GBP Openness As Ranking Factor

[adocolic]

I would like advice about the recent change on Google that's affecting our clients.

Google now considers operating hours as a ranking factor. Unfortunately, some competitors are playing dirty by setting their hours as 24/7, even if they're not. This is hurting our honest clients who follow the rules.

After looking at the data for a few weeks, we've noticed a drop in leads when our clients are closed. These leads are going to competitors claiming to be open 24/7, many of them operating from residential addresses.

We don't want to break any rules, but it's not fair to see our good clients suffer while others bend the rules without consequences.

Any thoughts on how we should handle this?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I would suggest they look at an after-hours call answering service so they can list themselves as open 24-hrs.

 

[GoLocal]

These leads are going to competitors claiming to be open 24/7

How did you prove that?

 

[adocolic]

After many years in the business, I got to understand how expenses work. Consequently, I recognise that most small businesses targeting the local market can't afford or sustain the ability to be open 24/7, at least legally. Operating around the clock requires a minimum of three people per day, assuming no one takes a lunch break. Therefore, I strongly doubt that any small businesses operating from a residential address can effectively run a business 24/7.

Additionally, we conducted random checks in the early hours and found that phone lines either ring out or the mobile is switched off. Despite these operational lapses, they continue to collect website leads due to their falsely elevated visibility.

While I have no doubt that Google will address this issue in the future, for the moment, this is adversely impacting honest businesses and is a source of considerable frustration for me.

 

[adocolic]

I would suggest they look at an after-hours call answering service so they can list themselves as open 24-hrs.

Thank you for your response. I believe this must be the only viable option, and, in fact, it could ultimately benefit the clients in the long run.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Google has always been fine with service area businesses listing themselves open based on their phone hours, since they don't have a physical location. So I think it's a really good time for after-hours phone services with this update

Most of the lawyers I work with already have an after-hours service.

 

[adocolic]

Google has always been fine with service area businesses listing themselves open based on their phone hours, since they don't have a physical location. So I think it's a really good time for after-hours phone services with this update

Most of the lawyers I work with already have an after-hours service.

But I am referring to businesses with a visible address. However, most of our clients operate on an appointment-only basis. Do you still think the 24/7 call centre would work?

 

[JoyHawkins]

So per Google's guidelines, you shouldn't list it as 24-7 if people can't show up 24-7. That being said, I know lots of businesses that have been doing this for years. I have never witnessed any enforcement from Google on this policy. I have, however, seen businesses get negative reviews if you say you're open and someone randomly shows up and sees you are not. So that is always a factor to consider.

 

[PaulSteinbrueck]

Google has always been fine with service area businesses listing themselves open based on their phone hours, since they don't have a physical location. So I think it's a really good time for after-hours phone services with this update

Most of the lawyers I work with already have an after-hours service.

Joy, are these lawyers listed as SAB or physical locations?

 

[JoyHawkins]

They're all physical locations. They don't really seem to care about the fact that their offices aren't actually open, probably because they don't get a lot of random drop-ins. Listing as 24-7 in the legal industry has been common practice for many years.

 

[fredmcjunkins]

Hi @JoyHawkins my SAB has embraced ecommerce which is available 24/7. Our GBP hours reflect the availability of our call center representatives. We are considering e-commerce only on Sundays. Should we mark our business as closed on GBP for Sunday? Additionally, I have not seen much chatter on when to leverage 'online services hours' in GBP. Is this a good example?

 

[fredmcjunkins]

I just found the blurb in regards to online service hours in your article.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Hi @JoyHawkins my SAB has embraced ecommerce which is available 24/7. Our GBP hours reflect the availability of our call center representatives. We are considering e-commerce only on Sundays. Should we mark our business as closed on GBP for Sunday? Additionally, I have not seen much chatter on when to leverage 'online services hours' in GBP. Is this a good example?

Yeah I think marking it closed on Sundays would make sense in that scenario. I would just monitor leads and see if it has any impact.

 

[SusaW]

We have a new client who, so far, has not specified any particular business hours on their GBP. They are, technically, not operating locally but internationally, since they organize tours to Europe.

Their actual hours are:

Mon 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tue 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thu 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Fri Closed
Sat Closed
Sun Closed

They are obviously not GBP-friendly. Do you know how it would affect the Openness Factor if no hours are shown and, therefore, technically, no hours are excluded?

 

[JoyHawkins]

They are obviously not GBP-friendly. Do you know how it would affect the Openness Factor if no hours are shown and, therefore, technically, no hours are excluded?

We tested this. It makes ranking worse inside business hours and makes it better after hours. So you would definitely want to add the hours.