Does Google call your satellite offices and ask what's down the street?

[marketingdepartment.ch]

Is this a real thing? Do they actually do this? Should I be concerned and train my receptionists to know their surroundings?

[Shalusingh]

Never experienced and heard this before. In first sounds like a scam, then I have gone through many online communities to ask this. I found that yeah Google does calling for verification of your local addresses.

[WebMarkets]

As a marketing agency, everyday we are bombarded by "Google listing verification checks", which are a telemarketers way for lead generation. They don't even realize they are calling an online marketing agency until they ask more questions. I wouldn't call it a SCAM, just poor solicitation.

[LureCreative]

We are a marketing agency in a fairly "corporate park" type area and have not ever had this happen to us. From some of the above responses I guess it is legitimate though? We are in the U.S. and will keep an ear out for this if it ever happens to us.

[Agenciaseomadrid]

whow, in spain there are a lot of problems with all a new commerces in the same place

[Agenciaseomadrid]

I think it depends if there is a conflict with other business, in Spain only send you "the postcard", but i remember one time they call me.

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Slumberjac!

Whew ... that was an alarming experience you helped the client through. Well done! Thanks for sharing your story.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Donald!

Thanks for sharing these anecdotes with us all. Good ones!

[Slumberjac]

Yes,

Google have been trying to stop people gaming their "local search" feature.

People are listing their business as "somewhere customers can visit" with opening hours etc, when in fact it is a home address or they are not at that address at all.

I had a client that didn't give Google the information they wanted when they called and they deleted their Google + listing that had 100+ genuine reviews! I had to ring Google and we had to take pictures of outside and inside the office to prove they were at that address.

It is now listed again! PHEW

Google are being quite aggressive with their approach so I would make sure your listing is accurate and staff are ready to answer any questions about your location and business hours.

[donsilvernail]

Miriam,

I had trouble getting a client verified. I got google on the phone, they did ask me specific questions about what was across and down the street. After answering, they verified my clients business right on the phone. I asked if they were using google street view to verify my answers, the google representative said he could not answer that question. The final verification was they called my client to make sure the number was legit.

With that said, I never had them call me directly for verification purposes. Any call I get claiming to be google representatives has always been spam.

Thanks,

Don

[MiriamEllis]

That's a good guess, EGOL. Google definitely does call, and there have been instances in the past where failure to answer the phone with the exact name on the listing have resulted in being "caught" for spam, and many other scenarios I've seen. I like your intuition here about why Google might be asking what is down the street. I think they should also add, "And how's the weather outside your building today, hmm?"

[EGOL]

Sounds rather aggressive.

Yes.  It is also aggressive to fake a location.  Might be criminal in some situations.

Perhaps Google does this in response to competitor reports, and, in which they can't confirm the presence of an office through public information.

[KevnJr]

it was 2015 and they were questioning the DC office only

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Marketing CH and Kevin,

Interesting! First I have heard of Google asking what is across the street/down the block from a business. Sounds rather aggressive. Might be worth posting in the Google My Business forum to see if you can get verification from Google that they are, indeed, asking for this specific type of info.

[marketingdepartment.ch]

Hi Kevin, thanks for your response! How long ago did this happen? Did they ask for info about all of your physical locations? Or just your main office? Thanks in advance!

[KevnJr]

Yes, Google has called our main line asking for information across the street, down the block, etc. We had to prove we occupied our address, which is our sales office in DC. We currently have 6 addresses, with 4 physical locations,1 sales office and another obtained in the acquisition of another business.

[Martijn_Scheijbeler]

What? This is the first time ever I've heard this, sounds like a total scam to me.