Is Google going to mark my business as closed?
I just received a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to work for a firm that was hired by Google to verify business listings. (no caller ID number) Their pitch included that “over 30% of businesses listed on Google and Bing have closed” and that businesses they are unable to verify as still open will be marked in bold red letters as “Permanently Closed“. After being closed for _x_ days they will be deleted.
I do not rely heavily on my Google Business listings, but I sure don’t want anybody thinking I have gone out of business! So I engaged in conversation, just in case. :
Me: Which business are you calling about?
A (agent): Don’t you know the name of your own business?
Me: Of course I do. But I have more than one business. I need to know which one you are calling about.
A: The one that is associated with this number.
Me: I only have one number. So can’t you tell me which business you are calling about?
A: The one that is associated with xxx-xxx-xxxx
(( At this point we spent a few minutes in confusion over how someone could just have one phone number for multiple businesses. ))
Me: That’s my number. But what is my business? Can’t you look it up?
A: Yes. Just a minute. … … … I am showing no businesses associated with the number xxx-xxx-xxxx.
Me: Then why are you calling me?
A: Because this is the number listed for your business.
Me: I don’t …. *sigh* …. How about I tell you a few business names and you tell me which one you are calling for.
A: But nobody would be looking for your business by name. It should be a generic term like “pvc pipes”.
(( Another conversation about why I would want my business listing to include my business name. ))
A: Only repeat customers will know your business name. How will new customers find you?
Me: I am not actively looking for new customers right now.
A: ((In a very annoyed voice for me wasting his time.)) Then you don’t need a business listing. (( Click – Call over, he hung up on me without saying bye! ))
The guy never would tell me exactly what he was up to. I find it highly unlikely that Google would hire a firm to confirm business listings without telling them the name of the business.
How to check if Google needs to verify your business.
- Go to www.google.com/business/ and sign in.
- Click on “Manage This Page” for the business in question.
- If you need to verify your business, there will be a notice near the top of your business’s Google Plus page.
