But if you do have a business address, it's increasingly important to make sure it is listed accurately on services such as Google Maps.
With the new Google Maps, moving a marker is not so easy, but it's still not impossible - you just have less direct control over where your marker ends up.
Checking Your Location
First, search for your business name on Google Maps - for example, here's my dad's business listing on there:
You might not be familiar with industrial estates in Scunthorpe, but let me tell you, that marker is spot-on, if you could set it as your sat-nav destination, it would direct you right through the front gate.
But it wasn't always like that - when I first looked up my dad's Google Maps listing, his marker was way up the road, and on the other side of the street.
If you know what you're doing, it doesn't take too long to reposition the marker so that it is bang on target, both on the overhead road map view, and on StreetView.
There are certain other details you can give to Google, to help make sure your business is listed correctly:
- business name
- address
- telephone number
- status (make sure your business isn't listed as having closed down!)
Moving a Marker
There are two ways to move a marker on New Google Maps, and the best way is probably to switch to Classic Google Maps - I know you would think it would be easier in the newer version, but you have more direct control in the old interface.
Alternatively, edit your business's result and add a note explaining why the marker position is wrong, and Google should get around to updating it.
Either way, your change has to be verified, so don't expect an instant result; I've always seen the changes made fairly promptly in the past, so it's obviously something Google are keen to get right.
Help!
If you're still not sure how to proceed, I can help; for a fixed fee of £10, I will make sure your Google Maps listing is updated.
I will need:
- your business name (so I can find it on Google Maps, and so I can make sure it is correct on the map)
- your business address
- your business telephone number
- confirmation that your business is open
If your business is very new, it would be helpful to know what it used to be, or what's next door, just in case the StreetView imagery hasn't been updated since your signage went up.
We can also tell Google if your listing has any of the following problems:
- wrong details (including your website URL)
- duplicate listings (eg if your business has changed hands)
- missing address items (eg address has your street but not your unit number)
- road problems (eg it's not marked on the map as being one-way)
- imagery errors (eg something unsuitable is showing on StreetView)
If you are aware of any such problems, let me know and I can report them to Google, still as part of that fixed £10 service.
Why so cheap?
Totally honestly, it's not hard to move a marker on new Google Maps, or in the classic Google Maps interface - you just need to know where to click to find the relevant options.
I'm not looking to make a fortune out of this, I just know plenty of people would rather pay a small amount to have it done by someone who knows their way around the old and new Google Maps interfaces.
Remember, it's a one-off job that will have long-term benefits for any customers finding you on Google Maps; without moving your marker to the correct location, your Google Maps listing is akin to taking out a Yellow Pages advert with the wrong address listed.
Any questions?
If you have any more questions about your Google Maps listing, please get in touch using any of the contact methods listed on this blog.
Or if you simply want to book an audit and correction of your listing, get in touch - I shouldn't need any login details or anything like that, just the corrected information that needs adding to your listing, which I can then submit to Google from my own account.
Any questions?
If you have any more questions about your Google Maps listing, please get in touch using any of the contact methods listed on this blog.
Or if you simply want to book an audit and correction of your listing, get in touch - I shouldn't need any login details or anything like that, just the corrected information that needs adding to your listing, which I can then submit to Google from my own account.
