🌴 A Note From The Jungle
This week we check in on reinstatement request response times and how Google continues to put Local Services Ads at the forefront of the local search experience.
🦍 Ask GMB Gorilla
Hey GMB Gorilla…is Google support responding any faster to profile reinstatements these days?
Howdy human! This is a question we get asked more than any other these days. It’s partly because Google support is often a black hole once you submit information and also because there’s so much conflicting information online. The reality is Google support response times for profile reinstatements fluctuate and are often period specific.
Google support response times are better than they were to start this year when we were routinely seeing first responses take over four weeks. Right now we are seeing more reinstatement responses within two weeks than at any point this year, however, we do see a small set of outliers that are still taking a month or more. These are usually for profiles in sensitive categories and multi-location service area businesses.
A higher percentage of reinstatement requests are being resolved inside two weeks from submission as well and we are seeing a lot more one week turnarounds which is always nice. These turnaround times for reinstatement are more inline with what we traditionally saw before the slow down late last year and at the start of this year.
We’re also seeing success resubmitting reinstatement requests that have lagged on without a response for more than 8 weeks. We have normally stuck to Google’s one ticket per issue guideline, but after growing frustration we decided to resubmit a few. We noticed Google allowed us to create a new reinstatement even though one was previously opened for the location and never closed. These are getting responses in the 1-2 week turnaround.
For now, Google Support has been much more responsive than the first 1/3 of the year. Hopefully this continues (and maybe gets better 🤞🏻), but remember it’s still best to ensure your profile is compliant so you can avoid this all together.
🌴 Jungle Watch
Google continues to emphasize Local Services Ads (LSA) in the search experience
Google LSAs are often confused for traditional GBP listings especially on mobile
Google gives prime position to LSAs: Google has been experimenting with various LSA units over the years and today the experience on mobile makes it hard to distinguish them from regular GBP listings, even with the sponsored label. Even when clicking to see more businesses in the local pack, the next page is a full screen of LSAs. Given how much traffic comes from mobile these days, this is an eye opener for some who aren’t regularly searching.
Google is makes clicking LSAs easier: Google makes most of their money from ads and making them easier to click is a win for them. LSA units usually include multiple ways to engage with the business, as well as multiple images, ensuring they get a much higher click through rate than plain Google Business Profiles shown below.
Google is enabling new LSA functionality: We continue to see Google enable new functionality in the ad unit, such as the ability for users to get a quote from four providers, that is more helpful to users than a list of businesses with ratings and reviews. Most users want multiple quotes, so it makes a ton of sense that people searching would use this frequently to save time.
While we still see growth ahead for GBPs, LSAs are becoming more and more a must have to ensure proper visibility in the local SERPs. Given their high placement on results pages, the business finder, and maps, alongside useful features, you’re missing out on a potential lead source by avoiding them. If available in your area and category, you should consider launching a campaign soon to create a power 1-2 punch alongside your GBP.
🍌 Banana Bites
Google cuts off top 100 rank tracking using the result parameter 🕵️ Search Engine Roundtable
Google’s August spam update is now completely rolled out after 27 days ☑️ Search Engine Land
More businesses frustrated at Google over suspended profiles. 🙈 K5 NBC
🆘 Need GBP Help?
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GBP Reinstatement Service
Recently suspended? Reinstatement rejected? Let us swing in to help!
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Did You Know? Adult males are called silverbacks due to the white hair that grows on their backs starting around age 14 🦍
Till next time,