Google Just Killed My Website

[Real Deal Denver]

Wow, do I have a lot to do. I came here to get some real world advice, which is always Grade A++.

Google "disabled" my website, which has been active and very productive for over 20 years. They did this without any notification of any kind. I found it after I noticed a definite drop off of calls from potential customers. When I searched for my site, it had disappeared. I used Google business help as a starting point, and they nonchalantly said, yes, we disabled it because it doesn't conform to our policies. I asked what policy, and they said I don't have a store front and signage for my address (which is my home). Back and forth for 4 days - me telling them I have an office and I am in REAL ESTATE, so I don't have a retail set up for people to visit, which is extremely common for people in real estate. Back and forth - I finally said - okay, remove my address then. They didn't, but told me to do it, which took some time, as their portal to do this has changed. Okay - we're fine now, right? No - they are still hung on the address issue. I finally said I sell knowledge and expertise based on my experience and skill in this field - which is the way everyone in this business works and so I don't need an address - so my business is in the cloud and I don't need my physical office, so just erase my damn address and release my website. I didn't want to do this, as I get exposure from their maps when someone searches for me too. Oh, they love their job - so then they came back and said this TYPE of business does not conform to their policies. All the while here I am asking what your policies are - and all the while they refuse to answer any questions. They only refer me to their guides which are extremely vague - which is on purpose so they can make up the rules as they go. How pathetic. End story - they disabled my site and refuse to do anything more - and the case is closed. I sent them a letter overnight that this is illegal - restraint of trade - especially since my website worked fine for over 20 years and I didn't do anything improper. They live to torture and destroy people - let's sum it up that way. (A file is attached to this if you're interested, but don't expect to see anything of any value - it's just a worthless form letter response. My response, however, is somewhat pointed.)


OK - I hope that's enough background. Let's NOT get bogged down in details. What I really want to know is how to hit them. I qualify in a lot of different categories, such as I am a vet - I'm disabled - I'm a senior citizen - I'm self-employed - I'm a real estate agent and appraiser. There are HUGE organizations for each of these categories that put out magazines, and other information. For example - I get a monthly magazine from AARP (retire people) that is very helpful. Things like that are a huge resource. I will be sending press release packages to them, in fact. All of these organizations have HUGE memberships. I also want to parlay those articles into national news sites - and then maybe even TV appearances. You see where this is going... I want this to be big!

Then, there is the angle of restraining my trade. There are government agencies that will assist disable people and vets and small business owners. I know - but that's not why I'm here.

I want to launch a full frontal attack on Google - not some weak government "investigation." The mood of the country right now is ripe for punishing "big brother." Look at Bud Light.

So - I am looking for advice on how to make things "go viral." How to get the biggest bang for my buck in having organizations "join forces" to help me. And I want to start a gofundme me page. This will be brutally devastating from my business view. This is a full hit on my business that could put me OUT of business.

To make my story as juicy as possible, I want to get a hungry attorney and sue Google for - what? At least a million. Maybe ten million? I also want to ask for the gofundme money to help fight Google - but what if, say, I get a million - and decide to take the money and not fight them? I can be bought - I'm cheap. Give me a beach front home with a small yacht... and I'm happy! Hey - don't condemn me for selling out or not having principals. So, can I decide to "fold my hand" and cash out the gofundme account? I'd still keep up the publicity, but I will take a golden parachute package possibly too.

As you see, this is a wide open topic. I'm hoping to become Rambo - be a hero - and take down the bad guys. I have never encountered anyone so arrogant as Google. I am also hoping for a "and they lived happily ever after" ending. It seems with all the technology we have, this could be done very effectively. However, at this point I am in the dark. I don't have aspirations of being a combo terrorist/hacker/assassin. But I'm willing to learn!

It also crossed my mind to do a crowd funding thing in which someone in the "INSIDERS club" would get regular full updates of the battle - a blow by blow account. There could even be tiers of membership somehow - sign a petition - put me on your Facebook page - I don't know.

And what could go wrong? Google sues me for defamation. Great - MORE good news to feed the news machine! Let em sue me - my car is ten years old - and my shoes are even older. Come get it!

 

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[theag]

I'm not defending Google here, they are a shitty company.

I had a similar experience with Meta, where they recently disabled my ad account for no reason with no recourse, which caused major problems for my business. Months of trying to get through to them went nowhere. Finally got it resolved through my attorney, which cost me € 1.600. I should have done that earlier. After a few days they reinstated the ad account and their lawyers responded with basically a one-liner ("ok, it should be reinstated now"). It seems like the only way to get customer support from them now.

Google "disabled" my website

What exactly does that mean? Sounds like you are talking about them disabling your Google Business Profile, which from my understanding must indeed be attached to an address (or service area, see here). That doesn't have any influence on your website though.

I want this to be big!

Google doesn't care. All the organizations you listed don't care. Politicians don't care. I would recommend to go through an attorney immediately. Don't go big, don't go on a rant about the yacht you will buy with the settlement money, etc. Just have them send a demand letter / C&D directly to Google's legal department. They will likely respond and get this resolved.

Another option is a complaint through your state's attorney general. Meta has a specific escalation path to respond to those internally, probably the same for Google.

 

[Fasted]

Sorry what you're having to go through.

Go and seek high quality legal advice.

I get that you're angry and its F*cked what they're doing, but surely your main aim is to get your site back live asap with as little drama as possible? Definitely don't start a gofundme, make it go viral, attempt to start some crusade against Google. It's too reactive and you run the risk of potentially making problems worse. And don't mention 10mill in damages or yacht to your lawyer that's not the right way to go.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

You are likely 8,130,330th person angry at Google who wants to sue them into oblivion.

Step in a long line.

I wish you luck and much success with this venture as I too, can't stand these big-tech monoliths who think they can do anything they want with no repercussions.

That said, there's an old saying you might have heard: Pick your battles.

This likely isn't one you want.

As others have mentioned, your first objective should be to simply get your website restored. That might require a lawyer and a few thousand dollars. But otherwise, this sounds like a conflict that could reach Moby Dick-like levels.

Good luck.

 

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[TCMorgan]

Your anger is wildly misplaced. If you relied this heavily on your Google Business Profile, then you violated the commandment of control. That's on you, not Google.

Sure, having your GBP disabled sucks, but at the end of the day it's Google's platform. They'll do whatever the F*ck they want.

Now the question becomes: WHY?

The two most common reasons a Google Business Profile gets disabled are for business names that attempt to manipulate keywords (think John's Pest Control in Chicago, when the name of the business is just John's Pest Control) and Service Area Business listed as physical locations. Based on your description of the interactions, it sounds like yours was the latter.

Google disables GBPs all the time. And no, the don't ever tell you why. It's up to you to figure out why you don't meet Google policy. Given your overall tone and disposition, I'm guessing you didn't do yourself any favors in getting assistance from Google. Not that they would've given it anyways.

The real world advice here is to give up the crusade and figure out what you can do to reestablish your business. That's energy better spent.

EDIT TO ADD: Rereading your post - the issue originally was absolutely that you're a service area business who listed a physical location. This is against Google's policy. After you told them that you just sell knowledge and expertise online, they deemed you ineligible (because a knowledge-based business isn't a local service business). This is probably still salvageable with Google. Do you still have access to your GBP? If you did, it would say "Your access has been restricted because this profile doesn't follow guidelines..." with an option to edit. If you do still have this option, you should be able to get your GBP back as a service-area-business no problem.

 

[BizyDad]

As you see, this is a wide open topic. I'm hoping to become Rambo - be a hero - and take down the bad guys

Be a hero? You are on here asking how to abscond with GoFundMe money.

I came here to get some real world advice

Ok...

Good luck getting a lawyer to take the case. It is not a case you can win, so I would be suspicious of any lawyer that does take it on as they are simply working to take your fee. Handled improperly, this "case" could lead to a disbarment just because of this post alone.

OK - I hope that's enough background. Let's NOT get bogged down in details. What I really want to know is how to hit them. I qualify in a lot of different categories, such as I am a vet - I'm disabled - I'm a senior citizen - I'm self-employed - I'm a real estate agent and appraiser. There are HUGE organizations for each of these categories that put out magazines, and other information. For example - I get a monthly magazine from AARP (retire people) that is very helpful. Things like that are a huge resource. I will be sending press release packages to them, in fact. All of these organizations have HUGE memberships. I also want to parlay those articles into national news sites - and then maybe even TV appearances. You see where this is going... I want this to be big!

Your anger is wildly misplaced. If you relied this heavily on your Google Business Profile, then you violated the commandment of control. That's on you, not Google.

Sure, having your GBP disabled sucks, but at the end of the day it's Google's platform. They'll do whatever the F*ck they want.

Now the question becomes: WHY?

The two most common reasons a Google Business Profile gets disabled are for business names that attempt to manipulate keywords (think John's Pest Control in Chicago, when the name of the business is just John's Pest Control) and Service Area Business listed as physical locations. Based on your description of the interactions, it sounds like yours was the latter.

Google disables GBPs all the time. And no, the don't ever tell you why. It's up to you to figure out why you don't meet Google policy. Given your overall tone and disposition, I'm guessing you didn't do yourself any favors in getting assistance from Google. Not that they would've given it anyways.

The real world advice here is to give up the crusade and figure out what you can do to reestablish your business. That's energy better spent.

EDIT TO ADD: Rereading your post - the issue originally was absolutely that you're a service area business who listed a physical location. This is against Google's policy. After you told them that you just sell knowledge and expertise online, they deemed you ineligible (because a knowledge-based business isn't a local service business). This is probably still salvageable with Google. Do you still have access to your GBP? If you did, it would say "Your access has been restricted because this profile doesn't follow guidelines..." with an option to edit. If you do still have this option, you should be able to get your GBP back as a service-area-business no problem.

TCMorgan is spot on.

What I am wondering is this... you have a circulation, a reach. How did you allow yourself to get so Google heavy? Ok, not getting bogged down in the details.

I know a guy who helps businesses get reinstated. He only charges after success. If you want his contact info, DM me.

To make my story as juicy as possible, I want to get a hungry attorney and sue Google for - what? At least a million. Maybe ten million? I also want to ask for the gofundme money to help fight Google - but what if, say, I get a million - and decide to take the money and not fight them? I can be bought - I'm cheap. Give me a beach front home with a small yacht... and I'm happy! Hey - don't condemn me for selling out or not having principals. So, can I decide to "fold my hand" and cash out the gofundme account? I'd still keep up the publicity, but I will take a golden parachute package possibly too.

I'm not insensitive to the fact that this totally sucks, but you lost me at "can I just keep the money"?

You are looking to drum up outrage via a frivolous law suit in order to cash in on other's outrage and enrich yourself. Keeping the money is borderline fraud, and intent can be proven because here you are talking about it ahead of time. You want our help to do it.

Sorry dude, that does show a lack of principles. Maybe you're just speaking in anger, but still. I think what you are suggesting is worse than what got done to you.

And you'll be exposing yourself to worse outcomes, like a lawsuit from GoFundMe or actual jail time.

There are 1000 better ways of digging yourself out of this hole than what you are proposing. Good luck to you RDD.

 

[Oso]

This emphasizes how much power Google actually has over the internet and it's terrifying.

It's one of the many reasons I wish this company would rot (or, at the very least, someone give them legitimate competition).

 

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[Cameraman]

And what could go wrong? Google sues me for defamation. Great - MORE good news to feed the news machine! Let em sue me - my car is ten years old - and my shoes are even older. Come get it!

Stop picking a fight you can't win with an 800lb gorilla and calm down.

Go hire a Google expert who has experience in helping people sort out similar problems in the past. It will be cheaper, quicker and easier.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

I'm not defending Google here, they are a shitty company.

I had a similar experience with Meta, where they recently disabled my ad account for no reason with no recourse, which caused major problems for my business. Months of trying to get through to them went nowhere. Finally got it resolved through my attorney, which cost me € 1.600. I should have done that earlier. After a few days they reinstated the ad account and their lawyers responded with basically a one-liner ("ok, it should be reinstated now"). It seems like the only way to get customer support from them now.


What exactly does that mean? Sounds like you are talking about them disabling your Google Business Profile, which from my understanding must indeed be attached to an address (or service area, see here). That doesn't have any influence on your website though.


Google doesn't care. All the organizations you listed don't care. Politicians don't care. I would recommend to go through an attorney immediately. Don't go big, don't go on a rant about the yacht you will buy with the settlement money, etc. Just have them send a demand letter / C&D directly to Google's legal department. They will likely respond and get this resolved.

Another option is a complaint through your state's attorney general. Meta has a specific escalation path to respond to those internally, probably the same for Google.

You are totally right on all counts @theag - yes, it is my business profile, not my website. As much as they would like to, they can't touch my website. They can, however, block it on their search results. Being that my Google keyword search results always had the "20+ years in business" tag, I had a huge advantage over all my competitors, which answers other questions about why I was so heavy into Google in the first place. I also had a flashy website that made a good first impression. It's not hard to be better than my plain vanilla competitors, and I reaped premium prices for what I did. They couldn't beat me even with heavy discounts offered. Ah, now that's a nice feeling to be able to dominate a business and charge a good price. I never played the race to the bottom game by competing on price. Early on I saw that many of the most successful companies were not the cheapest, by any means, and I wanted to be in that group, as well.

Meta was on my list of next steps - and so I greatly appreciate your insight on that. I can't pay full fare for what they do, but I admire their results greatly. I could easily spend 3-4 hundred a day on Meta, and I can't keep that up week after week - so that's that. I'm searching for alternatives, of which YouTube gets high praise as effective and cheap - lucky me then - that's Google owned.

Thank you again for your on-target assessment. I am so glad to hear that you had success in your situation!

 

[Real Deal Denver]

You are likely 8,130,330th person angry at Google who wants to sue them into oblivion.

Step in a long line.

I wish you luck and much success with this venture as I too, can't stand these big-tech monoliths who think they can do anything they want with no repercussions.

That said, there's an old saying you might have heard: Pick your battles.

This likely isn't one you want.

As others have mentioned, your first objective should be to simply get your website restored. That might require a lawyer and a few thousand dollars. But otherwise, this sounds like a conflict that could reach Moby Dick-like levels.

Good luck.

Thanks for the perspective MJ, but I am a bit puzzled. If I CAN reach Moby Dick-like porportions, that's what I want to do. I have avenues to hit Google hard. I don't have to have money - I have rocks to throw and I can publicly hang them in the town square. Of course, the male DNA in me finds that very appealing.

So, with that said - why would I not want to beat the living crap out of them and go after the thing they cherish the most - their reputation. They wallow in their reputation of being the all supreme source of untarnished perfect search results. When I can show they shut off one of the PRIME people in my business category - that puts them into the category of Yelp or Angies List. Yes - Yelp also has a list you can seach - but is their information quality - or are they only showing you the players that pay to be there. Everyone knows how Yelp works, and I'd love to dethrone Google and put them on that level. I think this is possible, and I think they deserve it.

Also, in preparing for the battle, I can retire and not work again - I'm old. So I don't HAVE to work, and I can devote time to the "hunt."

And one more thing in the back of my mind - if I DO walk away, that is a very hard thing to swallow. Back to the male DNA thing. What was that saying - I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees, or something like that? I also like the TRUE story of when the ships were burned. Sometimes you just have to fight, even if you can't win or it makes no sense. It's that damn DNA thing I was born with.

If there ever was a time to discuss something over a pizza and beer, this is it. I'm within driving distance to you, as you know. I'm buying.

 

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[Real Deal Denver]

Be a hero? You are on here asking how to abscond with GoFundMe money.


Ok...

Good luck getting a lawyer to take the case. It is not a case you can win, so I would be suspicious of any lawyer that does take it on as they are simply working to take your fee. Handled improperly, this "case" could lead to a disbarment just because of this post alone.




TCMorgan is spot on.

What I am wondering is this... you have a circulation, a reach. How did you allow yourself to get so Google heavy? Ok, not getting bogged down in the details.

I know a guy who helps businesses get reinstated. He only charges after success. If you want his contact info, DM me.



I'm not insensitive to the fact that this totally sucks, but you lost me at "can I just keep the money"?

You are looking to drum up outrage via a frivolous law suit in order to cash in on other's outrage and enrich yourself. Keeping the money is borderline fraud, and intent can be proven because here you are talking about it ahead of time. You want our help to do it.

Sorry dude, that does show a lack of principles. Maybe you're just speaking in anger, but still. I think what you are suggesting is worse than what got done to you.

And you'll be exposing yourself to worse outcomes, like a lawsuit from GoFundMe or actual jail time.

There are 1000 better ways of digging yourself out of this hole than what you are proposing. Good luck to you RDD.

Hey - I did say I can be bought, right? A lot of problems can be solved by money. I guarantee that if you wrote the worst possible article on me, and everyone believed it - I could disappear and not cause any problem whatsoever - for a price. I guarantee that if you think you can run my business better than I can and you wanted it - I will agree and sell it to you - if the price is right.

I am not looking to do anything immoral or illegal. It's a business decision. When I think of things, I like to magnify them and think of the absolute best outcome, and what could be the worst. I've done that here. The worst is Google can sue me for millions. The best is everyone in the country could give me money and, say, I amass a war chest of several million dollars. OKAY - I changed my mind - I'll take the money and shut up! It's not likely - but what if?

As an interesting side note, I once was engaged to a woman that had parents who were multi-millionaires. They owned several oil wells for kicks that they didn't even pump oil from. They only pumped oil when the price was high. They could burn money to heat their home. Well, I'm not engaged anymore. There are more important things than money. I walked away from a SURE THING of being a millionaire - eventually. I just say this so you can temper your comments somewhat before you pass judgement. I am playing the "what if" card, which is something that entered my mind as a possible outcome. IF it did happen - I would take the money and run - if I could. I wonder how many people here would NOT take one or two mill to walk away. I did that - I walked away from a multi-millionaire family. Guaranteed massive wealth - and I walked away. By the way, I made a good decision - my wife now is worth far more than any amount of money.

I don't want this to be a bad taste - I understand your point of view. No harm, no foul. Thanks for taking the time to give your advice. I appreciate that!

 

[BizyDad]

FWIW...

I like you, and I'm glad to see you posting on here. The forum has missed your voice.

I probably have spent way too much time on this already, but here's my thoughts.

Google gets sued all the time.

Here is a story worse than yours. A lawsuit ultimately "fixed?" the problem.

What To Do When Your Google My Business Listing Is Falsely Suspended

Cases study. The last resort when your Google My Business listing is continually suspended due to false spam reports, edits. Enough is enough. Read it here.

www.39celsius.com

More recently they were sued by the Justice Department.

And more recently Gannett.

And who really cares?

It's Gannett. They have a much bigger reach than anything you can do because they literally ARE the media.

And does anyone even know these lawsuits are taking place (besides a guy like me who pays attention to this stuff)?

No.

If I CAN reach Moby Dick-like porportions, that's what I want to do. I have avenues to hit Google hard. I don't have to have money - I have rocks to throw and I can publicly hang them in the town square. Of course, the male DNA in me finds that very appealing.

As the Spartans replied to Persia...

IF

So, with that said - why would I not want to beat the living crap out of them and go after the thing they cherish the most - their reputation.

Of course you want to. But you are yelling into a hurricane hoping you can change something to save your house.

No.

There may be ways to recover. And maybe the right kind of lawsuit will help.

But at the end of the day, if you told them you are a 100% virtual business, you shot yourself in the foot right there.

That's just not allowed and you got lucky for 8 years to have been able to cheat the system. You might not want to see yourself as the cheat, but if the shoe fits.

It's not a judgment. I don't dislike you anymore than I dislike Bill Belichick or Dale Earnhadt for pushing the envelope in their professions.

Still, rules are rules and rules got broken for 8 years.

The best is everyone in the country could give me money and, say, I amass a war chest of several million dollars. OKAY - I changed my mind - I'll take the money and shut up! It's not likely - but what if?

Everyone, huh?

Again, this is fraud. You think you're the first person to come up with this scam? Try googling lawsuits by GoFundMe.

This is minimum 2 years in jail.

Fraud is your "best case".

Personally I would think your best case scenario is just getting your Google listing reinstated and going about your life.

I'm not judging you dude. I'm educating you on how, legally speaking, what you propose is AT BEST a minefield.

https://www.npr.org/2023/04/26/1172343738/we-build-the-wall-founder-sentenced-prison

New Jersey Man Gets 5 Years in Prison in GoFundMe Fraud Case (Published 2022)

Prosecutors said Mark D’Amico and his then-girlfriend made up a heartwarming tale of a homeless man to help raise more than $400,000.

www.nytimes.com

TikToker charged in GoFundMe cancer scam after documenting ‘battle’

Madison Russo, 19, clamed on TikTok and on her GoFundMe page that she has been battling leukemia, pancreatic caner and a tumor on her spine the size of a football for close to a year.

nypost.com

I'll just stop there.

I am not looking to do anything immoral or illegal.

Then don't.

I have never seen a poster on this website claim to be on the side of good so much...

...and blantantly talk about bad stuff. Like ripping off donors to a cause. All to enrich himself because...

Hey - I did say I can be bought, right?

HE CAN BE BOUGHT.

That's a phrase people with low morals say, and you're not one, so stop saying it.

I know a guy who helps businesses get reinstated. He only charges after success. If you want his contact info, DM me.

I gave you a solution...

And I have no DM asking for contact info. Hmmm...

take the money and run

Also a phrase criminals and fun rock bands use. Which one are you?

You're hiding behind the "what if game" as if you aren't setting a terrible example for younger members.

It's a business decision.

No. It's not. It's really not.

It's a money decision. It's a scam. That's not business.

MLM's make more business sense than this...

There are business solutions to your problem, and I and others mentioned a couple, but starting a go fund me and running away is not one of them.

And starting a lawsuit to try to attack their reputation is futile.

Don't forget that every media outlet largely depends on its revenue and web traffic from Google. And Google can hide any article that you managed to get published from its own search results.

The game is rigged against you. You were right about that.

But not enough people care.

If I were an admin, I'd landfill this thread, regardless of my respect for you and your contributions to the forum.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

FWIW...

I like you, and I'm glad to see you posting on here. The forum has missed your voice.

I probably have spent way too much time on this already, but here's my thoughts.

Google gets sued all the time.

Here is a story worse than yours. A lawsuit ultimately "fixed?" the problem.

What To Do When Your Google My Business Listing Is Falsely Suspended

Cases study. The last resort when your Google My Business listing is continually suspended due to false spam reports, edits. Enough is enough. Read it here.

www.39celsius.com

More recently they were sued by the Justice Department.

And more recently Gannett.

And who really cares?

It's Gannett. They have a much bigger reach than anything you can do because they literally ARE the media.

And does anyone even know these lawsuits are taking place (besides a guy like me who pays attention to this stuff)?

No.



As the Spartans replied to Persia...

IF



Of course you want to. But you are yelling into a hurricane hoping you can change something to save your house.

No.

There may be ways to recover. And maybe the right kind of lawsuit will help.

But at the end of the day, if you told them you are a 100% virtual business, you shot yourself in the foot right there.

That's just not allowed and you got lucky for 8 years to have been able to cheat the system. You might not want to see yourself as the cheat, but if the shoe fits.

It's not a judgment. I don't dislike you anymore than I dislike Bill Belichick or Dale Earnhadt for pushing the envelope in their professions.

Still, rules are rules and rules got broken for 8 years.



Everyone, huh?

Again, this is fraud. You think you're the first person to come up with this scam? Try googling lawsuits by GoFundMe.

This is minimum 2 years in jail.

Fraud is your "best case".

Personally I would think your best case scenario is just getting your Google listing reinstated and going about your life.

I'm not judging you dude. I'm educating you on how, legally speaking, what you propose is AT BEST a minefield.

https://www.npr.org/2023/04/26/1172343738/we-build-the-wall-founder-sentenced-prison

New Jersey Man Gets 5 Years in Prison in GoFundMe Fraud Case (Published 2022)

Prosecutors said Mark D’Amico and his then-girlfriend made up a heartwarming tale of a homeless man to help raise more than $400,000.

www.nytimes.com

TikToker charged in GoFundMe cancer scam after documenting ‘battle’

Madison Russo, 19, clamed on TikTok and on her GoFundMe page that she has been battling leukemia, pancreatic caner and a tumor on her spine the size of a football for close to a year.

nypost.com

I'll just stop there.



Then don't.

I have never seen a poster on this website claim to be on the side of good so much...

...and blantantly talk about bad stuff. Like ripping off donors to a cause. All to enrich himself because...



HE CAN BE BOUGHT.

That's a phrase people with low morals say, and you're not one, so stop saying it.



I gave you a solution...

And I have no DM asking for contact info. Hmmm...



Also a phrase criminals and fun rock bands use. Which one are you?

You're hiding behind the "what if game" as if you aren't setting a terrible example for younger members.



No. It's not. It's really not.

It's a money decision. It's a scam. That's not business.

MLM's make more business sense than this...

There are business solutions to your problem, and I and others mentioned a couple, but starting a go fund me and running away is not one of them.

And starting a lawsuit to try to attack their reputation is futile.

Don't forget that every media outlet largely depends on its revenue and web traffic from Google. And Google can hide any article that you managed to get published from its own search results.

The game is rigged against you. You were right about that.

But not enough people care.

If I were an admin, I'd landfill this thread, regardless of my respect for you and your contributions to the forum.

Wow - great information, and your first link to the article from 39celsius should be required reading for every person using SEO. And after ALL that GREAT information - you want to landfill this?

I can't count the hours I've spent researching this, both using the internet, and through VERY established businesspeople that depend on SEO and social media. I have no desire to hear my neighbor's opinion, as everyone has an opinion. But what you have laid out is invaluable - especially the reader comments on the 39Celsius article.

The cost per click can indeed be 4 to 5 hundred dollars per click. That alone terrifies me, as my competitors could easily click me to oblivion, so why go to the trouble of false spam or other measures? In what business can you lose $2,000 in one hour and not even know it? A lot of them - by SEO clicks - that's what. This is real and it scares me. Do that over a few days and it's good-bye and it was sure fun while it lasted. Not. Death by clicks and you won't even see it coming.

NOW - the good news. I was getting the benefit of supreme SEO marketing the "old fashioned way" - but having a website with quality and quantity. I've studied SEO for many years, and Google has always harped that they want quality content. I have that - in spades. My so-called competitors have, more or less, nothing. Egads - are you IN business or not? If you are, read a BOOK once in a while about marketing or some such topic. But they don't and I sail past them. It's not that I'm so good, it's that they're so bad. $200 websites are a dime a dozen, and many of them don't even measure up to that. But, enough of that. I just want to give you a glimpse of my situation.

After much thought from a LOT of advice - and I want to say that I cherish it all - I like the idea of a CD letter from an attorney - I like the attorney general thing - and I might even entertain buying some ad word credits from Google to grease the wheels of commerce and get things moving. It's business, after all, and I might have to swallow a bitter pill to move forward. I can recoup the cost in a few days, and it may be one of the best things I've ever done. It's all brewing, as I don't have experience in this, so I'm playing scenarios out.

Once again - the scenario I like best is from your link to the 39Celsius article, and especially the readers feedback at the end. What an article that is - it's an education. The rest of your response compliments that information SO well - I am speechless. Just a damn good job all around - and I thank you so much for taking the time to craft it. This is, as the readers commentary in the 39Celsius article point out; BIG business territory that, unfortunately, has nothing comparable to on the scale of what Google can do. Maybe the closest competitor to Google - Microsoft - could step up their game. I'm going to contact them, and Bill Gates, too (won't be the first time I've been called crazy, so go ahead). They may even offer to align with me - who knows - and I could have the proverbial tenth grader on my side, even though I'm only in third grade. Game changer! Anything is possible - I mean, look at the "cast of characters" here, right?

 

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[TCMorgan]

Wow - great information, and your first link to the article from 39celsius should be required reading for every person using SEO. And after ALL that GREAT information - you want to landfill this?

I can't count the hours I've spent researching this, both using the internet, and through VERY established businesspeople that depend on SEO and social media. I have no desire to hear my neighbor's opinion, as everyone has an opinion. But what you have laid out is invaluable - especially the reader comments on the 39Celsius article.

The cost per click can indeed be 4 to 5 hundred dollars per click. That alone terrifies me, as my competitors could easily click me to oblivion, so why go to the trouble of false spam or other measures? In what business can you lose $2,000 in one hour and not even know it? A lot of them - by SEO clicks - that's what. This is real and it scares me. Do that over a few days and it's good-bye and it was sure fun while it lasted. Not. Death by clicks and you won't even see it coming.

SEO is not a cost-per-click process.

After much thought from a LOT of advice - and I want to say that I cherish it all - I like the idea of a CD letter from an attorney - I like the attorney general thing - and I might even entertain buying some ad word credits from Google to grease the wheels of commerce and get things moving. It's business, after all, and I might have to swallow a bitter pill to move forward. I can recoup the cost in a few days, and it may be one of the best things I've ever done. It's all brewing, as I don't have experience in this, so I'm playing scenarios out.

"Ad word credits" - known as Google Ads - is where you're going to spend money on a Cost per Click basis. That's what the 39Celsius article was laying out. Losing the effects of your local SEO can lead you to spending $xxx per click on Google Ads. (it's not always that high, btw. Worth using the Google Keyword Planner to see what your actual costs could be).

EDIT TO ADD: Rereading your post - the issue originally was absolutely that you're a service area business who listed a physical location. This is against Google's policy. After you told them that you just sell knowledge and expertise online, they deemed you ineligible (because a knowledge-based business isn't a local service business). This is probably still salvageable with Google. Do you still have access to your GBP? If you did, it would say "Your access has been restricted because this profile doesn't follow guidelines..." with an option to edit. If you do still have this option, you should be able to get your GBP back as a service-area-business no problem.

Revisiting the question I asked in my original post. Do you still have access to your Google Business Profile to make edits and correct policy violations? If not, add on to your support ticket via email and explain that you misunderstood Google's definition of a service-area business (this is how Google refers to it). Make sure they know that you serve local clients. Call yourself a real estate consultant (or whatever it is that you do). Make sure they know that you have a physical office and serve local clients, but don't physically meet with people at your office. This is the textbook definition of a SAB, and it genuinely sounds like you fit the bill.

 

[Roli]

I didn't want to do this, as I get exposure from their maps when someone searches for me too.

You said you don't have an address, how can someone find you from a map?

I want to launch a full frontal attack on Google

Which is like an ant launching an attack on an fighter jet.


EDIT: I've looked at your attachment and they have not shut down your website, they have taken your business profile off maps, because you don't have an address.

They have done this for user experience, if you are searching for somewhere using maps and it isn't there, the user has a shitty experience.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get why you're angry. You managed to slip through the net by getting advertising from a map app, even though you don't have an address. Your website is still active, just get on with it and find another way to promote yourself.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

You said you don't have an address, how can someone find you from a map?

Which is like an ant launching an attack on an fighter jet.


EDIT: I've looked at your attachment and they have not shut down your website, they have taken your business profile off maps, because you don't have an address.

They have done this for user experience, if you are searching for somewhere using maps and it isn't there, the user has a shitty experience.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get why you're angry. You managed to slip through the net by getting advertising from a map app, even though you don't have an address. Your website is still active, just get on with it and find another way to promote yourself.

They shut down my business profile which makes me invisible for keywords I use for marketing, and I also do not show up on maps. If you knew how important SEO marketing is, you would know they basically erased me from being found by a huge segment of customers. That's pretty serious stuff. They can't shut my website down because I created it, and own it, and control it.

I do have a physical address, and it was listed on Google maps for over 20 years, so I didn't "slip by" or get away with anything. Google attacked me because I don't have a retail store front or signage. After going back and forth saying that I work from my HOME, but don't have signage - which is too complicated for them to understand - I finally said "fine - remove my address then if my address does not qualify as a business address." Being I work in real estate, I come across "location issues" a lot. It's common sense. For example, you can't buy a house and turn it into a bar or restaurant. There are zoning restrictions. You can, however, have a beer in your own house. In Google's confused mind, they could say; "Ah HA - if you are drinking alcohol and serving alcohol to your friends - then you are a bar!" Idiots. How can you have a conversation with morons like that? If I work out of my home, I MUST have a retail store front with signage for customers to find me! Same thing - only more stupid.

So why don't I just pack up and move on? I will briefly summarize that and try to not bore you with details. I have a very LONG history of ranking for keywords, as well as being noted in the Google map listing (and my website) that I have 20+ years of experience. That alone elevates or ranks/grades (ranking is the core of SEO) me much higher than a lot of my competition. There is a lot more involved, but I am trying to state what I have lost. That drove a steady stream of business to me for zero dollars ad spend - and not only that, but I attracted the high-end clientele.

One more thing - Google asked me to submit something with my company name AND address on it for "proof" of my address - which I did multiple times. In fact, what I submitted was my official state license, and another official form - with the name and address highlighted so they couldn't say they missed it. They "thanked me" for doing that, but said I needed to work with a "specialist" higher up, and they would have to physically verify my address. I've gone through that process with Google about five years ago. It went nowhere. It took a lot of effort- and it was a total waste of time. I think they are truly evil people that love to screw with Bonafide businesspeople. Bad bad businesspeople - taking money from all of US! In their "Ten Things Google Knows for Sure" list (kind of a mantra for them - they are flag waving fanatics that seem to think that they are ordained by God) they state that one of their "truths" is you don't HAVE to do evil to make money (I've attached it here - see item 6). Now why would someone say something like that? Have you EVER heard a business say they don't do evil, or anything like that? Could it be they're flakes that think that EVERY business that makes a profit is ripping people off. Yeah, idiots like that are out there. They walk among us. These are the same flakes that despise the owner of a business because he makes more money than they (the employee) do. SHAME on businesspeople - TAX the RICH! I've talked to idiots like this - it's a damn sin that someone has to actually WORK - and they should be paid $20 an hour to work at McDonalds... oh yeah, we all know the type. In my research, I've found where they mention "doing evil" twice in their "mantra" documents. They seem to be fixated on evil as it relates to business. Sick bastards.

By the way, even if I were an ant, I could go back to my ant colony and get a million more ants. No big thing, unless you've ever been attacked by a million fire ants. And... all that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. I got a lot of these - but I'll let you "google" em for yourself - it's fun and will help mold your opinion and thought process.

 

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[Real Deal Denver]

SEO is not a cost-per-click process.



"Ad word credits" - known as Google Ads - is where you're going to spend money on a Cost per Click basis. That's what the 39Celsius article was laying out. Losing the effects of your local SEO can lead you to spending $xxx per click on Google Ads. (it's not always that high, btw. Worth using the Google Keyword Planner to see what your actual costs could be).



Revisiting the question I asked in my original post. Do you still have access to your Google Business Profile to make edits and correct policy violations? If not, add on to your support ticket via email and explain that you misunderstood Google's definition of a service-area business (this is how Google refers to it). Make sure they know that you serve local clients. Call yourself a real estate consultant (or whatever it is that you do). Make sure they know that you have a physical office and serve local clients, but don't physically meet with people at your office. This is the textbook definition of a SAB, and it genuinely sounds like you fit the bill.

Thank you - all great information. In fact, this may be the KEY to unlocking the entire mess.

I have access to this - however, I am sure they hate me with a passion. I sure do hate them with a passion. They could have helped me in SOME small way at any time - like giving me the SAB definition, but they go out of their way to try and destroy me. It may be safe to say they would rather piss their pants than piss on me if I was on fire.

Regardless of the direction things go, I now have something that is valuable information, which is a lot more than the endless banter with them going nowhere that I had before.

This ENTIRE mess runs counter to their core purpose and ideals - which is to collect and present the most complete and accurate collection of business/services/product information in the world. That may be how they started - but now, what they do is SELECT who they want to list, and that dethrones them to the level of any pay to play list service, such as Yelp. Talk about a fall from grace! Add on the layer of being immoral and causing harm, and they are below the likes of Yelp.

Thank you for the hammer!

 

[TCMorgan]

Thank you - all great information. In fact, this may be the KEY to unlocking the entire mess.

I have access to this - however, I am sure they hate me with a passion. I sure do hate them with a passion. They could have helped me in SOME small way at any time - like giving me the SAB definition, but they go out of their way to try and destroy me. It may be safe to say they would rather piss their pants than piss on me if I was on fire.

Google doesn't hate you, and they don't care if you hate them. If you're cordial and explain that you misunderstood their documentation, they'll help you.

They don't go out of their way to help because, in the eyes of Google, they've already given business owners everything they could possibly need in terms of documentation. A Google rep explained it to me like this when I raised a similar question to them: Google doesn't help because the signs are posted. If you park in front of a fire hydrant, "I didn't see the sign" isn't going to get you out of a ticket.

Here's the documentation page for Service Area Businesses: How to use a service area on Google for service-area & hybrid businesses - Google Business Profile Help

This ENTIRE mess runs counter to their core purpose and ideals - which is to collect and present the most complete and accurate collection of business/services/product information in the world. That may be how they started - but now, what they do is SELECT who they want to list, and that dethrones them to the level of any pay to play list service, such as Yelp.

Absolutely none of this runs counter to their core purpose and ideals. Google Maps and Google Business Profile are designed to show local businesses in local search results. You specifically told them that you were selling knowledge online, which is not a local business. Google removed your listing to deliver a better experience for the searcher.

Imagine this: John goes online and searches for a local real estate consultant. He sees your listing on Google Maps and drops by your address to shake hands and introduce himself. The only problem is, when he drops by... Your business address looks like it might just be a house, and because there's no signage, it doesn't look like you do any business here. In his eyes, he's frustrated because either you or Google have misrepresented details about your business.

John has now wasted his time. He likely isn't going to choose you as his RE consultant. And he'll be skeptical of using Google to find a local result.

This is why the Service Area Business option exists.

Thank you for the hammer!

Hopefully it's a useful hammer! Google Business Profile support sucks, without a doubt, but as far as I can tell this should be resolveable.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

This is why the Service Area Business option exists.

All of your points are well taken and greatly appreciated.

The thing that is different from what you have said (quoted above) is Google has NO information to be helpful. Not only that, but when I ask POINT BLANK five times (or more) and get a canned response that ignores everything I've said - they are of NO help, and therefore NO value - whatsoEVER.

This is, ironically, after I spent two days figuring out and configuring their new analytics methodology. That was not fun, and it wasn't easy. But I did it and beat their self-imposed deadline of July 1st. All that work, and then they start in on a stupid signage issue. (I sent them four pages of 80 appraisers that all do things exactly the way I do. Did that matter? Matter - ha! It not only didn't matter - but it was ignored completely.)

I am going to attempt to resolve this using your GREAT advice. I really hope it gets resolved because I really don't want to go to war. If push comes to shove, I can survive without Google. Working with Google, of course, is a better course of action. But if I have to go to war, it is going to be a lot like the Russia Ukraine conflict. Russia - the big bad bully - has looked more and more like an idiot as time goes by - and, like that war, so is Google. I have decades to pound them, and I can align myself with much bigger forces and multiply my efforts. Ad infinitum. Who would have guessed Ukraine would be standing up the way they did? There's a lesson in there somewhere, right?

OK - rant off. Kind of worked up over losing, give or take, a few decades of progress in my business marketing presence. But that's just me...

 

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