rules

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● Multiple listings for the same business. (unless you have multiple actual storefronts that customers visit)

● Keyword stuffing in the business name.

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Common Rules People Break

• 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

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• 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

Further Reading: @JoyanneHawkins

http://searchengineland.com/top-9-reasons-google-suspends-local-listings-247394

Fighting Spam

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

3 actual legit company listings

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• 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

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Address● Does what’s listed match the website?● 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

Phone● 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

Investigating

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Investigating

Business Name● Check what’s on signage (street view, drive there

take pics)● How do they answer the phone?● Check the Secretary of State Website to see what

their business license says○ NPPES is great for medical industry

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Where to Report?✓ Make Edits in Google Maps (email

confirmation)✓ MapMaker Forum (after 7 days).

Better for unverified listings✓ Google My Business Forum

Better for verified listings

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How to Edit

● If listing is fake (address doesn’t exist) or a verified duplicate > Places is Closed > Spam

● Unverified duplicate > Place is Closed > Duplicate● Keyword Stuffing > submit edit to correct business

name

@JoyanneHawkinsFurther Reading: http://www.joyannehawkins.com/ultimate-guid

e-fighting-spam-google-maps/

Hijacked Listings

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Additional Name Spam

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Source: http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-local-hall-shame/37837-how-score-google-maps-one-box-cheat.html

● These only show up in MapMaker.

It Never Ends...

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It Never Ends...

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● Prepare for the listing to be reinstated after it’s been removed.

● GMB Forum > best place to report this.

More Reading:http://searchengineland.com/got-spam-google-my-business-doesnt-care-249072

Contacting GMB

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“Google My Business phone support is telling me my ranking is dropping because I’m not posting on Google Plus”

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1. Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoogleMyBiz 2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/googlemybusiness 3. Forum: https://www.en.advertisercommunity.com/t5/Google-My-Business/ct-p/GMB#

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

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New!

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

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

✓ You get someone in the USA, not India

✓ Better & more accurate advice

Practitioner Listings

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Presenter Name : Company Name : Twitter Handle@JoyanneHawkins

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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

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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

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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

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What About Ex-Employees?

To fix it, contact Google My Business via Twitter Support or Facebook Support and asked them to mark the practitioner listing as moved to the practice listing.

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The “Moved” Feature

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• Only GMB can do this.• 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).

Knowledge Graph Issues

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Algorithm Photo Problems

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https://support.google.com/business/contactflow

Why does Google keep auto-updating my hours?

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The Tuesday’s confused Google

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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:

@JoyanneHawkins

@JoyanneHawkins

Located In Feature

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Located In Feature

• Only GMB can do this• It’s possible you might be

able to remove it from a Google Maps edit (I have not tested)

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Menu Links

• Check to see if the info on the menu link is accurate

• Update the menu link source

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Menu Links

They are a dermatologist not a hair salon

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Menu Links

• If you cannot get the listing updated, remove it from the GMB listing

• In edit mode in GMB: click “Report problems…”Or go here:

https://support.google.com/business/contact/local_pages_editing_help

• Check the “menu URL” box

ConnectWith Me!

plus.google.com/+JoyHawkins

twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins

joy@imprezziomarketing.com

1-866-430-0457 x 301