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!
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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