It seems that Google has once again made changes to the Local Business Center that seem like a step backward. You can see a full graphical chart on the changes over at Mike Blumenthal’s Blog.
I don’t understand why Google doesn’t allow for the optimization for local business content, much akin to its allowance of optimization for organic search. I’m of the opinion that the more information a consumer has about a business, the better. However, Google seems to be of the position that the Local Business Center is only used for listing the physical location of a business, not to learn anything more about the services they provide.
Recently a client asked me why their local business account had been suspended. I look into the matter and it seemed that they had multiple phone numbers going to the same physical location. Each phone number was being routed through a Market Expansion Line ,which at the time, fit Google’s listing parameters. However since Google has changed the rules, my client’s account no longer remained within Google’s profile of a proper listing so their account has since been suspended.
Additionally, some professions have been deemed ‘non-community-building’ and therefore no map is displayed. For instance, if one were to search out ‘location’ + ‘web design’, you would be met with a list of organic listings only. For those of us in the web design profession who actually have a physical location, is a bit of a problem. I can understand removing the listing because the majority of us work out of basements or home offices (and by Google’s standards, a residence cannot be listed as a viable business). However, 50% of small business NATION-WIDE are home based businesses.
Google needs to seriously reconsider what it is doing to local businesses and stop catering to financially stable businesses in a local area.
