Comments on: Google: Claimed Business Records No Longer Can be Hijacked http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Wed, 23 May 2012 20:49:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Uwe http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-472036 Uwe Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:21:59 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-472036 Mike, so you see a correlation between the phone verification not offered and the blackout then? I just had the same experience this week. This time the phone verification was offered but the receptionist on the phone receiving the verification call hung up twice, so I had to wait for my client to return to the business and receive the call (Google doesn't even identify itself during the call, how nice!) . During that time the business vanished from Google Maps and reappeared once the pin had been entered. Mike, so you see a correlation between the phone verification not offered and the blackout then?

I just had the same experience this week. This time the phone verification was offered but the receptionist on the phone receiving the verification call hung up twice, so I had to wait for my client to return to the business and receive the call (Google doesn’t even identify itself during the call, how nice!) . During that time the business vanished from Google Maps and reappeared once the pin had been entered.

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-472005 Mike Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:20:04 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-472005 @Uwe The reason that the phone number wasn't offered was that Google did not have confidence it. Their first and least expensive choice is phone verification but after the locksmith scandals they stopped trusting every phone number in the world.... I have not yet experienced the "blackout" but it is conceivable to me that a listing that is initially allowed into the index with "caveats" under some cloud of suspicion might move from one index to another or one status to another and not show up during that change process. Mike @Uwe

The reason that the phone number wasn’t offered was that Google did not have confidence it. Their first and least expensive choice is phone verification but after the locksmith scandals they stopped trusting every phone number in the world….

I have not yet experienced the “blackout” but it is conceivable to me that a listing that is initially allowed into the index with “caveats” under some cloud of suspicion might move from one index to another or one status to another and not show up during that change process.

Mike

]]> By: Uwe http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-471875 Uwe Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:34:39 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-471875 Here is another behavior I observed by accident. Claiming an unclaimed listing triggered a verification process using the postcard approach (phone number wasn't offered for unknown reasons). The post card didn't arrive for at least 4 weeks. After about a week the claimed business vanished from google maps altogether and appeared again after the pin code has been entered in the GLBC. Is this standard behavior? I hope not, since it would open the doors to any competitor to take businesses off the map. If this is not standard behavior, do you have an explanation? Thanks in advance Here is another behavior I observed by accident.
Claiming an unclaimed listing triggered a verification process using the postcard approach (phone number wasn’t offered for unknown reasons).
The post card didn’t arrive for at least 4 weeks.

After about a week the claimed business vanished from google maps altogether and appeared again after the pin code has been entered in the GLBC.

Is this standard behavior? I hope not, since it would open the doors to any competitor to take businesses off the map.

If this is not standard behavior, do you have an explanation?

Thanks in advance

]]> By: Moe Miou http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-471870 Moe Miou Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:20:21 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-471870 Hi Mike. I wanted to ask you if you could analyse my local business listing and give me your opinion because i used to dominate the search for a few key phrases and now i can only get listed in some of the poor searches. thanks a bunch. Hi Mike.
I wanted to ask you if you could analyse my local business listing and give me your opinion because i used to dominate the search for a few key phrases and now i can only get listed in some of the poor searches.
thanks a bunch.

]]> By: MOE MIOU http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-465838 MOE MIOU Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:42:00 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-465838 I dominated the google business listing for certain keywords and now my clients can hardly find me. I made all the necessary changes and abided by the gbl guidelines. No results. I dominated the google business listing for certain keywords and now my clients can hardly find me.
I made all the necessary changes and abided by the gbl guidelines.
No results.

]]> By: Hector http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-456820 Hector Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:19:16 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-456820 What is going on with the Locals now it is not much better at all. real business like mine ads have just diapered then the business at position 1. there web page is down, number dosn't work, and Id bet that they are using a fake address. and a real business with a real address is gone for good does google even care if its like there adwords and click fraud they don't What is going on with the Locals now it is not much better at all. real business like mine ads have just diapered then the business at position 1. there web page is down, number dosn’t work, and Id bet that they are using a fake address. and a real business with a real address is gone for good does google even care if its like there adwords and click fraud they don’t

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-434083 Mike Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:37:59 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-434083 @Nigel You might want to read <a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/10/14/google-maps-six-reasons-why-your-listing-might-go-south-some-tips-to-cope/" rel="nofollow">Six reasons why your listing might “go South” & some tips to cope</a> if you haven't already. @Nigel

You might want to read Six reasons why your listing might “go South” & some tips to cope if you haven’t already.

]]> By: Nigel Palmer http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-432584 Nigel Palmer Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:26:16 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-432584 Well it seems here in the UK we just have a corrupted LBC and maps database. When I checked today I was suprised to find that we had moved! Name, telephone, hours and position on the map is correct but the address and post (zip) code is for a bussiness in a different industry 25 miles away. I would have thought that the system would have some sort of automatic check which prevented an address being entered for a business location that was more than 50 metres from its shown location on google maps. Well it seems here in the UK we just have a corrupted LBC and maps database. When I checked today I was suprised to find that we had moved! Name, telephone, hours and position on the map is correct but the address and post (zip) code is for a bussiness in a different industry 25 miles away. I would have thought that the system would have some sort of automatic check which prevented an address being entered for a business location that was more than 50 metres from its shown location on google maps.

]]> By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-420540 Mike Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:49:12 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-420540 @Chuck I would love to hear more about your story...either here or offline (mike@blumenthals.com)...is it still hijacked? any idea technique? Was Google helpful in squaring away? @Chuck

I would love to hear more about your story…either here or offline (mike@blumenthals.com)…is it still hijacked? any idea technique? Was Google helpful in squaring away?

]]> By: Chuck http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/13/google-claimed-business-records-no-longer-can-be-hijacked/comment-page-1/#comment-420407 Chuck Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:47:11 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2410#comment-420407 Google did not fix the hijacking problem,do not let anyone fool you. I am a locksmith is South Florida,and I have had a few of my local listings hijacked and phone numbers changed and website address changed. Spamming and hijacking here is a big problem. I wish they would do aeay with the Local Business Center,I would be better off. Dates of offences were in May and June of 2009 so it is still happening. Google did not fix the hijacking problem,do not let anyone fool you.
I am a locksmith is South Florida,and I have had a few of my local listings hijacked and phone numbers changed and website address changed.
Spamming and hijacking here is a big problem.
I wish they would do aeay with the Local Business Center,I would be better off.

Dates of offences were in May and June of 2009 so it is still happening.

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