Google directly targets spammers and fraudsters

Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. Google is to be congratulated for devising a new method to clean up and level the advertising playing field.

Local search is one of the more important features of online search. Yet in recent years, spammers and fraudsters have penetrated the local search features of Google Maps, by loading their names with keywords (a.k.a. Keyword Stuffing) .

The quantity of complaints, and obviously the dwindling advertising revenues, have made the search engine leader wake up and take notice, because they have apparently been working hard behind the scenes to clean up Google Maps, by introducing Business Listing Quality Guidelines.

Effectively, these measures will put pave to the rediculous advertising tactics, employed by non-local service providers, who, for many years, have been misleading consumers, by advertising false address locations, postal box addresses, local telephone numbers etc, in attempt to deceive the consumer into believing they are calling a local merchant.

You have seen these tactics used by locksmiths too, for many years (many legitimate companies too). The Yellow Pages directories have previously (and I believe, some still do) printed advertisements by companies that list different telephone numbers, with suburb/city names included, yet those companies are not physically located there.

I for one, am glad that Google have taken the time and effort to clean up this messy area of advertising. For many years I have seen the proliferation of businesses, capitalising on these loopholes, to the detriment of legitimate goods and services providers.

Yes, some of these new policies may hurt the many legitimate businesses that felt it necessary to participate in the loophole schemes, but this newfound attitude of honesty in advertising will add certain credibility to the search engine leader and those companies that choose to comply.

The ethical will survive. The new millennium is upon us.

Special thanks to Larry Friburg of Legallocksmiths.com for pointing out this article.