Google Places was Suspended and suffered a large Local SERP Drop

[obcted]

Thank you very much! Linda I just sent you a PM. Thanks a ton for all the support everyone. Now I took all the action outlined in this forum. Now I just have to hurry up and wait...I wonder how long until google responds....

Thanks again!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Good deal Ted. Do keep us posted on your progress please.

I'm consulting for some other attys with similar problems and it could help others here on the forum too.

Swamped trying to keep up. May not get to your PM til tomorrow.

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Thank you very much! Linda I just sent you a PM. Thanks a ton for all the support everyone. Now I took all the action outlined in this forum. Now I just have to hurry up and wait...I wonder how long until google responds....

Thanks again!

I appologize for lurking on this thread. Last night I submitted an edit via the G+L page of the attorney's listing that is no longer at the location in question. It was approved by Google Automated Moderator. Also I optimized Ted's listing via MapMaker to keep the Google bots happy. I wasn't able to find another feature for the firm via Maps, +Local or MapMaker. Provided the G+L listing Ted posted is the only one in the dash he should be good to go.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Also I optimized Ted's listing via MapMaker to keep the Google bots happy. I wasn't able to find another feature for the firm via Maps, +Local or MapMaker.

Hi Andrew, what type of optimization in Map Maker keeps the bots happy? What happens when a bot is not happy?...

 

[Linda Buquet]

What type of optimization in Map Maker keeps the bots happy?
What happens when a bot is not happy?...

Ya me wanna know too!

Thanks so much for helping, Andrew!

But if the listing is disconnected from dashboard and unverified now and the account is suspended, I don't see how anything in MM could help, could it???
A mm edit can't make it pop back into dahs as verified and unsuspend it, right?

Would anything you changed confuse Google when he sends the re-instatement request?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Curious... (you know MM confuses me.)

But why did you mark this atty as possible dupe? He's at a different address???

Law Office of Patrick J. Murphy (Primary)
Address Suite 1210 11 Beacon Street
This attorney we are trying to help is at 6 Beacon Street, Suite 600.

And then it looks like the map marker WAS correct at 6 Beacon before. His MM is where G maps says 6 Beacon is and where everyone in the whole building is, but you moved it. If maps says it was at the right address, what tool do you use to determine why it should be moved and exactly where?
Confused. Just trying to understand. MM is so confusing!

 

[Cleaner44]

He is a thought that I have. What if a new Google+ page were created from the Google+ personal account? It would search the Places database and snyc to the existing listing. It would require a PIN verification and then it would be the management dashboard for the listing. The Places dashboard appears to me to now be moot given that edits to the listing should be made on the + side.

I believe that what we saw in the last few days is the emergence of the true Google+ Local page, as oppsed to the Places listing presented as a + page or the + business page connected to the personal + accounts.

I am thinking of the situation like this:
Type A - brick and mortar = Google+ Local page only
Type B - service company showing street address = Google+ Local page & Google Places dashboard
Type C - service company hiding street address = Google Places dashboard only

The Google+ Local page allows most of the Google Places dashboard management except the service radius.

It seems to me that it is time to abandon the Places dashboard for managing brick and mortar listings.

Hopefully I am on the right track.

 

[Linda Buquet]

It seems to me that it is time to abandon the Places dashboard for managing brick and mortar listings.

Hopefully I am on the right track.

Sorry disagree. Granted I live in troubleshooter world and see more problems than most but...

I say the opposite. Don't verify G+ or try to merge yet. Still too buggy. Mike feels the same and even Jade said ya wait. http://localsearchforum.catalystema...le-local-really-broken-whos-charge-whats.html

That is unless you like going down the rabbit hole on problems that Google does not does not yet know how to fix and all the new ones that keep coming up.

Like the 500 error, which started in AUGUST and months later is still going strong. https://productforums.google.com/d/topic/business/7U-mpxVx34M/discussion (125 posts so far.)

And the new 403 error they are trying to figure out.
https://productforums.google.com/d/private-topic/business+private/5UeaZKtCnJI/discussion

And all the other G+ merging and verifying problems. Just scan the G forum and you'll see.

HOWEVER, this is Ted's problem support thread. I don't want to take it off topic discussing pros and cons of G+. Feel free to start a new thread in the general G+ Local section.

 

[obcted]

Hi all - first thanks for the help. Truly appreciated. Following the advice of the forum I went to this listing:
https://plus.google.com/101793189445606731482/about?gl=us&hl=en

and selected "Place is permanently closed" and in the dialog box entered information about how the attorney no longer works at this location and provided his new address at the address listed on his website: 186 Auburn Street, Second Floor
Newton, MA 02466


I then used the troubleshooter request as outlined here: SUSPENDED in Google+ Local? Important New Info and ticked the last box that says:
"My listing no longer appears on Google Maps or is incorrectly marked as closed."

I told them about the other attorney at the same location and told them I went to the places account for the other attorney with the same listing as the address I need to optimize "https://plus.google.com/101793189445606731482/about?gl=us&hl=en" and reported it as permanently closed. I then told them I had a current Places account Suspended and had the correct listing marked as "pernding" and that it was not in violation of their guidelines. I asked to please lift the suspension and if not can I know what I need to do.

This morning I received an email from Google Maps: noreply-local-issues@google.com

We've cross-checked the details for The Reinstein Law Firm and believe the information displayed is correct.

If you disagree with this, please send us another report giving additional details that can help verify the information you provide. To see the current information about The Reinstein Law Firm, please visithttp://maps.google.com/maps/pl<wbr>ace?cid=5126444585855429964.

If you're the owner of this business, the best way to update your listing is to make changes directly in your Google Places account: http://www.google.com/placesfo<wbr>rbusiness. (For additional help in resolving incorrect listing information, please visit our troubleshooter: http://www.google.com/support/<wbr>places/bin/static.py?page=ts.c<wbr>s&ts=1386120)

Thanks for your interest in keeping Google Maps up-to-date!

Regards,
The Google Maps team

The first link is to the "Reinstein Law Firm" and it lists the address as 6 Beacon Street, Suite 600 Boston, MA. The address I need.

I'm sorta at a loss for how to proceed. I'm hoping the troubleshooter request I sent will be answered and all will be well, but I have a feeling life won't be that kind. Would reaching out to the owner of "the Reinstein Law Firm" places account help? I could ask him to personally move his places account? Thanks for the help everyone!

Ted

 

[Colan Nielsen]

This morning I received an email from Google Maps: noreply-local-issues@google.com

We've cross-checked the details for The Reinstein Law Firm and believe the information displayed is correct.

If you disagree with this, please send us another report giving additional details that can help verify the information you provide. To see the current information about The Reinstein Law Firm, please visithttp://maps.google.com/maps/pl<wbr>ace?cid=5126444585855429964.

If you're the owner of this business, the best way to update your listing is to make changes directly in your Google Places account: http://www.google.com/placesfo<wbr>rbusiness. (For additional help in resolving incorrect listing information, please visit our troubleshooter: http://www.google.com/support/<wbr>places/bin/static.py?page=ts.c<wbr>s&ts=1386120)

Thanks for your interest in keeping Google Maps up-to-date!

Regards,
The Google Maps team

Ted

Looks like it has been marked closed. But it's only marked in Google Maps and not on the actual listing:

https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&cid=5126444585855429964

 

[Linda Buquet]

I appologize for lurking on this thread. Last night I submitted an edit via the G+L page of the attorney's listing that is no longer at the location in question. It was approved by Google Automated Moderator. Also I optimized Ted's listing via MapMaker to keep the Google bots happy. I wasn't able to find another feature for the firm via Maps, +Local or MapMaker. Provided the G+L listing Ted posted is the only one in the dash he should be good to go.

Ted please see the post a few posts up from Andrew.
(I'm so sorry you missed it. Someone started another topic.)

Andrew had ALREADY Closed it for you so you didn't need to. It was marked closed in MM last night when I check and was just waiting for approval. Now it's approved and live.

Here's Andrew's edit in Map Maker http://goo.gl/sdF0h
Click history at the top.

NOTE: don't ever try to edit yourself in MM it's really complicated, but good to view history this way.

I'm sorta at a loss for how to proceed. I'm hoping the troubleshooter request I sent will be answered and all will be well, but I have a feeling life won't be that kind. Would reaching out to the owner of "the Reinstein Law Firm" places account help? I could ask him to personally move his places account? Thanks for the help everyone!Ted[/FONT]

So the other atty is taken care of. WHat you got was just an auto-responder, don't worry about that part. Now we just have to cross fingers the troubleshooter gets through and you don't get that same old incorrect email back from support.

Give us a copy as soon as they reply and I'll advise from there. Have already talked to Google about all of this (generally not this case) and am waiting for them to fix some stuff.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Ah, right! Thanks Linda.

I'm curious if marking a listing as closed on Map Maker VS Report a Problem on the page itself makes a difference as to whether or not the "closed or relocated" message displays on the G+Local page vs only displaying in Google Maps, which is the case here.

Sorry, slightly off topic

 

[Linda Buquet]

No good question Colan.

Well I think this case is different. When Andrew did. it all he did was mark it closed.
That atty is not going to be too happy when he finds out, but he should have been paying attention and dealt with it himself when he moved.

So if a business is just CLOSED, not sure it shows on the G+ L page.

The new thing that IS showing on G+ L is RELOCATED to New address. But since the owner didn't move properly, he didn't set up a new listing so there is no way to LINK to the new listing to say he moved from here, to here.

Additionally my strong guess is that even with normal moves done right, it may instantly show on maps BUT there could be a couple days lag before the notice shows up on the listing itself. (again a guess)

 

[obcted]

Andrew, Linda, Everyone - Thank you! I wasn't exactly sure what the implications of Andrews posts were. MM isn't something I'm very as familiar with. I think I got the jist of what is going on now and thank you very much Andrew for making those changes in MM. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the troubleshooter email gets handled accordingly from Google. I'll keep everyone updated. Thanks again!

Ted

 

[Cleaner44]

Sorry disagree. Granted I live in troubleshooter world and see more problems than most but...

I say the opposite. Don't verify G+ or try to merge yet. Still too buggy. Mike feels the same and even Jade said ya wait. http://localsearchforum.catalystema...le-local-really-broken-whos-charge-whats.html

That is unless you like going down the rabbit hole on problems that Google does not does not yet know how to fix and all the new ones that keep coming up.

Like the 500 error, which started in AUGUST and months later is still going strong. https://productforums.google.com/d/topic/business/7U-mpxVx34M/discussion (125 posts so far.)

And the new 403 error they are trying to figure out.
https://productforums.google.com/d/private-topic/business+private/5UeaZKtCnJI/discussion

And all the other G+ merging and verifying problems. Just scan the G forum and you'll see.

HOWEVER, this is Ted's problem support thread. I don't want to take it off topic discussing pros and cons of G+. Feel free to start a new thread in the general G+ Local section.

I don't disagree that Google+ is buggy, but at the same time the Google Places is acting quite bugging itself lately. If the creation of a Google+ page allowed Ted to gain control of the listing regardless of the staus of the Places dashboard, it would seem to be a good thing. In addition he could develop his description. Do you think it is worth exploring?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks for the suggestion and for bringing it up. My thoughts below.

As I think I said earlier in the thread, one of the types of businesses that don't qualify to merge or verify Google+ Business pages is companies that have a DATA problem on the Places side of the house.

Since his listing is suspended and disconnected from dash I consider that a pretty severe data problem.

Now if he was desparate and there was no other option and if he wanted to go into a potential black hole since, I don't know anyone that's been suspended ever trying it, and there is no way to tell what potential problems could come of it, then that's his choice.

BUT we are not there yet. There IS hope and I'm working DIRECTLY with Google upper management to try to get listings re-instated. So think we should exhaust that possibility 1st.

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

No good question Colan.

Well I think this case is different. When Andrew did. it all he did was mark it closed.
That atty is not going to be too happy when he finds out, but he should have been paying attention and dealt with it himself when he moved.

So if a business is just CLOSED, not sure it shows on the G+ L page.

The new thing that IS showing on G+ L is RELOCATED to New address. But since the owner didn't move properly, he didn't set up a new listing so there is no way to LINK to the new listing to say he moved from here, to here.

Additionally my strong guess is that even with normal moves done right, it may instantly show on maps BUT there could be a couple days lag before the notice shows up on the listing itself. (again a guess)

Actually I did edit it via the G+L page but the new address isn't showing for The Reinstein Law Firm.

My edit to the Law Office of Neil Burns is still pending but it moved the marker to the actual building (using Street View). However I now have questions on whether this is a legit location as Altman & Martin (another law firm) has their firm in Suite 600. Is this a virtual office?

Not sure what the implications of the nuked non-existing feature/listing for Law Office of Neil Burns has on the existing one or the Dashboard. It is possible the account got suspended for a suspected virtual office

 

[obcted]

Hi All - Thanks for the support. I just heard back that is another law office is sharing office space with my client. I could get him to change his address in Places if that would be helpful. I wasn't even aware of this other one. Still waiting to hear back from Google on the trouble shooter email.

Ted

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Hi All - Thanks for the support. I just heard back that is another law office is sharing office space with my client. I could get him to change his address in Places if that would be helpful. I wasn't even aware of this other one. Still waiting to hear back from Google on the trouble shooter email.

Ted

Ted could you. Explain how one office suite supports multiple law firms, what's the setup there? The other firm shouldn't change their address unless they aren't physically located in the Suite.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Totally agree with Andrew. Can't go around making up or asking people to just change address. This is super complicated. More than you know.

We need to understand the REAL WORLD situation, relationship, phyical location set up so we can try to advise.

Ted, back when you were suspended it would have looked to the algo like there were 3 listings for different practice names all at the same address so that could be the reason for the suspension. Attys have lots of problems and many are aggressive and push the boundaries with fake or virtual or shared locations as well as multiple listings for different practice specialties all with different business names and web sites, when really it's the same business. So I think attys are under heavy scrutiny because many break the rules.

BUT wanted to alert you to a new thread just started in case it's of interest. Trying to get more info from the other consultant, but he had a bunch of attys that had suspensions removed.

http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/local-search/2368-accounts-no-longer-suspended.html