Google Maps has a tendency to be a bit “quirky”. You never know if the problem is something the business owner has done or whether you are running up against Google Map’s unusually “beta type” personality*.

Besides this blog and myself there are a number of resources that you might want to review in your quest of “cracking the code” of Maps in the self help mode:

Google Maps Help files

This has the rudiments of how the Local Business Center works but little in the way of troubleshooting.

• Google Local Business Help Center

Google Maps Help Group

According to Google, “a Google employee will be popping in from time to time to post announcements, share tips, and answer questions”. The frequency of these visits is quite low and there are more questions than answers but if you dig deeply, you may find some answers. There is a lot of crossover between the groups.

• Google Maps Help Group: How Do I Tends towards broader mapping issues, apis etc but some bug and problem reporting that relates to business listings.

• Google Maps Help Group: For Business Owners Lots of the nitty gritty business oriented problems that one sees with not nearly enough answers from users or Google. This should be your second stop in the Google Groups.

• Google Maps Help Group TroubleshootingTends toward geomapping issues but with some bug and problem reporting that relates to business listings.

• Google Maps Help Group Current Issues Google occasionally announces bugs here so it should be the first place you stop.

End User Forums:
• SeoRefugee GeoTargeting A general resource for all things local, not limited to Maps but the folks there are very helpful and knowledgeable in a range of local search marketing technologies and techniques.

• Local Thread at Cre8aSiteforums This is a new thread at the SEO forum that has recently been started by the new forum moderator, Miriam Ellis

Other Blogs

These primarily deal with local search marketing on a range of topics and frequently have Google Maps related content and research:

• Convert Offline – Local Search Engine Marketing by Local Hound Tim

• SEOIgloo by Miriam Ellis

What resources do you use to solve your Map problems? Let me know and I will add them to the list.

If you or your business offer consulting help or turn key listing management for Maps, let me know and I will publish a list of commercial Google Map solutions.

*A beta personality is like an alpha personality except that it causes heart attacks in others rather than one’s self by virtue of it never being finished with the job at hand.