Google My Business Exposed: Scams and Fake Reviews

About this episode

In this episode, the team travels across Kozhikode conducting on-site audits of local businesses to examine their Google Business Profiles and local SEO setups. Joined by SEO experts Prasad Karthik and Dileep N along with branding specialist Minhaj Muhammed, the team visits restaurants, clothing boutiques, and leather craft workshops. They explore common mistakes made by offline business owners, including duplicate profile listings, missing contact details, unaddressed negative reviews, and lack of visual content. The discussion highlights the mechanics of Google Maps rankings, emphasising review velocity, recency, proximity, and relevance rather than mere review counts. Furthermore, the experts explain how evolving AI-powered search engines ingest web data, directory citations, and reviews to recommend businesses. They also shed light on prevalent scams involving fraudulent phone numbers inserted into unverified Google listings in tourist destinations like Kollur. The episode serves as a practical guide for business owners to protect their brand presence, maintain authentic engagement, and leverage digital tools for sustainable footfall and online discovery.

Key takeaways

1. 1Review velocity and recency matter more for Google Maps ranking algorithms than simply accumulating a large number of historic reviews.
2. 2Having duplicate listings on Google Maps divides customer reviews and traffic, which can severely dilute search authority and confuse potential visitors.
3. 3Local business owners must maintain primary ownership of their Google Business Profile rather than relying on third-party aggregators or booking platforms.
4. 4Promptly and professionally addressing negative reviews on Google Maps helps build customer trust and signals active engagement to search algorithms.
5. 5Ingesting rich descriptive copy, photos, and website links into a Google Business Profile optimises visibility across emerging AI search tools like Google Gemini and ChatGPT.
6. 6Gathering Google reviews in unnatural bursts or offering direct incentives violates platform policies and can trigger automated review removals.