en-US All the latest news & Tips for Google+ Local SEO Sat, 22 Nov 2025 05:25:54 +0000 Sat, 22 Nov 2025 05:25:54 +0000 Local Search Forum https://localsearchforum.com/ Sat, 22 Nov 2025 04:55:17 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/1-star-review-extortion.62885/ 62885 invalid@example.com (chriscc) chriscc Hi all!

We have received five 1-star reviews this evening, all fake (see pic 1). The profiles of the reviewers urge us to contact them (see pic 2) by whatsapp and provide a number (+923444837972) or by email (shanowdd@gmail.com). The same number and email appear appear on the profiles of 3 of the 5 fake reviewers, and two of them have identical profile pics, so we know they are connected.

We have not contacted them as it is an obvious attempt at extortion (and presumably if you pay...

Read more]]> 33 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:46:38 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/admin-for-gbp-not-showing-up.62900/ 62900 invalid@example.com (Brian - TGL) Brian - TGL Another new one for me, and the opposite of the current GBP bug where the KP doesn't show up.

Every location for one of my Google accounts shows the sidebar KP and the note that I manage this business profile, but the main GBP "Your business on Google" links are not showing up.

https://share.thegroovylab.io/i/nZM095

The link syntax is the same compared to my other accounts:
https://business.google.com/n/1482600861272472901/profile?fid=9300441218231486530

I double checked the...

Read more]]> 8 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:54:40 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/cant-see-gbp-admin-panels-anyone-have-the-same-issue.62887/ 62887 invalid@example.com (prasadmahes) prasadmahes Hey, a team member of mine can't see client GBP admin panels when they click on the client name from our agency GBP manager. Same thing when they search for the client name on Google too. However, two other team members can still still it. Any idea what the fix is? We tried clearing history/cache, updating chrome, ensuring the correct email is being used, removing and adding the member from the GBP manager and restarting the computer.]]> 8 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:43:09 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/merging-multiple-site-locations-into-1-gbp.62474/ 62474 invalid@example.com (5 Star Reviews) 5 Star Reviews Hi brain trust,

I have a client who had four different locations for his truck business.

Due to a slowdown in the economy, he's had to close some of the other sites and merge them all into the one location.

Is it possible to merge the other locations that are all centrally owned by him?

They are not franchises.

With the Strategy be to change the address on the other profiles to the Central headquarters address where the existing business will be run from.

And then apply to have...

Read more]]> 9 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:33:26 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/confusing-suspension.62910/ 62910 invalid@example.com (composerchickenwing) composerchickenwing Hi everyone,

I’m managing a Google Business Profile for a garage door company with two locations. The profile for the location without signage was suspended. Here’s what we’ve done so far:

1. First Appeal: Submitted address details, state certificate, utility bills, BBB citations—denied.
2. Service Area Change: Switched to a service area business, which triggered verification. Profile was immediately suspended again.
3. Second Appeal: Resubmitted with updated...

Read more]]> 6 Fri, 21 Nov 2025 09:44:37 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/how-can-i-increase-absolute-top-impressions-on-google-local-service-ads.62911/ 62911 invalid@example.com (fshehu) fshehu Hi everyone,

Does anyone know the most effective ways to improve Absolute Top Impressions in Google Local Service Ads?

I’m referring specifically to the percentage of times your LSA appears in the very first position, above other LSA listings. My profile is fully verified, I have strong reviews, good responsiveness, and an active budget, but my Absolute Top Impression Rate is noticeably lower than competitors in my area.

GBP rating: 5/5 - 320 reviews

My questions:

What factors directly...

Read more]]> 0 Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:14:51 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/what-kind-of-ranking-scam-is-this.62894/ 62894 invalid@example.com (bdlowery) bdlowery I'm researching carpet cleaning companies in an area and I found 10+ businesses all ranking highly in the local map pack (first page), all with the same copy + paste websites, generic stock photos, and tons of fake AI reviews.

What kind of scam is this? Is it someone who doesn't live in the area outsourcing leads to cheap labor? Rank and rent? Has anyone seen something like this before?

Examples:

• https://share.google/EZQOkWWmfs9gCHP1q...

Read more]]> 11 Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:48:06 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/listings-apparently-deleted-after-removing-a-google-business-profile-group.62909/ 62909 invalid@example.com (beyondbluemedia) beyondbluemedia I am curious if anyone else has experienced this. We had a GBP group for profiles that we managed for one of our SEO clients. The listings for this client were created under the clients emails and we just had access to the group through our marketing agency email. We removed ourselves from the group after they opted not to have us manage their listings anymore, and apparently, all of the listings that were created are now either completely gone, like they have been deleted, or have to be...

Read more]]> 1 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:59:10 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/other-businesses-not-receiving-our-gbp-ownership-requests.62902/ 62902 invalid@example.com (LSO_TeamMember556) LSO_TeamMember556 Our agency has been having issues for the last month and a half with issues taking over other businesses' listings. We can send a request like normal and then it will show us the confirmation page “Request sent” but we never get an email confirmation, which we’re assuming this means it didn’t go through, because the other business never receives the request. This is for a bulk verified account/folder. We’ve gone through 3 email accounts to request them, because it seems like we’ve been...

Read more]]> 4 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 21:29:15 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/3rd-party-book-now-provider-at-scale.62907/ 62907 invalid@example.com (warrenpd) warrenpd I'm looking into getting the "book now" button on about 200 listings. Can anyone recommend a third party provider that could do this at scale in the moving and storage space?]]> 3 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:58:09 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/best-way-to-ask-for-reviews.62908/ 62908 invalid@example.com (Glass) Glass I have had the same issue for the 10 years that I have been in business. I am a residential service contractor, I have had thousands of customers who have been very happy with my work. They call me back for more work and they refer me to their friends, family, and coworkers often. Yet they don't leave me reviews.

I communicate thru text message with most of my customers. After the job is done and everything is over the last text that I send them will be:

"Let me know if you have any...

Read more]]> 0 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:24:16 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/large-number-of-reviews-suddenly-missing-across-multi-location-business-gbps-anyone-else-seeing-this.62906/ 62906 invalid@example.com (Syed Amir) Syed Amir Over the last two days, I’ve noticed a significant spike in missing reviews across several of my Google Business Profiles. I manage a business with three different locations, and together we’ve lost more than 90 reviews. These were legitimate reviews, and many had been live for months.

Is anyone else experiencing a similar issue with a sudden drop or removal of reviews on multi-location GBPs?

Also, what tools or methods do you recommend to track review losses? I’m looking for something...

Read more]]> 0 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:37:38 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/no-more-ways-to-verify-google-business-profile-error-message.62905/ 62905 invalid@example.com (Stefan Somborac) Stefan Somborac If you get a “No more ways to verify” error message when trying to verify your Google Business Profile, you need to contact the support team.

There’s a trick to that. Start with the verification status tool:
https://support.google.com/business/workflow/12825603

When the verification status tool rolled out, it did one thing: tell you the verification status of your profile. At some point, Google made it the entry point for contacting support to get help with verification issues. In...

Read more]]> 0 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:21:50 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/video-verification-on-bulk-verified-accounts.62891/ 62891 invalid@example.com (cleverlyengaged) cleverlyengaged We are getting bulk verified status for more clients. But face an issue where new locations added often get flagged for video verification anyway.

Because we have bulk verified status, we are able to create new GBP locations instantly and get them verified initially. After a week the pending status is completed and the profiles are flagged for video verification.

Are there tips or steps to avoid getting flagged for video verification? Thanks.

For example, in both cases we didn't have a...

Read more]]> 7 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 09:09:34 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/ask-a-question-q-a-button-gone.62852/ 62852 invalid@example.com (Alphart) Alphart Hello, I’m trying to add Q&A to several of my listings. The “Ask a question” button appears for some listings but not for others. Could this be a bug?

I’m managing multiple Google accounts, and I noticed that all the listings under one account don’t have the “Ask a question” button, while listings in another account do.

It seems that the disappearance of the button affects all GBP listings within that specific managing account.



]]> 3 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:25:38 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/which-business-has-nap-consistency.62866/ 62866 invalid@example.com (keyserholiday) keyserholiday Here are two businesses. Which one has NAP consistency?

]]> 9 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:25:03 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/review-not-showing-due-to-possible-connection-to-business.62790/ 62790 invalid@example.com (Tony Wang) Tony Wang Is Google now checking for any possible relationship to a business?

I left a review for a business I used, that is also a client of mine. I tried using two different personal accounts, both were filtered. The only connection those accounts had were that emails are forwarded or used as account backup on my business account, the one tied to the client's gbp.

I have done this before with no problems, but probably not in the recent couple of years.]]> 4 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:55:48 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/how-do-yahoo-business-listings-work-now.62904/ 62904 invalid@example.com (shielaA) shielaA Hi, does anyone know how Yahoo business listings work now? I’m a bit confused because it seems like Yahoo is no longer offering direct business listing creation.

• Do I need to create or manage a Yahoo listing through Yext?
• Or is Yahoo now pulling business information from The Real Yellow Pages (YRYP)?
• If you’ve updated a Yahoo listing recently, how did you do it?

Any insight or recent experience would be really helpful. Thanks!]]> 3 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:54:40 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/valentin-app-question.53762/ 53762 invalid@example.com (Amy Toman) Amy Toman I've been using (the wonderful) Valentin.app tool, and I'm wondering what I'd doing wrong. When the results come up in a separate window, and I don't see the listing I need, I click in one of the listings (the white area), and that should take me to another screen, listing more GMB listings in the same search area. But that's not always what happens. Quite frequently, that next screen reverts to my current (physical) location. I'm not sure what, if anything, I'm doing wrong. This has...

Read more]]> 11 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:28:38 +0000 https://localsearchforum.com/threads/workaround-for-gmail-account-creation-verification-requirements-for-setting-up-client-accounts-ga-gsc-including-socials-etc.62858/ 62858 invalid@example.com (Chris CCMM-STM) Chris CCMM-STM Our agency is hitting limits when creating free Gmail accounts for new client service setups (Google Analytics, Search Console, Socials etc.) due to phone number verification caps and the new QR code requirement.

As a permanent, scalable solution, is Google Workspace the only official recommendation for agencies to manage a separate Google account for each client's properties?

If so, can you confirm that creating a new Workspace User Account through the Admin Console does...

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