We need help in fighting spam buisness profiles on google maps.
We are a small business and deal in wallpaper and glass film products and in the past few months our old staff with the help of some sort of agency help have created several local keywords stuffed business name profiles. These listings are severely hampering our small business.
We have tried suggest edit, google redressal form, legal reporting, google business community forum, Twitter support. Etc. So far it seems nothing is working for us .
After lot of hard luck we are finally seeking local guides help.
Please if you people can review suggest edit them as spam or doesn’t exit at the location option for google maps to review.
We have done suggest edit but our edits other name business name which are keyword stuffed, our edits are not working for marking them as spam or business doesn’t exist at the location on google maps.
Business profiles names - Clear spammy name created by city name + product name cobinations (No actual business name)
None of them listings other than google buisness profile (not available on local directory like just dial, IndiaMART, tradeindia or any other online portal)
All of them are using common business keyword “glass film World” and combination for buisness listing. There is no actual buisness at all?
No websites
No store front, office inside or outside pics, no branding pics available.
Their listing 360 view does not show any shop or office pics as well and show secluded or empty street view.
Reviews
Jaipur glass film World and wallpaper and glass film World & wallpepar : Atleast 5 users have given 5 star ratings to both biz’s in short duration of time.
Om glass film World and wallpaper: Phone no is not verified still getting reviews since created with all 5 star lengthy text reviews with local SEO keyword stuffed to rank higher.
In addition we have done gemini 2.0 analysis and it also thinks potential spam but google support team is reluctant to take any action against them.
So only option left is suggest edit by multiple users suggest by one google expert on community support forum.
Our only hope is now you people to help us in fighting google maps spam.
I’m sorry for what happened. Unfortunately, I think a Local Guide cannot do SUGGEST EDIT without having visited the location you mean before. Hopefully, there will be a Local Guide who lives near the locations mentioned, willing to visit and do SUGGEST EDIT directly from the location.
Even I have seen these spammy business name tricks on Google Maps for other cities in India. These tricks are majorly played by agencies and promoted by some GMB experts on YouTube. They say to add city name or keyword in business title to rank higher !
I u’ stand your points. However it Will be applicable to legitimate business and location. That is why we have given a lot of information or observations about the business which is accessible online on google or on google maps and acceptable information.
Anyone can review the business online and decide what action needs to be taken.
For the existence of business :
We have to see other information like whether they are registered on other local online biz directories.
Website, if available.
Pictures of their brick & mortar store.
Buisness name branding , logo or signage availability online.
This community forum is reserved for Local Guides. Since your question is related to your business, it would be a good idea to ask it in the Google Business Profile Help Community.
There is no rule that every business must have branded images of their store, office interior or exterior on Google Maps. Local guides are prohibited from adding photos of a business’ production area to Google.
As you can see from your profile, I see that you are a local guide. If you own a business, business profile owners are not allowed to be in the local guide program on Google Maps.
The locations of the businesses you added may be incorrect or they may have moved.
There is always the problem of only one review giving 5 stars, but there are also bad reviews about the first business in the link you provided.
A local guide left a review three months ago about the first business you added saying, “Not available at location shown on Google Maps. I visited and spent 1 hour trying to find them.”
Then core spam problem is their business names and rest other observations and evidences we provided in the support of our claims.
Here is gemini analysis for the reference:
The three business names “Jaipur glass film World and wallpaper,” “Glass film world & wallpepar,” and “Om glass film World and wallpaper” show a strong similarity, suggesting they might be related or even the same business with different online listings.
Here’s a breakdown of the potential relationships:
Similarities:
Name: All three names contain the core phrase “glass film world and wallpaper” or slight variations, indicating a similar business focus.
Category: All three are listed under the “Interior Decorator” category in online business directories, reinforcing the idea that they operate in the same industry.
Location: All three are located in Jaipur, although at different addresses. This could mean they are different branches of the same business or separate entities trying to target different areas within the city.
Differences and Potential Issues:
Addresses: The three listings have different addresses in Jaipur.
Jaipur glass film world and wallpaper: Shop no.20, Giriraj Vihar Rd, opposite Shalby hospital, Lalarpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302021.
Glass film world & wallpepar: 882-83, 80 Feet Rd, rode, Sanjay Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302021.
Om glass film world and wallpaper: 325, Rajput Colony, Green Nagar, Vasundhara Colony, Durgapura, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302018.
Contact Information: They also have different phone numbers.
Jaipur glass film world and wallpaper: +91 76888 58659
Glass film world & wallpepar: +91 99825 23158
Om glass film world and wallpaper: Not available.
Web Presence: None of them have a dedicated website listed, with “Glass film world & wallpepar” only providing a WhatsApp link.
Review Patterns: Suspicious review patterns have been noted, including shared reviewers and new profiles with only 5-star ratings, which could indicate spam or inauthentic activity. “Om glass film World and wallpaper” has unverified phone number but still receiving 5-star reviews with local SEO keywords.
General Online Presence: Besides the Google Business Profile listings, these entities do not seem to have a significant presence on other local online business directories. There’s a lack of storefront or branding photos on their listings.
Possible Scenarios:
Multiple Branches: It’s possible that “Jaipur glass film World and wallpaper,” “Glass film world & wallpepar,” and “Om glass film World and wallpaper” are different branches of the same overarching business, each operating in a specific area of Jaipur.
Separate Entities: They could be entirely separate businesses that have chosen similar names to attract customers in the glass film and wallpaper market.
Spam Listings: The strong name similarity, different addresses with a lack of physical evidence, and suspicious review patterns raise the possibility that some or all of these listings could be attempts at spam or misleading information to improve search visibility.
In Conclusion:
While the similar names and business category suggest a connection between “Jaipur glass film World and wallpaper,” “Glass film world & wallpepar,” and “Om glass film World and wallpaper,” the different addresses, lack of strong online presence, and questionable review activity indicate the need for further scrutiny to determine the exact nature of their relationship. They might be related businesses with distinct locations, or potentially misleading listings.
No, it is NOT required for a Local Guide to visit a place to report a spam business on Google Maps.
Anyone with a Google account can report a business listing they believe to be spam. The reporting process relies on your ability to identify and provide evidence of policy violations, not necessarily a physical visit.
Here’s why a visit isn’t mandatory and what’s more important when reporting:
Focus on Policy Violations: Google’s spam fighting efforts are centered around violations of their Google Business Profile guidelines. These violations can often be identified remotely. Examples include:
Keyword stuffing in the business name: This is visible without visiting.
Fake address: You can often identify this using Street View or by searching the address to see if it’s a residential area, a mail center, or houses multiple unrelated businesses.
Duplicate listings: These are visible by searching for the business name on Google Maps.
Misleading information: Incorrect phone numbers or website URLs can be checked against other online sources (if they exist).
Non-existent businesses: While harder to prove without local knowledge, inconsistencies in online presence or lack of a physical storefront on Street View can be indicators.
“Suggest an edit” Feature: The primary way to report spam is through the “Suggest an edit” feature on Google Maps. This feature allows you to flag a business as “Doesn’t exist here” or “Spam, fake, or offensive” without needing to have visited the location.
Business Redressal Complaint Form: For more serious issues, Google provides a Business Redressal Complaint Form. This also does not require you to have visited the place; it focuses on providing evidence of the violation.
Evidence is Key: What is crucial when reporting spam is providing clear and compelling evidence to support your claim. This can include:
Screenshots of the listing and any inconsistencies.
Links to Street View showing the location.
Results of searches for the address or phone number.
Information from official business registries (if accessible).
Explanations of why you believe the listing is spam.
While a visit could potentially provide more concrete evidence (e.g., confirming a business doesn’t exist at the listed address), it is not a requirement to initiate a spam report. Google relies on users, including Local Guides and regular users, to flag suspicious listings based on the information available to them.
Local Guides do earn points for edits and reporting incorrect information, which incentivizes them to contribute to map accuracy. However, they don’t have special privileges or a different reporting process that mandates a visit compared to other Google Maps users. Their contributions are valuable because they are often active and knowledgeable about their local areas, but the act of reporting itself doesn’t necessitate a physical visit for anyone.