Google Local pulling incorrect business name

[handsun]

A client mistakenly put her business name in one of the directories with "In" after the name for" incorporated". She wants to remove the "In" because it just looks weird, but we cannot figure out how, its showing up in google local too now. She did update her infousa listing but that didn't help.

[SteveTheWoodsman]

When you mention that she put her business name in "one of the directories", mind if I ask which directory?  I have had several clients that will do directory listings themselves or will pay someone to get them listed but then come to me when its all messed up.

What you need to have her do is go to that specific directory and get her business delisted.  Some directories will list you on their site and then auto-setup a G+ account... the problem with that is that they then control the G+ Local account.

So the steps are:

1. Get the directory listing removed
2. Hand submit a G+ Local listing (Submit here: www.google.com/placesforbusiness )

Then wait up to 10 days for the verification postcard.

I know what you're dealing with and it can be quit the pain to correct.  Hope the directory is helpful.

[PixelgemsCreative]

Also, if it is a Google+ listing that is incorrect, report the old one to have it removed.

[BedeFahey]

Hi Carin,

Here's how I would handle it, assuming the client controls the listing that is "showing up in Google Local"

1. See if the client can provide you the login information for the directory, and then update it manually.

2. Search using the incorrect business name, to see if the incorrect listing has propagated to any other directories. Fix those, too.

3. Search using the business phone number and/or address and look for incorrect business names, just to catch any stragglers.

4. Check with InfoUSA, infogroup, Superpages, and Localeze, just to be sure everything is correct there.Check out the ever useful David Mihm's Local Search Ecosystem here to see if there's anything else you should look into.

5. Assuming the client controls the Google local listing, fix it there. If it's just one listing and the client doesn't control it, claim and verify it (don't submit a new one!). If it's a duplicate, see my note below.

6. (optional) Place bets on how long Google will take to actually update the information.

NB If there are duplicate listings, (e.g. the one that is "showing up in Google Local" is a second listing) do all of the above except for 5) and then report the old one as a duplicate in Google, providing the URL of the correct listing.

Steve, why would they hand submit a G+ local listing if there's already a listing in place? It seems like that would risk creating duplicates.

[handsun]

The strange thing is the google+ is perfect once you click through to the places page, she controls the page and the title was set up as correct in the beginning,  its just in the local 6 pack serps that the "In" shows up in the title. I found two directories, yelp and mapquest with this title and corrected them both. infousa was updated 3 months ago with correct info, and up the last time I checked - a few weeks ago, the listing was displaying correctly. I guess its just a matter of time.

[BedeFahey]

I had a similar experience with a client recently, where the map interface was different from the Google+ local listing. I had to clean up the data sources, and report a problem with the listing.

How is the listing being managed? Through the new Google+ local interface, or the old Google Places interface?

Because Yelp and Mapquest were incorrect, it makes me wonder if there's incorrect information at either Localeze, Infogroup (not infousa) or Axciom - if you look at the Ecosystem map, Yelp appears to pull from Axciom while Mapquest pulls from Localeze and Infogroup.

I'd strongly recommend checking those three upstream data providers out. They can and will override your Google information. I believe you can get to Axciom with http://mybusinesslistingmanager.com, infogroup with http://expressupdateusa.com, and localeze at http://business-listing.localeze.com/sign-up-with-localeze.aspx

[handsun]

Thanks, i have to ask about the Ecosystem map, where is that found? I contacted localeze to become a vendor, but don't have the volume they require, and I think an annual fee is a bit much for a small local business (most of my current clients, insurance agents, jewelry stores etc)

[MiriamEllis]

Just popping by to endorse Bede's excellent replies on this thread, Carin. As he's said, going upstream to correct underlying data problems and then doing various searches to find any instance of the incorrect business title is the work you'll need to do. One wrong listing can be propagated in dozens of places and you've got to try to edit them all or Google will continue to be influenced by them.

[BedeFahey]

You're very welcome, Carin.

The local search ecosystem is put together by David Mihm (and others, I believe) and you can find it at:

http://www.davidmihm.com/blog/local-seo/local-search-ecosytem-fall-2012/

While Localeze does provide a vendor system (I checked into it too, and, like you, the volume thresholds are too high for most clients) they also provide a single-listing management option, that you would need to claim for your client (requires a phone verification to the business). This should let you correct anything that needs to be fixed.

You can find the start of the listing management option in the link I've included below. Look at the "Small and Medium Business" option, and then click on "How to get an account".

http://webapp.localeze.com/directory/get-started.aspx

You're still looking at something like 2-4 months for everything to propagate out, and at least that long for Google to update.

Thanks for your kind words Miriam!