Ranking Drops for Service Area Businesses

[julie-b]

I have already brought this problem to the community (Client's business profile suddenly not visible on desktop and dropped significantly on mobile - Google Business Profile Community)

My locksmith client's profile (KLS Locks) is no longer visible at all on desktop (although his profile is not suspended) and it has dropped over 30 places on mobile. Before this issue, he was usually appearing ~ #2 on desktop and mobile for 'locksmith Orpington'. He is a service area business with no address visible.

When I brought this problem to the community (Client's business profile suddenly not visible on desktop and dropped significantly on mobile - Google Business Profile Community), it was suggested that maybe because he has another business profile (Google Maps) the service area locations may be overlapping and causing a problem. I have tried to separate out the service areas to rule this out. However, my client was getting very worried about the large drop in business and decided to remove the second GBP (Google Maps)

I'm just worried that there's still something wrong with his main profile. He is losing a lot of business because of this and would be very grateful for your help.

 

[Joey Abna]

I noticed a few listings like this on Friday. I just assumed it was a glitch and would clear up shortly. Of the listings I can remember they are back to normal today.

 

[Adam Di Frisco]

Are you guys tracking ranking from a single point? Grid rank trackers are not showing the same decline that appears when you're scanning from a single location. I'm actually even seeing increases in some for our listing when I look at grid tracking.

Also, do the keywords you're checking use geomodifiers? Ie: Plumber Toronto vs just Plumber

I've checked with and without geomodifiers from a single point. Out of my two SABs, both have completely dropped out of maps for "service+location" but still show up for branded search.

 

[Stefan Somborac]

I've got a few cases in which the Business Profile was suspended or disabled while showing a home address. We cleared the address and reinstated as a Service Area Business.

Some don't show up when searching for the business name, although the name is generic enough to be a search query. Others don't show up when searching the primary category. (And don't show up anywhere on grid trackers.)

So, I'm seeing some variations but in general, I'm seeing SABs disappear.

 

[Beth Evans]

I'm hearing a few cases like this lately and I'm starting to wonder if it's related to the algorithm updates. Analyzing ranking drops is really time consuming and needs a pretty in-depth knowledge of the site, business, and competitors so I'm hesitant to offer advice on this. I would suggest looking to see if their organic ranking dropped as well or if it's just the local pack rankings.

I was wondering this too. My listing disappeared on the organic search by keywords on Sept 6th. I went from always coming up to totally disappearing.

 

[Beth Evans]

I have already brought this problem to the community (Client's business profile suddenly not visible on desktop and dropped significantly on mobile - Google Business Profile Community)

My locksmith client's profile (KLS Locks) is no longer visible at all on desktop (although his profile is not suspended) and it has dropped over 30 places on mobile. Before this issue, he was usually appearing ~ #2 on desktop and mobile for 'locksmith Orpington'. He is a service area business with no address visible.

When I brought this problem to the community (Client's business profile suddenly not visible on desktop and dropped significantly on mobile - Google Business Profile Community), it was suggested that maybe because he has another business profile (Google Maps) the service area locations may be overlapping and causing a problem. I have tried to separate out the service areas to rule this out. However, my client was getting very worried about the large drop in business and decided to remove the second GBP (Google Maps)

I'm just worried that there's still something wrong with his main profile. He is losing a lot of business because of this and would be very grateful for your help.

I’m having the same problem. My listing went from number one that would come up when searching for “house cleaning in fort smith, ar,” to now it’s nowhere to be found. I noticed this issue on Sept. 6th. I have asked and tried to get information as to what it could be. My listing is not suspended, I can still pull it up on maps but it will not pull up doing any kind of organic search. This is very stressful when you rely on those listings to get business. It’s a real stress for me.

 

[Jezcor]

I’m having the same problem. My listing went from number one that would come up when searching for “house cleaning in fort smith, ar,” to now it’s nowhere to be found. I noticed this issue on Sept. 6th. I have asked and tried to get information as to what it could be. My listing is not suspended, I can still pull it up on maps but it will not pull up doing any kind of organic search. This is very stressful when you rely on those listings to get business. It’s a real stress for me.

We are on the same page. It's incredibly frustrating. Lets hope for the best and keep digging.

 

[Beth Evans]

We are on the same page. It's incredibly frustrating. Lets hope for the best and keep digging.

Yes. I will post on here if I find anything out.

 

[Adam Di Frisco]

If anybody has the option, I added the address back to one of my SABs and sure enough within hours we're back at the top of local map rankings. This client is a true SAB, but had a home address for a long time. A while back I convinced them to change to a SAB for fear of suspension. We switched it back to that address (no re-verification required *for now*) and everything went back to normal in less than 4 hours.

 

[Jezcor]

If anybody has the option, I added the address back to one of my SABs and sure enough within hours we're back at the top of local map rankings. This client is a true SAB, but had a home address for a long time. A while back I convinced them to change to a SAB for fear of suspension. We switched it back to that address (no re-verification required *for now*) and everything went back to normal in less than 4 hours.

Thank you for sharing!

 

[Ryanmu]

Hello everyone. I have an SAB and am experiencing the same as some of the other listings that have been mentioned. I made a gmb support forum post and someone linked this thread.

My company is no longer showing on maps or search when searching key words or my exact business name. I also saw a drop in everything around September 7th. Google says my listing is live and working... If I send a direct link to my business page it seems to take people to it. Other than that I'm ghosted and freaking out.

Let me know if I can help or...or if anyone can help me.

EDIT: I Uploaded a screen shot of what my company looks like when I search "River City Pro Wash"

This is exactly how it looked when I got suspended, 1 year ago, when I first changed it from a listed address to a SAB when I moved cities. My company name shows at the bottom under "see results about"

 

[karendauncey]

I have a client with 3 businesses all SAB and using the same address (all with different names, different websites and different phone numbers). Two of the listings are no longer showing up in search (7 Sep was the last date they generated traffic) when you search for the business name.

The listings aren't suspended and look fine in the back end, it's only when you search on Google or check the Insights that you would know there is an issue.

 

[julie-b]

If anybody has the option, I added the address back to one of my SABs and sure enough within hours we're back at the top of local map rankings. This client is a true SAB, but had a home address for a long time. A while back I convinced them to change to a SAB for fear of suspension. We switched it back to that address (no re-verification required *for now*) and everything went back to normal in less than 4 hours.

So tempted to try this but worried about getting suspended. When did you add the address back in?

 

[Adam Di Frisco]

So tempted to try this but worried about getting suspended. When did you add the address back in?

I know, I updated my client on everything I know, and ultimately had her make the decision. We originally changed to a SAB around 5-6 months ago. We made the decision to change it back yesterday around 4pm Eastern Standard and you can see we immediately started getting impressions/clicks again

 

[keyserholiday]

It's the Kansas bug all over again. Google is taking SABs and tanking them in the middle of their country.
Here is a search I did in Kansas for pest control and a Boston business showed up.

 

[keyserholiday]

In order to fix it, you need to contact GBP support and tell them that you are being affected by the Kansas bug and that your address is now showing in the back end and that they need to add it back so that you rank in your real area and not the middle of the country.

 

[Adam Di Frisco]

It's the Kansas bug all over again. Google is taking SABs and tanking them in the middle of their country.
Here is a search I did in Kansas for pest control and a Boston business showed up.

Very interesting! Not sure if this is exactly what's happening though with my clients at least. I can see the service area is still outlined correctly when I do a branded search. It's just not showing up at all for any non-banded queries it used to.

 

[keyserholiday]

Very interesting! Not sure if this is exactly what's happening though with my clients at least. I can see the service area is still outlined correctly when I do a branded search. It's just not showing up at all for any non-banded queries it used to.

The issue is that the address in the backend, which is cleared is missing on Google's end. So Google has moved these SABs to the middle of their country. I discovered this issue originally when it happened and Google told us what the issue was and how to fix it. I spoofed my IP address to Independence, Kansas, and 2 of the 3 business profiles in the map pack are not in the area. The fact that by adding and not clearing the address further proves its an address issue and nothing else.

 

[mblumenthal]

I am curious if any of you that have seen a ranking loss but can see get to your listing have made edits to the primary attributes of the business listing(Service areas, address, etc)?? If so which attributes?

 

[Adam Di Frisco]

I am curious if any of you that have seen a ranking loss but can see get to your listing have made edits to the primary attributes of the business listing(Service areas, address, etc)?? If so which attributes?

Hmm. I have 2 SAB clients that have lost all rank but still show up for branded search; One of them I haven't made edits to in at least 6 months. The other I had just changed the primary category from "plumber" to "water treatment supplier" earlier this month. But that's it. Don't know if that helps

 

[JoyHawkins]

@AndrewbTree I'm seeing your listing rank now. Did you change anything or did it just come back?