Google Maps Now With Quality Guidelines For Local Search

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

Google have published a set of guidelines that should be followed when submitting your business to Google maps. In the past, the guidelines appeared to be fairly lax and revolved around one business location, one submission. The guidelines are far more stringent now.

The basic premise of each listing now is that it should mirror your business exactly with information such as business name, address, phone number and website details.

One area that Google looks like getting tough on are multiple listings where businesses that have a physical presence in one location, but service several different locations, try to get listed in each service location. The other area that Google will not accept is where the one business address has several different specialties and tries to list under each of those specialties. Both of those options are closed and attempts to list will see all listings excluded.

This policy still matches the one business, one location, one listing policy. It is however spelled out more clearly now.

One option that is now available is the re-inclusion request. If your site has been removed for some reason, you can request to be re-included. Be sure you follow the guidelines carefully. As ever, Google suggests that if you are in doubt, err on the side of caution.