Comments on: Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:33:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: February ‘09: Best Search/Marketing Posts http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-460759 February ‘09: Best Search/Marketing Posts Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:05:12 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-460759 [...] Mike Blumenthal: Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? [...] [...] Mike Blumenthal: Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? [...]

]]> By: Philadelphia Restaurant Week in Search Engine Results | SEO in Philadelphia http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-457107 Philadelphia Restaurant Week in Search Engine Results | SEO in Philadelphia Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:49:28 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-457107 [...] “business owner” of this local listing has clearly taken advantage of the well known Google  Local index weaknesses.  Unfortunately, for the end users,  it was  easy enough for somebody to game the system by [...] [...] “business owner” of this local listing has clearly taken advantage of the well known Google  Local index weaknesses.  Unfortunately, for the end users,  it was  easy enough for somebody to game the system by [...]

]]> By: Year In Review: Local Search & Maps http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-452583 Year In Review: Local Search & Maps Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:41:44 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-452583 [...] 2009 Year-In-Review would be complete without at least a passing mention of locksmiths and their penchant for the darker arts of Local SEO? Muckraker extraordinaire Mike Blumenthal did [...] [...] 2009 Year-In-Review would be complete without at least a passing mention of locksmiths and their penchant for the darker arts of Local SEO? Muckraker extraordinaire Mike Blumenthal did [...]

]]> By: How to Set-up Google Maps Listing in Google LBC http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-447328 How to Set-up Google Maps Listing in Google LBC Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:46:25 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-447328 [...] Double Listings: Don’t do it. Make sure you only have one G-Maps listing.  You don’t want to lose your listing over something so ridiculous.  People can easily report and flag your listing, I know I would if you were my competition and I saw you putting up Google Maps SPAM. [...] [...] Double Listings: Don’t do it. Make sure you only have one G-Maps listing.  You don’t want to lose your listing over something so ridiculous.  People can easily report and flag your listing, I know I would if you were my competition and I saw you putting up Google Maps SPAM. [...]

]]> By: Google Local business listing spam http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-401609 Google Local business listing spam Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:40:47 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-401609 [...] 2009: Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? [...] [...] 2009: Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? [...]

]]> By: Google Maps: Tightening down on Locksmiths » Understanding Google Maps & Local Search http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-401514 Google Maps: Tightening down on Locksmiths » Understanding Google Maps & Local Search Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:55:48 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-401514 [...] week in the Maps Forums and again today as a posting in a comment in Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? Locksmiths have noted that [...] [...] week in the Maps Forums and again today as a posting in a comment in Google Maps vs Locksmith Spammers: Spammers winning? Locksmiths have noted that [...]

]]> By: Glenn Y http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-401503 Glenn Y Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:27:22 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-401503 @Boruch Fishman My experiance is that sites that employ the methods that Google advises against; (dozens on zip codes on each page, dozens of city names per page, etc) are generally the exact folks that should be blocked, no matter the business catagory. These are the people who are not local, but want to appear to be. The MO for these types of people posing as locksmiths is to send out someone with little to no training, generally un-licensed, to then dramatically raise the quoted price where possible. These folks are breaking several federal and state laws. Fraudulent addresses, and names falls under the Lanham Act. In California anyone who "aids and abets" an un-licensed locksmith is liable for a $10,000 fine. For these and other reasons it seems like it would be a good idea to pass on doing SEO work for criminals. Just my opinion... @Boruch Fishman
My experiance is that sites that employ the methods that Google advises against; (dozens on zip codes on each page, dozens of city names per page, etc) are generally the exact folks that should be blocked, no matter the business catagory.

These are the people who are not local, but want to appear to be. The MO for these types of people posing as locksmiths is to send out someone with little to no training, generally un-licensed, to then dramatically raise the quoted price where possible.

These folks are breaking several federal and state laws. Fraudulent addresses, and names falls under the Lanham Act. In California anyone who “aids and abets” an un-licensed locksmith is liable for a $10,000 fine. For these and other reasons it seems like it would be a good idea to pass on doing SEO work for criminals.

Just my opinion…

]]> By: Boruch Fishman http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-401471 Boruch Fishman Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:04:40 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-401471 Recently Google has been slamming locksmith spam so hard it appears to me that the situation is going to the other extreme. I work with locksmiths in my role as a search engine submitter. Today I talked to a locksmith in Arlington Virginia. He told me he has worked out of his house for a year. His company is called Security Locksmith. From what he told me, he is serving people in his local area. He uses a local phone number. He admits that he registered his company on Google, using a trade name - 24 hour emergency locksmith. His listing was then flagged. He changed his name back to his company name, and began taking out keywords. He subsequently found that his listing was flagged, until he entirely removed the word locksmith from any text field in the Google application. Since locksmith is actually part of his legally registered name, he shouldn't be flagged. I had another locksmith and call me about the same problem. I was told he also had a br\rick and mortar business in Nashville. However, this man had a toll free number. I tried to register his business and it was flagged. I then took out any term with locksmith, and the listing was finally changed to waiting for submission. I then decided to test the system. I just added back the word "emergency mobile locksmith," and the listing was again flagged. Later I found out from the man that he really lived in another State, and had people that would be working for him in Nashville. While Google would be happy to ferret out this out of state poacher, how could they really differentiate this man from a brick and mortar locksmith. Recently Google has been slamming locksmith spam so hard it appears to me that the situation is going to the other extreme. I work with locksmiths in my role as a search engine submitter. Today I talked to a locksmith in Arlington Virginia. He told me he has worked out of his house for a year. His company is called Security Locksmith. From what he told me, he is serving people in his local area. He uses a local phone number. He admits that he registered his company on Google, using a trade name – 24 hour emergency locksmith. His listing was then flagged. He changed his name back to his company name, and began taking out keywords. He subsequently found that his listing was flagged, until he entirely removed the word locksmith from any text field in the Google application. Since locksmith is actually part of his legally registered name, he shouldn’t be flagged.
I had another locksmith and call me about the same problem. I was told he also had a br\rick and mortar business in Nashville. However, this man had a toll free number. I tried to register his business and it was flagged. I then took out any term with locksmith, and the listing was finally changed to waiting for submission. I then decided to test the system. I just added back the word “emergency mobile locksmith,” and the listing was again flagged. Later I found out from the man that he really lived in another State, and had people that would be working for him in Nashville. While Google would be happy to ferret out this out of state poacher, how could they really differentiate this man from a brick and mortar locksmith.

]]> By: Need $1000 bucks this week? - Page 5 http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-400698 Need $1000 bucks this week? - Page 5 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:52:50 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-400698 [...] out a way to spam the heck out of the Google Local Business Results. Local Search Resource Site Article regarding LBR Spamming [...] [...] out a way to spam the heck out of the Google Local Business Results. Local Search Resource Site Article regarding LBR Spamming [...]

]]> By: concerned locksmiths in md http://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/25/google-maps-vs-locksmiths-spammers-spammers-winning/comment-page-2/#comment-395630 concerned locksmiths in md Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:44:19 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=2482#comment-395630 Harold Fink is just as bad as the scammers. Geonames?? Hal give me a freaking break. Pasadena Locksmith, Glen Burnie Locksmith, wheres your office in Clarksville?? Wheaton?? Bethesda?? No office.... Just a bunch of damn phone #'s that all ring to Harold Fink on the eastern shore of MD. Hey Harold why do you answer the phone "locksmith" and not "Safe and Lock Masters" or"Emergency Locksmith" or is it "Ellicott City Locksmith" or is it "Stevensville Locksmith" Hey at least if you answered Stevensville people would have an idea of where you are.... In short get to know a LOCAL locksmith, stop in and get an extra key, grab a card put it in your purse, desk, console. Harold Fink is just as bad as the scammers. Geonames?? Hal give me a freaking break. Pasadena Locksmith, Glen Burnie Locksmith, wheres your office in Clarksville?? Wheaton?? Bethesda?? No office…. Just a bunch of damn phone #’s that all ring to Harold Fink on the eastern shore of MD. Hey Harold why do you answer the phone “locksmith” and not “Safe and Lock Masters” or”Emergency Locksmith” or is it “Ellicott City Locksmith” or is it “Stevensville Locksmith” Hey at least if you answered Stevensville people would have an idea of where you are…. In short get to know a LOCAL locksmith, stop in and get an extra key, grab a card put it in your purse, desk, console.

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