Is that really Google calling?

We talk to a lot of local business owners. As soon as we introduce ourselves as independent photographers who work with Google we always get asked the same question - 

'Why does Google call me 5 times a day asking for money?!'

There are generally two types of these calls. The first one usually starts out as a recording saying something scary like -

"Your Google listing is about to expire. Hold on to talk to one of our representatives." 

Then if you are brave enough to wait on the line, someone picks up and tells you that you have to pay an absurd amount of money to keep your Google listing active. 

This is, of course, is a scam. These people do not work for Google. Your business listing never expires because you didn't pay for it in the first place. They are simple scammers just trying to get some money out of you. It's a shame that they use Google's name to do it because it's such an obvious lie, many business owners are developing negative feelings about Google.

The second type of call is more complex and can be harder to see through. There's usually a real person on the other end of the call who tells you that he can manage your Google listing and make sure your business is at the top of every search. They ask for a monthly payment in exchange for these services. These companies sometimes claim to be Google, but in reality they are Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies. 

Don't get me wrong. Optimizing your Google page and website for better search results can be a productive thing to do. There's a myriad of ways to do it and equally as many companies who claim that they can get you to the top of the search results. The danger is that SEO can only go so far and can never guarantee that your business makes it to the top. A lot of SEO companies out there are scammers who want to bill businesses monthly for doing practically nothing with mixed results at best. I've personally seen plenty of these companies. There are others out there who will give you SEO for your website as a one time cost. In my opinion these are a better option if you decide your businesses' website needs it. These companies are more honest and are probably not the ones calling you everyday.

So the next time the phone rings and someone claiming to be Google is on the other end, don't panic. Just tell them to take your business off their calling list and you'll be much better off.