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    Ask the community your questions about local SEO or Google My Business

    Besides reaching first on a serp, what is the best feeling you have experienced as an SEO?

    Frank

    Joined Dec 2, 2020
    Freelance SEO
    Chicago, IL
    Frank
    Freelance SEO
    I'll go firstβ€”

    When the schema you've been working on forever finally comes back with no errors.

    Omg I just had that now. What a rush! 🀩
    0
    Like Comment
    2 comments

    fisicx

    Joined Nov 13, 2020
    fisicx
    When the site starts converting. And when you begin to get traffic from keywords you weren’t even targeting.
    Reply
    Like 1 like

    Imyz1

    Joined Nov 5, 2020
    Local SEO, Domain Investor, Level 3 PT, Executive Travel
    Warwickshire. UK
    Imyz1
    Local SEO, Domain Investor, Level 3 PT, Executive Travel
    When the monthly rental payments come in from your rented site.
    Reply
    Like 1 like

    Google research on managers of multiple GMB listings - help us improve the platform!

    Morgan

    Joined Dec 23, 2020
    GMB Builder
    San Francisco, California
    Morgan
    GMB Builder
    Hi folks,

    We're doing some research at Google on how managers of multiple GMB locations use the product. We're interested in your pain points and how we might improve the overall product and experience. We'll walk through some new designs and get your feedback.

    If you're interested, please fill out the ~3 minute survey below and we'll be in touch: https://forms.gle/gk9spvjqjAxHjqsFA

    There's also an €85 (~$100) incentive to compensate your for your time.

    We look forward to speaking you.

    Kind regards,
    Morgan
    Liked by Davis and 2 others
    Like Comment
    1 comment
    admin

    Davis Baer

    Joined Jul 22, 2020
    I run Local SEO Community
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Davis Baer
    admin
    I run Local SEO Community
    Hey Morgan, just wanted to say that it’s really cool that you’re proactively looking for users feedback to improve GMB 😊
    Reply
    Like 0 likes

    Can anyone explain to me what this, highly black-hat looking thing on the map, is exactly? I've seen it around a lot from dime a dozen "SEOs," and it looks like something I should steer clear of, I think?

    Frank

    Joined Dec 2, 2020
    Freelance SEO
    Chicago, IL
    Frank
    Freelance SEO
    ο»Ώ
    ο»Ώ
    Liked by Teresa 1
    Like Comment
    11 comments

    Ben Fisher

    Joined Nov 5, 2020
    Google My Business Platinum Product Expert
    Phoenix, AZ
    Ben Fisher
    Google My Business Platinum Product Expert
    Someone wasted a lot of time.
    Reply
    Like 3 likes
    Frank replied
      ·  1 reply

    Daniel Lewis

    Joined Dec 29, 2020
    Daniel Lewis
    It looks like they have created about a thousand driving directions to the central location from a LOT of places. I am not sure why the map markers are all different colors it might be a type of map marker.Β 
    Reply
    Like 0 likes
    Keyserholiday replied
      ·  1 reply

    Kyle S

    Joined Dec 2, 2020
    SEO Manager
    Kyle S
    SEO Manager
    I don't think it'll hurt you at all, but it won't really help either. I wouldn't waste my time on them unless you had extra budget to spend and wanted to make something impressive looking for a client.
    Reply
    Like 0 likes

    Embedding Maps in Location Pages

    Jeff_T

    Joined Oct 12, 2020
    Marketing Analytics, Digital Marketer, freelance - tinkerlytics.com
    Bend, OR
    Jeff_T
    Marketing Analytics, Digital Marketer, freelance - tinkerlytics.com
    I just read a post on a forum from earlier in 2020 about embedding city center location maps on service area or location pages. From my experience embedding, geo maps on location pages don't do much. However, I still see it being used.Β 

    Any experience from this community?Β 

    To clarify a few options they were discussing -Β 
    -Adding GMB map to page
    -Adding direction from city to business location
    -Adding an embedded google map of the city center or location center to the location page

    I don't find the directions or the embedded location map of any use to the user or rank increase.Β Β 
    Liked by Davis and 3 others
    Like Comment
    9 comments

    Doug Bradley

    Joined Dec 29, 2020
    EverestLegalMarketing.com
    Fontana, CA
    Doug Bradley
    EverestLegalMarketing.com
    I've owned and optimized a local directory that I created and I use embedded Google maps just showing the City (not a specific address). It's hard to tell if it helps or not as I've not done a case study on before/after. I can tell you that it doesn't hurt and given the option I'd do it if nothing else to add relevancy and additional media - especially if it's a competitive cat/geo.
    Reply
    Like 2 likes

    Imyz1

    Joined Nov 5, 2020
    Local SEO, Domain Investor, Level 3 PT, Executive Travel
    Warwickshire. UK
    Imyz1
    Local SEO, Domain Investor, Level 3 PT, Executive Travel
    Personally I have used embedded maps on all my geo sites for many years. Cannot say if they have affected rankings positively or negatively. As so many seo factors to consider.Β 

    I agree. A case study would or probably has been done by somebody somewhere. I will continue to use them as it provides another layer on page to show you are local to the area.Β 

    Reply
    Like 1 like

    Dustin Bishop

    Joined Oct 29, 2020
    St.Louis,Mo
    Dustin Bishop
    I'm also interested in this info as well
    Reply
    Like 0 likes

    2021 Wishlist for Google My Business?

    Morgan

    Joined Dec 23, 2020
    GMB Builder
    San Francisco, California
    Morgan
    GMB Builder
    Happy holidays all,

    I work for Google and on GMB in particular. I recently discovered this forum a few weeks ago, and I've been really impressed with the wealth of knowledge within this community.

    Given there are a lot of GMB experts here, I'd like to just ask point blank if there are any features or changes that you'd like to see us make in the product next year? [Disclaimer: I can't promise we'll implement all suggestions, but we'll certainly do our best to make any reasonable improvements.]

    I look forward to hearing your suggestions!
    Morgan
    Liked by Davis and 10 others
    Like Comment
    127 comments

    Jeff_T

    Joined Oct 12, 2020
    Marketing Analytics, Digital Marketer, freelance - tinkerlytics.com
    Bend, OR
    Jeff_T
    Marketing Analytics, Digital Marketer, freelance - tinkerlytics.com
    Hey Morgan - Awesome of you to stop by.Β 

    -It would be great if the name of the business didn't carry so much weight. I still see a ton of keyword spam in the name - and it ranks fast.Β 
    -If a category is going to carry so much weight it would be nice to have more primary ones that are perinate to more businesses.
    -Adding image guidelines.Β 
    -Stating post rejections.
    -When posting multiple images don't rearrange them, keep them in the sequence that is uploaded.Β 
    -Either take the 'suggest an edit' of a business more seriously or make the redressal form easier. Name spam should be pretty easy to spot.Β 

    Hope all goes well with GMB. It's developing nicely. Thanks for all the hard work.Β 
    Reply
    Like 6 likes
    Davis Baer replied
      ·  5 replies

    Miriam Ellis

    Joined Oct 10, 2020
    Local SEO Subject Matter Expert, Moz
    Miriam Ellis
    Local SEO Subject Matter Expert, Moz
    Good morning, Morgan! Here would be my list:
    • Create a mapped feature that depicts the delivery radius of brick-and-mortar brands, given the 2020 rise in home delivery due to COVID-19.Β 
    • Enable public commenting on Google Posts to increase their interactivity.Β 
    • Demote exact match search terms in the business title as a ranking signal, to decrease spammy behaviors.
    • Bring back the 7-pack. Local intent is now greater than ever, and surveys indicate that consumers wish to shop even more locally post-pandemic. It would be better UX for me to see more than 3 local businesses without clicking through to the local finder, given that, below the 3-pack, the organic SERPs are now made up mainly of 10-best lists and directories I don't typically visit, instead of being composed of actual local businesses.
    • Increase staffing to deal with listing and review spam. Every survey I ever do of the local results turns up multiple, highly-ranked fake listings, and fake reviews are a growing trust issue. Do essential categories first, so that things like hospitals and drug treatment centers are never a source of scams for vulnerable members of the public.
    • Help local SEOs build communities we all want to live in via an Alphabet commitment to ending and refusing contracts with agencies and bodies that profit from racism, violence and war. Be led by a diverse, inclusive ethics board that prevents these anti-human rights contracts. This will improve life in the communities where all of us work and live our lives.
    • Create and release a Green New Deal-style plan from the best minds at Google to address the fact that work in the American West (Google's first home) is being increasingly disrupted by Climate Change-fueled wildfires, and by flooding and megastorms in other parts of the country. Google has brilliant people and we have the solutions to address Climate Change. Google has the clout to lead the way in showing how to rapidly iterate a habitable future for local communities and nations. You can do it!
    Thanks for listening!Β 
    Reply
    Like 6 likes
    Morgan replied
      ·  3 replies

    Doug Bradley

    Joined Dec 29, 2020
    EverestLegalMarketing.com
    Fontana, CA
    Doug Bradley
    EverestLegalMarketing.com
    Thank you for coming here Morgan, I signed up specifically to reply to your inquiry. I've written a lot about the pains of GMB and the support (or lack thereof). It would be awesome to have agency support, and I don't mean roll out the red carpet for agency owners. I simply mean that agencies are a line to quality data, listen to us. We need a place to go within Google to get support for our clients... REAL support - not just an 800 number that goes to someone who doesn't know anything and can't do anything, all just to have to do it again in 30 days because the first person didn't actually do anything. Specifically, often we need the most assistance when: Β 
    1. Establishing a new GMB listing
    2. Taking over an existing GMB listing - If an agency GMB account has Google Analytics and Search Console connected to a business' known website, why can't this be used as a verification data point?
    3. When a listing gets suspended
    4. When reporting spam.Β 

    If we could have our GMB account(s) flagged as verified / trusted (similar to your "My Business Provider" program, but designed for the agency model), and have the information we submit "trusted until proven otherwise" you'd get a lot more agencies eager to provide more accurate information on a more regular basis, thus improving the overall accuracy and timeliness of information on our client GMB listings. Business owners might have motive to flub or stuff their listings, but most trusted agencies would have no such motive for providing inaccurate information for fear that their agency GMB account would be demoted. In fact, I think most would want to build up some sort of status as a trusted agency. This could be done similar to the way Wikipedia moderates content, or the way Google already does it with Local Guides.

    Just a thought, I hope this helps!


    Reply
    Like 5 likes
    Joe Youngblood replied
      ·  6 replies

    I can't get my listing approved!

    Taylor Timothy

    Joined Jun 5, 2020
    Taylor Timothy
    I have submitted the reinstatement sent all the proper documents and I still can't get it approved. It is in the addiction treatment space, we haven't gotten our legit scripts yet. Can I get this approved without legit scripts?
    Liked by Terry 1
    Like Comment
    2 comments

    Keyserholiday

    Joined Jan 14, 2021
    GMB spam fighter
    Denver, CO
    Keyserholiday
    GMB spam fighter
    What documentation have you supplied?Β 
    Reply
    Like 0 likes
    Taylor Timothy replied
      ·  1 reply
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