New to Google local business center…

So google wants to be updated? Whatever for…???

This new feature is going to force… umm… allow you to be more interactive with google and your customers.  Absolutely a great tool for local restaurants, clubs, and such.  Still a good tool for services, as you can run promotions and events here.  What google is asking for is interaction.  What they want is your time… and time is money.

Great tool to add to your onslaught of Google Maps.

On the down side…

Here is a glimpse of the the before and after Google maps recent service area changes.

Google had results by service area… and then they didn't

So this is a shot of my trend… what happened?

Google changed their results to show service companies by the service area… My Phoenix pest control location, which is located in metro Phoenix but addressed in Peoria AZ, was granted the service area of Phoenix.  So if you searched Phoenix Pest Control, Bulwark showed up in the maps.  Yahoo!….. (no pun intended)…. And google then snatches it away almost as quickly has they had given it… #fail

So now they are back to only listing businesses addressed in the city searched… a search for Austin pest control shows only locations within the city of Austin…. urghh.  I mean I love it in Austin, as we rank #3 but I am not about to buy up property within every city limit to land in the maps.

The Awkward Google Map Dance Continues….

So you know when you are walking down a semi crowded corridor and you end up face to face with someone going the other direction, and then you do this little shuffle left to right to left… feeling awkward… and hoping the dance will end as you each establish which way you are going to take…. Here in lies the Awkward Google Maps Dance…

On using an employees address that works a route from his home… Matt Cutts… “Grey hat.  How can we let guys that work from home do it and not a legit business?”

Google stance on P.O. Boxes… “NO!”

On getting a mailing address in the city… the Fishkin… “Setting up a DBA and a mailing address is totally legit white hat. Its like getting .AU to do “local” business with the Aussies. I don’t see a problem with that.”

So the mixed messages…. Left… Right… Left… the Awkward Google Dance Continues.

I am starting the New Year off right by actually saying something nice! (yes, I know I am always nice…

Bing has actually impressed me today with their new feature… “Ask your friends to recommend …pest control.” See image below…

Props to the Bing!

So the new feature is pure genius! It adds a personalized flavor to your search and helps the users get recommendations from friends. Overall it encourages further online conversation… which is what the internet is all about!

Sneaky?… just a little. The function actually post the Bing url on twitter, facebook, or in your email.  Smart though it titles your email for you and gives the results.  I love it because if you lived in Vegas and emailed this list to your friends asking for recommendations… Bulwark pest control would definitely win!  And of course the consumer would win… which is what the SERP should want.

So hats off to Bing on this one!

… of course they may want to remove that spam guy in position #5, A Executive Pest Control Insurance??? P.O. BOX???

Still, Bing is moving in the right direction.

It’s the supermap, not a wannabe superman…

It’s a home, it’s a house, it’s a business its… SUPERMAP! Yes all this and more can be found on google maps, and now they are moving into a top position as the “Directory of choice” or “the Only Directory”.  I am not sure if I should be chanting the SuperMap praise or not.  They are quickly becoming… well invincible.

What is Google’s Kryptonite?… oh that would be all the errors they are still working to fix, like their local maps still not showing correct information after all of the database cleaning and merging.  And thing like their Charlotte NC maps not listing by user reviews properly. But with so many greedy villains out there who can Google trust.  And if I were Superman then would I even care to trust anyone else?  I mean look at what happened between Clark and Lex?  Yep, the Supermap does come with some baggage.

But I think Supermap is a hero.  I mean… look at it is are killing off.  Old dinosaurs that still boast themselves as relevant phone directories just so they can steal money from the innocent and naive while creating huge amount of trash. How many landfills do those books fill up each year?  Go Supermaps Go!

Need some help here… no thoughts come to mind.

I am at a loss of words for what to put in this photo above.

“OH PLEASE STOP… NO REALLY… YOU ARE IN THE WAY”

“YOUR NOT A FAVORITE PLACE, BUT THEY ARE!”

Oh… No.. The paparazzi finally found me! Please stop!

Now showing on google maps.

Get a load of this guy! Its not him its the google maps they are after! Local hot spots are becoming hotter as google maps dons businesses with “We’re a Favorite Place on Google.” Okay… maybe not this hot.

Please give me your ideas on what to say or which one you like better.  Thanks!