Attack of the Bad Google Local One-Boxes!

[Derek Shropshire]

Welcome Derek and thanks for sharing.

In investigating your example, it's a little different and here are some things I found.

Google: knoxville dentist

#1 its a real listing for a real practice unlike a couple others above.

It's an unclaimed, scraped dupe.

Here are all the listings: http://goo.gl/maps/mRc1x
1 Dr. name, claimed
1 Knoxville Dentist - Dr Name claimed. (So dupe PLUS KW stuffed)
1 Knoxville Dentist, unclaimed, the one that stole the one box.

So in this case, since unclaimed, no geo stuffed cats. So it's really just the EMD name and domain that appears to be triggering the one-box.

Noticed something interesting though. Google the name on that scraped unclaimed listing + phone in quotes: "Knoxville Dentist" "(865) 584-8630"

Appears the good Dr had some citation building done with that fake EM name. It's listed on Manta, City Search and other high authority sites, so that's why Google scraped it and created a listing.

Thanks for the info, Linda. Yep, I saw those citations yesterday, as well. There is definitely some spammy stuff going on that is really hurting other dentists in the area, not to mention the poor searchers looking for a dentist.

I also found this similar thing with a Sevierville Dentist Google search and see the Maps search.

The funny thing about this one is that the website listed is not even a dentist's website. Moreover, the listed phone number is a mobile number (I know this because I live in the area, and my phone has the area code and prefix).

Very weird stuff.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Note for that one I get a pack when searching from my location. Have to change location to that city to see the dreaded one box.

YEP that one is the most relevant Dentist in Sevierville, TN

The site is not built and the header has city totally misspelled.
"Dentist Sevier Viller"

I'd say 2nd rate job by a shady sloppy 3rd world SEO.

Location also looks bogus. Looks like it's out in a rural residential area.

 

[Linda Buquet]

I called that number and got a woman. She said that's her daughter's cell phone # and they aren't even in Sevierville. She didn't even know where that city is. But she is in TN. She was not very tech savvy but I tried to explain how to find and report it or get # deleted.

This is pretty bogus.

 

[Derek Shropshire]

I called that number and got a woman. She said that's her daughter's cell phone # and they aren't even in Sevierville. She didn't even know where that city is. But she is in TN. She was not very tech savvy but I tried to explain how to find and report it or get # deleted.

This is pretty bogus.

Wow! That is pretty amazing.

My theory is that some spammer type has created this website and listing and tried to get it ranked with a fake address and number (and has succeeded). Now he will probably try and sell it to some dentist in Sevierville, since it already ranks #1 and all.

Are these things supposed to be happening in 2013? I mean, I feel like I've been transported back to 1999.

Thanks again for your help and detective work with this; I just hope it gets fixed soon, because I have a client in Knoxville that this is hosing (he used to be #1 for Knoxville dentist and is now literally out of the top 100 ever since this started).

 

[Linda Buquet]

My theory is that some spammer type has created this website and listing and tried to get it ranked with a fake address and number (and has succeeded). Now he will probably try and sell it to some dentist in Sevierville, since it already ranks #1 and all.

Could be although if the SEO really knows local, they know how hard it is to change name and phone and still rank. And if the Dentist knows anything he hopefully knows the same. But point remains this listing should not have been allowed, verification should not have gone through AND it should not be ranking at all - much less a one-box.

Thanks again for your help and detective work with this; I just hope it gets fixed soon, because I have a client in Knoxville that this is hosing (he used to be #1 for Knoxville dentist and is now literally out of the top 100 ever since this started).

Just reported to Google again, with that Sevierville example.
Asked if that update can't just be rolled back or something.

 

[Dave]

I tried 6 variations on Baltimore/Plumber today:

Plumbers Baltimore
Plumber Baltimore
Baltimore plumbers
Baltimore plumber
Baltimore plumbing
plumbing baltimore

The spammy onebox is not showing for any of them

....but for plumbing in baltimore that spam site still shows. oh well that is significant progress off of a spammy site...with some more work still to be done.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Dave,

Some of them are cleared up, but some of the spammiest or fake listings in this thread and elsewhere are still ranking a one-box though.

But I would not think they would work on these manually one by one. I would think it's an algo change that would need to occur and they would all clear up. I mean a legit business EMD here and there still might score a one-box, but not the spammy fake locations. But some of them are still out there.

The plumber I reported in Example #1 is totally nuked and gone. Not even a record left in MM.
The 7 pack is back too, so that's great news.

 

[Phil Rozek]

I've got a doozy for you.

Search for "Phoenix personal injury lawyer."

(https://www.google.com/search?q=phoenix+personal+injury+lawyer)



I'm amazed the Google+ Local listing hasn't been pulled. An exact-match search term that include the name of a city. There aren't even any supporting citations that would give Google any confidence that that's the real name of the "practice."

Bask, if you dare, in the hideousness of the site. If you go to the "About" page, you'll quickly realize that the site is owned by some marketer manque - not by a law firm.

The guy who told me about this one - with whom I've done some consulting - also tells me that the address is for a shopping mall. Google seems to have the same story. Unless the "lawyers" have an office between the Hot Topic and Orange Julius, I'm guessing it's a fake address.

FWIW, I don't think this one's getting a whole lot of phone calls from his rankings.

Still...

One wishes the Google Maps fuzz would peer out over their donuts every now and then and do something about flagrant abuse like this.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Another new report here: The Maps are all Gone!

 

[Marie Ysais]

Do we need to all report the issue or have enough people reported the issue we can hope it will be addressed by Google?

If anyone see a change please report back and let us know. thanks!

 

[Linda Buquet]

No I've reported several times and Google is well aware and working on it.

They are also reading this thread.

Although a few above have resolved, like I said I hope and would think, they are not just doing individual fixes on only the ones we've reported.

This is FAR too widespread. The few a couple of us have noticed are just the tip of the iceberg.
The algo change that caused this just need to be reversed or tweaked.

 

[Marie Ysais]

one of the keywords I am monitoring the maps have returned as of this morning.
This is the only keyword the maps have returned.......

https://www.google.com/#q=plumbers+austin

Perhaps more good things to come soon!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Oh good, thanks for reporting back Marie! Making progress!

I just checked a bunch that I'm tracking and it seems about 1/2 are fixed and 1/2 are still spammy one-boxes.

Again seems weird to me because if they tweaked the algo or rolled back that update, you'd think they'd ALL be corrected and have their 7 packs back.

Makes me think they've just been manually checking and fixing a few that showed up in this thread, but again, these are just the tip of the iceberg I fear.

 

[Marie Ysais]

I just happened to find a new one doing research for a new client.....
Like you said we are only reporting the tip of the ice burg!
https://www.google.com/#changed_loc=1&q=Employment Attorneys Houston TX

 

[Positiveim]

i'll add my one to the mix. The phrase was previously returning a 7 pack which included my client. Not anymore, although the single listing is a legitimate business.

Exact match business name and domain

 

[Linda Buquet]

Well they are still out there. Just stumbled on another that does not deserve a one-box.

Atlanta - a competitive market, with all attorneys locked out of the pack.

Google search: atlanta personal injury attorney (May need to set location to Atlanta to see it.)

One-box listing: https://plus.google.com/116718227161839991370/about?gl=us&hl=en

Business Name: Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
Fake keyword stuffed name violation (Claimed)
Another dupe fake name, same address and phone - another violation (Claimed)
Phone Disconnected
Website down - domain expired

So basically a bogus listing for a business that is unreachable and does NO ONE any good. Can't help a consumer. Does not help the spammy attorney or SEO that set it up either. And sure does not make Google results look very relevant.

REALLY? This unreachable fake business deserves to knock everyone else out of the pack???

Map search for phone shows 2 BOTH fake names, BOTH sites down BOTH disconnected phone.

It looks to me like an Attorney named Tier(space)ney created these. Here is another fake name listing he did with that same website: https://plus.google.com/109356361162356995862/about?gl=us&hl=en

But the address is different. So looks like he moved and then set up more spammy listings.

Searching that phone # uncovers 3 more listings.

South Atlanta Criminal Lawyer
1401 Georgian Park #110, Peachtree City, GA ‎
(770) 631-1100 ‎ ? specialtylawga.com

South Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
1401 Georgian Park #110, Peachtree City, GA ‎
(770) 631-1100

Thomas F Tier(space)ney | Attorney at Law
1401 Georgian Park, Peachtree City, GA ‎
(770) 631-1100 ‎ ? tomtier(space)neylaw.com

Top 2 keyword stuffed fake names and claimed dupe listings - so even more violations.

It appears the last listing is the only legit listing this serial violation attorney deserves to have.

He certainly does not deserve a one box for the spammy fake dead listing that goes nowhere.
AND I'd love to see all these listings including his main practice listing suspended.

I reported to Google and asked them again, not only to deal with these listings, but to tweak the algo that's awarding one-boxes to exact match keyword stuffed G+ L pages.

I think they turned up the dial to award one-boxes to brands. And the algo assumes if someone searches for Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer, then a listing with a business name of "Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer" is the best match for the query and must be a big brand or important local company. But with dead site, expired domain, disconnected phone and multiple violations, I just think the algo is dialed way too high on exact match names.

EVEN IF the algo could be tweaked to only pick up legit names and brands or to avoid spammy or dead listings - who is to say that if a business really had the name "Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer" it's a better choice and the ONLY choice over Alpine Legal and John Doe Attorney at Law?

(Obfuscated name so does not show in Google search)

 

[Linda Buquet]

Sheesh, more spam for this guy.

These look claimed to me: http://goo.gl/maps/TCebZ

Another dupe for the main practice listing that does have correct name.
Same address, different phone.

PLUS yet another KW stuffed listing - but oddly no phone at all.

 

[Carolyn]

You know, I thought I had done something wrong with a listing. But clearly its a glitch.

If searching nearby but not in Austin - https://www.google.com/search?q=cd+duplication

there is a 3 box - as it used to be - showing three local legitimate businesses

then if searching same search but changing the location to Austin -

https://www.google.com/search?q=cd+duplication

There used to be a map and now its gone.

Then add the city https://www.google.com/#q=cd+duplication+austin

Its the local 1 box now and previously - it was the same as what is showing in the 3 box outside of the area.

This changed a couple of weeks ago right about the time everyone here started to notice. Glad to hear Google knows about it and is working on it - right?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Carolyn,

I think that one is more like what Google is trying to show.
Looks like a real business. Not super spammy like some of the others.

Name on G+ L page is Affordable Sound & CD Duplication, so I guess CD Duplication in the name is what triggered the one-box. But on the site it looks like the name is really either just Affordable Sound or Affordable Sound and Printing.

 

[Marie Ysais]

I was checking in to hopefully see some kind of GOOD NEWS..... for me more of the same and I am running into more of these spammy one boxes with other clients as well. I just wish they could take care of this and be done with it.
For my clients more of the same......