Google Maps Local Business Center has a few quirks.
One of those is how it handles names with two capital letters. Businesses sometimes spend millions projecting their names and are meticulous about how they appear in any media. It must be discouraging to firms like McAdams Floral in Victoria, TX and McDonald’s that Google Maps does not properly handle their names.
Cathy Rhulloda, of Avante Garden Florals Unique, pointed out this particular quirk and the attendant posts in the forums that is has generated. If a business name has too many caps, the listing will be flagged and put in the queue for a content check. If however it only has one or two caps in unexpected places, like the middle of the word, it will just change the business name to all lower case.
The alternatives are to accept the lower case auto change or to separate the name into two parts. Irish names have this attribute and a certain number of high tech firms do as well. Some of the posts indicated that the problem has been fixed but but it appears that the “feature” is still afflicting some users.
I can’t understand these businesses with long histories, established names, and tremendous name recognition complaining at anything google does. Don’t they know, Google always does right!!!
Comment by earlpearl (784 comments) — September 15, 2009 @ 8:17 am
I had a client who’s entire name is made of capital letters AND an registered trade mark behind. The excessive capitalization is allowed in a business name but not in the body of the listing – the custom attributes or description. The only thing that does present a problem with the biz name is the trade mark – mark or other marks such as that.
Comment by Joan van Hilten (102 comments) — September 15, 2009 @ 8:36 am
great posting Mike….now I know why a client site has some issues!!!
Jim
Comment by Jim Rudnick (164 comments) — September 15, 2009 @ 9:41 am
Thanks for the post and the mention.
My friend at McAdams spent hours combing through their citations and directory listings in hopes of finding the source of the incorrect capitalization.
It’s understandable that a user doing a keyword search might well see a business listed in all lower case and devalue it or dismiss it entirely.
Seems there should be a way for legit businesses with independent, trusted citations to have their names displayed properly.
Comment by Cathy (69 comments) — September 15, 2009 @ 11:16 am
Kudos to Cathy for seeing this. I had noticed things like this before and assumed it was a mistake on the business owner’s part. What do you know…it’s Google’s fault! It certainly does make an unprofessional presentation of the business name, having incorrect capitalization.
Comment by MiriamEllis (636 comments) — September 15, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
[...] Google Maps MickyD’s =s McIrritating, Mike Blumenthal [...]
Pingback by SearchCap: The Day In Search, September 15, 2009 — September 15, 2009 @ 5:04 pm
Another hard question answered. Great post and wow you have had a couple catchy titles the past couple days. I am excited to see what will come next.
Comment by Mike Ramsey (93 comments) — September 15, 2009 @ 5:53 pm
@Earl
Still a few oddities left in the LBC I suppose….
@Joan
Yes it does seem that some All CAPs are getting approved…certainly punctuation in the title, mixed titles, weird characters are a problem…Google seems to indicate “excessive capitalization” is an issue but…..
@Jim
Glad to be of help
@Miriam
It is weird thats for sure, frustrating….Google error checking and feedback on the fields has always been weak…
@MikeR
Glad you have enjoyed my past few titles but this title idea can be credited to Cathy R. I have some great titles on the way, just not the time to write them. If only someone would pay me for this…:(
Comment by Mike (2500 comments) — September 16, 2009 @ 7:37 am
You are getting paid…..with complements
better than money in my opinion. But, money is a very close second place.
Comment by Mike Ramsey (93 comments) — September 16, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
@MikeR
Oh and I forgot the potatoes as well….I am a rich man.
Comment by Mike (2500 comments) — September 16, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
Thank you!!!!!! I too have been trying to determine why the hotel that I listed – TownePlace Suites – has been a towneplace suites. I may have to separate the words.
I am so glad I found your blog!
Comment by Jane (2 comments) — September 17, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
@Jane
Glad you were able to find useful information
Comment by Mike (2500 comments) — September 17, 2009 @ 5:10 pm