Mike Blumenthal

In recent days, there has been an increasing number of reports in the Google Maps for Business Group complaining about two completely different business records being conflated. In just today’s postings there were 5 reports: •Google Maps Hijacked! •My business information appearing on another business listing •Web Pages of other sites? •Incorrect URL Associated with …

Reviews add credibility to a business and play a critical role in ranking in Google Maps. However getting customers to actually write them is another story. For a client to actually find your business record within one of the large directories, identify the review link and often times register prior to leaving a review is …

Steve Jobs announced the new iPhone 3G and it overcomes most of the objections to the first model: •$199 price point for the 8 gbyte model •3G connectivity where AT&T has coverage (most major markets with expansion planned but not in Olean until sometime in 2009) •GPS capability •Lots of cool cheap and free software …

In the past I have run a number of articles speaking to whether Local needed to be held to a higher standard. It has been like the Wild West in Local. One day brings up a case more bizarre than the next and one wonders if higher standards will be achieved and if so how. …

Cellphone Tracking Study Shows We’re Creatures of Habit – JOHN SCHWARTZ, NY Times Research that makes creative use of sensitive location-tracking data from 100,000 cellphones in Europe suggests that most people can be found in one of just a few locations at any time, and that they do not generally go far from home…..people’s wanderings …

Martijn Beijk is reporting on his blog, Local Search, that Mapspam on Google is now cropping up in Europe. He notes that I have become infamous in my vendetta against Mapspam and battering Google in the process. I like to think of it rather as love taps. To me Local offers incredible possibilities and can be …

Update 6/6/08: This spam has been removed. Also on Imnotadoctor.com Maps Guide Jen noted about the similar Earthlink Spam: This particular case was added through a bulk feed in our Local Business Center. We’re actively working to implement some processes that will prevent these types of spam from displaying in Google Maps. Cheers, Jen A …

Google has recently made clear that a business can have only one listing per address and that multiple listings for that business at one address would be considered spam. They have made no clear policy statement in regards to naming the business. Google appears to tolerate and to some extent endorses the idea that a …

Yesterday Greg Sterling had an Interview With Google’s Carter Maslan about Mapspam in which Google noted that they are still at the stage of removing mapspam by hand. Also of not was that they will be addressing how to allow non bricks and mortar locations to provide information on their service area (see What Should …

Office Depot Teams up with Google to Provide Online Marketing  – Business Wire (press release) In a tactic to place their critical local products in front of more eyeballs Google is offering Adwords, Apps and the Local Business Center at Office Depot’s small business portal. These types of partnerships are a low cost way for Google to …