Comments on: Google Maps Category Mystery Part 2: Backgound http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Wed, 23 May 2012 00:03:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Real Estate SEO for Local Search | Real Estate SEO Blog http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-411501 Real Estate SEO for Local Search | Real Estate SEO Blog Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:56:42 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-411501 [...] treatment they’ve grown to expect as a standard directory feature. Mike Blumenthal has outlined how Google’s sharply limited number of business categories has also caused some heartburn, and [...] [...] treatment they’ve grown to expect as a standard directory feature. Mike Blumenthal has outlined how Google’s sharply limited number of business categories has also caused some heartburn, and [...]

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-233011 Mike Blumenthal Thu, 08 May 2008 02:45:10 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-233011 Tim (Local Hound) Right you are. I missed his reference to advertising in my rush between dropping off and picking up children. Mike Tim (Local Hound)

Right you are. I missed his reference to advertising in my rush between dropping off and picking up children.

Mike

]]> By: Local Hound http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-232847 Local Hound Wed, 07 May 2008 22:21:40 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-232847 *"if I partake in SuperPages advertising my ranking on Google Maps will improve?"* (Mike please correct me if I'm wrong in what I'm about to say) Peter, I don't think Mike implied that you need to advertise on Superpages, he is referring to the business profile. Which can be updated at no charge with the most appropriate categories for your business. *”if I partake in SuperPages advertising my ranking on Google Maps will improve?”*

(Mike please correct me if I’m wrong in what I’m about to say)

Peter,

I don’t think Mike implied that you need to advertise on Superpages, he is referring to the business profile. Which can be updated at no charge with the most appropriate categories for your business.

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-232837 Mike Blumenthal Wed, 07 May 2008 22:02:28 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-232837 Hi Peter The whole category issues has changed dramatically since this was written. On March 19, Google Local Business Center had an upgrade that allowed <a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/03/19/google-local-business-center-upgrade-unlimited-category-options/" rel="nofollow">Unlimited Category Options</a>. With this change you should be able to get into the same category as your competitors without removing all categories. Whether Google adds authority to SuperPages or other sources of you and your competitors info is unclear. I would change the category info there and at Localeaze as well. Being in the same category is not necessarily going to rank you better. That would come from more "web page" references and more reviews. Mike Hi Peter

The whole category issues has changed dramatically since this was written. On March 19, Google Local Business Center had an upgrade that allowed Unlimited Category Options. With this change you should be able to get into the same category as your competitors without removing all categories.

Whether Google adds authority to SuperPages or other sources of you and your competitors info is unclear. I would change the category info there and at Localeaze as well. Being in the same category is not necessarily going to rank you better.

That would come from more “web page” references and more reviews.

Mike

]]> By: Peter http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-232810 Peter Wed, 07 May 2008 21:12:25 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-232810 Dear Mike, Thank you for helping me regain my sanity! I have been going back and forth with Google over this matter and I honestly can't believe that they are so obtuse. (Makes me wonder why I ain't that rich!) To confirm what Miriam said above - if I partake in SuperPages advertising my ranking on Google Maps will improve? We're ranked 6th-9th on Google; 4th on Yahoo and 2nd on MS Search for the regular search results so being ranked on the 3rd page of Google Maps while my competitors enjoyed this "free" service caused me some concern to say the least. Regards, Peter Dear Mike,
Thank you for helping me regain my sanity! I have been going back and forth with Google over this matter and I honestly can’t believe that they are so obtuse. (Makes me wonder why I ain’t that rich!)

To confirm what Miriam said above – if I partake in SuperPages advertising my ranking on Google Maps will improve?

We’re ranked 6th-9th on Google; 4th on Yahoo and 2nd on MS Search for the regular search results so being ranked on the 3rd page of Google Maps while my competitors enjoyed this “free” service caused me some concern to say the least.

Regards,
Peter

]]> By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Maps Category Mystery Part 3: Solved? | Developing Knowledge about Local Search http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-200604 Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Maps Category Mystery Part 3: Solved? | Developing Knowledge about Local Search Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:03:27 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-200604 [...] series, I gave some examples of the type of complaints that Google is seeing several times a week, in Part 2 I provided some background on the early research and the difficulty with categorization. I have [...] [...] series, I gave some examples of the type of complaints that Google is seeing several times a week, in Part 2 I provided some background on the early research and the difficulty with categorization. I have [...]

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-200085 Mike Blumenthal Thu, 07 Feb 2008 04:56:42 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-200085 Hi Stuart- You have that right. And it is such a shame too because Maps could be such a help to the small busines person if only it was more tranparent and easier to figure out. I shouldn't take 6 months for a small business with my (unfortunately) unpaid consulting to figure out how to get into the category that they want. It is just too friggin hard but then again why would the world need me if it wasn't? :) Although I am not sure that Google views small business the way Napoleon viewed troops...I think it just as likely that in their reverance for code they forget that there are real people who have to cope with it on the other end.. ... Even a simple confirmation after entering a listing like <a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/01/30/yahoo-local-makes-me-feel-good/" rel="nofollow">Yahoo provides</a> would go a long way towards assuring the small business person that their data isn't just meandering through the ether. Mike Hi Stuart-

You have that right. And it is such a shame too because Maps could be such a help to the small busines person if only it was more tranparent and easier to figure out.

I shouldn’t take 6 months for a small business with my (unfortunately) unpaid consulting to figure out how to get into the category that they want. It is just too friggin hard but then again why would the world need me if it wasn’t? :)

Although I am not sure that Google views small business the way Napoleon viewed troops…I think it just as likely that in their reverance for code they forget that there are real people who have to cope with it on the other end.. …

Even a simple confirmation after entering a listing like Yahoo provides would go a long way towards assuring the small business person that their data isn’t just meandering through the ether.

Mike

]]> By: Stuart http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-200079 Stuart Thu, 07 Feb 2008 04:36:38 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-200079 Mike your comments just seem to reinforce a feeling that I've had for a long time. Google doesn't seem to understand the needs or the limitations of small business - and at the local level it's small business that Google has to deal with. Instead of helping the very people it should be helping Google just seems to use small business as so much cannon fodder. Mike your comments just seem to reinforce a feeling that I’ve had for a long time. Google doesn’t seem to understand the needs or the limitations of small business – and at the local level it’s small business that Google has to deal with.

Instead of helping the very people it should be helping Google just seems to use small business as so much cannon fodder.

]]> By: Local Hound http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-199961 Local Hound Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:10:19 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-199961 Thanks Mike... I am really looking forward to part 3 Thanks Mike… I am really looking forward to part 3

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/comment-page-1/#comment-199933 Mike Blumenthal Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:02:02 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/02/04/google-maps-category-mystery-part-2-backgound/#comment-199933 And both SuperPages and Allpages use Axcion as their data source so they could originate there. There are many ties and threads that wind through the whole industry. My conversation with Superpages folks led me to settle on them. And the answer to your big question is....it will have to wait until I have the time to write part 3 as I find the story and analysis as interesting as the answer that I discovered. Your advise to not use LBC given everybody's previous state of knowledge was good in that it "did no harm" as using the LBC could do. I think that you will find that there is a way around that now...... But your point demonstrates how Google's approach to these types of problems can be counter productive to their interests and long term needs...that is by not saying how to affect outcome they motivated some to stop using the LBC...the exact opposite of what they want which is long term control over data accuracy. Mike And both SuperPages and Allpages use Axcion as their data source so they could originate there. There are many ties and threads that wind through the whole industry. My conversation with Superpages folks led me to settle on them.

And the answer to your big question is….it will have to wait until I have the time to write part 3 as I find the story and analysis as interesting as the answer that I discovered.

Your advise to not use LBC given everybody’s previous state of knowledge was good in that it “did no harm” as using the LBC could do. I think that you will find that there is a way around that now……

But your point demonstrates how Google’s approach to these types of problems can be counter productive to their interests and long term needs…that is by not saying how to affect outcome they motivated some to stop using the LBC…the exact opposite of what they want which is long term control over data accuracy.

Mike

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