Google Dupe Removal No Longer Instant?

[Drudge]

I've removed many a Google dupe in my day. Usually, deleting the dupe results in the page being deleted. When I go to the URL, it yields a "Not Found" message, which means the Dupe deletion was successful.

This week I tried to remove several Google dupes for a client of mine. But the pages are still live!

I had claimed them and followed the usual procedure for deletion (Settings, delete).

I called Google support, and they said that it can take 3 to 6 months for it to be removed totally from their system. Has any one else experienced this?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Claiming and deleting dupes in dash is not best practice and not a good idea.

Deleting from dash just removes from account, does not delete from maps.
Suspending in dash will not delete listings either if there are supporting citations.

Once you remove from dash sometimes if it's a close match of NAP they'll merge so you won't see the stand alone dupe any more. So maybe that's what happened in some of your cases.

But the only sure way to delete a dupe is to go through report a problem or support.
Even when they do it, it can take months like support said.

And then even if removed they can keep coming back unless the data that caused the dupe is cleaned up.

 

[Drudge]

Thank you!

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Claiming in the dash and/or changing names is the best way to have a merge of improper duplicate features. Getting rid of duplicates is bad enough. Waiting for support to undo the tangled web of merged dupes is painfully slow.

 

[Roger Panella]

Claiming and deleting dupes in dash is not best practice and not a good idea.

Deleting from dash just removes from account, does not delete from maps.
Suspending in dash will not delete listings either if there are supporting citations.

Once you remove from dash sometimes if it's a close match of NAP they'll merge so you won't see the stand alone dupe any more. So maybe that's what happened in some of your cases.

But the only sure way to delete a dupe is to go through report a problem or support.
Even when they do it, it can take months like support said.

And then even if removed they can keep coming back unless the data that caused the dupe is cleaned up.

Would this be the best practice if dupes are created by the business? Meaning, not dupes that are automatically created by Google, due to differences in NAP information across the web.

For example, I recently began working with a client who has created a TON of Google+ local business pages (about 14), all for the same location. I want to clean this all up and leave a single page. Seems like reporting the problem would be the way to go?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Roger,

It depends on situation.

I don't know how they could even create that many? In the recent past, Google won't let you create a listing if one already exists.

Plus it's a MAJOR violation to have more than one claimed listing. A couple is a violation.
14 is pure spam.

Can you give me a made up example of what some NAPs look like? Did they make up different names and are their different sites and phone #s? Or all same phone, but different KW stuffed names or how do the Naps look?

But actually does not really matter. Here is the situation.

You call support for listings you have no control over.

If all those listings are claimed. They/you, have control over them. Need to delete all but one from dash. Then it's no longer a violation if they are not claimed.

The reason I asked about NAP is, if not all exact NAP, when you delete from dash, they may still stay out there on maps as live listings if there are citations to support them. Then you would either need to mark closed or contact support. But support will be able to see they were all claimed and I'm just not sure how they will handle.

 

[Roger Panella]

Hi Linda,

Thanks so much for the reply.

I actually have no idea how they were able to create this many listings! This was done before I came into the picture, and of course this is not something I would ever recommend. My intent is to get it down to one page.

A little more detail about the NAP/website info:

- They have about 5 different web properties and each one is linked from between 1 and 3 of the G+ pages.
- The business names are all varied with various keywords. (It is a doctor's practice who has never had an official business name until recently. One listing just uses her name, but the rest have spammy keyword usage as the business name.)
- The addresses all use the same street number, city, and zip. There are slight variations in street name and suite number (floor instead of suite number, Parkway instead of Pkwy, West instead of W, etc.).
- Most listings are verified, 4 are not.
- Two listings have been marked in the dashboard by Google as duplicates that are not being displayed (Never saw this before!)

So, it sounds like what you're saying is: Delete the ones that I have control over, and contact support about ones I don't.

Quick follow up question - I have control over all of them, since she created them all. But, like I mentioned, 4 aren't verified. Seems like I should just delete them all on my end, maybe? (Even the ones that aren't verified.)

Thanks again for your reply and help!

---------- Post Merged at 11:49 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:44 AM ----------

Just one more thing:

She's actually ranking pretty well in a somewhat competitive niche in Chicago. One Google+ ranks around 5-6 for one of her main keywords, and another of the pages ranks in position one for a less competitive sub category of her practice area.

Just thought people reading might find it interesting that she's actually ranking well, despite all the spammy stuff going on.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Yes, delete all but the one you want to keep in the dashboard.