Local Search Title-Line Revisited

A few days ago I blogged that the title-line in local search can be manipulated for marketing purposes.

After blogging about that a couple of my colleagues expressed concern that it wasn’t a good idea and one of them pointed me to the following discussion between Google Map Guide Joel and a person asking a question related to the title-line of local search:

This is an interesting case of spam - I'm glad you both posted here.

I've linked the quality guidelines below. Those listings that don't follow these guidelines are subject to removal. I wanted to highlight two points:
1. "Represent your business exactly as it appears in real life. The name on Google Maps should match the business name, as should the address, phone number and website."

Interestingly, the title LV Photo Party Las Vegas Photo Booth Rental, in my view, is committing what we call title spam or keyword stuffing. The business name doesn't match the name provided on the website.

Quoting from the guidelines again:

2. "Google Maps is intended to be a source of information for users and business owners alike."

The ShutterBox Photo Booth listings appear to have their business appropriately named. It is strange, however, that the address information isn't on the website. The addresses on listings should be useful to customers. If I were a customer, I'd expect to be able to drive up and get service from ShutterBox Photo Booth in both the locations in Las Vegas as well as the locations in Chicago.

Each of you have an opportunity to clean up the listings as necessary. I'll check back on these listings in a few days. Please make sure they follow our lisitng guidelines.

Thanks,
Joel

I no longer recommend local search title-line marketing.

"CLAIM YOUR GOOGLE MAP LISTING" by Jordan Glogau of 1800Flowers.com

Introduction to Jordon Glogau by Mark McFall

Jordan is the SEO Enterprise Specialist for 1800Flowers.com and a partner in Internet Reputation Management, which specializes in defensive reputation management for the Web.

Jordan has expressed a mutual interest that he and I share in getting out the word of how important it is for local florists to claim their rightful & FREE local listing before it becomes hijacked by an unethical party. If enough florists respond to his post below a more detailed post will ensue in an effort to help guide real-florists through the local listing process.

Guest Post by Jordan Glogau:

I am happy to do a guest post on Florist SEO Watch but I wish my “visit” was on a happier subject.  Mark recently did a post about 1-800-Flowers SEO efforts and we appreciate the kind comments.  It got me thinking that I should say something in a more public forum regarding a problem that’s emerged for local florists that 1800flowers.com was made aware of and would like to help address.

The problem has to do with Google and its local listing service Google Maps.  If you’re not aware Google lists most local businesses in Google Maps WITHOUT checking with the local business as to the accuracy of the address, location, phone number, etc.  Google gets its data from a number of sources like InfoUSA, Interactive Yellow Page Publishes and numerous data aggregators.  Google is very, shall I say, proud of its efforts and has even filed patents protecting these verification methodologies.

Google wants to make sure that this information is correct and has a method for the local business to verify this information.  Without going into a lot of detail you find your listing on Google Maps and then verify you are the actual business.  This is done with either a call back to the local business’ phone number or via post card that Google sends out with a call back verification code.

So here’s the rub, there is no security on these listings and a number of less than ethical internet marketers have hijacked a number of these listings pointed the listing to national aggregators.  This has been written about in detail by Mike Bloomenthal in his blog, if you want brutal details.  One florist 30 percent of their business before the address was corrected!

But here’s the point, CLAIM YOUR GOOGLE MAP LISTING, before some bottom feeder does.

Final note, if enough readers ask, I will try to do a screen-by-screen on how to claim your listing.

Jordan Glogau
Enterprise Search
1800flowers.com