Did Google Flip your Suite??? US Consultants Please Read

[Linda Buquet]

I had a convo on G+ last night and am trying to gather a little more data before I take this to Google.

If you guys have worked on a lot of client listings you've likely had the problem where Google moves suite IN FRONT of street so the address reads: #221 2493 Main Street

In the US that's the wrong format and makes it look totally retarded, plus could be confusing to customers.

This has been happening for a long time and I've been going round and round with Google Local management and they've been going round and round with Map Maker team which I think is where the problem lies.

The issue usually comes up with the listing that causes an overseas Map Maker or Maps editor to get their hands on your listings. They will put Suite 1st because that's how addresses are formatted in much of the world. But again in US it's backwards AND looks totally retarded.

See this G+ thread where Pam Aungst, asked what she could do about Google listing the address backwards.

I explained the above and said: "To me this is a flaw and I would not put up with it on my client listings. I'd call support and get them to edit it. It's tricky to do it in MM because of the way the fields work." I have had this problem in the past and support fixed it.

She said that Google told her that is the way ALL addresses will be formatted going forward after listings are upgraded and Google would not fix the address. AND listings would be auto-formatted that way OR flagged for removal if not in compliance!???

Here is a quote she said is a direct word for word quote from a support email:

"For the address, this is the correct format and the suite number will not update to be after the street address. With the upgrade to the Local pages, all businesses will show as the apartment or suite number followed by the rest of the address. Any listings that are live on Google Maps that are not following this format are the remaining listings in Places awaiting an upgrade to the new system. Once they process through the upgrade, they will either be automatically corrected or flagged for them to modify the listing before it gets removed."

To which I replied:

"OMG! Seriously? I'll be on the warpath tomorrow. Just can't believe this. This is the USA for God's sake. Can't we keep the standard address formatting our country has had for years? (Can you tell this is one of my Places pet peeves? LOL.)"

Well I did some checking and I'm not seeing lots of backward addresses. I would bet at this point we are at least 70% upgraded (think more like 85%) and I'm not seeing suite 1st on hardly any of them. I've checked a lot of listings.

THIS IS RE US LISTINGS ONLY - So before I report this to Google to find out what the deal is, wanted to take a quick pulse and see if any of you have seen Google put suite in front of street right, just recently, right after you got upgraded? Or have you gotten any emails from Google that you need to edit the address or anything? Or has support told you something similar?

 

[Scott Rawlins]

Of the over 100 listings I manage, I have had only 1 or 2 formatted that way. And those can be difficult to get corrected. But none since the auto upgrade.

AND...I could not agree more that listings in the US need to be formatted as the US does it. I think Google should be smart enough to know the difference between a US listing and a non US listing.

Linda - I will happily join you on the warpath if they start flipping addresses in the US.

 

[Linda Buquet]

You should have seen me, chest all puffed up and the voice in my head was filled with righteous indignation when I said: "This is the USA for God's sake! Can't we keep the standard address formatting our country has had for years?" LOL So to some degree I was being snarky and exaggerating for emphasis.

But seriously, this is the US and the whole country should not have to change their address format just for Google, Google should be able to adapt, right?

Additionally as Colan wisely pointed out last night when I brought this up to him, if they are going to make this change, then they need to change the way the address fields work inside the dash so it's consistent with the way MM address fields are and so that what you see in dash is what you see live. Otherwise it will be a continuous drain on support with SMBs complaining that their live address does not match dash. So they also need to add messaging in-product about this.

Hope that support rep was just out in left field. I'll ask Google this morning as soon as I get a chance.

 

[chadkimball]

Looks like pam's original thread was deleted?

will be crazy if google sticks with that format. Not a very positive "user experience" eh?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Nope so sorry. Not deleted, just bad link by Linda.

Here it is and corrected the link above.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PamAungst/posts/JYGK5CKGWQV?cfem=1

 

[chadkimball]

Maybe the google rep was from another country? Sure hope so!

 

[Everest Legal Mktg]

What Google says goes, I for one have started randomly putting my zip code in front of my address on all business documents in the hopes that this will catch on too LOL!

 

[chadkimball]

Nope so sorry. Not deleted, just bad link by Linda.

Here it is and corrected the link above.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PamAungst/posts/JYGK5CKGWQV?cfem=1

Here anything back on this yet, Linda?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Nope nothing new. I was told it sounded like that support rep was overstating or incorrect or something and they were checking into it. No word since then.

 

[chadkimball]

wonder if that rep still works at google LOL

 

[manny1020]

I will be creating Yext profiles for multiple locations of a nationwide business soon, and some of them happen to have a suite number in their address.

My goal is to have all the locations ranking high organically and in the Google Local pack, so I want to be as Google friendly as possible.

Should I have these suite locations set up with the suite number in front, so the NAP is in sync with what Google will show?

Not really sure how to go about this.

 

[Scott Rawlins]

I wouldn't. Personally, I would format it the way it's recognized by the USPS.

 

[manny1020]

I wouldn't. Personally, I would format it the way it's recognized by the USPS.

Thanks Rawly, did some more reading and yes, that's what I'll do.

Again, thanks!

 

[Dustybones]

We have had a few listings recently that automatically placed the Suite in front of the address. I was told these could be old Map Listings from 2010/11. People remember having an issue with this before places was set up. Not sure if this is correct though...

 

[Andrew Scherer]

I haven't had this happen yet, but have had them put St. in what was clearly a Dr. Street sign and many businesses referenced it as a Drive. So IDK.

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

What's next? G turn the USA to metric!

 

[manny1020]

I wouldn't. Personally, I would format it the way it's recognized by the USPS.

Hey Rawly,

Just so I'm 100%, I am going to be creating citations with Ste 9 (as recognized by USPS) after the main address, even though Google is showing the suite number as #9.

So the Google algorithm will see these two as the same right?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Rawly,

Just so I'm 100%, I am going to be creating citations with Ste 9 (as recognized by USPS) after the main address, even though Google is showing the suite number as #9.

So the Google algorithm will see these two as the same right?

How is Suite entered in dash? Don't format Suite as Ste. in Places dash. I cover this in detail in my training verbally and don't have time to type it all out.

But Google does not map USPS addresses it maps physical locations and it does not like that abbreviation either. Should go with Suite spelled out or #123 in dash. And then whatever is in dash that's what citations should be.

But to answer your specific Q, Google is pretty good at parsing the different standard address abbreviations.

 

[Scott Rawlins]

Yes, definitely agree with Linda. Google and others will show it however they do it, but I always spell out Suite in dash.

 

[manny1020]

How is Suite entered in dash? Don't format Suite as Ste. in Places dash. I cover this in detail in my training verbally and don't have time to type it all out.

But Google does not map USPS addresses it maps physical locations and it does not like that abbreviation either. Should go with Suite spelled out or #123 in dash. And then whatever is in dash that's what citations should be.

But to answer your specific Q, Google is pretty good at parsing the different standard address abbreviations.

I see #9 in dash so that's what I'll have for the citations.

Thanks again Linda!