BUG Warning - Check Address to be Sure Still Hidden

[Linda Buquet]

Mike Blumenthal just posted about this issue today and I share his concern.

Google+ Local Bug: Service Area Business with Address Hidden Showing Address

I've mentioned being worried that compliant listings would be mistakenly removed due to this bug with their address showing and have shared that concern with Google and was told moderators would not be removing listings right now because of this bug.

But then there is the Google maps team and Map Maker RERs to worry about.

Here's a post at the Google forum: Show address or not to - Google Groups

Steve a Map Maker RER said: "If I find a listing on Mapmaker I will cross reference it in Places. If the address appears to be a SAB from the satellite/street view image or the website and the address is not hidden in Places, I have no problem marking the listing for removal. Rarely will I waste my time or cellular minutes to call a business to confirm.

It's (85-90% of the time) quite apparent if you have a business reception area or office and see customers at your location. Google Maps (and by extension Places) are for people to visit locations and a business that is primarily a SAB is of little use to someone on a mobile device looking for a business or service."

Flash AKA Greg, a member here replied: "SABs without a permanent location that is open to the public are not permitted on the map. And chances are it won't be either Places checkers or volunteer mappers that would take such a business down; the most aggressive group I see tracking them down are entire teams of Maps editors."

I sure hope Google has all these guys on high alert about this bug because there better not be a rash of take downs on compliant listings!

 

[russofford]

SABs 'not allowed on the map' (MapMaker map, that is)?

Hi

Over in the Google MapMaker Product forums, 'Flash' said: "Examples of [SABs] not allowed on the map are home based plumbers, electricians [... with ...] no public office, mobile locksmiths, home based contractors, etc."

I said the following on that thread:


"What I am not quite understanding is how a listing can exist in Places/Maps, but not be allowed in Mapmaker. It was my impression / experience that if a POI was deleted in GMM, it was nuked in G+ Local / Maps too. I thought that every G+ Local listing was 'tied to' a GMM POI."

Does anyone want to weigh in over there to help un-confuse me or expand on the topic a bit?

Thanks

Russ

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: SABs 'not allowed on the map' (MapMaker map, that is)?

Thanks Russ that was a great thread and I'm REALLY glad to see Flash updating MM folks about this bug!

"What I am not quite understanding is how a listing can exist in Places/Maps, but not be allowed in Mapmaker. It was my impression / experience that if a POI was deleted in GMM, it was nuked in G+ Local / Maps too. I thought that every G+ Local listing was 'tied to' a GMM POI."

That's changing or may have already changed but I don't think I'm at liberty to say more right now. I'll only say if you see a SAB with no MM listing as long as it's live on maps don't worry. It's intended and the listing will be fine.

I always thought a listing had to be a POI on MM too, but that's changing for SABs.

Let's see if Flash or Greg will answer because I have not been filled in on the details yet.

 

[russofford]

Wow, so I can relax a bit, then. It is hard to shift my brain out of worrying that 'every listing should have a corresponding GMM POI' mentality.

So, then, here is a specific example:

This SAB is showing in GMM as 'place removed' ... the Google Reviewer gave the reason for editing as 'Feature does not exist', however this company has an office in this industrial area (probably no foot traffic, though... people don't come to their office.).

GMM POI: Google Map Maker

G+ Local: https://plus.google.com/105122966458823677422/about

Google Maps: https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=14374704706106182002

In the 'new' system that may be coming(?)... should this POI really be considered as 'does not exist'?

Is this due to the new system coming upon us... or a Google Review thinking the POI is spam and shouldn't exist?

Lastly, how will existing POIs in GMM appear / be handled if they are no longer allowed to appear on the Google MapMaker map? (as Flash states many times in many threads that I've read in the past few days.) Will they disappear, be marked as closed, marked as an SAB, marked as 'doesn't exist'???

Thanks,

Russ

 

[Linda Buquet]

Russ I saw your post asking that last question over at the GMM forum and think/hope they can give you an answer. Plus I just alerted Google to your questions here and will try to get an answer from them as well.

 

[WineCountryCarpetCleaning]

Bug affected my listing this morning, hoping it resolves itself.

 

[WineCountryCarpetCleaning]

I was wondering if there was any update on this? My listing is still displaying the address.

 

[Nick.SEOSpark]

I was wondering if there was any update on this? My listing is still displaying the address.

Yes, I second this as well - I'm still noticing this Bug affecting 2 of my clients.

 

[Linda Buquet]

No update yet from Google that I've seen.

 

[Nick.SEOSpark]

I've got an update on this.

One of my SAB clients that suffered from this bug, has now had their listing switched back to "hidden" - how it should be.

However, my other SAB client has their listing "showing" when it shouldn't, so there has been some fixing but not all.

Any other reports from people on this?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Hi Nick,

I just checked an SAB client and the full monty is still showing live on the listing.

 

[Nick.SEOSpark]

Hi Nick,

I just checked an SAB client and the full monty is still showing live on the listing.

That's a shame to hear about Colan.

It looks like we are getting some recovery but probably still a lot of problems!

 

[Linda Buquet]

I saw a guy on the G forum yesterday complain. But when I clicked his link the address was hidden. So I wondered if it was a fluke or something was in the works.

I asked Jade for an update last night and will let you know when I hear something.

 

[Marie Ysais]

I just checked mine again and still showing the address for one of my clients...... all we can do is wait and cross our fingers!

 

[Linda Buquet]

I alerted Google to this thread since some of you have listings that sound like they are being resolved and others don't.

Again I have very limited availability this week, so please be sure to post updates here to let us know if your addresses get hidden or after a couple days if still exposed let us know that as well. Thanks

 

[Nick.SEOSpark]

Thanks Linda.

I have had:

- 1 SAB Client (Not affected at all)
- 2 SAB Clients affected
-------and 1 of those SAB clients returned to "normal" (and then flicked back to showing)
------and the other clients, has just "flicked" back to hidden.

So, in summary, it's very up and down with no rhyme or reason to it. No changes have been made in the dashboard.

 

[Jo Shaer]

My listing still showing and also a local client's - wonder if it's a location thing Nick?

---------- Post Merged at 10:07 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:06 PM ----------

My listing still showing and also a local client's - wonder if it's a location thing Nick?

 

[Jeffrey Taylor]

As of this morning 2 of my top ranking SABs are now back to hiding the address. So in my case, i am seeing progress.