Google does not call you

And your Google listing will not expire

If you are receiving calls from “Google” or companies telling you that your Google Listing is set to expire … hang up!

Does Google call about my Google Listing?It is a scam. We probably get about 3 or 4 calls a week from one of these companies. But we do answer them, we press #1 to speak to a representative (it could be why we get so many calls). But we answer them and want to talk to them because we like to challenge them. Most times they hang up. So how reputable can they be?

When we challenge them about “who they are?“, or “where are they seeing that our Google listing is about to expire?“, or we tell them that we perform SEO as a service, they either hang up, or giggle and realize they are caught. We’ve even had some admi it and threaten us.

We like Google, and we work with Google to help our clients. But when we need help from Google, it is very difficult to find a number to even call them. So they are not just going to call you out of the blue to help you. To be honest and blunt … Google doesn’t even know about you and your business (unless you are a very large, international company or they want to buy you). Google has lots of their own stuff on the go and they provide a lot of tools for companies like us to use to help your business.

There are over a billion websites. Google is not about to call each and everyone. They provide the tools to help be found with them, but that’s where it ends.

 

Don’t believe us? No problem. Check out what Google has to say on the subject.

No, your Google listing is not about to expire

In fact, you have to tell Google if your business closes

If you have ever searched Google for a particular business. You might see on the right hand side of the Google search results, that there is more information about that company. Sometimes you will notice that the Business is Permanently Closed. In order for that to happen, someone with control of the business listing with Google has to login and label the business as permanently closed.

 

What to do if I get these calls

  • Hang up on “Sharon from Google”. Do not press 1 to talk to an agent. Doing this typically tips of theri software that is making these calls that someone answered and they will continue to call.
  • File a NOTICE with the Google Safety Centre. It will “help them better protect our users. Please note that this form will not directly impact whether you will receive robocalls in the future.”
  • File a complaint with the CRTC.
  • Hire someone local to help you or take over yourself.

So how is it that your listing will expire?

It won’t. Most businesses don’t even know how to claim their listing or that it is even a service to claim it. They assume that that is all done by Google. Sure, the initial information may appear because of Google, but if you look close, it allows you to Claim the Business if you are the business owner.

Claiming it is very important. So is keeping it up to date. You are able to do a lot of things with it, including setting business hours and holiday hours. How many times have you searched for a business to see they are “open today” according to Google only to find out they aren’t actually open. Google is only as good as the information they have. If it is out of date, then what are they supposed to do?

Google is very important to your business

The yellow pages are dead

There are a number of amazing ways to market your business. Billboards, social media, radio ads, television ads and more. But … when was the last time you slammed on the breaks when you saw a billboard with a must have product or service?

Business make money by selling services or products. Up until about 10 years ago, the only way to sell products was in-store or out of a printed catalogue. The web has changed a lot of things. But some things haven’t changed, in order to sell products, people still need to come to your business or buy online.

What has changed is people typically go to Google or Bing to find what they want. They may see the billboards, hear the radio ads or even follow you on Facebook. But those marketing tools are just that tools. Tools to promote your business, but they should be geared to  drive traffic to your website, online store or physical store.

There is a reason Google is the #1 search engine.

They have the best search algorithm to help people find what they want faster. ANd … people will go to Google or Bing when they are searching for a product or service. If people do not know about your business … they are not searching for your business. They are searching for a product name or service, “in Regina” (or wherever they are).

A number of Google’s services are free and some are paid for like Google Adwords. If you are comfortable with computers and know what to do, then head on over to Google My Business to get started.

If you are unsure of what to do or hate computers, we can help you.

Claiming your Google Listing is only the beginning of proper SEO.

 

Google My Business

Claim it. Update it. Start it. Hire us to help.