Now Verify Your Listings in 1 Click via Search Console

[JoyHawkins]

Google has revamped verifying a listing through Search Console: https://www.seroundtable.com/google...siness-listings-via-search-console-21636.html

Not going to lie, I don't like this. I think the amount of edits I'm going to be denying on MapMaker is about to increase. Seems really easy for spammers to abuse this.

 

[Eric Rohrback]

There's a small caveat in the GMB help section that might cover this... I think...

"Note that some business categories may not be eligible for instant verification."

To me that reads they're monitoring this and only allowing verification through this method from industries less likely for spam. Not to say that spam won't get through, but maybe G is keeping an eye on this a little closer than we think.

This was something I caught and found interesting. What do you guys think?

 

[JoyHawkins]

I guess we'll see :/ I am going to keep my eye out on MapMaker because I have a strong feeling I'm going to start seeing an increase in submissions to add websites to unverified listings.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Mike posted about this yesterday AM. See comments over there too:

<a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2016/02/15/google-mybusiness-now-surfacing-web-verify-option-2/">Google MyBusiness Now Surfacing Web Verify Option | Understanding Google My Business & Local Search</a>

 

[Eric Rohrback]

After reading a few of the comments on Mike's blog it looks like most people are having the same reaction as Joy. Hopefully Google won't let this get out of control. My guess is that people are actually going to see the other side of the spectrum; they won't have the option to verify via Search Console.

Google has a ton of history from forums, GMB pages, Mapmaker edits/requests, so I'm sure they know which industries are more likely to have spammy behavior and which are relatively clean. I bet this will only pop up for a select few... to start at least.

 

[Clint Butler]

Google has revamped verifying a listing through Search Console: https://www.seroundtable.com/google...siness-listings-via-search-console-21636.html

Not going to lie, I don't like this. I think the amount of edits I'm going to be denying on MapMaker is about to increase. Seems really easy for spammers to abuse this.

Pardon my ignorance on the matter, but what does a business being able to verify their Google My Business listing via the Search Console have to do with edits you disapprove in Map Maker?

 

[mborgelt]

I think that this is a great option but hopefully they police it well otherwise it could become a disaster.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Pardon my ignorance on the matter, but what does a business being able to verify their Google My Business listing via the Search Console have to do with edits you disapprove in Map Maker?

I already see lots of affiliate sites trying to add websites to listings via MapMaker. So, for example, let's say you want to create fake listings for a cleaning company. All you'd have to do is create a website, add it to an existing business listing via MapMaker and then once that's approved you could easily verify the listing and change the data on it with no need to pull out all the normal black-hat tricks to postcard verify. Read this book. It's a real eye-opener.

 

[Clint Butler]

I guess I am missing the Search Console - Map Maker connection.

I create a Google My Business page, I add my website to the Google Search Console under the same account, if allowed I can then verify.

Now my Google My Business page is verified and the corresponding map goes into Google Maps.

So you are saying that someone can edit a listing in Map Maker thus changing my listing if approved and somehow take over my GMB listing???

See, I don't see the connection you are making between the two, perhaps I need to read the book lol

 

[JoyHawkins]

Anyone can add anything to any listing via MapMaker. Whether or not it gets approved depends on how good the spammer is. Some of them are seriously very good at making things look legit. Definitley read the book - what I'm saying will make sense after you do

 

[chadkimball]

Although this option has technically been available for a while, I've never seen the search console verification work, either for legit or for "ahem" less than legit listings that all of you are worried about. I don't think spammy (or legit) categories can do this very easily.

Unless, has the actual availability of search console verification increased?