Place INSTANTLY marked as "Not Applied" over 5 times, even though I even submitted it

[Teejai]

This is a bug I have seen lots. For me it's generally linked to poor or slow mobile data connections. For whatever reason a new site can be submitted, all details and photos are uploaded correctly and instantly denied. The same place with all the exact same details re-added from a computer or on WiFi is added instantly later on. I've proven this numerous times. I have lots of sites and photos in my edits as "unknown" because of this. 

[iMarbot]

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@Teejai wrote:

This is a bug I have seen lots. For me it's generally linked to poor or slow mobile data connections. For whatever reason a new site can be submitted, all details and photos are uploaded correctly and instantly denied. The same place with all the exact same details re-added from a computer or on WiFi is added instantly later on. I've proven this numerous times. I have lots of sites and photos in my edits as "unknown" because of this. 

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When I submitted my first edit for this location, I had poor signal too...

Although even trying to add it later via WiFi or on a PC it was still denied 😕

[Briggs]

Gotta love this "Not Applied" business.

I notice that some people make even the slightest changes to their additions which can make or break the difference between being insta-rejected and being approved, or at least sent for manual review for human intervention (which isn't exactly reliable). Perhaps we could have some sort of master-post of ideas and maybe a list of information as to what makes the edit go through, and what doesn't.

Such factors include:

• Exactly where the map marker is and the address involved. Most addresses are auto-generated and set within a specific boundary. Also when trying to add a place, Google Maps can also auto-fill an estimated address based on its location.
• The name of the listing, as well as the category that is selected. Usually if there is an overlap between the name and the category, you'll get rejected.
• English names, and exotic-sounding business listings too also have a chance of being rejected, especially if the name itself does not relate to the category.
• All we can do is collate information, identify trends and research the Google Maps AI.

EDIT: When adding a place, I will only include the name, address and category, the initial screen that comes up. I never bother with adding hours, photos, phone number or website, those only get added in after the place gets created, since I don't want to waste time as I have previously. I don't think they're factored into the creation. Those additional fields are only for convenience and completeness, and also to assist the manual review team to make a determination.

[sputnikjim]

Thanks to a discussion on the Google Maps & Earth Help Forum, I discovered some fairly detailed criteria for business points of interest (POI) in Google Maps.

Guidelines for representing your business on Google

It is reasonable to expect that Google has included some of these guidelines as validation checks in their software algorithms and human reviewers.  Which are included and which are not included is impossible to know.

Those that have had business POI requests rejected should be reading these guidelines.  Google offers translations into many other languages for those who have difficulty with english.

[Flash]

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@iMarbot wrote:

@WetCoastCanuck wrote:

@lu5er , @iMarbot There is a good probability that the businesses might have claimed the locations already but haven't add the places to the map yet , so you can't add / modify it. My suggestion is just move on.

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That makes no sense.

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Actually, it is a valid explanation that is often the case.  When a claim is made the feature does not appear on the map for a few days while Google verifies the claim, but in the meantime the system is still aware it exists in case you try to create a duplicate.

I could create a fake business and "claim" a location and therefor block someone from ever mapping the business, and negatively affecting the business due to less exposure.

No, you could not.  You would have no way to claim it.  As stated, Google verifies the claims.

Google also has a system for people to claim already claimed businesses after further verification, due to access to the Google account that made the claim having being lost.

[lu5er]

@Flash, Isn't that a rumor with humor? 😂 

No offense intended. Don't arrest/ban me.

[Briggs]

Those guidelines on Google aren't exactly followed by the algorithms itself. I've had places created where I had to include Restaurant (unnecessary information) at the end of a place, or even the suburb it was located in (location information), even though for regular postings or businesses the guidelines otherwise don't apply as well as it should.

Over time these listings and functions will grow over time. When trying to add a place, places that seem similar enough will pop up and you can either submit anyway or select one of those. The guidelines will hopefully actually be followed by it's own algorithms sooner or later.

[YK1001]

HI @Briggs,

I think the catch here is about the full name in real world representation.

Consider this:

From Government's commerce department, the legal name of a company is: Abc Catering Company

For small company, they might not have trademarks registered for ABC.  So they just put the full company name in their store front.

Would you consider the correct name for this POI be "Abc" or "Abc Catering Company"?  (Assuming both POI is having the correct category Catering Supplier)

[Flash]

It is not about legal names; almost always the name used on the map should not be the legal name.  We are attempting to map the most common name; the legal name has a place to be recorded but that is currently unavailable with the editing tools we are using at this time.

But descriptive words are permitted when the are integral to the name.

A good example is that I grew up in a neighbourhood called McMillan.  It was so named after McMillan Road.  I went to McMillan Elementary School, walking there past McMillan Church.  I swam on the weekends at McMillan Pool, which was next to McMillan Park.  The local convenience store was McMillan Grocery, which was in a small stripmall called McMillan Mall.

There's a lot more examples from the area of places named McMillan; but my point is in their cases the descriptive word is/was integral to the name.  One could never say "I'm going to McMillan" and have others understand, thus what is meant by the other words being integral.  But what is then added to the map is just the integral part; if the store's legal name is McMillan Grocery (1980) Ltd. then it is not shortened to McMillan but is also not lengthened beyond McMillan Grocery.

These are things that algorithms will never get perfect, or at least not soon.

[Briggs]

You raise a pretty good point.

Hello @YK1001. In the sense between company registrations and registered business names (aka trading names):

• A company such as Ricciardo Construction Company Pty Ltd, but a registered business name of Ricciardo Constructions would allow the latter.
• Amadeus Catering Company Pty Ltd, similar to your example but represents itself in real life as Amadeus Catering is another example. In your example, it really depends on the branding, and I would represent the business as ABC Catering.
• Or a real life example I visited on Sunday, the Quick Thai Restaurant. We know it's a Thai restaurant, but if we removed Thai Restaurant the listing would just be Quick. Strange and awkward, representing it as it's displayed, presented name in real life: Quick Thai would be most appropriate.

I also agree with Flash also. If there were places that were just called Medical Centre, Takeaway, or Friendly Grocer, these are examples that would have benefits in including the locality/suburb's name, namingly Doonside Medical Centre, Tulloch Takeaway (note Tulloch is just one street in the large area of Blacktown) and Friendly Grocer Mount Druitt. Telephone exchanges can also be reflected and differentiated by which suburb they're in.

Others, as such (for example, McDonald's North Parramatta/McDonald's Rydalmere/McDonald's Penrith, or Kennard's Hire Seven Hills/Kennard's Hire Clyde/Kennard's Hire Rockdale) that are clearly franchises would not reflect these as such.

I'm now starting to understand the complexity of the algorithms, since it would be difficult for the Google Maps AI to differentiate and understand context.