Comments on: Google Maps: Hijackers hit Major Brands http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Wed, 23 May 2012 14:31:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-296712 Rob Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:13:40 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-296712 To Maps guide Jen or any other Maps/local business guide that happens to read this. Our listing has been hijacked again. Please could you remove all competitor details that have again overwritten our listing, and return it to exactly how it shows in our user panel. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=man+with+a+van&near=London&fb=1&view=text&cd=69&latlng=51517079,-134224,3828682165053720686&ei=kgXNR6rnO5GC3AKgrpXJDA&dtab=0 Info that needs to be removed: 07918 744 120? (competitor) 07888 824 866? (competitor) Title: needs to be put back to how it is in user panel.. (i.e.. just "Man and Van") This 2nd Description? should not be there: Man and Van, Man and van london, Man and van hire, Man with van, Removal van hire Email?: manandvan@mac.com (competitor) www.professional-mover.co.uk (please remove any link to this website, it has nothing to do with us) For what it's worth, this is the same problem that happened a couple of months ago (See history re.. "MR-HELPER.CO.UK") Same competitor, new name! Thank you. PS. We don't think it should be possible for our main details to be overwritten like this. To Maps guide Jen or any other Maps/local business guide that happens to read this. Our listing has been hijacked again. Please could you remove all competitor details that have again overwritten our listing, and return it to exactly how it shows in our user panel.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=man+with+a+van&near=London&fb=1&view=text&cd=69&latlng=51517079,-134224,3828682165053720686&ei=kgXNR6rnO5GC3AKgrpXJDA&dtab=0

Info that needs to be removed:
07918 744 120? (competitor)
07888 824 866? (competitor)
Title: needs to be put back to how it is in user panel.. (i.e.. just “Man and Van”)
This 2nd Description? should not be there: Man and Van, Man and van london, Man and van hire, Man with van, Removal van hire
Email?: manandvan@mac.com (competitor)
http://www.professional-mover.co.uk (please remove any link to this website, it has nothing to do with us)

For what it’s worth, this is the same problem that happened a couple of months ago (See history re.. “MR-HELPER.CO.UK”)
Same competitor, new name!

Thank you.

PS. We don’t think it should be possible for our main details to be overwritten like this.

]]> By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-292133 Rob Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:30:08 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-292133 If you read this Jen/map guides.. you'll also find this of interest: Mr Helper's (latest) multiple persona's.. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&view=text&hl=en&q=07918744120&btnG=Search+Maps (the address of the top one is OUR postcode.. W1A 5RW) If you read this Jen/map guides.. you’ll also find this of interest:

Mr Helper’s (latest) multiple persona’s..

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&view=text&hl=en&q=07918744120&btnG=Search+Maps

(the address of the top one is OUR postcode.. W1A 5RW)

]]> By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-292131 Rob Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:16:22 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-292131 Oh dear.. it's hapened again Re: mr-helper .co.uk Good old "Mr Helper" has got his details added onto our listing again (and others). See Listing E, that is our listing, but it now has his phone number and title on it: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=man+and+van+london&btnG=Google+Search&meta= This time he's using the website: www.odd-jobs-handyman.com Telephone number: 07918744120 (Check out the usual masses of spam all over the free listing websites, which has probably corrupted the local business algo again) Oh dear.. it’s hapened again

Re: mr-helper .co.uk

Good old “Mr Helper” has got his details added onto our listing again (and others).

See Listing E, that is our listing, but it now has his phone number and title on it: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=man+and+van+london&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

This time he’s using the website: http://www.odd-jobs-handyman.com
Telephone number: 07918744120

(Check out the usual masses of spam all over the free listing websites, which has probably corrupted the local business algo again)

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-275164 Mike Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:50:08 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-275164 @Rob Any change takes time to migrate across all of their servers for Maps. This could take several days to a week. If it has been removed from Maps, then the time to upgrade the Universal Local results that show in the 10-pack could be 6 -8 weeks before they reflect the difference. Mike @Rob

Any change takes time to migrate across all of their servers for Maps. This could take several days to a week.

If it has been removed from Maps, then the time to upgrade the Universal Local results that show in the 10-pack could be 6 -8 weeks before they reflect the difference.

Mike

]]> By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-275116 Rob Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:35:18 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-275116 Gone again! :) (maybe a cache database issue?) - still shows some of his details in the onebox results Gone again! :)

(maybe a cache database issue?)
- still shows some of his details in the onebox results

]]> By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-275074 Rob Thu, 23 Oct 2008 07:21:01 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-275074 Now it's back with mr h on it :( Now it’s back with mr h on it :(

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-274708 Mike Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:45:28 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-274708 Great to hear Rob. As I have noted privately, you are on track to receive your secret Mapspam fighter decoder ring. Mike Great to hear Rob. As I have noted privately, you are on track to receive your secret Mapspam fighter decoder ring.

Mike

]]> By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-274703 Rob Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:37:47 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-274703 Great news.. the listing's been cleaned up! http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=man+with+a+van&near=London&fb=1&view=text&cd=69&latlng=51517079,-134224,3828682165053720686&ei=kgXNR6rnO5GC3AKgrpXJDA&dtab=0 When found from a search, Mr H is still on there.. suppose will have to wait for the next maps update to completely clear it? Anyway, thanks again to everyone, all been a great help! :) Great news.. the listing’s been cleaned up! http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=man+with+a+van&near=London&fb=1&view=text&cd=69&latlng=51517079,-134224,3828682165053720686&ei=kgXNR6rnO5GC3AKgrpXJDA&dtab=0

When found from a search, Mr H is still on there.. suppose will have to wait for the next maps update to completely clear it?
Anyway, thanks again to everyone, all been a great help! :)

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-273969 Mike Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:09:24 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-273969 No need to apologize. The whole support structure is very frustrating. They have the Groups but it is never clear whether they will answer or won't answer. They answer some, so you keep posting hoping that they will actually pick you. As it is now you are sort of the pavlovian dog, with the intermittent reward. Even if there was paid support (ie free listing but $ for a question) there would at least be some accountability. I wonder sometimes whether what they learned in Google search keeps them from seeing what they need to do in Local to have the same kind of warm fuzzy feelings out there about them. Mike No need to apologize. The whole support structure is very frustrating.

They have the Groups but it is never clear whether they will answer or won’t answer. They answer some, so you keep posting hoping that they will actually pick you. As it is now you are sort of the pavlovian dog, with the intermittent reward.

Even if there was paid support (ie free listing but $ for a question) there would at least be some accountability. I wonder sometimes whether what they learned in Google search keeps them from seeing what they need to do in Local to have the same kind of warm fuzzy feelings out there about them.

Mike

]]> By: Rob http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/14/google-maps-hijackers-hit-major-brands/comment-page-1/#comment-273968 Rob Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:58:11 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1145#comment-273968 you're probably right Mike, apologies if I'm over doing it on your blog. Don't know what else to do now. Seems really bizarre considering the scale of Google that they can't just put one permanent person on it to deal full time with the half a dozen serious questions a day, it would be so easy to manage. Its the only point of contact for the entire local business listings, and they just seem to ignore it. Maybe I'll drop the ceo a line or something. Rob you’re probably right Mike, apologies if I’m over doing it on your blog.

Don’t know what else to do now.

Seems really bizarre considering the scale of Google that they can’t just put one permanent person on it to deal full time with the half a dozen serious questions a day, it would be so easy to manage. Its the only point of contact for the entire local business listings, and they just seem to ignore it.

Maybe I’ll drop the ceo a line or something.

Rob

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