Comments on: Yahoo Local Mapspam now appearing near you

By: Rich

Rich — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:33:42 +0000

Hi Mike, I have an HVAC client who has a brick and mortar business in Frankfort,Il (suburb of Chicago). A few months ago one of the largest HVAC companies in Chicago (official heating & cooling company of the Cub’s, Sox and Bears) started showing up in Google searches in Frankfort. I have no problem with that but the address that they used to get listed in the town is a small vacant strip mall, there are no open businesses at that address. They have used a phone number that is associated with several locations in the Chicago area. Every HVAC business owner in the area is very upset that this large company is scamming the system and taking business away from them. I have reported the problem to Google (two months ago) through the “report a problem” link on the bad listing but the listing is still active and I never headr back from Google. This company also subscribes to Googles Yellow Tag Enhanced Listing program (maybe Google is letting them bend the rules). Are there any other avenues I could open to report this problem to Google and fix this problem?

By: Mike Blumenthal

Mike Blumenthal — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:35:57 +0000

Are you asking if a blackhat bad guy could move their business closer to the center point thus increasing their rank? Google puts pretty sever restrictions on how far a pin can be moved and allows others to correct it as well. It wold seem to not have too much impact.

Mike

By: Molly

Molly — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:25:44 +0000

Did you know that Google lets you move the pin on your location? I just wonder how this would impact the problem as well. I noticed that they had my location wrong, and it let me move my pin.

By: Blawg Review # 126 » Small Business Trends

Blawg Review # 126 » Small Business Trends — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:13:13 +0000

[...] Misrepresentation in local search engine listings? Apparently it is going on at Yahoo Local and it’s against the law in 22 U.S. states. Mike Blumenthal has a detailed expose of how companies vying for more business create fake local search listings. [...]

By: Real Florist Blog » 1-800-Flowers pulls local RCF phone numbers

Real Florist Blog » 1-800-Flowers pulls local RCF phone numbers — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:34:22 +0000

[...] In a comment last week in Mike Blumethal’s blog about Yahoo Local Mapspam, I mention the frustration of a local Butler PA florist being challenged to prove his company was a real brick and mortar store while a national affiliate marketer had managed to place ‘local’ listings without addresses throughout Y Local. [...]

By: HELM, WHM/cPanel, Windows, Linux and SEO Blog » Blog Archive » Mapspam Now Appearing On Yahoo Local

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:35:40 +0000

[...] If spam isn’t an indication of the arrival of an advertising medium (e.g. email spam, search spam) I don’t know what is. Mike Blumenthal, who identified instances of Google mapspam has now investigated non-local businesses trying to fool the local algorithms on Yahoo into thinking they are local. [...]

By: Miriam

Miriam — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 08:23:33 +0000

Gosh, Mike,
I came to this several days late but am so glad I read this. The phone number clue is something for every SEO to be on the lookout for in local…but I guess, even if we find it, there isn’t going to be much we can do about it with Yahoo!.

It’s a very good bit of detective work you’ve done here, and I really appreciate how you researched this.

Miriam

By: Mike Blumenthal

Mike Blumenthal — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 11:32:25 +0000

Richard-

I appreciate your confidence and comments (although your self promotion less so). While there are cracks in all of the local search products, in a capitalist world capital most always wins out…and google, microsoft & yahoo have no shortage of that….there is room for some extremely inventive and well run niche products (yelp, zillow etc.) but even the best in those niches (like technorati) have less margin for error, less brand recognition and a shorter financial rope with which to hang themselves.

Good luck with your venture.

Mike

By: Richard Shaw

Richard Shaw — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:12:53 +0000

Once again, I see cracks (oh no!! you heathen) in the top down search process.

The only answer to local search reliability is with a local HUMAN presence that can constantly update local content. Technology alone is not the answer. And the cost for local search under the current regime of players and business models is too prohibitive.

Stay tuned. HomeandRoad will ride to the rescue.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 03:06:04 +0000

In the you've-got-to-be-kidding-me department, a fellow florist (B&M shop in Butler, PA in business since 1998) tried to update his business hours in Y Local and received a notice that their listing was pending deletion because they have 'no physical location'. Detials with screen shots. The email stated "Yahoo Local has been designed for businesses with a physical presence. Listings must represent businesses that offer local offline services and promote a physical location. Online businesses can find Yahoo! advertising options through our search Marketing products..." (emphasis mine) Meanwhile, over the last few days Y Local (along with yellowpages.com, switchboard.com and AOL Yellow Pages) has added 1-800-Flowers' listings (which feature local phone numbers that remote call forward to 1800Flowers.com's call center) to cities all over the US. See Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston and St. Louis for examples. See any 'physical locations'? According to their own corporate site, 1-800-Flowers does not operate any stores or franchises in those towns. Mike's last reply got it right - "follow the money" indeed.