How do you know if you are listed in google+ local?

[donovanfox]

OK This Google+ local and Google places merge is confusing.

My first question is how do you know if your company is listed in Google+ local?

I've done a search in Google Plus (logged in with another gmail account) but couldn't find my company on the results.

Second question is that I am also not able to be found in maps.google.com, is this related?

Thanks

[KyleJack]

Hi Donovan,

There is a really quick way of checking your presence on Google+ Local. Go to Google Maps, type in your brand name and either a town or postcode where your business is located and search. If you're listing pops up in the search result click on the icon on the map and click on "more info" on the listing pop-up. You should then go through to your local listing's Google+ page.

If you're not present (or if you are and you don't own the listings) you should sign up for an account here: http://www.google.com/business/placesforbusiness/ and claim your business listings.

Hope that helps,

K

[donovanfox]

Thanks Donovan, as stated in question 2, the company is not showing in maps either. Any other thoughts here?

[KyleJack]

If the company is not showing within the search listing then now is your opportunity to create them. I've pasted the URL above where you can sign up and claim your business listings within Google. Once you've registered you can go about claiming your business listings with Google, specifying the location and contact information.

K

[donovanfox]

Kyle, thanks again but what if the company is already claimed and at one point earlier this year it was showing up?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Donovan,

I received your PM and see you asked this question here as well. If you know a listing was created and claimed and it isn't showing up, I would suspect a penalty, suspension or deletion of the listing. Are you in control of the account? Can you see a listing in the Places dashboard? If so, what is the status of it? Active, pending, suspended, needs action? An issue like this can be tough to diagnose without actually seeing the listing/knowing what to look for.

Kyle's advice is correct regarding doing a business name+ city search in maps.google.com. That's typically a good way to discover if a listing exists, but if you're working on this client's Local SEO, you need access to their Google account so you can see what's going on in the dash.

[donovanfox]

Thanks Miriam. I was only given a chance to see that the status is active so unfortunately I don't have access to the account. I can get it but given the state of the issue now, I wouldn't want to muddy up the waters until I am sure. Can I PM you the listing?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Donovan,

Got your PM. What you linked to is not a Google+ Local page. It's just a Google+ page. I visited the company's website and question their eligibility for inclusion in Google's local index. There is no physical street address and the business looks virtual (does not do face-to-face business with clients). What can you tell me about this.

Also, referring back to your original question, if you attempted to merge a Google+ Local page with a Google+ Business page, that can cause problems. Additionally, if you attempted to create a Google+ Local page for a non-qualifying business, Google may have deleted it. In order to qualify for Local inclusion, a business must have

1. A physical street address (not a mailing address, PO box, virtual office or shared address)

2. A local area code phone number (not a toll free number, call tracking number or shared number)

3. Face-to-face transactions with customers.

What I see on your Google+ page you PMd me is a toll free number and no address. I see a mailing address on the company's website but no physical address. This is what is making me question whether this business qualifies as Local in Google's point of view.

[donovanfox]

Miriam, thanks for the clarification. So the bottom line is that if you can't find the company in Google maps then the G+ Local page is not created/claimed yet.?

What if client has Google places and the listing there is listed as active?

Also the physical mailing address is under the Contact page so shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Donovan,

I would say that, typically, if you can't find a business in maps.google.com via the business name+ city search, it's likely that a Place Page/Google+ Local page doesn't exist, but I would not say that this is utterly sure. If you know there is an active Place Page and it isn't showing up, I would suspect a penalty of some kind. Regarding the address, just to clarify, this must be a physical street location, not just a mailing address. On the contact page in question, I believe I saw the address labeled as a 'mailing address', which made me question whether this is a physical address or not.

Hope this helps.

[donovanfox]

Good points. I will work on this next week and if/when a conclusion is reached, I'll update this thread.

[MiriamEllis]

Sounds good, Donovan. Just be sure the client meets all three of those points on my list of must haves:

1. A physical street address (not a mailing address, PO box, virtual office or shared address)

2. A local area code phone number (not a toll free number, call tracking number or shared number)

3. Face-to-face transactions with customers.

Wishing you tons of good luck!