Small Business SEO and Website Design

Local SEO & Website Design

Jeffrey Taylor - Local Search Marketing Specialist

Search Engine Marketing specialist helping small businesses attract more customers in their local market.

How Do I Rank My Google Business Listing & Get Maps Rankings

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Why ranking your Google My Business Listing on page one of Google should be a priority for every local business that needs more leads and customers!

rank your google business listingAs a small business owner you are always looking for ways to bring in more customers and increase profits.

Your business probably already has a website, and if you are serious about growing your business, you are either working to increase visitors or paying a Local SEO company to do it for you.

Local Businesses the appear in the Google 3-Pack of the search results get more phone calls and customers!

At some point in time, you (or your local SEO agency) created, claimed, and verified your Google My Business listing.  Unfortunately, for millions of business owners and even large multi-location companies, that is where it ends.

That’s right!  There are millions of Google My Business listings on the Internet just sitting there collecting cyber dust. You may be thinking to yourself, so what, I don’t see the importance of it, so why pay much attention to it.

Why Your Google Business Listing is one of the most important digital assets you have in your online marketing arsenal.

Over the past 10 years your Google My Business listing has changed names, locations on the search result pages, and above all, relevance regarding its worth to your business.

Why should I care if it doesn’t generate phone calls, or bring me more business?

The recently launched Google mobile first search algorithm is quickly changing the value of your Google Business listing. In today’s overcrowded online marketing arena, local searches are now dominated by mobile devices and Google is focused on giving these mobile searchers the best display of information possible.

The Google My Business 3-Pack on Page One is Prime Real Estate in the Local Search Results

Do a local search on your mobile phone (not your desktop). Check out the results.

In most cases you see a flurry of Google Pay Per Click Ads as you scroll down and then BOOM… the Google 3-pack displaying 3 local business listings appears. Scroll a little further and you get to the organic listings.

rank google business listing

The fact that Google thinks the 3-pack is important enough to put on the page one search results should send a clear message to all local business owners that this can be a serious lead generator for your business.

Most small businesses are not paying attention to their Google business listing and it is costing them money. Google has been urging business owners for the past several years to claim and verify their Google business listing, yet millions of businesses still have not.

Sad as it sounds, many of the businesses that have verified their business listing are not paying much attention to it, and the result is, many have outdated or erroneous information, incorrect hours, old photos, and unanswered reviews. This is a real problem because they are missing a huge opportunity to cash in on some serious leads.

Increased activity on the Google 3-packs seems to have gotten the attention of the people at Google.

Although Google My Business Listings is a free service provided by Google, they have been actively making changes to the business listing and adding new features to encourage business owners to remain active in keeping their business listing updated and current.

It appears that Google is paying more attention to the business owners’ activity on their Google business listings, and it may start having a big influence on the 3-pack rankings.

Google has already advised businesses to update their photos on a weekly basis, and to remain active generating and answering reviews.

I believe this has a lot to do with them wanting to improve the user experience of mobile phone searchers. When crappy listings appear in the 3-pack or Google maps, it hurts the user experience and in turn, hurts Google.

A stale Google business listing with wrong hours, bad phone numbers, or old addresses, is a poor reflection on them and it also hurts the local business that is not keeping their business listing info current.

Is Google sending a message to local business owners to get more active on their local business listing?

With the recent release of Google Posts and now Google messaging, it appears they are providing new tools for business owners to use, which in turn assures them that business owners will be staying up to date with the information on their business listing.

When Google sees you are actively using Google posts (7 day expiration date on promotions and sales) and using the new instant messaging service, they also assume you are probably keeping your information current and accurate, as well as answering reviews as they come in.

When Google does something to enhance your Google My Business listing portal, it usually means that people are using the business listings and they want it to be accurate.

Google added a new easy access banner to help businesses access their business listing much easier.

Another strong signal that Google is paying more attention to your Google business listing is the fact that now when you are logged into your Google account and using the search engine, a blue banner appears giving you instant access to your business listing for immediate updating and uploading. Google is actually making it easier for you to access and update your listing.

What does this mean for business owners that market to a local area?

Mobile search is now king, and as people search for products and services in the moment, from wherever they want, whenever they want, the ability to appear in the Google 3-pack results can mean a flood of new business.

My clients have seen a huge increase in phone calls when they reach page one of the business listing results.

The key to success is understanding the Google guidelines regarding the set-up of your business listing and how to properly optimize it so it has a better chance of appearing in the very competitive 3-pack on page one of the search results.

How do you know if your Google My Business listing is claimed and verified?

Do a search for your business name and the city you are located in Google. Chances are, your business listing panel will appear on the right side of the search results.

If you see a text link the reads “Own this business? Claim it now” you have not claimed it yet.

claim your google business listing

Next, do a search on Google for your top keywords with your city name (example – dentist Jacksonville) and see who appears in the Google 3-pack results.

Then click on the More places link under the 3rd listing. This will take you to a page with a column of local business listings. Scroll down until you find your business listing. (Go back up this article to the first image and you will see the More places link location under the three pack results.)

Where does it rank? If it is in the top ten with a little work you may be able to crack the 3-pack. If it is way down or on page 2 or worse in the results, you have a serious problem.

If you cannot find it at all, there may be a Google penalty at play or you may be violating some Google guidelines which may be keeping your listing from showing up in the search results.

Either way, you should take action and try to increase the value of your business listing to reach more interested prospects in your area.

It is important to take care of this asap and if you are not an Internet marketing expert, you may want to consider spending some money to have a Google business listing specialist set it up for you to avoid doing it wrong or worse yet, violating some Google guidelines.

Ignore those constant Google My Business listing telemarketing and Robo-calls – they are phone scam artists

If you own a small business you probably get phone calls every day from telemarketers warning you that your Google business listing is not claimed, at risk of suspension, or some other scare tactic to get you to interact with them.

Don’t do it, it is a scam and you will end up paying a large sum of money and get nothing in return.

Here is a Youtube video I recorded 2 years ago that is still valid today – Google my business listing phone scam

The Competition for more online exposure continues to increase every year!

The fact is, there is a lot of competition in most local areas, with everyone trying to steal customers from you. In this age of mobile searches and what Google calls real time, intent driven micro moments you do not have a lot of time to get people’s attention and get them to contact you.

An important fact that local businesses need to realize is that over the past several years, Google has reported a huge increase in “near me” and “voice driven” searches, meaning most mobile searchers want info instantly and they are ready to take action.

Google has stated that today’s active buyer wants information fast, and they are not as brand loyal anymore. This means you need to be there when they search with accurate business information and a solid review profile.

Google has a very active review system and many people rely on it before making purchase decisions. Online reviews have become the new word of mouth, and people trust online reviews as much as they do referrals from friends and family.

Imagine having a top 3 pack rank with lots of eyeballs, yet a lousy review profile. You will be seen by a ton of prospective customers, but don’t hold your breath waiting for a flood of new business if your review profile stinks.

Is increasing business and getting more online exposure important to you?

If you are so busy you don’t want any new business, then just ignore this article and keep doing whatever you are doing.

However, if you are like most business owners and want to increase your online exposure and put your business in front of more prospective customers, you should start paying more attention to your Google business listing.

There is a very good chance that in the mobile search results, it will appear higher than your website and you may be losing business to your competition.

Your website is still an important digital asset and probably will be for a long time. That being said, it is time to look at the changing landscape that the flood of mobile searches are bringing, and start taking advantage of a powerful digital asset right at your fingertips.

With the rapid changes occurring online, and the unpredictability of Google, it is hard to say what will be happening online in the next few years, but one thing is clear, Google is paying more attention to the Google My Business listing area of their search results and so should you.

Need help with your Google My Business Listing(s)?

If you have made it this far down on the page you probably realize that you are missing a huge opportunity to increase traffic to your business. Whether you have one location or 500 locations, it can get pretty intimidating trying to get everything right and get your listing to rank on page one of the search results.

With Google now putting a priority on activity, do you have time to update photos, create Google posts, monitor and respond to reviews? This must be considered if you want to compete for one of those spots in the highly coveted Google 3-pack.

It may be time to find someone that specializes in this area of Internet marketing to help you.

The biggest problem I see out there is that just like many business owners, many search engine optimization experts have not paid much attention to Google business listings either, and may not have the experience or expertise to properly help you.

Make sure that when you reach out for help you are speaking with someone that specializes in Google business listing optimization. (it’s definitely not those telemarketers or robo-calls either)

Get Help With Your Google My Business Listing and Maps Listing

In conclusion, take control of your Google business listing and start taking advantage of the opportunities it creates for your local business.

Online mobile searches will continue to grow and as long as Google keeps putting local business listings on page one, the businesses that take advantage of its value will continue to get the leads and phone calls.

Google business listing Specialist Jeffrey TaylorAbout the Author: Jeffrey Taylor is a Local Search Specialist and the CEO of Local GoldMine LLC a digital marketing company that specializes in local search.

Jeffrey has been doing Local Internet Marketing since 1996 and has been working with Google business listings for 10 years.

He has helped everyone from large national franchises with hundreds of locations, down to small mom and pop stores, fix and rank their Google My Business listing on page one of Google.

You can reach him by going to www.LocalGoldmine.com . Whether it is a simple Google related question or you need serious help with your Google business listing, he is always available to chat.

New Business Local Internet Marketing Checklist

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Get your new business ready to compete online in your local market area.

small business local seo checklistIf you recently opened a new business or are getting ready to open, you should make sure you are putting all the pieces together for your online presence!

Years ago, a new business would run some newspaper ads, have a ribbon cutting, mail out some grand opening coupons and wait for new customers to check them out.

You Must Be There When People are Searching Online!

In the digital age where your potential customers are online 24/7 and have access to the Internet regardless of where they are, to effectively grow your business you must take steps to ensure that you show up online.

The fact is, almost all of your potential customers will search online when they need your type of products or services. Most of those searchers will use a mobile device to find you!

The key to growing your new business faster!

Just because you are a new business does not mean you can’t get your message out there fast. The checklist below will give you the most important steps you must take right now to jump start your business and work your way into the Google page 1 rankings.

What do you need to do to get Google’s attention?

The Internet is loaded with spammers, fake businesses, and people trying to game Google by creating fake locations to try and increase their reach.

The truth is, Google wants to trust you, but with all the spam and scam artists trying to game their search engine results, you must assure the Google search algorithm that you are a legitimate local business.

Google wants to know these 3 things about your business:

  • who are you?
  • what do you do?
  • where are you  located?

Although there are many different factors at play here, the better job you do of answering those 3 questions online, the better your chances of ranking higher in the search results over the long haul.

The image below is a starting point for you to make sure that you include the key elements necessary to not only get Google’s attention but encourage her to rank you high in the search results.

New Business Local Internet Marketing Checklist

new busine local seo in 2017

The local Internet marketing checklist for new businesses below is not the complete guide to marketing online, but it includes the most important elements to ensure you get seen by more people in the shortest amount of time.

1. You need a mobile responsive, locally focused and well optimized company website

This is your most valuable online asset, yet this is where most small businesses are failing when it comes to local Internet marketing.

Just building a website to say you have one without optimizing it, will hurt your chances of ranking high in the search engines more than anything else.

WARNING: Building a website yourself or hiring a cheap website designer that does not understand local search engine optimization may cost you a large sum of money in lost customers. You can waste months waiting for your website to rank in the search results and get no results. Eventually you will have to pay someone to redesign and optimize your website!

Remember, Google is looking at your online presence from many different perspectives. When they look at your website it must be designed a specific way and have some very important local attributes.

The keys to success regarding your website is making sure it is designed with the following elements:

  • Built on the latest platform – I recommend a CMS platform like WordPress.
  • Designed using proper website architecture
  • Utilizing the latest local SEO techniques
  • Content Marketing Strategy – Very Important
  • Locally focused – designed to target the areas you do business in.
  • Mobile friendly – Google hates non mobile friendly websites!
  • Connected to your Google business listing and other Social Media sites.
  • Your website is the most important online marketing investment you will ever make!

Warning! Beware of Free Website design services (GoDaddy, Wix, etc..) and dirt cheap website designers!

It seems like everyone is now a website designer! Unfortunately, most of them know very little about how to build a search engine friendly, local website. Building a website that is locally focused requires some very important elements if it is going to rank on page one of Google for multiple keyword searches, and generate leads for your business!

This is a great time to sit down with a professional Local Search Marketing Specialist and take a hard look at your business plan and local market before you invest in your company website.

2. Your Google Account and Google Business Listing.

Now more than ever, your physical location has a huge influence on whether Google displays your website and Google Business Listing on page one of its search results.

It makes no difference if you have a business location where people come to you, or if you are a service area business that works from home and visits customers at their locations. The fact is, Google needs to know where you are located, and where you do business. Google displays businesses based on where the search comes from, and who does business in that area.

google business listingOne of the most important marketing tools you have access to is your Google Business Listing.

With the huge move to mobile searches, coming up in the Google 3-pack can have a huge effect on how many customers you can reach on popular keyword searches.

The Google 3-pack takes a prominent amount of space on the mobile phone search results and making sure your business appears in the top 3 can bring quite a bit of traffic to your business!

Understand Google Guidelines and best practices first!

Google has some strict guidelines that must be adhered to if you expect to show up for popular keyword searches.

If you are in a highly competitive market, I strongly urge you to hire a skilled professional to optimize your listing. Simply claiming and verifying your listing will not propel you in to the 3-pack unless you know what you are doing.

3. Create Your Digital Footprint

local digital marketing presenceAs time goes on your online presence will grow as more directories and web content scrapers pick up your information. However, you want to control what goes out by creating your own digital footprint of consistent Citations.

According to Google, use of the search term “NEAR ME” increased by 2x last year when people were doing local searches. This means they are on their mobile phone and Google knows exactly where they are and will try to show relevant results based on the exact location of the searcher.

This is why it is so important to have your Google Business Listing, website and all citations across the web displaying the right information about your business.

When Google searches the web for local businesses she is looking for consistency in your:

  • Exact Business Name
  • Exact Business location(s)
  • Phone Number – No 800 #s – Google wants to see a local area code

In local SEO circles we call it your NAP (name, address, phone number).

How does Google find references to Your NAP?

We have a common term called Google Citations. Google searches through websites, directories, videos, etc… and when it sees a mention of your NAP it tells the search algorithm you are who you say you are.

Common citation sites Google looks at include Yelp, Yellowpages online, Facebook, Angies List, Kudzu, Trip Adviser, Citysearch to name a few.

The chances are high that you may already have your business listed in many directories and sites across the web. The more consistent the NAP is in these citations, the better chances you have of ranking higher.

When trying to let Google know where you are, and what areas you service, you must send her a clear message. This means making sure that everywhere your business is mentioned or listed online, there is consistency in the NAP.

Build your citations right away! 

List of best Citation sites by Industry

List of best Citation sites by City

As you build out citations please make sure that you have decided on your proper business name, your permanent address, and the phone number you want to keep. If you decide in 6 months to change one of those 3 things you will have to re-do all of the citations you have already created. (Not Fun)

4. Build Your Local Online Presence 

Google will reward businesses that work to build authority online. To build authority in the eyes of Google requires a wide online footprint.

Look at it from Google’s perspective. They want to present searchers with the best, most relevant results and if you have not built any authority or relevance in your industry or local market, you will not reap the benefits of higher search results.

Put yourself in Google’s shoes for a second. She is searching the web looking for relevant businesses to show searchers, and she finds your correct and consistent NAP and links to your website all over the web.

She also finds your blog posts about specific industry related topics shared across different web 2.0 sites, images of your business, products and services, and videos. She sees people sharing your info, writing reviews, and posting you on their social network pages.

Wow! This local business is relevant and an authority in it’s local market!! Let’s make sure we rank them!

Here are just a few of the important areas to focus on when building authority online:

Social Signals – Facebook Page, Pinterest, Linked In, YouTube, Twitter etc…
Content Creation and Distribution – Tumblr, Blogger, WordPress etc…
Review Directories – Yelp, TripAdvisor, Angies List etc…
Local Directories and Industry Related Directories
Small Business SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Prospective customers can’t contact you if they can’t find you! They spend most of their day online so when they need something you can provide you better be there ready to act!

5. Build Your Local Social Community

Having a Social presence online is not an option for local businesses. It is a fact that adults spend more time on social networks like Facebook than Google. There are many ways to build a local community on social networks and you should be active the moment you are in business.

Social networks are a great way to communicate with your followers. This communication can come in all sorts of ways including feedback about your business, coupons or special promotions, or just interesting and engaging content that you provide to your followers.

Choose social networks that fit your business. 

Facebook is a no-brainer for all local businesses. If you are in a visual industry where you take lots of photos or videos you should have an account on Instagram, Pinterest, and of course, YouTube. as you bring in new customers, ask them where they hang out online and make sure you put your business there.

6. Reputation Management and Marketing

get five star reviewsThe minute you bring in your first customer, reputation management begins! I am going to give you a huge warning right now about customer service in the digital age.

If you fail to provide quality products and great customer service you will not be around very long!

The digital age has put all businesses on alert. Reviews are the new word of mouth, and online searchers read reviews and make purchase decisions based on what they read. The Internet has no mercy, so you better pay close attention to what people say about you and how you handle your customer service.

Have a review plan right from the start!

Create a review collection program that encourages satisfied customers to go online and say nice things about you. You also need to be prepared to handle any negative reviews should one pop up.

As a new business you have a great opportunity to get started on the right foot and build a stellar reputation in your local community. This is one area you cannot afford to screw up!

7. Pay Per Click Advertising

google adwords-pay-per-clickShould Your New business use Pay Per Click? Google Adwords, Facebook Ads

Local Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC) – Targeted pay per click using Google Adwords for local businesses targeting a specific area.

For a local business to effectively penetrate a new market it will take at least 4 months before you see serious results. I always recommend that a new business allocate some of its advertising resources for pay per click ads. This allows you to advertise immediately and put your business in front of more online searchers.

There are distinct metrics involved with pay per click advertising with the main metric being the “cost of new customer acquisition”. What is a new customer worth to you and what is it costing you to acquire one?

Trying to do pay per click advertising on Google or Facebook without a clear understanding of how it works can be a financial disaster for your business. You must understand the metrics of how PPC works, the keywords being used, and demographics of your best customers.

Getting started with your Local Internet Marketing Plan

Now that your head is spinning from all this information, it is time for you to sit down and wrap your arms around what you need to do next to grow your business.

Do not listen to anyone that tries to tell you local Internet marketing is easy and if you do a few things you will instantly rank your business on page one of Google, and your phones will start ringing off the hook.

Beware of local SEO services that guarantee results. In most cases they will take your money, rank your business for a few obscure keywords, and disappear in a few months.

Google Business Listing Telemarketing Scams – hang up the phone!

Beware of Google telemarketing scam artists and robo-calls that start the conversation trying to scare you that your Google business listing is at risk of suspension. If you want to learn more about these scams watch my video on YouTube.

I recorded it last year but all of the info is still very relevant and can save you from a lot of aggravation down the road.

Google Business Listing Phone Scams video

What should you do next?

If you preparing for a grand opening or just opened your new business, you need to take action immediately. The best way to get started is to find a professional local search expert and get a complete situation analysis.

The key to getting a strong online presence fast is understanding who your online competitors are and what the best search terms shoppers are using to find your type of business.

Once you find out who your competition is, and how they are achieving high search ranks, you can formulate your plan.

Local Internet marketing is constantly changing and with time and patience you to can reap the great rewards it brings!

Small Business Mobile Website Design Alert!

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Google Announces Non Mobile Friendly Websites Will Be Affected by New Algorithm Update!

local responsive website designI knew several years ago that this was coming and finally Google is taking action against websites that are not designed to be mobile phone friendly.

I have been warning business owners that having a smart phone friendly website is not an option.

In case you are not aware of the changing search landscape, here are the facts! Mobile searches are exploding and if you are a local business, I can assure you that at least half of the searches online for your type of business are now coming from a smart phone or a tablet.

Google knows this and is taking action. Serious action!

Here is what Google recently announced:

“Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results” 

Click Here for the Link to the announcement on Google Webmaster Central

One main reason small business owners should take notice of this announcement is the word significant.

As a long time Local SEO specialist, I fully understand that Google has numerous ranking signals built into their algorithms that determine what web pages rank for specific keywords or search phrases. It is not one big signal that determines your rank, rather lots of little ones.

We call them on-page ranking factors and off-page ranking factors. In fact there are really only about 10-12 signals that seriously affect your ability to rank on page one for your targeted keywords.

Google’s latest announcement is important to pay attention because she rarely uses impact words when rolling out algorithm tweaks or updates. In all roll outs they usually use vague phrases or suggestions.

The fact that Google uses the words significant impact in our search results should grab everyone’s attention.

Translation: You will lose search engine rankings if your website is not mobile friendly! Period!

Unfortunately for the thousands of small business owners that hired a cheap website designer or are using one of those cookie cutter do it yourself website builders, there is a good chance your website is not mobile friendly.

The time to take action is now, or you risk losing potential customers when Google decides not to show your website anymore because it has determined that it is not mobile friendly!

Is a Google Penalty the next step?

When Google makes a significant algorithm change that affects search rankings it is considered a new or updated ranking signal that we must be aware of. The tone of Google’s announcement should get people thinking about whether the next step will be an actual penalty.

Technically, Google will penalize a website when it violates its guidelines. For now, we should consider this an algorithm update and keep our eye on the guidelines. If Google really wants to move the dial it will require websites to be mobile friendly and will make it part of its guidelines.

Is Your Business Website Mobile Friendly?

Before you start to panic or shell out big bucks for a mobile friendly website, read through my checklist below to determine how bad (or good) your current website design is and what people are seeing when they search for you on a mobile device.

  • View your website on a mobile device – smart phone and tablet. How bad does it look? Can you easily navigate through it?
  • Use the Google Mobile friendly test tool.  www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ Listen to what Google tells you.
  • Take action!

Are You Using Google Webmaster Tools?

google friendly mobile website designLog into your Google account and go to your Webmaster tools. If you do not have your website verified with webmaster tools, do it now!

If you look at the image to the left you will see that Google recently added another category under Search traffic called Mobile Usability. Go there and see what Google tells you.

Google is looking at how your website appears on a mobile device as well as page speed and usability.

Fix your problems asap or risk losing your rankings in the Google search results!

Do not ignore this warning if you rely on your web presence for leads and customers.

The reality is, Google seldom issues warnings, they usually just act and we have to react after the fact.

Make sure you are working with a web designer that understands mobile search and if at all possible redesign your website so it has what is known as a responsive design built in.

Google has said many times that it prefers responsive design over separate mobile websites with a redirects from your main website.

If you are not sure what I mean here, just Google “responsive mobile web design”.

Want to learn more about mobile friendly website design and how to make it work for your business?

At Local Goldmine we have been helping small business owners market online using proper website design and Local SEO. Regardless of the size of your business, if you do business in a local market we can help you increase your leads and phone calls.

Give us a call or fill out the form on this page and let’s talk! We can look at your current website and determine how mobile firendly it is and what steps you need to take to avoid a major Google penalty.

Google My Business Local Listing Phone Scam Alert!

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How Many Phone Calls Regarding Your Google My Business Local Listing Have You Received this Week?

Hello Mr Business owner my name is Joe Scamalot and we work directly with Google and I wanted to warn you about your Google business listing….

google local business listing scam alertIf you are a small business owner and have a local business you are probably receiving numerous phone calls from telemarketers and automated robo calls regarding your Google Places, Google Plus Local, Google My Business (GMB) listing and as of July it is now called Google My Business.

Although it is called many different names, your Google My Business listing is what appears in the search results with the tear drop or button to the right and usually connects to your website. This is where your reviews appear and if you have 5 reviews you will see the stars.

Unfortunately, many of the callers are using misleading information or just plain lying through their teeth to try to scare small business owners and squeeze money from you regarding the current status of your all important Google Business Listing!


Google My Business Local Listing Phone Scam

Some Google Local Business Listing telemarketers will out right lie to you!

I have been helping small businesses rank in Google for 20 years and yes, I also get these calls! In most cases I simply hang up the phone and go on with my day.

But occasionally I will play along with the telemarketer to hear their pitch. First of all, they are usually read directly from a script by someone that knows nothing about local search or Google.

They use weasel words to imply that they work directly with Google or are a Google associate. In more extreme cases they actually tell you they work for Google!

Local Google Search Expert Records Actual Call From Google Places Scam Artist!

I was recently on my favorite Local Search Forum where all the real experts hang out and read a post from one of the top Google Local Listing experts in the world.

She received a call and the salesperson told her…

Your Google business listing will be deleted in 72 hours if you don’t verify it with us right away

He also told her not once, but twice that he worked for Google! Fortunately she was recording the conversation and pretended to be an unsuspecting business owner.

He told her he was in San Diego and that is where Google is located! I’m sitting at my Google desk! His exact words!

Your Google Local listing needs a Reboost for a one time fee of $299

I have never heard of a reboost! Well, eventually she called him to the table on his lies and he hung up on her.

How to avoid getting scammed when it comes to your Google My Business local listing

  • First and foremost, never give any log in information to any telemarketer for your Google account. Once you do, you are giving them permission to go in and change your information.
  • Do not do business with anyone that claims to work directly with Google. It is deceptive and any credible local search service will never say that!
  • Is your local business listing verified through Google? If yes and they are telling you it needs to be verified, be aware!
  • Verify who you are dealing with by getting their company name, website, phone number and some credentials.
  • If your business is unclaimed, do not give them any information about your business and claim it yourself asap.
  • Beware of people making huge promises of page one rankings or scaring by telling you nobody can find you.
  • If you are serious about getting your business verified or optimized so it shows up on page 1 of Google in your local market, find a credible company yourself.

Yes, you need a Verified, well optimized Google My Business Listing!

Claiming and verifying your Google local listing is absolutely a good idea if you want to get your business in front of more customers in the Google local search results.

In fact, over the years I have helped hundreds of small businesses get this done. The problem is, hundreds of scam artists and SEO companies are using unscrupulous tactics to scare business owners into using their services to fix a problem that may not even exist.

Worse yet, they are leading you to believe that your Google listing is going to be deleted if you do not take action now! Of course for a fee they will fix it right away!

Why is Your Google My Business (GMB) Listing Not Appearing on Page 1 of Google?

The truth is, if you have a verified (claimed) Google My Business listing and it does not appear on page one of Google in your city there is a reason. 

Without  a thorough investigation by a local search expert it is hard to pinpoint why. No telemarketer using a computerized call list is going to be able to help you no matter how strong their sales pitch may sound.

If you are serious about finding out why you are not ranking contact a local search professional and get an analysis to see if you have any Google penalties, duplicate listings or inconsistent citations that may be hurting your ability to rank.

Google My Business Scam Artists are Ruining the Local SEO Industry

The reason I am writing this is because just last week Google unleashed another major algorithm change that has caused many local listings to disappear from page one.

This has opened the door for these scam artists to prey upon business owners when they are most vulnerable.

I have been doing local search marketing for 23 years and it makes it harder for legitimate services like mine to gain trust among business owners.

I receive calls everyday from these scam artists and no doubt, so do you! Be careful and when in doubt simply hang up the phone!

Questions or Comments about the latest Google Local Business Listing Scams

Have a story you would like to share about a phone call you received? Have a question regarding something you were told that is bothering you? Use the comments box below and share it with me.

Tweet and Share this article with as many small business owners you can!

The reason that there are so many telemarketing scam artists out there preying on small business owners is because it is working.

We hear from people all the time that have fallen victim to these scams and the more we can warn and educate small business owners the better.

Why Is Google Mad At Your Business?

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If Google Tells You That She is Angry at Your Website or Local Listing, You Better Listen!

google penalty analysisIf your phone rings in the middle of the night, waking you up, it is probably not Google calling.

You see, Google does not call you to tell you they are angry about what you are doing online, they just take action.

It happens all the time, a business owner wakes up one morning, goes online, and finds his website rank has dropped from page one and is nowhere to be found.  Panic sets in!!

Or, maybe your Google Plus Local business listing has just disappeared, and is now missing in action.

You call your local SEO service and they tell you, we don’t know just yet, but we are looking closely at your situation.  In the mean time your phone is not ringing and you are losing money! Now, panic really sets in!

As a small business owner you depend on local Internet marketing to attract more customers to your business and when Google decides you are not her friend anymore it can have a dramatic effect on your bottom line.

Why is Google Penalizing Your Small Business website?

google website penalty small businessI wish the answer was simple, but its not. Nothing about Google is simple, and it can be extremely confusing and time consuming to try and keep up with what is upsetting the Google search algorithm and causing your local business listing or website to fall off the first page.

Don’t take it personally, Google didn’t single you out of the millions of small businesses online. Nope, they simply made some changes to their search algorithm and one or more of the online marketing tactics you are currently employing, pissed her off.

Geez… not even a phone call. That’s just cold!

Penguins, Pandas and Hummingbirds, oh my!

Penguins, Panda, and Hummingbirds may look cute when you are at the zoo, but online they are the Google updates that can destroy your small business overnight. Like it or not, Google makes the rules when it comes to search engine marketing online and their ongoing search updates are a constant reminder that we better listen!

The reality of getting Google to take you seriously and actually like your business online, lies in doing your Internet marketing the right way.

The right way to please Google is not what some fast talking SEO telemarketer tells you is the best and fastest way to page one.

The right way is also not found in some eBook you just bought for 10 bucks on the Warrior Forum that claims they just cracked the Google code and found a loophole to getting you to page one.

Nope, marketing your small business online in a local market is about understanding all the components necessary to create a web presence that is not only loved by Google, but also converts searchers into customers. Fail at either of those 2, and you will fail at local Internet marketing.

Where does your small business currently stand online?

Chances are, your business fits into one of the following 3 categories when it comes to marketing online:

1.  Just starting out with local Internet marketing. No website, no Google business listing, nada! Not such a bad thing, because at this point you have done nothing to piss Google off. (yet)

2. Have an local online presence but not showing up on page one for your money keywords. One of 2 things here. You either are currently pissing Google off and she is punishing you, or, you are just doing a really poor job of optimizing your website and Google business listing, and the search engine giant doesn’t pay any attention to you.

3. At one time, your online stuff was doing great, suddenly your website or Google business listing dropped or disappeared from page one. Uh oh… Houston we may have a problem!

Unfortunately, there is a very good chance Google is not happy with you and has let you know by dropping your rankings, or if she is extremely angry, took you out completely! Best case scenario is, you have gotten lazy and your competition has been working overtime to grab a page one ranking from you.

However, if you suddenly drop, versus a slow drop over time, chances are something you or your SEO provider is doing has gotten you into hot water and Google has punished you.

Google Does Warn You… Sometimes!

If you have a Google account and set up Webmaster tools, Google may send you a warning about some evil places that are linking back to your website.

You know some nasty links from back in the good old days when back linking was the fastest and best way to grab page one rankings!

Get lots of back links was the battle cry from SEO experts across the globe!!

buying bad back links is evilYou may suddenly remember not too long ago, you paid $99 and someone with a strange accent created 5,000 back links to your homepage in under 48 hours. Ah… yes, fast, cheap, and easy SEO!

Suddenly, your website was loaded with back links from weird domain names from strange foreign lands! Back links that have absolutely nothing to do with your small business, or your local market area.

One day you receive a warning from Google in your webmaster tools telling you she does not like some of those back links, and you better fix them… or else!

There was also a time (not long ago) where many website owners were building back links with anchor text that matched their top keywords. It worked great, until a Google Penguin decided it was not acceptable, and suddenly we were scrambling to change the ratio of our back link anchor text to get back in the good graces of Google. Slapped by an innocent and cute looking Penguin, go figure.

How Can You Get Google To Like You Again?

Again, the answer is not a simple one. In many cases it is a few simple fixes, and in some cases you need to scrap everything and start over!

The problem is, pinpointing what in your online marketing mix is causing a Google penalty. It may be just poor marketing with no Google penalty, to a multitude of Google penalties. Either way, ignoring them will not suddenly push you to page one for your money keywords.

It All Starts With a Complete Local Internet Marketing Analysis!

Spending more money on SEO, buying more domains, or signing on with another Local Search service is not going to help get your business back on top if you do not fix what is broken first.

Some professional local SEO Companies will see your existing problems and fix them, while others will just continue to use outdated and ineffective techniques that can actually hurt you more. I cringe when I receive spam from back link building services that are to this day, creating spammy back links and preying on the ignorance of small business owners that do not understand local search.

Do not continue to pour money into local SEO hoping things will improve until you know exactly why Google does not like you and how it must be fixed.

Unfortunately, there are quite few unscrupulous SEO Companies that are more than happy to promise you great things and never do anything to fix the existing problems. It is kind of like trying to squash a fire with gasoline!

Common local search issues we see when doing a Local Search Analysis:

1. Poorly designed and not locally focused website. No Google penalty here. Your website sucks, simple as that, like it or not!

2. Overly optimized website. Stuffing your keywords in your content at every chance, or jamming every city within 100 miles of your business on every page, certainly pisses Google off and can definitely get you a fast ticket to page 9 in the Google results.

3. Evil Back Links From Bad Neighborhoods. This is extremely common because many small business owners fell for the cheap, fast back link sales pitches amateur SEO services were preaching. At one time, this worked very well and many small businesses made lots of money using these techniques. The problem here is, determining which back links are pissing Google off and how you can fix it?

I recently did a analysis for a local Chiropractor and found he had over 170,000 back links from all over the world. Cmon, a local business with over 170,000 back links, with most of them coming from Poland.  He told me he used to rank number one for everything, and suddenly his website dropped out of sight, and he cannot understand why.  Worse yet, his SEO person told him he needed to build more back links!

4. Poorly optimized, inconsistent NAP, or disconnected Google Plus Local business listing. Having your Google Plus local business listing show up on page one for your keywords is a wonderful thing!  But, just like your business website there are rules here also.

I recently found a Google Places eBook  selling for $99 two years ago, that trained small business owners and local SEO specialists how to get your Google Places business listing to number one in the Google local search results. Almost every single technique listed in that eBook, is now against Google terms of service and would get your listing penalized or suspended today.

There are too many potential Google local business listing problems to list here today, but rest assure if your business listing is not ranking in Google or once ranked and dropped like a rock, you are doing that is probably violating Google TOS or, are not following Google Plus Local best practices.

What should you do next?

You have 2 choices, ignore it and hope that miraculously, Google suddenly loves you again, or…

you can find out what is wrong with your local Internet marketing and work to fix it!

Putting your head in the sand and hoping things will improve is a sure way to kill your business.

Getting angry at Google for enforcing their rules will not help you. If the SEO company you hired cannot give you straight answers, or maybe what they are doing is what got you in trouble, paying them every month will not help you.

If your SEO service doesn’t return your calls, or keeps feeding you double talk, it may be time for a new partner.

Your second choice is to take immediate action and find out what is wrong. It is not always a Google penalty or slap that is keeping you from page one of the search engine results. It may simply be poor SEO, or online marketing. However, if you once ranked well and suddenly dropped, it is probably something that you are doing that Google does not smile upon.

Get a Local Internet Marketing Analysis ASAP!

Nobody in their right mind would do something intentionally to anger the biggest and most powerful search engine in the world. I am sure that whatever is wrong with your website or Google Plus local business listing was not done with the intentions of getting yourself banished to the Google dungeon called page 9.

If you knowingly took part in what we call black hat SEO, in hopes of gaming Google, well, you got what you deserve. Sooner or later, you get caught and must start over.

But, if you are like many of the thousands of small businesses that unknowingly violated some rules or hired a SEO company that took shortcuts to get you better rankings, it is important to take action and get your business back on top of the lead generating machine known as Google Page One!

You cannot fix something until you know what is broken!  Spending more money on SEO is a waste of your hard earned dollars if the underlying problem has not been addressed and and steps taken to fix it. A complete online analysis can often reveal something that may be causing your poor ranking.

Local Internet Marketing is not an exact science but if there is a glaring issue, in most cases it will need to be fixed.

Click Here For a Free Local SEO and Website Analysis

If you do business in a local area and depend on certain keywords to attract new customers, please realize that you are not only competing for 10 spots on page one of Google with other businesses and directories, but also trying to stay in good graces with the Google search algorithm.

Google does not hate your business and they didn’t single you out for persecution. Simply put, you are either doing a lousy job marketing online or something you are doing or did pissed off the highly sophisticated search engine algorithm. Either way, you must take action or watch your competition take customers from you.

The choice is yours.