undefined
Skip to content
Moz logo Menu open Menu close
  • Products
    • Moz Pro
    • Moz Pro Home
    • Moz Local
    • Moz Local Home
    • STAT
    • Moz API
    • Moz API Home
    • Compare SEO Products
    • Moz Data
  • Free SEO Tools
    • Domain Analysis
    • Keyword Explorer
    • Link Explorer
    • Competitive Research
    • MozBar
    • More Free SEO Tools
  • Learn SEO
    • Beginner's Guide to SEO
    • SEO Learning Center
    • Moz Academy
    • SEO Q&A
    • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
  • Blog
  • Why Moz
    • Agency Solutions
    • Enterprise Solutions
    • Small Business Solutions
    • Case Studies
    • The Moz Story
    • New Releases
  • Log in
  • Log out
  • Products
    • Moz Pro

      Your all-in-one suite of SEO essentials.

    • Moz Local

      Raise your local SEO visibility with complete local SEO management.

    • STAT

      SERP tracking and analytics for enterprise SEO experts.

    • Moz API

      Power your SEO with our index of over 44 trillion links.

    • Compare SEO Products

      See which Moz SEO solution best meets your business needs.

    • Moz Data

      Power your SEO strategy & AI models with custom data solutions.

    NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
    Moz Pro

    NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

    Learn more
  • Free SEO Tools
    • Domain Analysis

      Get top competitive SEO metrics like DA, top pages and more.

    • Keyword Explorer

      Find traffic-driving keywords with our 1.25 billion+ keyword index.

    • Link Explorer

      Explore over 40 trillion links for powerful backlink data.

    • Competitive Research

      Uncover valuable insights on your organic search competitors.

    • MozBar

      See top SEO metrics for free as you browse the web.

    • More Free SEO Tools

      Explore all the free SEO tools Moz has to offer.

    NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
    Moz Pro

    NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

    Learn more
  • Learn SEO
    • Beginner's Guide to SEO

      The #1 most popular introduction to SEO, trusted by millions.

    • SEO Learning Center

      Broaden your knowledge with SEO resources for all skill levels.

    • On-Demand Webinars

      Learn modern SEO best practices from industry experts.

    • How-To Guides

      Step-by-step guides to search success from the authority on SEO.

    • Moz Academy

      Upskill and get certified with on-demand courses & certifications.

    • MozCon

      Save on Early Bird tickets and join us in London or New York City

    Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
    Moz API

    Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

    Find your plan
  • Blog
  • Why Moz
    • Small Business Solutions

      Uncover insights to make smarter marketing decisions in less time.

    • Agency Solutions

      Earn & keep valuable clients with unparalleled data & insights.

    • Enterprise Solutions

      Gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of search.

    • The Moz Story

      Moz was the first & remains the most trusted SEO company.

    • Case Studies

      Explore how Moz drives ROI with a proven track record of success.

    • New Releases

      Get the scoop on the latest and greatest from Moz.

    Surface actionable competitive intel
    New Feature

    Surface actionable competitive intel

    Learn More
  • Log in
    • Moz Pro
    • Moz Local
    • Moz Local Dashboard
    • Moz API
    • Moz API Dashboard
    • Moz Academy
  • Avatar
    • Moz Home
    • Notifications
    • Account & Billing
    • Manage Users
    • Community Profile
    • My Q&A
    • My Videos
    • Log Out

The Moz Q&A Forum

  • Forum
  • Questions
  • Users
  • Ask the Community

Welcome to the Q&A Forum

Browse the forum for helpful insights and fresh discussions about all things SEO.

  1. Home
  2. SEO Tactics
  3. Local SEO
  4. Local Listings
  5. How to remove a former business location from Google Places?

Moz Q&A is closed.

After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

How to remove a former business location from Google Places?

Local Listings
3
5
8.4k
Loading More Posts
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as question
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
  • BlairKuhnen
    BlairKuhnen last edited by Apr 2, 2014, 6:20 PM

    I've received a strange response from Google Places on local listings for a home builder.  Google's rep suggested that we not list the new home sales center (a model home) since at some point it will change from being a business listing to a residential listing.  That is just wrong.  It will be a place of business for the next 3 years and then will flip to being a private residence.

    These days it is uncommon, but not that rare to turn over ownership from public to private or vice versa (A residence becoming a law or other commercial establishment.  Or a whole office building becoming condos.)

    The issue is, when it does happen, how do we get Google and others to recognize that a business is no longer a business location? I've had trouble bringing down the address of former former model home sales centers on Google Places much to the chagrin of the residents.

    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
    • MiriamEllis
      MiriamEllis Subject Expert last edited by Apr 9, 2014, 2:54 PM Apr 9, 2014, 2:54 PM

      Hi Blair,

      Funny, I recalled this question, too, but didn't realize it was yours 🙂

      I wish we could get an 'official word' from Google on this, because it's something the guidelines hint around but don't speak to directly. Have you ever posted this question in the Google And Your Business Forum, just to see if you get any feedback from the TCs there? Maybe even from a staffer? What's really important, I think, is the distinction between what Google's guidelines state about rental properties, etc., and the fact that a main office is being located on the property for several years. I mean, if it were a watch repair store that opened for several years and then closed, no one would fault them for having a G+ Local page, right? So, I think there is grey area here. You've been told by a Google rep not to do this, but I am truly curious as to the reasoning behind that individual's advice, and whether they could have been misinterpreting the guidelines.

      Blair, as this is a business model you deal with constantly, I'd suggest trying again to get feedback from a Google staffer on this, maybe via their forum. If that doesn't work, you might try contacting a TC, like Linda Buquet or Mike Blumenthal to see if they would consider writing about your topic ... because there just isn't a clear guideline for this, in my opinion, given the exact details of the business model.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • BlairKuhnen
        BlairKuhnen last edited by Apr 8, 2014, 10:21 PM Apr 8, 2014, 10:21 PM

        Miriam,

        Not sure how I missed your response.  Great answer.  We are really a consortium, so I am seeking a general solution not just one for a client. Based on the linked thread and your advice, here’s what I think all home builders should do regarding their sales offices and Local SEO:

        1. If you have an onsite sales office, do a Google Places listing for it.  Blow it out with pictures, relevant copy and anything of use to the target persona.
        2. Make sure you add a geo coordinates as Google and others may be lagging your land development efforts.
        3. When the sales office is ready to close, delete everything that is possible to delete in the Google Places account.  Makes sure names, pictures, and other content are removed.
        4. Market the business as closed.  At the time of closing, check for options for reclassifying as a residence.  While they do not have this function today, those #googlers are darn smart and they will figure out a way to allow locations to change from residence to business or the reverse someday soon.
        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • MiriamEllis
          MiriamEllis Subject Expert last edited by Apr 3, 2014, 1:02 AM Apr 3, 2014, 1:02 AM

          Hi Blair,

          I am a bit surprised, too, by the advice you were given. I wonder if the rep could possibly have been thinking of this entry under the heading of 'ineligible business models' on the Google Places Quality Guidelines:

          "Rental or for-sale properties, such as vacation homes or vacant apartments, are not eligible to be listed on Google Maps and should not be verified. Instead, verify the listing for your sales or leasing office or offices. If you have a property with an on-site office, you may verify that office location"

          It says right there in the guidelines that if you have a property with an onsite office, you can verify it, and that appears to be what you are describing, even if it will be closing in three years. I guess maybe it's a grey area and you probably shouldn't go against what Google has told you.

          If, despite what they said, you decide to go ahead with the plan, it's a bit hard to advise you. Right now, if a business needs to be closed, there are specific options, some of which are described well in the Google And Your Business Forum thread:

          https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!searchin/business/mark$20as$20closed/business/ybLoj6VAtMk/EwGnYbVT9aoJ

          But, what the options will be 3 years from now, who can say? So, you'd probably need to look into this again when the time comes.

          You would also need to try to shut down any citations you may have built, or they may cause a new Google+ Local page to be automated. Hope this helps!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • hecklerponics
            hecklerponics last edited by Apr 2, 2014, 6:25 PM Apr 2, 2014, 6:25 PM

            A good place to start is here if it has a physical location: http://www.google.com/mapmaker

            From mapmaker you can close the business (it isn't immediate as they use crowd sourcing).  You can also report the business as being closed through the maps listing.

            If you do a search for the listing in question, in the list view (http://maps.google.com) you'll see an option that says 'more' with an arrow pointing down.  Click that and hit 'report a problem'.

            Hope it helps.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • 1 / 1
            1 out of 5
            • First post
              1/5
              Last post

            Got a burning SEO question?

            Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.


            Start my free trial


            Browse Questions

            Explore more categories

            • Moz Tools

              Chat with the community about the Moz tools.

            • SEO Tactics

              Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers

            • Community

              Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!

            • Digital Marketing

              Chat about tactics outside of SEO

            • Research & Trends

              Dive into research and trends in the search industry.

            • Support

              Connect on product support and feature requests.

            • See all categories

            Related Questions

            • bbop33

              Google My Business -Choosing Multiple Categories

              Hi friends, I'm trying to work out what would the practice be for a business who is operating in different categories in terms of displaying those categories in Google My Business account. We have a client who is supplying both catering and cleaning products (both categories are core). In this case, listing those two categories in GMB would be alright or should I expect a negative impact on results related to both categories as we have chosen multiple categories? Any advice would be appreciated greatly!

              Local Listings | Jul 24, 2019, 6:57 AM | bbop33
              1
            • bpurdue

              "Duplicate" on Google Local - Attorney and Business Listing

              For our law firm, we have a Google Local listing for the firm (Riddell Law LLC).  Google also created a local listing for one of the attorneys (Riddell) (we didn't create it, but are in the process of verifying it).  Both listings are at the same address.  Moz Local says these are "duplicates" - is that true?  Would Google penalize us for this?  I am not sure how to fix it - both the individual attorney and the business are in fact at the same address. If anyone has any advice I would greatly appreciate it!  Thank you!!

              Local Listings | Aug 26, 2016, 6:55 PM | bpurdue
              0
            • RosemaryB

              How can I submit Baidu business listings if I live outside of China?

              A client of our wants to manage business listings for three locations in China.   We wanted to submit to Baidu but from what I've learned this is highly regulated (you live in China, pay a fee and call them to confirm). This is the only article I could find about submitting to Baidu: http://www.nanjingmarketinggroup.com/blog/baidu/how-can-baidu-maps-help-my-business Are there any conduit or 3rd party services available that can handle this? Thanks

              Local Listings | Jan 21, 2016, 5:30 PM | RosemaryB
              0
            • KempRugeLawGroup

              Removing Unverified Listing From Google

              We have an old unverified listing that has our information on it, but we can't get it off google. I told them months ago it was closed, and it is marked as closed in Google...but it still shows up. Moz Local is telling me this is an inconsistency that hurts our local rankings. I went to delete the page from our Google Business/Place, but if I did that, the warning said that I would just not have access to the page, and that the listing would still show up on google. How do I permanently get rid of those thing, so it's not longer an inconsistent listing? Ruben

              Local Listings | Dec 17, 2015, 1:50 AM | KempRugeLawGroup
              0
            • chris.oursbourn

              What is the ideal length of a business description for citations?

              I am trying to write a business description for building citations. What is the ideal length or word count for this? I am using Yext to help get them listed, did a lot of searching for an answer and was unable to come up with a definite answer. Any help would be great! The business I am working on for this is James River Church, they have 2 locations. So I am trying to write a unique description for both locations.

              Local Listings | Aug 7, 2015, 9:55 PM | chris.oursbourn
              0
            • EcommerceSite

              How long until an address changes after verification on Google My Business?

              Started working with a company recently that had a Google My Business with an old address. I went ahead and claimed it and verified it with the postcard, but it still shows the old address if search. How long will that be?

              Local Listings | Jul 8, 2015, 2:21 PM | EcommerceSite
              0
            • PeteC12

              Should my website link to my google business listing given that I already link from google business to my website ?

              I have a website with individual Location Landing Pages for each of my Depots.  I also have individual Google Local Business Listings for each of my depots. Should I have a link from my Website Location Landing Pages to the associated Google local Business listings or not ?... Given that I already have a link on my Google Business listing to the relevant Location Page on my website. I wasn't sure whether linking both ways would be more beneficial thus enforcing things better or whether it's not needed to link both ways . thanks Pete

              Local Listings | Oct 24, 2014, 12:30 PM | PeteC12
              0
            • Gavo

              Are citations the way to go even if there is no Google Places listing

              If there are no Google Places / Local listing for a keyword search term, for example... "web design vancouver", do building citations still help in enabling websites to move up the organic rankings?

              Local Listings | Jan 9, 2014, 7:48 PM | Gavo
              0

            Get started with Moz Pro!

            Unlock the power of advanced SEO tools and data-driven insights.

            Start my free trial
            Products
            • Moz Pro
            • Moz Local
            • Moz API
            • Moz Data
            • STAT
            • Product Updates
            Moz Solutions
            • SMB Solutions
            • Agency Solutions
            • Enterprise Solutions
            Free SEO Tools
            • Domain Authority Checker
            • Link Explorer
            • Keyword Explorer
            • Competitive Research
            • Brand Authority Checker
            • Local Citation Checker
            • MozBar Extension
            • MozCast
            Resources
            • Blog
            • SEO Learning Center
            • Help Hub
            • Beginner's Guide to SEO
            • How-to Guides
            • Moz Academy
            • API Docs
            About Moz
            • About
            • Team
            • Careers
            • Contact
            Why Moz
            • Case Studies
            • Testimonials
            Get Involved
            • Become an Affiliate
            • MozCon
            • Webinars
            • Practical Marketer Series
            • MozPod
            Connect with us

            Contact the Help team

            Join our newsletter
            Moz logo
            © 2021 - 2025 SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. Moz is a registered trademark of SEOMoz, Inc.
            • Accessibility
            • Terms of Use
            • Privacy

            Looks like your connection to Moz was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.