Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Google Testing New Local Pack in San Diego with Rollout of Advanced Verification
In early October, Google announced a new test for service area businesses that offered direct consumer contact and exhibited lots of spam (ie locksmiths, plumbers etc) that involved an advanced verification process. The advanced verification process is similar to, although less rigorous than the vetting process involve
d with the Home Service Ads that were showing in the Bay Area. Along with this Advanced Verification test, Google announced that any plumber or locksmiths in San Diego that did not Advance Verify or did not meet the standard would be pulled from the index sometime after November 10th.
What Google didn’t announce but that has now become obvious from this screen shot provided by Joy Hawkins on Twitter is that were will also be a new local display unit, the Home Services Pack, that highlights SABs that have done through this more rigorous vetting.
The Home Service Pack lists just Advanced Verified local businesses and displays them with a check mark to signify the higher level of verification. And it appears that the unit can appear in addition to the Local Pack which shows store front businesses.
Since this has yet to really role out and seems to still be only occasionally visible we are not yet sure how many previously listed SAB Plumbers and locksmiths will be removed.
More to follow.
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Comments
3 Comments
Hi Mike
Here’s a question regards the spam policy in Google:
There are many SEO companies offering a local package as part of their SEO services.
These packages include, among other, managing the Google My Business place page.
Here goes my question: If these company operates in South America or in Europe – Do you think they might flag my listing due to an IP issue:
A- It is outside my service (and my listing) service area
B- I assume their using their IP to serve other costumers business listings
@john there is no flag in and of itself unless the company has been previously identified as a spammer. There are extra security requirements
Google Home Service Ads are coming to LA. As reported recently by Joy Hawkins on Search Engine Land, Google is expanding it’s Home Services Ads (HSA) program. This “incubation” program was test launched in the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this year. In October it was expanded into the Sacramento and San Diego markets where it went live on November 10th.
Read more at http://949local.com/google-home-service-ads-program-expanding/
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