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Unlocking Your Google Business Profile’s Secrets: The Power of Knowing Your CID

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

In the digital age, where your online presence is as crucial as your physical storefront, managing your Google Business Profile (GBP) has become an indispensable part of your marketing strategy. But there’s a small, often overlooked detail in the vast sea of digital identifiers that could hold the key to a smoother, more efficient management of your GBP: the Customer Identification Number, or CID.

Illustration that represents, in an abstract manner, the complexities of maintaining a Google Business Profile

What is a CID (in relation to Google Business Profile)?

The CID is akin to a digital fingerprint for your business on Google Maps. This unique identifier is not just a string of numbers; it’s a vital tool for troubleshooting and enhancing your business’s visibility on Google. Despite its significance, many business owners remain unaware of their own CID, mainly because Google does not readily disclose this information. Understanding and accessing your CID can empower you to swiftly resolve issues, such as missing reviews, by providing Google Support with a direct way to pinpoint your listing.

The Power of MapTrax

Imagine being able to proactively manage your Google Business Profile, safeguarding it against suspensions, unnoticed changes, and the myriad challenges that can emerge in the digital realm. That’s where Prospect Genius’s innovative solution, MapTrax, comes into play. MapTrax isn’t just about monitoring; it’s about giving you control and insight into your GBP like never before.

By logging your CID and keeping a vigilant eye on every aspect of your profile, MapTrax acts as your digital sentinel. Whether it’s changes to your business name, URL, phone number, or address, or even the threat of suspension, MapTrax alerts you at the first sign of trouble. This not only prevents potential penalties from Google but also ensures that your online advertising campaigns continue to drive momentum, unhampered by avoidable setbacks.

MapTrax embodies the adage, “forewarned is forearmed.” In a landscape where digital presence can make or break a business, having a tool that provides such comprehensive oversight is invaluable. It’s like having insurance for your online identity, one that saves you time, money, and the headache of navigating Google’s complexities on your own.

In conclusion, understanding your Google Business Profile’s CID and the broader dynamics of your online presence is no longer just an option—it’s a necessity for thriving in today’s market. With MapTrax, Prospect Genius offers you a solution that not only demystifies your CID but also provides a robust framework for managing your GBP efficiently and effectively. Take control of your digital footprint and ensure your business’s prosperity with MapTrax.

[Case Study] High End Appliance Care

Last Updated: February 16, 2024

Case Study

Recovering from a Negative Review Attack

This study illustrates how we helped an appliance repair company recover from an attack on their business’s reputation by removing fradulent reviews from their Google Business Profile.

Overview

  • A bad actor posted a slew of negative reviews to High End Appliance Care's Google Business Profile
  • High End Appliance Care's review score dropped significantly, below a 4/5
  • Prospect Genius stepped in and fought the fraudulent reviews
  • All fraudulent reviews were removed, and High End Appliance Care's reputation made a full recovery

Navigating the Storm of False Negative Reviews

In the competitive landscape of appliance repair, maintaining a stellar online reputation is crucial for attracting and retaining customers. High End Appliance Care, a reputable appliance repair service, faced an unprecedented challenge when a competitor deployed an army of bot accounts to tarnish their reputation on Google. Beginning on one June 15th, High End Appliance Care was bombarded with at least one falsified one-star review daily. This relentless attack lasted for nearly two weeks, severely impacting their overall score and public perception.

Illustration of an appliance repair shop being attacked by an onslaught of robots
A superhero surrounded by gold stars

Prospect Genius's Intervention with Google Review Star Saver

The situation looked grim as the company’s Google star rating plummeted below 4/5, casting a shadow over its credibility. The flood of negative reviews, all highlighting poor experiences, painted a misleading picture of the quality and reliability of High End Appliance Care’s services. It was at this critical juncture that Prospect Genius stepped in with our innovative Google Review Star Saver service.

We at Prospect Genius began a meticulous process of combating the false negative reviews. Our team worked closely with Google’s moderators, challenging each review’s legitimacy while adhering to Google’s stringent review policies. The effort was a testament to the importance of perseverance and effective communication in digital reputation management.

Achieving a Milestone: Removal of False Reviews

The turnaround began on July 5th, when the majority of the negative reviews were removed, thanks to the relentless efforts of the Prospect Genius team. This significant cleanup boosted High End Appliance Care’s rating back to an impressive 4.7/5. However, not content with just a partial victory, we continued to advocate on our client’s behalf. Our dedication paid off in October when the last of the falsified reviews were successfully removed, culminating in a triumphant restoration of High End Appliance Care’s online reputation.

A Triumphant Return to a Shining Reputation

As of the writing of this case study, High End Appliance Care boasts a near-perfect 4.9/5 star rating on their Google Business Profile, with a total of 131 Google Reviews. This remarkable recovery not only highlights the resilience and dedication of both High End Appliance Care and Prospect Genius but also showcases the effectiveness of the Google Review Star Saver service in navigating the complexities of online reputation management.

A Testament to Effective Online Reputation Management

This case study serves as a powerful example for small businesses facing similar challenges, demonstrating that with the right strategies and support, it is possible to overcome malicious attempts to damage one’s online reputation. Prospect Genius’s Google Review Star Saver service stands as a beacon of hope for businesses aiming to protect and enhance their digital presence in an increasingly online world.
Screenshot of High End Appliance Care's Google reviews

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Embracing AI for Your Small Business: A Practical Guide

Last Updated: February 8, 2024

In today’s fast-paced business world, staying ahead often means embracing the latest technologies. One such innovation transforming the landscape is the use of AI assistants, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs). Some popular tools you may have heard of that use LLM technology include ChatGPT and Google Bard. For small business owners, AI tools can be a game-changer, offering efficient ways to handle various tasks. Let’s dive into how AI can streamline your operations, even if you’re new to the world of artificial intelligence.

A man at a desk dictating instructions to an assistant. In the background, there is a large illustration of a browser window displaying an AI ChatBot

    1. Drafting and Editing Emails: An AI assistant can significantly speed up your email correspondence. Whether it’s drafting initial emails or editing responses, AI can help compose clear, concise, and professional messages. This tool can save you precious time, especially when dealing with high volumes of daily emails.
    2. Social Media Management: Creating engaging content for social media can be time-consuming. An AI tool can assist in drafting posts, from promotional messages to general updates, ensuring your social media presence is consistent and engaging. Additionally, AI can help craft thoughtful responses to comments or reviews, maintaining your brand’s voice and customer service standards.
    3. Product Descriptions for Ecommerce: For ecommerce businesses, compelling product descriptions are crucial. AI can help generate unique, detailed descriptions for your products, tailored to highlight key features and appeal to your target audience. This not only saves time but can also enhance the quality of your online listings.
    4. Organizing Data: Small business owners often deal with vast amounts of data, from customer details to sales figures. AI tools are adept at organizing and making sense of this data, providing insights that can help in decision-making and strategy development.
    5. Summarizing Long Texts: Need to understand a lengthy report or document quickly? AI assistants can summarize long texts, distilling key points and conclusions. This feature is particularly useful for staying on top of industry reports, research, or lengthy email threads.
    6. Powering AI Chatbots for Customer Service: AI chatbots can revolutionize how you handle customer service. These chatbots are available 24/7, providing instant responses to customer inquiries, which can significantly enhance customer experience. At Prospect Genius, we offer customized AI chatbot solutions tailored to small businesses, ensuring your customers always have access to timely and helpful support. If you’re interesting in adding one of these bots to your small business’s website, give us a call!

A Word of Caution: While AI assistants like ChatGPT are powerful tools, it’s essential to use them wisely. Always remember that the information provided by AI is not infallible and should not be taken as objective fact. Additionally, never share sensitive personal information with AI tools to ensure your data’s security and privacy.

Illustration of people holding up an ascending line graph

Final Thoughts: Balancing AI and Human Insight in Business

AI assistants can be incredibly beneficial for small business owners, offering time-saving solutions across various aspects of business operations. Whether it’s handling emails, managing social media, or enhancing customer service through AI chatbots, the potential of AI to boost efficiency is immense. As you explore these AI-driven opportunities, remember to use them as a complement to your business acumen, always keeping a critical eye on the information they provide. Remember, in the world of AI, the possibilities are vast, but a human touch remains irreplaceable.

Unlocking New Opportunities: Updates to Google Business Profile You Need to Know

Last Updated: February 8, 2024

Hello there to our community of small business champions!

We at Prospect Genius are back with some hot-off-the-press insights, and this time, we’re zooming in on the Google Business Profile platform— one of the many keys to your small business’s online success!

Illustration featuring a potential customer seated at a desk with a computer. The screen of the computer shows a search engine. The results display a list of nearby businesses, all highlighted in light green and gold. Abstract patterns and icons float around, emphasizing the importance of online search for local businesses.

1. Celebrating Diversity with New Attributes

Google is on a mission to make the business world more inclusive and accessible, and they’re doing it by introducing “disabled-owned” and “indigenous-owned” attributes to Google Business Profiles. These join the existing lineup of “black-owned,” “LGBT-owned,” and “women-owned” attributes. This is your chance to showcase your business’s unique identity, and connect with customers who are looking to support diverse communities. It’s a simple, self-assigned tag that can make a world of difference in establishing a personal connection with your customers.

2. Searching Near and Far

In a world that’s constantly on the move, your customers’ location can change in a heartbeat. Google knows this, and that’s why they’re giving users the option to search based on their “precise location” as gathered by GPS data, or an “estimated location” as gathered by past user behavior. For businesses like plumbing services, appliance repair, or junk hauling, this means customers who are just around the corner or planning a move can find you with ease, making sure you’re connecting with the right clientele at the right time. This is one of the many reasons it’s important to make sure the location data on your Google Business Profile is 100% accurate— if it’s not, you could be missing out on leads!

3. Social Media Integration

Your Google Business Profile is becoming more sociable than ever! Now, you can flaunt your social media prowess right on your profile. This is a game-changer for businesses looking to showcase their brand personality, recent projects, or customer testimonials. It’s about creating a holistic image of your business, giving potential customers a sneak peek into what makes you unique, and why they should choose you.

4. Streamlined Booking Experience

For businesses utilizing third-party booking software, things just got a whole lot smoother. With the new “Book Online” button feature, customers can seamlessly book your services right from your Google Business Profile, through integrations with 200+ platforms including but not limited to HouseCallPro, Square Appointments, Wix, and Yelp. This not only streamlines the booking process but also opens up new avenues for customer interaction and conversion. If you use a third-party booking software, you should certainly consider capitalizing on this new feature! You can view a list of booking services compatible with Reserve with Google here.

Illustration in the corporate memphis style, dominated by a light, blue-toned green and gold color scheme. It showcases a small business owner sitting at a desk, focused on a computer screen that displays a website dashboard. Next to them, a mobile phone stands on the desk, showing notifications of online orders and reviews. Golden geometric shapes and green abstract patterns float around, symbolizing the digital growth and online presence of the business.

5. A Smarter Way to Search

Google is all about creating intuitive, user-friendly experiences, and their new UI feature is no exception. Introducing an expandable list of business categories related to user searches, this update means that if a customer searches for “appliances,” they’ll be greeted with a comprehensive list including categories like “appliance repair service,” “appliance parts supplier,” and more. This ensures that your business gets found under the right category, increasing visibility to the most relevant audience.

At Prospect Genius, we’re here to help you navigate these exciting updates and ensure your Google Business Profile is optimized to perfection. Our team of experts is ready to guide you through every step, helping you unlock the full potential of your online presence.

Remember, your success is our success, and we’re just a phone call away. Let’s make the digital world work for you!

Is Your Google Business Profile Really Suspended? Beware Of This New Scam

Last Updated: February 8, 2024

In today’s digital landscape, bad actors are continually crafting new strategies to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals. Small businesses, with their heavy dependence on platforms like Google to boost their online visibility, find themselves in the crosshairs of these deceptive tactics unfortunately often. One such scam involves fraudsters posing as Google representatives, falsely alerting businesses that their Google Business Profile has been suspended. As a small business owner, you’ve likely been on the receiving end of one of these spam calls lately. It’s essential for businesses to understand this scam and spot these attempts quickly. In today’s blog post, we’ll fill you in on this all-too-common scam, advise you on how to identify legitimate calls from Google, and give you more tips for protecting your business’s online reputation.

Smartphone in hand, showing incoming call from unknown caller

Understanding the Scam’s Context

As a small business owner, we’re sure you understand the importance of maintaining an active Google Business Profile for your business. Google is, by far, the most popular search engine among American consumers, so it’s key to ensure that your business is visible on the platform. Scammers, too, have realized the deep trust many place in Google. This trust, combined with the significance of online visibility for businesses, creates a fertile ground for deceit. Small businesses, often lacking dedicated IT teams or comprehensive cybersecurity measures, become prime targets for such scams.

How the Scam Works

The scam begins with a phone call, typically automated, alerting the business owner that their Google Business Profile has been suspended due to suspicious activity. The caller may introduce themselves as a representative from Google and press the urgency of the situation, emphasizing the potential loss of customers.

The objective? It varies. The scam might be a ruse to get the business owner to divulge sensitive information, such as login credentials, or to pay a fee to have their profile “reinstated.” It’s manipulative, leveraging the fear of losing potential customers.

Should a business fall for this ruse, the repercussions are vast. Direct financial loss from fees paid to the scammer is just the start. If the scammer is able to manipulate you in to handing over access credentials, they could completely hijack your business profile. From there, they could alter details on your profile, potentially sending your leads to a competitor. They could even just delete your profile altogether, costing you all of your hard-earned reviews! Needless to say, the reputational damage from such intrusions can be long-lasting.

Confused man

Is Your Profile Actually Suspended? Verify Before You Act

Before panicking, there’s a straightforward way to ascertain the status of your Google Business Profile:

  1. Login to Google: Head over to Google and ensure you’re signed in to the correct account linked with your Google Business Profile.
  2. Access the Manager: Navigate to the Google Business Profile Manager. This is your command center for all things related to your business’s Google presence.
  3. Check the Status: Once in the Profile Manager, look for notifications or alerts. If your profile was genuinely suspended, this is where Google would notify you.

Will Google Ever Call You Regarding Your Business Profile?

It’s important to note that Google rarely cold calls small businesses. If there is a genuine problem with your Google Business Profile, they will likely alert you via email. Direct calls from Google representatives are exceedingly rare, though they can happen. It’s essential to discern between legitimate communications from Google and a scam. Here are some tips to help you make this distinction:

  • Authentic Google calls will typically originate from a (650) area code, signaling their Mountain View, CA base.
  • A real Google representative will never request direct payment, press aggressive sales, or push for immediate actions under threat.
    • Remember that Google Business Profiles are completely free! No Google representative should ever request payment to list your business on their platform.
  • Unsolicited calls from Google, when legitimate, tend to be benign. They may call you in order to verify simple details on your business profile, such as your operating hours.

Two women at desk in office

Our Final Word: Stay Safe and Informed

The digital realm, while rife with marketing opportunities for small businesses, has its fair share of dangers. It’s vital to approach unsolicited communication with a dose of skepticism, especially if it’s a cold call asserting affiliation with Google.

Remember, if you’re concerned that your Google Business Profile has been suspended, always verify directly through your Google account before taking any actions. And, if you’re ever in doubt about online scams or the status of your Google Business Profile, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Prospect Genius. We’re here to assist and ensure your online business presence remains secure and flourishing.

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