Duplicate listing

[Mopo100]

Hi, I have a duplicate non verified listing (that has been created by Google itself). I need to know what is the best practice.. either ask for it to be deleted or merged, and how do I actually do it? I can't see any obvious way to report it? Thanks in advance

 

[James Watt]

Joy wrote up a duplicate 'what to do' guide you can check out here:
The Proper Way To Deal with Duplicates in Google My Business

The short of it is, since you have an unverified duplicate, you can just mark it for deletion in mapmaker. She suggests putting the profile link to the correct listing there too when you mark it as a duplicate, just to make it easier and more likely to be approved.

I'd personally also be asking why that duplicate was created in the first place... you might have some NAP cleanup to do for your business. Does the duplicate have an incorrect name, address, or phone number? If it does, see if you can hunt down where Google's pulling from, and fix it.

 

[JoyHawkins]

If the listing has any reviews on it (always check for that) you can also get GMB to move them to the right listing.

 

[Mopo100]

Hi Joy. There are no reviews but there is one +1 for some strange reason. So ideally I would like to merge it with my verified/real listing.

Can I contact Google support through GMB to ask them to merge the two or delete the duplicate and let me have the +1 on my correct listing? That would be the easiest way if possible?

 

[Laustin1878]

If the Google self-created dupe has bad reviews, do you still need to have Google move them to the proper listing? :rolls eyes:

 

[JoyHawkins]

@Mopo100 - Yes you can call GMB to merge. I wouldn't worry about the +1, it has zero impact on anything.


@Laustin - If they were bad reviews, I probably wouldn't bring it up to GMB support and hope they didn't notice, but they probably would, and would move them.

 

[Mopo100]

@Joy

Sorry to be a pain but is there any way to email google support directly through GMB to notify them? I'm sure there was (quite recently too) but I cannot seem to find a way to do it now. I'm based in the UK so want to try and avoid phoning/waiting on the line for ages etc

 

[JoyHawkins]

There is an email option still but it has a disclaimer on it that it takes them 1-2 weeks to respond: https://support.google.com/business/contactflow?hl=en&source=ts&rd=1

Are you on Twitter? I would tweet it to @GoogleSmallBiz

 

[Mopo100]

@Joy Do you think they would receive/respond to a direct message on Twitter? I don't really want to tweet about it publicly

 

[JoyHawkins]

I haven't tried it but I'm guessing they would.

 

[Mopo100]

Direct Messaging worked a treat!

 

[Mopo100]

Oh my gosh.. it's never simple is it.

I've been informed (by Google) I should switch to a 'brand page'. Can anyone give me a quick heads up on whether that means I'll no longer appear in the 3 pack/local listings? Is a 'brand page' less useful seo/local/traffic wise than a normal listing? Where does a 'brand page' appear in results?

Thanks in advance

 

[JoyHawkins]

Brand pages are useless (in my opinion) and they don't rank in the 3-pack because they aren't connected to Google Maps. I'm really surprised they would suggest that. What type of business is this for?

 

[Mopo100]

Oh no, so I've just s****** myself.

It's a service website that doesn't have visitors come to the premises or 'technically' visit customers. Although our service providers do of course visit customers..

Slightly grey area but the G reply was "our specialists determined that your business is more suited for a brand page than a local service area business page because it appears you conduct your business online and by phone and do not meet customers either at your business location or their location."

Now I don't know what to do. Argue it? Leave it and hope they forget / don't delete my verified listing?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I don't think you'll get anywhere arguing it. Based on what you just said they don't actually qualify for a page on Google My Business.

"In order to qualify for a local Google+ page, a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours."

https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en

 

[Mopo100]

Oh well, just have to make the best of it. Everything changes so pointless stressing, maybe brand pages will get more prominence in future

 

[James Watt]

as a head's up... from what I've seen, it's not just the 3 pack the brand pages don't show on. You're unlikely to end up with a brand page showing for anything at all, even longer tail business name specific keywords. I have no idea what a Google+ page is even for exactly, given how much they've crippled it... but whatever, if you're stuck with not being able to use a GMB page, I'd forget the brand page entirely too and focus on other things.