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How To Get Rid of a Bad Review on Google Maps
It is not easy to remove a bad review. However, Google now allow owners to respond to bad reviews. As a verified Google Places business owner, you can publicly respond to maps.google.com reviews on the Place Page. First, we’d recommend reading our handy tips on how to respond to reviewers. Then take a stab at responding, by following the instructions below. Log into your Google Account. Be sure it is the account that has claimed your … Read entire article »
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Google’s Red Dots on Google Maps
There’s a story behind Google’s red dots. A few years back the red dots didn’t exist When … Read more »
How Do You Get Into The Top Seven Google Map Search Results
Briefly, Google has a alogrithm that determines your search order ranking. Google wants to return results that … Read more »
How Videos Improve Google Map Rankings
Many SEO consultants and business owners know that videos are valuable tools in improving local search results. … Read more »
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Effect of Websites on Google Local Search
In my SEO book on how to optimize Google business listings to improve rankings in the search … Read more »
Do Reviews Improve Your Google Map Ranking
At one time reviews had a positive impact on a map listing’s ranking in the search results. … Read more »
Are Your Keywords Really Your Keywords
I had an interesting experience the other day. I was optimizing a website for the phrase "local … Read more »
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Google Tags for Google Maps
Google has introduced a new feature, tags, in their local maps to help business promote themselves. These tags are small icons that appear near the actual business listing and near the place marker for the listing on the map. These tags can link to the different elements in the business listing such as the website, photos, or coupons to draw attention … Read entire article »
How Do I Get My Listing in Another City
Google has become very geocentric. Kind of the premise behind maps so it is extremely difficult to get your listing to appear in more than one city unless the cities are very small and close together without many other similar businesses in the area or there is a physical address and new listing in another city and even that can be … Read entire article »
How Do I Select a Default Photo
You can’t select a default photo for your business listing on Google maps. It pretty much comes down to the first photo you upload. You may have to remove your photos and load your desired photo first. However, this has its pitfalls as well. You could end up having a listing with no photo for a couple of weeks. // Visiting … Read entire article »
Duplicate Business Listings May Put You In Google Jail
I work with many clients who have tried to do their own local Search Engine Optimization work and saw their listing disappear. Often the culprit is a duplicate listing. Local Search Engine Optimization isn’t that hard if you follow the rules but it can have serious consequences if you try to game the system. To read Googles solution to duplicate listings Click here. … Read entire article »
Google’s Red Dots on Google Maps
There’s a story behind Google’s red dots. A few years back the red dots didn’t exist When somebody did a search for a business the top 10 most relevant listings appeared in the search results. The closest tear drop listing could have been 4 or 5 miles away. A person could drive to the other side of town looking for … Read entire article »
Links from Google on Improving Rankings
Do it Yourself Local Search Engine Optimization The two links immediately below are links from Google with suggestions on how to improve your ranking in search order results. Ranking of Listings Tips to help Google users find and connect with your business Are you in the top seven search results? You can be. Check out my optimization services. … Read entire article »
My Listing is Validated but Not Showing on Google Maps
I often hear from people doing their own local search engine optimization that they have claimed their Google business listing, edited it, and that it is not showing on Google Maps. There could be a couple of different reasons this is happening. Usually the business listing does exist in the Google database. You can verify this by searching for your exact business name. If this search reveals your business listing it is in the data base and probably just needs to be optimized to become more relevant to the search words being used. If a search on your exact business name doesn’t reveal your business listing don’t panic. It sometimes takes Google up to a couple of weeks … Read entire article »
Google Places Policies: Quality Guidelines
Do it Yourself Local SEO Google Places Policies: Quality guidelines Business listings in Google Places must have correct information about physical, local businesses, as they appear in the real world. Google reserves the right to suspend access to Google Places or to other Google Services to individuals or businesses violating these guidelines. Ownership Only business owners or authorized representatives may verify their business listings on Google. Business Name Represent your business exactly as it appears in the offline world. The name on Google should match the business name, as should the address, phone number and website. Do not attempt to manipulate search results by adding extraneous keywords or a description of your business into the business name. Do not include phone numbers or … Read entire article »
How to Index your Website
A client emailed me and said that she created her website more than a week ago and she couldn’t find it in a Google search, even when she searched the exact url. There are two reasons the website wasn’t findable in a Google search. (1) It sometimes takes Google a couple of weeks to index a site and make it searchable (2) Google has … Read entire article »