- Joined
- Aug 23, 2012
- Messages
- 133
- Reaction score
- 23
By fake I mean, not real businesses. These are lead-gen businesses with corresponding exact match urls and business names with the same exact match keywords. Every one of them has a verified GBP. Most are in homes, but a couple even managed to get verified at business locations.
The same person built all these. I'm sure of it because the websites all use the same identical template and the copy is almost identical. They even share the same images in their GBPs. The reviews are CLEARLY fake.
They are ranking in 14 or 15 of the first 20 spots for a search on the best query in the best city. The top 3 are theirs. They have GBPS ranking as far away as an hour an a half! This is the Bay Area, California.
The websites are not good at all. Some don't even load and haven't for 6 months!! Just goes to show you that the website has little to do with Maps rank.
I submitted a many-page report to Google showing all the evidence I collected. They did nothing. Just now I suggested an edit on one that I have a business photo for that's not them, and Google took it down in 10 minutes. But the rest remain.
I'd sure like to know how they ranked them all. Looks to me like all you need is a exact match keyword business name and url.
I also want to know how they got verified. And I want to know how to get Google to pay attention. All we need it to do is force them to reverify with a video.
I also wish Google would just do a lookup on their business license and contractor license like they do for LSA ads. Simple, at least for some types of businesses.
Some may argue they are helping some businesses get leads, but the consumer is hurt here. This type of business requires a contractor license. That may very well what the consumer is NOT getting. And they are definitely being conned by fake reviews.
The same person built all these. I'm sure of it because the websites all use the same identical template and the copy is almost identical. They even share the same images in their GBPs. The reviews are CLEARLY fake.
They are ranking in 14 or 15 of the first 20 spots for a search on the best query in the best city. The top 3 are theirs. They have GBPS ranking as far away as an hour an a half! This is the Bay Area, California.
The websites are not good at all. Some don't even load and haven't for 6 months!! Just goes to show you that the website has little to do with Maps rank.
I submitted a many-page report to Google showing all the evidence I collected. They did nothing. Just now I suggested an edit on one that I have a business photo for that's not them, and Google took it down in 10 minutes. But the rest remain.
I'd sure like to know how they ranked them all. Looks to me like all you need is a exact match keyword business name and url.
I also want to know how they got verified. And I want to know how to get Google to pay attention. All we need it to do is force them to reverify with a video.
I also wish Google would just do a lookup on their business license and contractor license like they do for LSA ads. Simple, at least for some types of businesses.
Some may argue they are helping some businesses get leads, but the consumer is hurt here. This type of business requires a contractor license. That may very well what the consumer is NOT getting. And they are definitely being conned by fake reviews.
