A wishlist of improvements for Google My Business in 2020
Joy Hawkins shares the top 5 features she’d like Google My Business to update or change this year.
Joy Hawkins is a Local SEO expert who is a Google My Business Top Contributor. She regularly contributes to many online communities in the Local SEO world, including the Google My Business forum (Top Contributor), the Local Search Forum (Top Contributor), and the Local University Forum (Moderator). She is also a contributor to the Moz Local Search Ranking Factors survey. Joy is the owner of Sterling Sky in Canada and is the author of the Expert's Guide to Local SEO, which is an advanced training manual for people wanting a detailed look at what it takes to succeed in the Local SEO space.
Joy Hawkins shares the top 5 features she’d like Google My Business to update or change this year.
Joy Hawkins | Jan 3, 2020 at 9:33 am ETWas your site affected by the recent core algorithm update? Here's a look at the changes made to local and small business sites after the update.
Joy Hawkins | Sep 7, 2018 at 12:29 pm ETBased on her research, contributor Joy Hawkins thinks reviews may play some part in how a local page ranks. Here is a case study that shows her findings.
Joy Hawkins | Jul 13, 2018 at 3:00 pm ETContributor Joy Hawkins provides an overview of how Yelp's review solicitation penalty works and explains why you should not ask for reviews.
Joy Hawkins | Jun 15, 2018 at 9:53 am ETContributor Joy Hawkins hires a pool company and finds that the BBB's site isn't as simple as she previously believed.
Joy Hawkins | May 18, 2018 at 12:45 pm ETGoogle is expanding their Home Service Ads across more and more cities in the US, and some home-based business owners are worried. Columnist Joy Hawkins explains how this move impacts these businesses and what they can do to combat a loss of local search visibility.
Joy Hawkins | Oct 6, 2017 at 3:10 pm ETNoticed the new "questions & answers" section in Google Maps app listings? Columnist Joy Hawkins shares her observations about this helpful new feature.
Joy Hawkins | Sep 8, 2017 at 4:06 pm ETCreating fake reviews might seem like a great way to boost your business's local profile, but columnist Joy Hawkins warns that the consequences far outweigh the benefits. After all, you're not just violating Google's guidelines -- you're breaking the law.
Joy Hawkins | Aug 11, 2017 at 3:37 pm ETColumnist and local search expert Joy Hawkins notes that unless Google My Business gets serious about addressing fake reviews, it will suffer a loss of credibility. Here are her suggestions for tackling this ongoing issue.
Joy Hawkins | Jun 16, 2017 at 2:36 pm ETGoogle has been quietly rolling out new features and updates to Google My Business over the last several months, and columnist Joy Hawkins has compiled these underreported changes.
Joy Hawkins | May 19, 2017 at 4:19 pm ETA recent study released by Google claims that fewer than 0.5% of local searches lead to fake listings. But is this number misleading? Columnist and local search expert Joy Hawkins takes a deep dive.
Joy Hawkins | Apr 12, 2017 at 1:00 pm ETContributor Joy Hawkins warns about the likely unintended consequences of Google's impending shutdown of Map Maker, calling for the search giant to create more transparency.
Joy Hawkins | Dec 30, 2016 at 1:07 pm ETColumnist and local search expert Joy Hawkins shows the results of a recent Google My Business advanced verification test and explores the new home services local pack.
Joy Hawkins | Nov 15, 2016 at 2:00 pm ETHow significantly did the Possum update impact local search results in Google? Columnist Joy Hawkins shares data and insights from a study she did with BrightLocal, which compared local results before and after the update.
Joy Hawkins | Nov 4, 2016 at 2:15 pm ETWondering what's up with local search rankings lately? Columnist Joy Hawkins has the scoop on a recent local algorithm update that local SEO experts are calling 'Possum.'
Joy Hawkins | Sep 22, 2016 at 1:00 pm ETSeeing a shift in Google's local results? It's not just you. Columnist Joy Hawkins documents what appears to be a recent refresh to Google's local ranking filter.
Joy Hawkins | Sep 7, 2016 at 2:15 pm ETIt can be difficult for businesses with multiple locations to craft unique, rich content for each individual location page, but columnist Joy Hawkins has some advice for how to do just that.
Joy Hawkins | Aug 18, 2016 at 1:20 pm ETYou may have a strong Google My Business listing, but what happens when individual practitioners at your location have their own listings? Columnist Joy Hawkins shares a case study detailing what happened when one such practitioner left her practice to go work elsewhere.
Joy Hawkins | Jul 15, 2016 at 1:10 pm ETWhat are the differences between branded and non-branded local packs in Google, and how might ranking factors be weighted differently for each? Columnist Joy Hawkins shares her observations.
Joy Hawkins | Jun 17, 2016 at 12:15 pm ETSeeing lots of spammy local listings on Google? It's not just you! Columnist Joy Hawkins notes some of the problems with Google's reinforcement of its Google My Business guidelines.
Joy Hawkins | May 20, 2016 at 2:07 pm ETHas your business listing in Google been suspended? Not sure what happened? Columnist Joy Hawkins discusses the likely causes and how to address them.
Joy Hawkins | Apr 22, 2016 at 11:40 am ETColumnist Joy Hawkins gives a lesson in what NOT to do when optimizing Google My Business profiles, based on her experiences cleaning up spammy listings.
Joy Hawkins | Mar 25, 2016 at 12:55 pm ETColumnist Joy Hawkins discusses how you can fix issues with old business locations being marked "Permanently closed" -- and what Google may be doing to address the issue.
Joy Hawkins | Feb 26, 2016 at 1:00 pm ETYou've done everything right in terms of local SEO -- you're even ranking high in organic results -- but you just can't seem to get a place in the map pack. What's wrong? Columnist Joy Hawkins explores.
Joy Hawkins | Jan 29, 2016 at 10:20 am ETWondering how to identify and clean up your duplicate map listings? Columnist Joy Hawkins has you covered.
Joy Hawkins | Jan 7, 2016 at 10:46 am ETColumnist and local search expert Joy Hawkins outlines some differences between two of Google's local/maps services, discussing which might come in handy based on your situation.
Joy Hawkins | Dec 4, 2015 at 11:00 am ET