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.

 

[Adam Di Frisco]

@Adam DiFrisco, I hear you. As I always say, there are no solutions - only trade-offs.

One consideration that may tip your decision-making one way or the other is: do competitors consistently hide or consistently show their addresses? Often in industries where you think hiding the address must be standard practice, it's not, or vice versa. Doesn't mean the competitors are approaching GMB in a smart way. The point is you need to launder Google's stated policies through Google's practice.

Another factor is to think of Google's angle in all of this. If your GBP is one page rather than one of 31 that you've splattered onto the map, and it had been ranking OK for a while and in existence for even longer, and you've got a good pile of reviews, and the only gray area is the "hide vs. show" question, Google doesn't benefit much from whisking you off the map, and the downside of getting it wrong is a lot of disappointed searchers. Google benefits more from keeping you around so they can coax you into some ads. In edge cases Google tends to give you the benefit of the doubt.

It's for reasons like this I'm constantly telling clients and others to focus more on organic SEO than on just the map. Most of one's Maps visibility comes down to organic (on-page + links) anyway, it augments whatever action you've got on the map, and it serves as a fallback whenever you run into trouble on the map.

Absolutely. Very well put.

 

[Ryanmu]

Hey guys. Here is Google's response for my particular case. Looks like I'm screwed

 

[gregmcbrien]

It appears that Google is aware of this issue as social support changed its messaging yesterday. I would encourage everyone to contact support for assistance.

I've been in touch with support for the past few days and no matter how much information I provide them, they keep telling me everything is fine.

 

[Bas_L]

Hey guys. Here is Google's response for my particular case. Looks like I'm screwed

Wow this make you think where did the expert “

keyserholiday”get the information about google wanting the affected listings owners to contact support in order to fix the issue.​

 

[keyserholiday]

Wow this make you think where did the expert “

keyserholiday”get the information about google wanting the affected listings owners to contact support in order to fix the issue.​

I have no information on what the exchange was between this person and support. Did this person tell the rep that their address appears to be missing from the backend and needs to be added back? Was this yet another mistake on Google's end to not properly train support staff? There was no need to be rude to me. I didn't cause this issue nor am I responsible for training Google's 3rd party support staff.

 

[Ryanmu]

I have no information on what the exchange was between this person and support. Did this person tell the rep that their address appears to be missing from the backend and needs to be added back? Was this yet another mistake on Google's end to not properly train support staff? There was no need to be rude to me. I didn't cause this issue nor am I responsible for training Google's 3rd party support staff.

I think you nailed it. Probably not informed/updated on everything. I updated my case mentioning the Kansas bug before they respond but maybe they didn't see that. It's the same generic response I've been getting for a week "Your listing is fine!" Maybe I need to just open a brand new case or just wait for Google to do.... Something. So frustrating.

 

[keyserholiday]

I think you nailed it. Probably not informed/updated on everything. I updated my case mentioning the Kansas bug before they respond but maybe they didn't see that. It's the same generic response I've been getting for a week "Your listing is fine!" Maybe I need to just open a brand new case or just wait for Google to do.... Something. So frustrating.

Social support acknowledge it was a bug on Thursday and the GBP team admitted on Friday that it's a bug. It took multiple rounds with Google educating their 3rd party support team on how to fix the issue until Google fixed it the last time. It was an ongoing issue for over 6 months. I don't think it will take 6 months this round, but I have no way of knowing.

 

[Ryanmu]

Social support acknowledge it was a bug on Thursday and the GBP team admitted on Friday that it's a bug. It took multiple rounds with Google educating their 3rd party support team on how to fix the issue until Google fixed it the last time. It was an ongoing issue for over 6 months. I don't think it will take 6 months this round, but I have no way of knowing.

I really hope not. I do deck staining and I'm coming up on the end of my season and a rush of people trying to winterize their deck and house Washes before the holidays. This is really bad timing as business has severely been affected. Can you give me any advice on how I might be able to word my response to GMB to where they might acknowledge my issue? I really can't mentally take too many more times of them telling me "Everything is fine!"I tell like they're gas lighting me at this point lol

 

[keyserholiday]

"Google has acknowledged that this is a technical issue affecting SABs. Please check the backend of my business profile to ensure that my address is there and if not, please manually add my address (add your full address)."

 

[JoyHawkins]

I don't think it will take 6 months to fix but it definitely sounds like the support agent you talked to has no idea what you are talking about. You might want to try a different support agent (contact support again).

 

[Desnr]

Has anyone heard updates on this bug yet? I'm in the same situation, my SAB listing has disappeared from search rankings and I don't think it's been suspended as it still appears on branded search. I contacted Google support asking about the (residential) address on the back end but haven't heard back yet.

My husband also recently started a business at our same address and has a SAB listing. His is ranking fourth in our area. I'm also wondering if I may have been filtered because of this? He is a handyman and I'm an interior designer so somewhat similar keywords (home, remodel etc). I did check that we don't have the exact same categories or services listed.

Thanks for any help the community can offer - so frustrating!

 

[JoyHawkins]

Google is aware of the issue and is working on a fix but I'm not sure exactly how long it will take. If your husband is competing for any of the same keywords as you then it's possible he's filtering you.

 

[Desnr]

Thank you so much Joy. Would anyone know if there is a way I can tell if I'm being filtered for sure? Will Google support tell me?

 

[keyserholiday]

Thank you so much Joy. Would anyone know if there is a way I can tell if I'm being filtered for sure? Will Google support tell me?

Are the businesses using the same categories? No, Google support won't be able to tell you if you are being filtered nor will they be able to provide you with advice.

 

[Desnr]

Are the businesses using the same categories? No, Google support won't be able to tell you if you are being filtered nor will they be able to provide you with advice.

They are different categories and we removed any services from his listing that have the same words as mine (home, remodel etc). Will that help?

If this can't be fixed I'm considering either changing from SAB to showing my residential address or getting a space at a co-working facility, but I know that comes with its own challenges.

 

[keyserholiday]

Good news, one of my clients got their rankings back. They are back in the map pack, but not in the same number one spot as before.

 

[keyserholiday]

My other client is back ranking again too. Looks like the fix is being rolled out now.

 

[keyserholiday]

Here is a side-by-side comparison for the first client that got her rankings back.

 

[Desnr]

If helpful to others I noticed that SABs in my area are now showing the red catchment on the map again - the last few days they were pinning about 20 miles away. I assume this is the bug being fixed.

Unfortunately for me my listing is still not showing in search so I'm guessing that is evidence that I'm being filtered due to my husband's listing.

 

[keyserholiday]

If helpful to others I noticed that SABs in my area are now showing the red catchment on the map again - the last few days they were pinning about 20 miles away. I assume this is the bug being fixed.

Unfortunately for me my listing is still not showing in search so I'm guessing that is evidence that I'm being filtered due to my husband's listing.

Did you lose rankings and visibility on September 7th?