Help My Google Local Link Has Been Hijacked!

jbogs1

No kidding your local listing --- hijacked... (that could be you).

UNLESS you've made the effort to verify your listing.

Here's the thing, local search is shaping up to be one of the dominant sources of traffic for brick and mortar businesses on the net.

The global local search market is set to surpass $31 BILLION yes that's a B and continues to add all sorts of cool tools like reviews, ratings, storefront and product photos, detailed maps and directions, hours of operation, ... PLUS more and more as cell phones are integrating with the service.

It's getting huge and valuable. That's why the hijack title. (It's already happening and it's a pain to get it back right again)

So you need to be claiming your listing if you haven't already. If you havent here's the steps:

#1 Log into your google local and you see:



that means you haven't claimed it.

In order to claim it click the "add or edit my business" link and scroll to the end of the page. (you'll have the map on the right following you) and hit submit.

You should be brought to a page that looks like this below and

#2 Choose the edit my business info





You'll be taken to a page (the image below) to claim or validate your listing.



#3 choose how you'd like to validate you're listing:

I like the phone its the fastest.

'I won't share how to hijack a listing just know that it's been done and the fastest way to make yourself safe is to follow the steps above.

FYI - even if you've done it before double check, google has been doing a lot of changes lately and I know from personal experience I had to reverify my listing even though I had done it once before.... it's best to be safe.

Hope that helps

John
www.*******************.com