Updating Over 100 Local Listings - Cleaning Local Profile and Upload Questions

[WebTalent]

Hello.

I'm currently updating over 100 places in Google Local Listings

They have approximately 300 listings already in the account, with approx. 100 of them already verified.

The amount of 'True' locations is around 130.

In order to provide maximum,  appropriate NAP data, I need to update the 100 as well.

So, my question is in multiple parts -

1. How do I override and update the current locations in bulk? It doesn't appear that there's a way. Every time I upload a datafeed, it gets a new listing.

2. Because of all the listings in various states of verification, (Over 200), is there an easy way just to clear them out that's NOT manual?

3. Is there a way to export all CURRENT locations? The datafeed download only contains items which are trying to be updated..there doesn't appear to be a way to export all current data.

Thanks for any help you can provide about a project of this size is appreciated.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Web Talent,

If you managed to get direct support from Google on this, there is a chance you could hang onto your reviews, but I wouldn't count on it. Reviews are so flighty. Reviews are supposed to be associated with a specific location, so I would like to think they would stick to the listing, but having watched review issues run rampant for years, I would call them the most unpredictable facet of Google's local product.

[WebTalent]

Thank you Linda & Miriam -

I'm glad I'm not researching a question that's already been readily answered :).

I appreciate your suggestions and will try to follow up here as I find solutions.

There are lots of other internal branding issues as well that have to be ironed out before promoting the locations across the Internet - ones that I am encountering now.

Ultimately, I may have to clear the account, including the verified pages/account, and start from a fresh upload.

Would either of you happen to know, if I choose to delist an approved, visible location within my Google Places dashboard - one that is receiving traffic but should still have some information updated, and then I use the upload function to re-populate my entire dashboard with the CORRECT data I'd like verified for ALL locations...are there any implications to this? I'm assuming, since some of the originals were done in Google Local - I may lose things like reviews? Or will Google be able to unify the places internally after the upload is approved?

Thank you both either way!

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Linda,

Thanks so much - and for the general knowledge of the members here - Mike is Mike Blumenthal. He would certainly be an awesome person to consult with for any Local problems. Some enterprising newcomers to Local SEO should see from what Linda and I are saying that there is space in the sphere for someone who specializes in bulk issues. I bet if you specialized in that, you'd be flooded with business!

[LindaBuquet]

Thanks Miriam,

Not sure he specializes per se, but Mike does work with feeds or consults helping with problems on them. Of course when it comes to all things local "The Professor" has most of the answers. But besides him I don't know of anyone that's really a specialist in that area.

[LindaBuquet]

So sorry wish I could help but bulk is the one thing I don't deal with. I find there are not many consultants that know about/work deeply with bulk uploads either and from all the questions I get about it at my forum I know it's not an easy or straightforward process.

Have you posted at the Google Business forum? Myself or one of the other Top Contributors can escalate it to Google if no one knows how to help.

Also have you tried phone support? If you can get someone on the phone that understands bulk, that may be your best bet. From the feedback I get it sounds like most of the phone support reps are somewhat entry level, but maybe they can get you to someone?