The article discusses a new scam targeting Google Business Profile listings. Scammers are moving the location pins on Google Maps to a different location, causing businesses to lose rankings and customers. The article explains why this is a problem and provides a solution to fix the issue. It involves logging into Google with an email address not connected to any Google Business Profile and using the "Suggest an edit" feature to correct the location pin. The article also stresses the importance of regularly checking your Google Business Profile for any changes made by others.

Google recently updated its web search spam policies to clarify what constitutes web spam and the tactics involved. The update highlights the site reputation abuse policy, specifically addressing the issue of close oversight or involvement in content creation. Google also revised several other sections of its search policies, including updates on link spam, machine-generated traffic, misleading functionality, and republishing content. These changes aim to improve search quality and ensure a fairer playing field for websites.

Google has officially disabled the Google Cache feature. Previously, users could view a cached version of a webpage by using the "cache:" operator in a Google search. However, this function has been retired, and Google has recommended alternative resources, such as the Wayback Machine and the URL Inspection tool within Google Search Console. The decision to remove the Google Cache was based on the assumption that today’s internet has significantly improved in terms of reliable website accessibility.

Google has recently implemented stricter verification requirements for its Local Services Ads program. These new requirements aim to reduce spam and ensure the authenticity of businesses advertising through the platform. Starting in November 2024, both business owners and featured professionals will need to pass an identity check to maintain their listings. The identity check process will be conducted by Google's partner, Evident, to verify the individuals' identities and ensure their affiliation with the advertised business. This measure serves to protect consumers from working with imposters and provides added security for legitimate businesses.

This article from the Search Engine Roundtable discusses Google's updated policy on fake reviews for Google Business Profiles. Google takes the issue of fake reviews very seriously, and businesses found to be in violation of this policy may face restrictions.

These restrictions may include:

• Being unable to receive new reviews for a certain time period
• Having existing reviews hidden for a certain time period
• Displaying a warning on their profile to inform users that fake reviews have been deleted

Previously, this policy only applied in the UK, but it appears Google is expanding it to other regions.