Tips to get Verified by Google Business Listings

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If you have recently gotten your business denied by Google My Business, things can seem hopeless. You’ve put all this time into building your physical business, only to have Google tell you that you don’t qualify. If you are indeed a real business, don’t fret, there is probably something you did wrong. Here is a checklist to make sure you get approved by Google.

1: Make sure you show your physical address. While displaying a name, phone number, and email address (NAP) are necessary for generating leads, many service based businesses like locksmiths or mobile windshield shops don’t show their physical addresses on their websites. If your website doesn’t display NAP, it will raise concern with Google over the legitimacy of your business as an actual local service provider, and prevent you from getting listed.

At a minimum, put your NAP on home and contact pages.

2: Eliminate citation inconsistencies. Many service-based businesses change addresses or phone numbers over time. As such, comb through your website and make sure there are no discrepancies. If Google crawlers see discrepancies, they’ll flag your account to prevent you from getting approved! You must make sure that your address, phone number, and anything else that directs to your physical business is 100% consistent and correct.

3: Make sure off-site citations are consistent as well. Google will crawl various business directories, and any inconsistency might flag your account. Websites like Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages, and many others need to show the same address, phone number, email, etc… If you don’t want to worry about setting your external citations, use THE HOTH who will contact 100+ business listing websites for you, and ensure consistency.

The Hoth SEO Audit ReportThe Hoth Citation Audit Report

4: Use a local phone number for your business, ideally a landline. If you don’t have a landline, get a cell phone using a major local provider like AT&T or Verizon.

The reason you want a real local phone number is it further shows Google that you actually operate in the city you are advertising for. The key here is not appearing to be an overseas lead gen website, but an actual services business.

Do not use a pay as you go phone, phone number from a PBX system, or internet phone number for getting your business verified. All of those can be created from overseas and do not ensure confidence with Google that you are a local business.

5: Do not content spin or copy content. Content spinning involves taking someone else’s content and changing the order of words/sentences to mask the similarly from Google crawlers. While this may work in the short term, Google is a lot smarter than you (sorry!), and will catch on to your tactics.

Image result for content spinning

Content Spinning Example

The only way to be sure you are not breaking rules is to create your own original content. If the content is just someone else’s, then it adds nothing to the internet.

If you have no choice but to copy someone else’s text I recommend you use a ‘no follow’ tag so Google knows not to index it.

Image result for nofollow text

6: Work on your business page from your physical location.  If you are located in India and creating a business page in Austin, Google knows this from your IP. To prove to Google you actually have a physical location, it’s important that you make updates to your GMB page from that location. It doesn’t have to be every day, but there must be work done from a local IP address.

7: Include images of your business. It’s important that Google knows your business actually exists. Having images of your business helps prove you do perform a service, and are not just a lead gen website.

One thing to take note of is that the address and phone number in your pictures are correct. I’ve worked with a company that didn’t get verified from Google because they had pictures of their service vehicles with an old phone number on them! The incorrect phone number was barely visible on the van, but that was enough to get denied.

Service vehicle phone number

Check your service vehicle phone number

8: Get a Google representative to come out to your business. Many cities have local Google business reps that can consult with you. Like any other thing in life, it’s all about connections. If you have an insider rep helping you out, the chance of getting approved are much higher.

Here are some direct Google lines:

Austin – 512-537-5485
Portland – 503-567-9632
Madison – 608-305-4001
San Diego – 619-928-9401

 

9: Time heals all. Whether you like it or not, your business might not get approved for a few months. Your website might just be too new, with not enough outside links or content through Facebook/Yelp. Don’t fret, focus on building your offline pipeline and ranking in organic search.

Here are some other key points to follow:

10: Use a real street address for the Google Places listing. (Not a UPS address or virtual office).

11: Create the Google Places listing with an established Gmail account. Do not buy a “throw away” Gmail account.

12: Create your Gmail account at the address used for the Google listing.

13: Do not use the same computer used to create other Google listings.

14: Do not use a proxy to create the Google listing.

Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments below.

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