GoogleMaps has taken on a very difficult task.

With so much information on the web and with so many varying components and inconsistencies in the way information is presented, the task of compiling and identifying local businesses is Gargantuan. Google has been storing information for several years from an array of sources; telephone registration, advertising, utilities, phone books, and blogs. Each different source has provided local addresses and other local information. In collecting this data Google has decided to try its hand in providing a more local resource directory. They want searchers to be able to find the local restaurants, doctors, dentists, plumbers, pest controllers. But in amassing such data they must sift out the inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and the old with the new.

The Map Merger

Address Similarities:

Maps in Google often merge because of too much similarity to another listing.  Two doctors sharing the same building for similar practices (i.e. pediatricians), will have the same address, minus a suite number.  These doctors have a high probability for being merged.  Even if one is on the 1st floor and the other on the 51st floor.

Business Name Similarities:

Other local listings may be merged because the business name is too similar. Let’s take “Tulsa Pest Control” and “Tulsa Pest Control Deals”. In this case Google makes a  judgment call based on the information they have.  If “Tulsa Pest Control” is registered with the BBB, Structural Pest Control Board, and the local chamber of commerce and “Tulsa Pest Control Deals” is not then Google will most likely merge it to “Tulsa Pest Control”.  However, there are other factors that could sway this the wrong direction.  Claimed listings, online spam, or the most recent content.

Same Business Name Different Locations:

A company with mulitple locations may see their listings merge.  Key factors in merging these local listings are the website address and the phone number.  If you have one phone number for all of your locations then you are at a high risk of being merged.  Sharing the same website will also push you closer to a merger.

How to unmerge Google local listings.

Step 1: Claim the listing

Unclaimed Listing

If the listing is unclaimed then fix the listing and then claim the listing. You can tell by the portion that says, “Edit this place – Business Owner?” that the listing is unclaimed.

Claimed Local Listing – Owner Verified

If the listing is claimed then first fix it in your Google Places. You can tell it’s claimed by the owner-verified check at that top.  If you have not claimed the listing and it says owner verified then you will want to claim the listing for yourself.  Simply click on the text “Owner Verified” and it will take you to Google places.  You can create your profile there and claim your listings.

Step 2: Correcting the information elsewhere

Because Google is relying on other sources for their listings you must go to those other sources. The best way to unmerge the listing is go to the primary source of all local listings: InfoUSA If you two businesses with similar addresses then enter in both businesses.  BE WARNED: This is a sure fire way to increase your phone calls! But they are not the phone calls you want as InfoUSA will sell your information to businesses that solicit other businesses.  So your calls will increase, but mainly because of solicitors. Overall the best fix is going to the root of local business listings.

BUT…

But this may not fix all of your woes.  Changing it at the source may not delete previous errors.  If Kudzu.com picked up the old address they are not going to purge their system with the new info.  They simply keep adding to the pile.  So if your incorrect information keeps getting feed back into google’s bots, google will continue to add and merge.  This may make your work a little more tedious.  You may need to search out and destroy all of the bad addresses for your business on the net.  You may need to pick up a phone and call Kudzu.com to have the information corrected or removed.

Another example, the Las Vegas phone book has an old address published for Bulwark Exterminating in Las Vegas.  To correct this I need to contact the Las Vegas yellow pages.  Affiliate Marketers may also cause mergers and confusion in the maps. If this happens to you, don’t be fooled, they caused it! They can fix it. The simplest fix is to tell them to remove their listing all together from google maps.  I don’t think Google intended for the maps to be filled with affiliate marketers, …despite what shows in the search. This may be a scary thought for you as you don’t want to loose potential business from their spam listings.  But continuing to allow them to list in the maps means you are paying for a listings that you should be able to achieve yourself for free. Further, you are adding to and promoting the growth of the internet marketing cesspool. Let’s keep it clean for everyone’s sake.

Step 3: Wait for it.

Google will not make or show adjustments immediately. Some updates will take place very quickly.  Within hours or a couple of days.  But most will take much longer. Give it 3 to 12 weeks.  But these 3 steps should solve your merging problems.  If they do not then move on to Step 4.

Step 4: Last Resort: Create a new listing.

If Step 1-3 do not fix your problem after 3 to 12 weeks then you may attempt to create a new listing all together.  Make sure that you still follow Step 2 so that other sources are mimicking your business information.  Unfortunately without these outside references your business listing will not stick.

Just to sum it up…

Unmerging Local Listings is not easy and it will take time, but it will work.

If you need help please feel free to email me < >.  I have had to unmerge several of Bulwark’s listings.  There are also a few other tidbits I could provide you with… Like fighting off “Black Hat Mergers” but I don’t want to explain these tactics publicly as I don’t want spammers using them.

Make it a Great Day!

Insect Control eliminates pest that can destroy your home and damage your solace . Get rid of ants. Get rid of cockroaches . Get rid of all your pests with our Sapulpa pest control services. Bulwark is the most reviewed Sapulpa exterminator in all of Sapulpa, OK. Serving the entire Tulsa metro area with hundreds of Tulsa homes trusting our family for pest control.
Your local Sapulpa exterminators that are highly recommended on Google. Call and Experience the difference!

Link:
How to unmerge Google listings.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Matt Cutts for fixing your google maps! (Not sure if he deserves all the credit but he was the google employee that reassured me that this would happen).  I must say that I am very optimistic about google maps and the direction they are heading.  Here are a couple of things you may want to be aware of when it comes to the future of google maps:

1st and most important…

Google Map extends to service areas of businesses!

This is the best news I have had all week!  In fact, Matt Cutts and Google will be receiving thanks in my Thanksgivings giving celebration this week! I had the pleasure of addressing my concern to Matt at Pubcon two weeks ago, thanks to an introduction given by Kate Morris, an SEM Gem.

Matt essentially admitted that google was cleaning up the mess it had accumulated from mining the information that was out there for local search. He assured me that the most recent update in the google maps was that they were now pushing their own information for the map results, not 3rd party info.  I mentioned my concern in that the current maps only showed listings within the actual metro city and that this was not reflective of the service areas of many service companies, (cough “Pest Control companies” cough). Matt assured me that they were aware of this and that they were working to correct this….

Two weeks later I get this…

Phoenix Pest Control Map in Google Maps

So if you notice the map title “Pest Control near Tempe, AZ” … Go through the results and you will notice that the first listing “A” falls right on the town of Tempe.  But “C” Bulwark Exterminating is not within the Tempe city limits… Awwesoooome!

Again… Tempe results show Bulwark Exterminating… not in Tempe… Actual address…

Bulwark Exterminating – Phoenix Pest Control
10401 N 91st Ave, Peoria, AZ

Two weeks ago this search would only give results in Tempe.  Now it gives results of companies that service Tempe but don’t fall within Tempe, AZ.  Thank you Google! FYI I have only experienced this phenomenon in the Phoenix area. But I have high hopes that this will roll out to our cities.

2ndly an update for the San Fransisco maps…

Google is currently beta testing their google maps for advertising:

Search done for San Francisco Attorney

Good? … possibly. What if I were already in the top 7, would I get charged for the click? And when they click on the map the sponsored listings no longer show.  The down side I see to this is that the sponsored listings don’t show the reviews. Reviews are huge for CTR.  I would prefer the sponsored list show my reviews and take you to the google review page. But as I have not tested this yet, I really have no constructive input. Just making you aware of what is on the horizon. Great thing about the internet is that you can always test… the bad thing is that you are always testing.

So as always… “The Future is so Bright that I’ve go to wear shades.” (Yes I am singing in my head.)

What a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

Insect Control cures pest that can raze your house and blemish your comfort . Get rid of spiders . Get rid of ants. Get rid of all your pests with our Sapulpa pest control services. Bulwark is the most reviewed Sapulpa exterminator in all of Sapulpa, OK. Serving the entire Tulsa metro area with hundreds of Tulsa homes trusting our family for pest control.
Family owned. Family Values. Call and Experience the difference!

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Thanksgiving to Google Maps!