1-pak listings

[accessted]

Can anyone explain this 1-pack? This has had a 3 pack listing for a long time, but yesterday I noticed this.

Talk about owning some real estate on page 1 ..

 

[accessted]

Anyone have any idea why Google would all of a sudden do this?

I checked Chicago Locksmith and it is the same way. Most other cities are under the 3 pack like they were before

 

[James Watt]

That is strange, I'm not sure. If you or a client are competing and getting bumped off the list though, it'd be really easy to take your place back. Their name is against guidelines (should just be 'Pop-a-lock') and as soon as you get their name edited to be in line with guidelines, they'll probably drop back to a 3-pack. As far as why they're there though, I noticed they've got incredible organic ranking as well. They're in the number one spot. Even without the name helping them, they'd probably still be in the 3-pack.

In general though, if you're working with locksmiths or interested in locksmiths, competitive spam reporting is something you need to be doing. here's a guide that Joy wrote to help you get started.

 

[accessted]

Yeah really weird.

I know they have a strong presence and they were number 1 in the 3 pack. Just not sure why this search went to a 1-pack all of a sudden.

 

[Linda Buquet]

One packs used to happen A LOT a couple years ago. Blumenthal and I fought that battle for months. Big 7 packs like San Diego Plumbers and Dallas Dentist were being wiped out by one-boxes.

Back then it was especially bad because most of the one-boxes were old spam listings or old closed businesses - so dead site, dead phone. Knocked all the legit biz out of the pack and the one result was not even valid to help consumers find what they were looking for.

Now it doesn't happen very often, but when it does it's usually because the domain and biz name are close enough to the query and it's a strong enough listing that Google thinks you generic KW search is really a search for that specific business.

But I agree with James. Get the name edited to real name and they'll likely lose the one-box and hopefully goes back to a 3 pack.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Not sure about that name tho. Their corp page biz name in title is Pop-A-Lock of Charlotte. Not sure how naming conventions work with that franchise.

But if you can determine "of Charlotte" is not part of the name, then I'd try to get name in Yelp corrected too if you can. They are #1 in Yelp and that sometimes carries enough clout to help get a one-box.

The Best 10 Keys & Locksmiths in Charlotte, NC

 

[accessted]

Yeah but in the above image it shows "Locksmith of Charlotte"\

Didn't know Yelp was that big of a factor.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Yeah but in the above image it shows "Locksmith of Charlotte"\

Not in the business name showing on the Knowledge Panel, which is what counts.

Oops I was totally looking at something else. You are right they added "Locksmith of Charlotte" to name which sure sounds an add-on descriptor.

 

[Linda Buquet]

In checking nationally many add on "Locksmith of City" or "Locksmiths of City".
Some just use Pop-a-Lock and some add city, but not Locksmith.

So the branding is really inconsistent or some KW stuff and others don't, which is more likely the case.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I'm not seeing a one-box using a tool that set my location to Charlotte. However, I just submitted an edit for their name because regardless if they're "Pop-A-Lock" or "Pop-A-Lock of Charlotte" they most definitely don't have the word "locksmith" in the name.

Let me know if that changes what you see.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Joy, if you feel like nuking more - there are quite a few.

Search maps for: "Pop-A-Lock Locksmith"

 

[accessted]

Thanks Joy.

Still showing the 1 pack. It did change last night to the 3 pack, but today back to 1 pack with the same title.

Really weird why Google is doing this .

 

[accessted]

Almost 2 weeks and still same.Even the Name did not change and still a 1 pack.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I'm surprised that neither Colan or my edits to the title went through - must be a very active & trusted profile. I'll escalate to Google to see if they can fix the title.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Okay the business title is fixed. Let me know how this impacts ranking.

 

[accessted]

Awesome..

Unfortunately this is still a 1-pack listing. Really puzzling on why this is. I mean it is really not fair if you ask me,but I know life is not fair sometimes.

Even when you click more to see other map listings half of them are not even in the same category. Really all screwed up.

You think it could be an oversight on Google part? Hopefully they will go back to the 3-pack.