Local SEO and Marketing Q&A Session January 14, 2022

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

New manager waiting period for GBP.
What are some tips for combating the Google vicinity update?
If suggestion edits are handled by AI, why do they stay under review for days or weeks?
What is the best practice for switching a business from a Google website to your own URL?
My SAB has been verified but my address is not being hidden and I am unable to change it or leave it blank. What should I do?
Are there issues with the proximity update for SAB profiles?
Recently I’ve noticed newly created listings that are verified by pin code are immediately suspended, even though everything is within the guidelines. Is this a bug?
Is there anything you can do if your SAB verified location is near the border and not the center of the service area?
What is the process to quickly rebuild the search authority of a listing that has been marked as a duplicate?
Why would Google mark a listing as a duplicate when it already has been verified from a past duplicate flagging issue?
What are the circumstances that trigger a new 7 day wait and does posting regularly to GBP help much with ranking?
What should I do if a verified address shows red?
For a GBP verified listing with a slightly wrong address, how do I go about changing an error in the Google map before submitting the correct address?
Can you boost your website/GBP ranking by using GBP category keywords in new location pages in cities outside of your GBP listing?
What type of backlinks are producing the best results currently?
For my GBP I am using a PO box address, but I’m not showing up on the map; any advice?
What should you do about a business that has violated Google’s guidelines for the second time?
Any suggestions for niche business categories when it fits under a primary category, but business does not want their profile to come up when people search for the general primary category?
After submitting a reinstatement form for a suspended GBP, receiving a reply from Google and making changes, should I submit a new reinstatement form, or reply to the original response?
Do profile clickthroughs to posts help with ranking?
Any best practices to optimize pay per click campaigns for voice search?
Is reporting competitors to Google a good strategy for an agency?
What should you do if your mailing address doesn’t match the one on your GBP profile?