Issues with listing in Google Places for business
particularly in regard to SEO

Excerpts from Google help pages on this page are copyright © 2011 Google Inc.

Google Places Listing Issues

These are the bits from the Google places for business (Google Maps) instructions and help pages that I find most confusing and contentious.

From the Getting Started Google Places for business Help page, see:

Help > Start Using Places > User Guide > Getting Started

Under the heading How it works, it says:

Each business listing on Google is in fact a giant 'cluster' of information that we get from a few different places: Yellow Pages, for example, as well as other third-party providers.
Is this new? It used to be that the business owner controlled all of the content of their Places listing...now I am finding more and more content that I can't control and is not supplied by me

On the same page under the heading Before you get started, there are a few things to keep in mind it says:

- Every business listing must have a mailing address
This is the physical address where mail can be sent to your business. If you work from home or you are a mobile-only business you can specify service areas and choose to hide your physical address later on!

- There shouldn't be more than one listing per physical location

Even if you're a doctor who is a cardiologist and a chiropractor or a service that covers multiple towns, you shouldn't have two listings. Instead, use the description of your business or categories to explain the different services your business offers.
So if I service Brisbane and Cairns...and I want to be on the first 7 listings in both - how can I use the categories or description?

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On the Add a Listing Page, see:

Help > Start Using Places > User Guide > Add a Listing

It says under point 6

Fill out the basic information about your business. This includes:

- Company/Organization: This is the official/registered name of your business. Some businesses may be located within a mall or a container store, which is a store that contains another business. If your business is within a container store or mall, and you'd like to include this information in your listing, specify the container store in parentheses in the business name field. For example, Starbucks (inside Safeway).
- Address (required): The address should look exactly the way you'd write it on a standard mailing envelope. If you are a service-area business, you'll be able to hide your address in a few steps.
- Phone Number (required): Be sure to include the area code with your phone number.
Official/Registered name...
What about a Company Name that has one or more Trading Names...which one is allowable?
Also no mention of 1800 numbers

Under point 7 it says:

- Categories:

Enter several categories to describe your business, to make it easier for others to find when they search Google. Google will automatically suggest categories as you type. Make sure you choose one Google-suggested category before adding customizable categories. You can enter up to 5 categories for your business.
Google suggested category must be first

and

Additional details:

Use this section to add custom information fields to your listing. For example, parking availability, or whether your business allows pets. (followed by a dead link)
The links to this potentially crucial new bit of information are still dead

Also on that page just above the heading Multi-Language Listings, we have:

"Sometimes when you verify a listing, it is possible that we will show data from another user who has also verified the listing. If the information in your listing is wrong even after you have verified the listing, you can send a report through the Report a problem link."
That crucial little titbit should be under DISCLAIMER if you ask me

CAN I JUST SAY THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS WHERE ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR DESCRIPTION???



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On the Content Policy Page see:

Help > Policies and Guidelines > Content Policy

Firstly It says:
If you're a business owner, violations may result in the denial of access, removal of one or all of your listings, being blacklisted from adding future listings, or deletion of your Google Account. These policies may change at any time, so please check back here from time to time.

Then under the first point, Nudity, Obscenity, and Sexually Explicit Material, it says:

We don't allow content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. We also don't allow content that drives traffic to commercial pornography sites.
I still am not sure about whether they mean a photo containing nudity (topless?) when uploaded to a Google Places page or you can't have a Google Places listing to a website that contains nudity (topless?)...??

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On the Quality Guidelines Page see:

Help > Policies and Guidelines > Quality Guidelines

Under the heading your Google Places Account the second point is about email It says:

Account Email Address: Use a shared business email account, if multiple users will be updating your business listing. If possible, use an email account under your business domain. For example, if your business website is www.google.com, a matching email address would be you@google.com.
Good information for multiple listings...I used to use the Google account email thinking it would be safer.

Also on that page under the heading Your Business Listing it says:

Business Name: Represent your business exactly as it appears in the offline world.
Also
- Do not include marketing taglines in your business name.
- Do not include phone numbers or URLs in the business name field, unless they are part of your business name.
- Do not attempt to manipulate search results by adding extraneous keywords or a description of your business in the business name field. I am guilty of this in the past
- Some businesses may be located within a mall or a container store, which is a store that contains another business. If your business is within a container store or mall, and you'd like to include this information in your listing, specify the container store in parentheses in the business name field. For example, Starbucks (inside Safeway).

Business Location: Use a precise, accurate address to describe your business location.
- Do not create listings at locations where the business does not physically exist. P.O. Boxes are not considered accurate physical locations. Listings submitted with P.O. Box addresses will be removed.
No P.O. Boxes allowed
- Use the precise address for the business in place of broad city names or cross-streets.
- Do not create more than one listing for each business location, either in a single account or multiple accounts.
So one listing per location is allowable
- Businesses that operate in a service area, as opposed to a single location, should not create a listing for every city they service. Businesses that operate in a service area should create one listing for the central office or location and designate service areas.
In my experience Service Areas do not get you on a lot of the top 7 Map listings in different cities - Businesses with multiple specializations, such as law firms and doctors, should not create multiple listings to cover all of their specialties. You may create one listing per practitioner, and one listing for the office. What about similiar to this but no "practitioners"?
- Do not include information in address lines that does not pertain your business’s physical location (e.g. URLs, keywords).

Website & Phone: Provide a phone number that connects to your individual business location as directly as possible, and provide one website that represents your individual business location. I find this confusing...what about one website that has 2 or more business locations

Categories: Provide at least one category from the suggestions provided in the form as you type. Aim for categories that are specific, but brief. No mention of the google suggested category being first? (see above)
- Categories should say what your business is (e.g. Hospital), not on what it does (e.g. Vaccinations) or things it sells (e.g. Sony products or printer paper). This information can be added in your description or as custom attributes. That is fine but where are the guidelines on Description or Custom attributes?
- Categories should not contain location-based information (for example, Dog Walker Los Angeles is not permitted).
- Only one category is permitted per entry field. Do not “stuff” entry fields with multiple categories.I am guilty of this in the past because it worked for SEO at that time

Custom Attributes & Description: Use the description and custom attribute fields to include additional information about your listing. Learn more about acceptable custom attributes. - dead link again
Note that when Google Places help says "Custom Attributes" they seem to be reffering to the "Additional Details section of the Edit page of your Google Places account.
This Places help page called Defining your Custom Attribute has information on Custom Attributes (and Additional Details) unfortunately it is in regards to bulk uploads...but it is the closest I have found to a guideline for Additional Details...It says these types are supported...
Which seems to say that the following suggestions for Name Value pairs are recommended.
See help page for further information and 2 more Industry segment exampless i.e Hotel and Lawyer...? really!?

Industry - Restaurant
Attribute                         Example Value
Features                         Full bar, Banquet room, Valet parking, Reservation Suggested
Specialties                       Late-night dining, People watching  
Public Transportation         Muni, Bus 27, Subway A and C

Industry - Services
Attribute                 Example Value
Brands Serviced       Samsung, Panasonic, LG
Products Serviced    Washing machines, Dryers, Fridges, Vacuums
Services                  Drain cleaning, Hot water installation, Bathroom renovation

Industry - Retail
Attribute              Example Value
Brands Stocked     Nikon, Canon, Ricoh, Panasonic    
Products              Printers, Laptops, Monitors, Mobile phones


Google help only has forum postings about Additional Details - this post (new window) is interesting because of one answer that says because
"You need to remove [location name] '[deleted here but let's say Brisbane for our example]' as any words out of your address or for other locations will stop the listing appearing in a 7 Pack result, or Places as some people call it as only Places entries show up in 7 Packs.

Because the listing description said:
"Description: Proudly serving [Brisbane]. Complete drain cleaning including septic; residential, commercial, and industrial. Locally owned since the early 40’s. [Smith] family since 1948. Video inspection.

Google Places Help (new window).
See Ways to Correct Business information in Google Places for business(new window).

Confusingly also see Ways to correct my business listing (new window).

If you feel something is wrong with your Places listing check your Account Dashboard Status for a start (new window).

See also Forum posting guidelines and
Review posting guidelines (both open in new windows).

To signup to get your own (or claim one that is already online) see:
Google Places for business account (new window).

Excerpts from Google help pages on this page are copyright © 2011 Google Inc.

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