I’ve realised that most businesses (even small kiosks) are seen on Google maps. Where and how do they get that information?
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You think that’s impressive, go look at OSM. You can practically navigate by chewing gum.
Every time my local river floods, and covers the small island in the middle, someone removes it within about 1 minute.
I’m a Google Local Guide, I continuously fix mistakes and add new data to Google about local businesses.
others are quite right that both business owners and community users can update that info.
I would like to add that local landline phone company has Yellow Pages directory, which google can get (maybe for a fee), and businesses generally do want to be listed in it. So even if users are not providing info, there is a way.
A couple of years ago I noticed that a place that had been a Jack in the Box and had been undergoing fairly extensive upgrades had a banner out: NOW HIRING – CHICK-FIL-A.
A quick check of Google Maps did not show it, just the old Jack in the Box with “*Permanently Closed*” next to it. Google IIRC had a button for “update this location?” or such so I added it. Guess others came along once it opened to add all the other info like hours of operation.
A few months later I got an email from Google that 500K users had looked at “my” entry. A few months after that it hit like 2 million and I got another email. Last one I got was for reaching 5 million views. It’s a little odd to realize that something you contributed to had been seen by millions of people and gave me an inkling of what it’s like to be famous albeit without any of those millions actually knowing it was me.
Either the business entered itself onto Google Maps, or the info is found by Google’s “web crawlers” or “spiders” – bots that scour the web for new information to index on their search engine.
They add them to google themselves? Doesn’t everyone do this? I had to add my business and verify it when they send you a postcard.
There are also companies like Yext that let a business manage all their public-facing brand info in that database, and then it syncs to all different kinds of search engines at once.
Local guide here, I got involved because I all over the place for my job and I love taking pictures. Google maps invited me.
And… when you visit a general area, Google will later ask you for info about your visit. I get asked to pin the front door location all the time.
As a small business owner, you want to be on the map. You join google business, verify your business and then bam! You’re on the map.
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