Comments on: Tips to help Google users find and connect with your business

By: Google gives tips for business listings « Marketing Barista

Google gives tips for business listings « Marketing Barista — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:16:55 +0000

[...] Blumenthal specifically highlights two of these suggestions: choosing the most appropriate, specific categories for your business; establishing a strong, accurate presence on the web. [...]

By: panzermike

panzermike — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:24:15 +0000

@Mike:

Yeah and now I can’t even get this hot chick to talk to me to give me back my ring (website data)!!

Looks like she created a fake boyfriend and gave him all the credit (unverified listing that never merges with live “verified” one) lol

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:05:25 +0000

@panzermike

Although your simile is crude your observations seem spot on. Google has an interest in obfuscating much of what goes on inside of Maps.

Mike

By: panzermike

panzermike — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:59:06 +0000

@MiriamEllis comment 3. Well said. It is very complicated. Without Blumenthals and a few others, I would not understand a thing. What I have learned most is that your not supposed to understand too much about Maps.

It is kinda like that hot chick in high school you could never figure out how to get to go on a date with you.

By: Craig - Internet marketing guy

Craig - Internet marketing guy — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:52:21 +0000

Thanks for parsing the document for pertintent info.

BTW… no follow is BS. They follow who they choose.

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Wait, Mike, you mean you didn’t sit there saying, “but, now the whole no-follow thing is kind of moot, and after all, it was never really applicable to citations, and….”? I’m surprised at you!

Haha.

By: Mike Blumenthal

Mike Blumenthal — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:30:07 +0000

@Miriam

I hadn’t spun the scenario out that far to see the snares on the horizon that you mention. the world that google has created and in which it seems to have ever increasing policing duties seems to be expanding.

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:42:49 +0000

I read it that way, too, Mike. Great find. This, of course, means that local businesses will have to learn to walk the line between voluntary and recompensed mentions on blogs. For product-oriented businesses, it can be challenging to think of ways to get local bloggers to blog about a business without giving them the gift of a product to sample. As I understand it, Google doesn’t have a problem with this, so long as the gift is disclosed. I’m not sure where the whole no-follow thing would come into this, as Google would likely be using those local blogs as citations – not necessarily links. Wait, this is getting complicated.

By: Mike Blumenthal

Mike Blumenthal — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:34:41 +0000

As I read the above, it meant a small business needs to be mentioned on blogs…ie their pr and marketing efforts need to be inclusive of the hyperlocal blogging community

By: Dave Oremland

Dave Oremland — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:50:27 +0000

Nice additional comments, Mike. That was an excellent find in scrutinizing Google’s commentary. Its not like it was shouted out, but rather somewhat hidden.

More reason why small businesses should have a blog. Then of course one needs to spend the time on the blog, and spend the time interacting with the local blogging community.

But, should that visibly impact Maps rankings as much as it appears that Reviews impact rankings, then it is well worth the effort.