NEW Google Local Search Rules
For those of you that recently attended my presentation on how to use Google Local Search to quickly get on the first page of Google, please pay attention to this post.
There has been a lot of buzz in the search community this week as Google rolled out some new policies on what small business owners need to be doing to make sure their local listings don’t get banned and viewed as spam.
Here’s a partial list of changes, compliments of Barry Schwartz from Search Engine Land. Pay very close attention to the section on business name, particulary the policy that says the title must be your legal name and NO KEYWORD STUFFING. This will put a huge emphasis on building up your citations and keyword rich testimonials.
My feeling on this is that Google Local Search has become a spammer rich environment making it too easy for too long to get some cheap traffic. Plus, less than 20% of small business owners have yet to even claim their listing. Weed out the spammers and that should mean even more visibility for us.
Here you go:
NEW CHANGES EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:
Business Listings in Local Business Center must have correct information about physical, local businesses, as they appear in the real world. Google reserves the right to suspend access to Local Business Center or to other Google Services to individuals or businesses violating these guidelines.
Ownership
* Only business owners or authorized representatives may claim their business listings on Google Maps.
Business Name
* The business name on Google Maps must be your full legal business name.
* Do not attempt to manipulate search results by adding extraneous keywords or a description of your business into the business name.
* Do not include phone numbers or URLs in the business name.
Physical Location
* Do not create listings at locations where the business does not physically exist.
* PO Boxes do not count as physical locations.
* Do not create more than one listing for each business location, either in a single account or multiple accounts.
* Businesses that operate in a service area as opposed to a single location should not create a listing for every city they service. Service area businesses should create one listing for the central office of the business only.
* Businesses with special services, such as law firms and doctors, should not create multiple listings to cover all of their specialties.
* The precise address for the business must be provided in place of broad city names or cross-streets.
* A property for rent is not considered a place of business. Please create one listing for the central office that processes the rentals.
URL & Phone
* Provide a phone number that connects to your individual business location as directly as possible. For example, you should provide an individual location phone number in place of a call center.
* Provide one URL that best identifies your individual business location.
* Do not provide phone numbers or URLs that redirect or ‘refer’ users to other landing pages or phone numbers other than those of the actual business.
Custom Attributes & Description
* Use the description and custom attribute fields to include additional information about your listing. This type of content should never appear in your business’s title, address or category fields.
* Please see this page of the LBC User Guide for examples of acceptable custom attributes.
Best Practices
* Use a shared, business email account, if multiple users will be updating your business listing.
* If possible, use an email account with a domain that matches your business URL. For example, if your business website is www.giraffetoys.com, a matching email address would be you@giraffetoys.com.
Contact Us
* Report Spam on Maps.
* Request Reinclusion if your Local Business Center account has been suspended.
* Request Verification for your bulk upload.
* Post in our Help Forum.
