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Google Maps Spam Erroneously 'Closes' Open Businesses

by UMS
3 replies
Apparently quite a few businesses are being flagged as permanently closed when in fact they are open as normal.

The issue arises when:

On Google Places, a typical listing has the address of a business, a description provided by the owner and links to photos, reviews and Google Maps. It also has a section titled "Report a problem" and one of the problems to report is "this place is permanently closed." If enough users click it, the business is labeled "reportedly closed" and later, pending a review by Google, "permanently closed." Google was tight-lipped about its review methods and would not discuss them.

More details in:

Huffington Post

and


New York Times
#businesses #closes #erroneously #google #maps #open #spam
  • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
    People have known about this for quite a while.
    as a matter of fact we tell our users to look for those "closed"
    business , and use it as an easy foot in the door.
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    Selling Ain't for Sissies!
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  • Profile picture of the author UMS
    "easy foot in the door" as in fixing the issue for them?
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    • Profile picture of the author kenmichaels
      Originally Posted by UMS View Post

      "easy foot in the door" as in fixing the issue for them?
      yes, a current utility bill will with a simple letter on a letter head with company logo. seems to fix the issue in most cases. you will receive the
      verification post card again.

      in a nutshell we let them know they have mismatched information all over the internet, and its really important to have all the business directories have an exact match for there bizz details, specially the ones that allow reviews to be posted. you tell them that and then show them the big G shows them as closed, it gets their attention fast, every time.
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