Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Google Maps LBC Changes & Upgrades
On Monday the Local Business Center was taken down for maintanence and fixes. We know that there has been a decrease in reports of merged business listings (although there are reports of reviews still merging between businesses). It appears that there have been several changes in the phone verification system as well:
-Now the PIN is provided via the verification call and not via the web (thanks to Joseph Magnotti). This changes the flow of the approval process and makes it somewhat more difficult for 3rd parties to involve themselves in the authorization process.
-Apparently the problems of the phone verification system not responding well to 0’s and 1’s may also have been resolved. This has been an on-going problem that particularly affected Canadian users.
Have you found other changes and updates to the Local Business Center? Let me know!
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Comments
9 Comments
Oh, gosh, if the phone thing has been fixed, that would be super! I guess I’ll soon know.
Okay, so now the the pin is via phone. So, I create the client’s business listing, but I do not have a pin number to give them. I just call them and say, “wait by the phone and make note of the pin number when Google calls.” I hope that’s right. I don’t see that this will really be too, different, I suppose.
Thanks for summarizing the changes thus far, Mike.
The phone may have some time limit associated with it, I am not sure. I need to check.
I’m with Miriam…I think for legit SEO providers like us, the phone thing should be a little easier for SMB’s to understand. All we need to do is give them a heads-up on when the PIN is arriving and walk them through what to do with it after the phone call is over.
We tend to use the SMS confimation using the business ownsers mobile phone number as an additional telephone number. It is easier to manage, and they just forward us the code via SMS.
Since the update I’m seing some cleaning of listings that had previously been assigned to incorrect domains.
However, I do wish there could be better controls on the Company Name Spamming / Keyword spamming that is rife.
@David
Most of my customers are only slightly above literacy level and find the LBC thing pretty initimidating…what I have recently switched to and will work well in this situation is a Teamviewer.com type screen control arrangement…where I can see and manipulate their screen at the same time.
@Bob
In the US, there is no SMS option that I have seen. I wonder which countries don’t have it…
Haven’t tried the phone verification with 1’s and 0’s yet. Will report back Mike.
@Dev
Pls let me know
[…] thinking “What do I do next?” I haven’t helped a client claim a listing since Google changed PIN entry from touchtone to web last week, but prior to that shift, it was a very poorly constructed message which ended without […]
Hi – Well so far I’m batting 500 ( I think that’s the right terminology) I’ve tried unsuccessfully 4 times to use the new and improved PIN verification process.
Each time the number has been deemed invalid. Another time (as in just 20 minutes ago) it failed again.
Me: Okay Ms Client. Google will be calling you with a PIN number. Take note of it and let me know what it is. I’ll enter it into the Business Centre and your listing will be verified.
Ms Client: When will Google be calling?
Me: Right now.
Ms Client : Okay the PIN is 18***
Me: Thank you – you PIN is invalid. Shall we try again?
Ms Client : Yes certainly.
Me: Google is calling you now.
Ms Client: The PIN is 57***
Me: Oh dear the Business Centre isn’t allowing me the option to enter that PIN code in. It’s only allowing me to send a Post Card.
Google may be experiencing a few hiccups right now as they are upgrading with the reporting view (yippee) however; it’s really putting a cramp in my professionalism when it kacks out on me like that. It’s so embarassing.
Where do you look? What do you say?
When I tried on Friday – the same thing – the PIN was invalid and when I tried to enter it – then when I initated another call – it spawned a second call and then shut me down – only allowed a Post Card.
I hope whatever bugs there are it works a bit better.
I hate to keep having to make apologies on Google’s behalf.
Joan
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