Comments on: Google Map’s spam fighting efforts- if graded? http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:37:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-285909 Mike Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:44:57 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-285909 The reviews in a Google Maps listing come from either Google or they are scraped from a third party site like CitySearch or Yahoo Local. If the review is from a 3rd party site, you need to contact them and aske them to take it down. Once it has been removed it then will take Google some time (3 months?) to catch up with the change and hopefully remove from the Maps listing. If it is a Google review you can go into the review inside the more info bubble and "flag the review: as inappropriate. This will take you to a reporting form. The best bet however, from my perspective, is to get lots and lots of good reviews. Interestingly bad reviews contribute as much ranking value as good reviews so rather than waste them, make them work for you. Mike The reviews in a Google Maps listing come from either Google or they are scraped from a third party site like CitySearch or Yahoo Local.

If the review is from a 3rd party site, you need to contact them and aske them to take it down. Once it has been removed it then will take Google some time (3 months?) to catch up with the change and hopefully remove from the Maps listing.

If it is a Google review you can go into the review inside the more info bubble and “flag the review: as inappropriate. This will take you to a reporting form.

The best bet however, from my perspective, is to get lots and lots of good reviews. Interestingly bad reviews contribute as much ranking value as good reviews so rather than waste them, make them work for you.

Mike

]]> By: Linda http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-285899 Linda Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:13:57 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-285899 That's interesting! Thanks for the info. I'm passing it on to a friend that has a business. Is there any way to delete spamming on the review section of the google map listing? We have a fellow harassing and cant get ahold of google and the police suggested getting some pepper spray. In the meantime what do we do with the malicious comments left in the review section on google maps? That’s interesting! Thanks for the info. I’m passing it on to a friend that has a business.
Is there any way to delete spamming on the review section of the google map listing? We have a fellow harassing and cant get ahold of google and the police suggested getting some pepper spray. In the meantime what do we do with the malicious comments left in the review section on google maps?

]]> By: Maps & the Value of Customer Service « Screenwerk http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-280344 Maps & the Value of Customer Service « Screenwerk Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:55:00 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-280344 [...] you groaning over the anonymity of Google Maps, even when the businesses in their index are being robbed blinder than bats by LBC hijackers, you will be pleasantly surprised to know that things are done differently at MapQuest. Not only [...] [...] you groaning over the anonymity of Google Maps, even when the businesses in their index are being robbed blinder than bats by LBC hijackers, you will be pleasantly surprised to know that things are done differently at MapQuest. Not only [...]

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279346 Mike Sun, 02 Nov 2008 02:15:24 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279346 Yes they appear to have done the same thing in Providence RI as well. Mike Yes they appear to have done the same thing in Providence RI as well.

Mike

]]> By: Tom D http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279277 Tom D Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:23:10 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279277 Checking other Boston hotels owned by the same company shows that this guy has been at it all over town. I see one hotel for which good-hearted users have flipped it back to the correct URL three times, only to have bostonareanightlife.com change it back. This may be one for the folks in legal to take care of. It is, after all, a form of theft. Checking other Boston hotels owned by the same company shows that this guy has been at it all over town. I see one hotel for which good-hearted users have flipped it back to the correct URL three times, only to have bostonareanightlife.com change it back.

This may be one for the folks in legal to take care of. It is, after all, a form of theft.

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279256 Mike Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:25:40 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279256 Oh...I see why they are linking the business listing over to their website. Its for the adwords revenue....abusing maps instead of using adwords so it is cost free. Google is involved on both sides of the equation.... Mike Oh…I see why they are linking the business listing over to their website. Its for the adwords revenue….abusing maps instead of using adwords so it is cost free. Google is involved on both sides of the equation….

Mike

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279249 Mike Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:02:11 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279249 Well I presume that he thought he would be less likely to be caught if he labeled himself "officially". In this current wild west environment, he could have called himself Jack the Ripper and I am not sure that Google would have noticed his efforts as a community editor. I hope you followed back on my instructions above so you can figure out where this info lies within maps? Mike Well I presume that he thought he would be less likely to be caught if he labeled himself “officially”. In this current wild west environment, he could have called himself Jack the Ripper and I am not sure that Google would have noticed his efforts as a community editor.

I hope you followed back on my instructions above so you can figure out where this info lies within maps?

Mike

]]> By: Tom D http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279243 Tom D Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:38:33 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279243 Amazing. And he has the balls to call himself "Google." Amazing. And he has the balls to call himself “Google.”

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279234 Mike Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:27:26 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279234 If Google lists this URL as <em>“Provided by Google Users”</em>, it means that someone has edited the listing via the community edit feature. If you dig into the bubble and then select Edit New!/Edit New!/View History link you can see who and when and from what the url was changed (as well as any other changes to phone number, business name etc) : Changed address to 25 Edwin H Land Blvd Cambridge, MA 02141-2236 from 25 Edwin H Land Blvd Cambridge, MA 02141 Changed website to http://www.hotelmarlowe.com from http://www.bostonareanightlife.com/hotels/marlowe/ Edited by ann @ kimpton hotels Sep 8, 2008 Changed website to http://www.bostonareanightlife.com/hotels/marlowe/ from http://www.hotelmarlowe.com/ Edited by <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/user?uid=116052246407891166613&hl=en&gl=us&ptab=3" rel="nofollow">Google</a> So it appears that the changing of the URL is less than forthright. You can see that this user: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/user?uid=116052246407891166613&hl=en&gl=us&ptab=3" rel="nofollow">Google</a> has changed a lot of listings to his website either for traffic and commission reasons. In fact if you look at the bottom you can see some evidence of affiliate hijackings: Courtyard by Marriott: Foxborough 35 Foxborough Blvd, Foxboro, MA 02035 Edited Changed website to http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-3120577-10406976?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Freservations%2FsetAMCookie.mi%3Faff%3DSept07%26AFFNAME%3D%25zp%26mid%3D%252Fhotels%252Ftravel%252Fbosfb-courtyard-bo from http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosfb-courtyard-boston-foxborough/ Sep 8, 2008 Courtyard by Marriott 387 Winter St, Waltham, MA 02451 Edited Changed website to http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-3120577-10406976?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Freservations%2FsetAMCookie.mi%3Faff%3DSept07%26AFFNAME%3D%25zp%26mid%3D%252Fhotels%252Ftravel%252Fboswm-courtyard-bo from http://www.waltham-hotels.com/courtyard/welcome.cfm If Google lists this URL as “Provided by Google Users”, it means that someone has edited the listing via the community edit feature.

If you dig into the bubble and then select Edit New!/Edit New!/View History link you can see who and when and from what the url was changed (as well as any other changes to phone number, business name etc) :

Changed address to 25 Edwin H Land Blvd Cambridge, MA 02141-2236 from 25 Edwin H Land Blvd Cambridge, MA 02141
Changed website to http://www.hotelmarlowe.com from http://www.bostonareanightlife.com/hotels/marlowe/
Edited by ann @ kimpton hotels

Sep 8, 2008
Changed website to http://www.bostonareanightlife.com/hotels/marlowe/ from http://www.hotelmarlowe.com/
Edited by Google

So it appears that the changing of the URL is less than forthright. You can see that this user: Google has changed a lot of listings to his website either for traffic and commission reasons.

In fact if you look at the bottom you can see some evidence of affiliate hijackings:

Courtyard by Marriott: Foxborough
35 Foxborough Blvd, Foxboro, MA 02035
Edited
Changed website to http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-3120577-10406976?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Freservations%2FsetAMCookie.mi%3Faff%3DSept07%26AFFNAME%3D%25zp%26mid%3D%252Fhotels%252Ftravel%252Fbosfb-courtyard-bo from http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosfb-courtyard-boston-foxborough/
Sep 8, 2008

Courtyard by Marriott
387 Winter St, Waltham, MA 02451
Edited
Changed website to http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-3120577-10406976?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marriott.com%2Freservations%2FsetAMCookie.mi%3Faff%3DSept07%26AFFNAME%3D%25zp%26mid%3D%252Fhotels%252Ftravel%252Fboswm-courtyard-bo from http://www.waltham-hotels.com/courtyard/welcome.cfm

]]> By: Tom D http://blumenthals.com/blog/2008/10/27/google-maps-spam-fighting-efforts-if-graded/comment-page-1/#comment-279207 Tom D Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:51:15 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=1287#comment-279207 "Without the right tools, it takes hours to ferret out the culprits, but their deeds are there for the world to see. " Mike - I've got a case and can't decide if the listing has been hijacked, or if Maps is doing a poor job merging data from multiple sources. The listing in question is this one: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=hotel%20marlowe%2C%20cambridge%20ma The web site associated with the first result is bostonareanightlife.com?, which is not the hotel's official web site. Google lists this URL as "Provided by Google Users" There is a verified business listing for this hotel, so I can't tell if this is a hijack or a clumsy merge of data pulled from user content. Any ideas? “Without the right tools, it takes hours to ferret out the culprits, but their deeds are there for the world to see. ”

Mike – I’ve got a case and can’t decide if the listing has been hijacked, or if Maps is doing a poor job merging data from multiple sources.

The listing in question is this one: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=hotel%20marlowe%2C%20cambridge%20ma

The web site associated with the first result is bostonareanightlife.com?, which is not the hotel’s official web site. Google lists this URL as “Provided by Google Users”

There is a verified business listing for this hotel, so I can’t tell if this is a hijack or a clumsy merge of data pulled from user content.

Any ideas?

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