Google Reviews - A complicated problem I could use some advice on

[Nick.SEOSpark]

Hi Everyone,

I have a client who re-branded a few years ago, and (foolishly without my knowledge), a duplicate listing of theirs still existed. (the old business name).

However, what I thought was the only listing (was the current business name and brand). Recently, 6 out of 7 reviews were somehow transferred from the new business name to the old brand name! Like this:

A: City A - Old Address+Old Brandname

B: City B - Current Address+Current Brandname

Reviews went from B back to A. Now all that is left on B is 1 bad negative review. All the positive reviews went back to the old listing.

Any ideas on what to do about this?

Should I get rid of the old listing (ASAP)? - But will I lose those reviews? - Is it possible to get Google to transfer them across? Or, should I just start from scratch with the new listing?

 

[Bobbie]

Yes Nic, if you get rid of the old one you will loose those reviews. You are in a pickle.

When you go to view their G+ Local listing, right below their profile photo is a link that says "Edit business details" and click that.

It pops a window that's actually part of Maps, not G+. It's going to allow you give them the corrected information by clicking on the incorrect info and changing it.

You should also check the radio box that says its a dup. That will help them to merge it into one listing... hopefully.

Maps is current taking a lifetime to update... it's slow, slow, slow.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I wouldn't delete the listing. I was under the impression that reviews are not specific to a listing, that they are fed from back end data. So, if this is true, you would not lose the reviews but I still wouldn't do it. Also, I was given this information pre-Google+ Local, the landscape may have changed by now.

I would agree with the above poster and say that you should just report the problem.

I had a few clients lose their reviews about 8 months ago (once again, Google Places) and they ended up coming back on their own. I say this to give you some hope that your reviews will be appropriated correctly again. Good luck.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Sorry Nick, sick, slow and behind on replies.

I don't think a maps editor will change the address. Technically when a business moves you are supposed to mark the old location as closed. Plus this is not considered a dupe because it's a totally different location. (Diff POI on the map) PLUS listings I've seen lately even with exact match NAPs aren't always merging. Understand where Bobbie is coming from and you used to be able to do stuff like that but not a good option now.

Tehnically should mark the old one as closed. BUT I don't think that will get the reviews back.

A LONG SHOT - technically not a dupe and technically can't merge them SO technically this is not correct advice, just a ploy to see if you can get to support and if they can help in any way. Could TRY using Troubleshooter to report as dupe. Then when a support person replies, reply back and explain. They'll likely just tell you to close the old one and say nothing they can do about the reviews, but you never know...

(Don't point to this thread or say Linda told me to do this. Again it's not a great suggestion and this is a tough situation. It's just only thing I can come up with, with my limited brain capacity right now.)