Google Local Not Quite So Local
Posted 5 Nov 2009 in Activate Clients , Google | 3 Comments
Activate Client, the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis Co Clare was until recently appearing in Google in the Local Search results for various permutations of keywords ‘hotels ennis’. For a location based business such as a hotel, getting on that map of 7 listings on the homepage of Google is very important.
However, this week I heard from Temple Gate that they had an issue with a client who booked a room under the impression that the Temple Gate Hotel is close to the 02 in Dublin (some 240km away). In fact they had found the hotel in Google by typing in ‘hotels near 02 dublin’. I tried to replicate the search myself and found that Temple Gate Hotel was showing up on the map in the local search results, and for some strange reason Google maps was now placing them firmly on Ennis Grove in Dublin 4! Not only that, their map listing for Ennis related searches had disappeared.
I have come across cases where it took some time to get an old address updated, but this is the first where I have seen Google change a correct location to one that has absolutely no connection to the business in question. We have now tried to reclaim the listing and update the address. Any of you who have gone through this process will know that the options for doing so are limited. You can either get Google to send an automated text or phone the telephone number they have on file for the business to confirm. I didn’t fancy the chances of an automated Google call to the receptionist so opted for the postcard. It’s rather ironic really that we are waiting for snail mail from the U.S. from one of the the biggest Internet companies in the world.
Tags: Google Local, linkedin
Had the same problem booking a hotel for the IWA’s last month, except Google Earth had it over by Christchurch instead of near Liberty Hall. I booked the hotel, found its real location, cancelled and went to good old Buswell’s instead that night. Not as bad as Ennis/Dublin though
@Seamus Thanks for dropping by the blog and commenting. It seems bookers should confirm the hotel location independently and take the Google map with a large pinch of salt.
Myself and Judy had a borrowed GPS while in Oregon. About 25% of the places we looked on it turned out to be inaccurate and we ended up in the wrong place a few times. So, despite the fact that most of the information on the unit was perfect we couldn’t use it at all again because it couldn’t be trusted. Ive been thinking the same thing recently with google maps. Inaccurate data is MUCH worse then missing data.