Google Places... the mysterious acceptance policies

[bouncybunny]

In the past a listing on Google spaces generally only attracted spam and employment requests, rather than new business for me.

However, with front page SERPs being increasingly devoted to this feature, I have been trying unsuccessfully to get my new business listed on Google places. It has a bricks and mortar address, services local clients and appears to fit the bill point by point under their terms and conditions. However, my application and reconsideration requests are continually rejected with a standard template.

Why do they play this game? Why not simply tell you why your request has been rejected? Is there some big secret about all of this?

I would be interested in other people's experiences.

[anallawalla]

Is there any history about your website that could be relevant?

[AnkitMaheshwari]

Check if you have filled in right categories as they can sometimes be an issue.
You can also try and delete this listing and start fresh. For me it worked after I got rejected thrice.

[Catalyst]

The Google Places guidelines are written in a very vague way on purpose, I believe.
If they spelled out exactly what to do and what to avoid, then the spammers would just take advantage of it.

Here are some of the most common mistakes to be sure to avoid.

Use your REAL business name. Don't add any keywords or City.

Be sure your categories do not contain city or other geo terms.

Be sure your categories say what your business IS NOT what it DOES.
This is a fairly recent rule change that people often overlook.

Don't repeat your name, city, phone or category keywords in your description or more details section.
This WAS in the guidelines, then was removed. But many of us think G still has a problem with this.

Now some that read this may say "but my competitors violate those guidelines and they still rank high".

Well they likely won't for long. What many of us believe is that once you edit your listing, it triggers the algo to spider your listing to be sure it's in compliance with all the latest guideline changes. So while many listings that break the rules still rank high due to old spam tactics that used to work, once those listings are edited they'll be rejected or suspended.

Hope this helps and best of luck!

Linda Buquet

[bouncybunny]

My website is first for many releent keyphrases. Its a straigjtforward servuces company. No spam. Very ordinary really.

My details were very ordinary also, no spam words or keywords. Really honest bland atuff. Ad i said, i really just added this for completeness. I dont expect much business from it.

But thanks, i will delete the entry and start again. Maybe someone just has a bee in their bonnet for some reason.

[bouncybunny]

On a more general note. With the huge increase in Placed results in the serps, is Google in danger of beciming a directory first and search engine second?

[anallawalla]

is Google in danger of beciming a directory first and search engine second?

I don't think that matters to Google, as long as it has more eyeballs for ads. In a perfect Google world, a mobile device will only need a single Google app that addresses all their needs.

[bouncybunny]

Heh. I think you're right. It's a new world for tge internet. Not sure i like it so much.