When a Competitor Tried to Hijack Pickman’s Google Business Profile, Local SEO Saved the Day
From almost hijacked GBP of a moving company, to a boost in calls and organic traffic
If you’ve ever thought, “Who even checks their Google Business Profile that often?”, this story might change your mind.
Nine months ago, Pickman, a trusted moving company with over a decade of experience in the industry, faced a situation they never saw coming. Someone was messing with their listing, subtly changing contact info and trying to reroute their hard-earned leads.
Turns out, it wasn’t a mistake. It was a competitor.
Spotting the Problem Before It Got Worse
When Pickman teamed up with us for local SEO, everything looked normal at first glance. But a deeper check of their Google Business Profile (GBP) revealed quiet changes: a slightly different phone number, a suspicious new website link, and inconsistent hours.
After some digging, it became clear… someone had tried to hijack their profile. It’s a dirty tactic, but it happens more often than you’d think.
We flagged it immediately, rolled back the changes, reported the manipulation, and began reinforcing their profile against future attacks.
Cleaning Up, Locking It Down, and Moving Forward
Once we had control back, we didn’t just hit “restore.” We rebuilt trust signals across the board:
- Updated their GBP with accurate, complete, and keyword-optimised info
- Re-submitted to key local directories to restore NAP consistency
- Tightened up website-GBP linking to make sure Google saw them as one solid, trustworthy entity
We also worked closely with their web developer to keep messaging, branding, and content aligned, because a disconnected site and profile can send mixed signals to both Google and customers.
The Results: More Calls, More Clicks, and a Safer Profile
Since then, Pickman hasn’t just recovered, but rather, they’ve grown.
The Google listing that was once under quiet attack now sits stronger than ever, bringing in more local visibility, more qualified traffic, and a noticeable uptick in phone calls and enquiries. And just as important: they know their online presence is being monitored and protected.
Why This Matters (and What We Learned)
This isn’t just a story about SEO. It’s about business security in a digital-first world. Your Google profile is often your first impression, and if someone else gains access or makes shady changes, you might not find out until the leads stop coming in.
Pickman didn’t expect a competitor to go that far. But they’re glad they had someone watching their back when it happened.
The Takeaway
If you’ve got a Google Business Profile but haven’t looked at it in weeks, you might be surprised what’s changed. And if you’re not actively working on your local SEO, someone else might be working against you.
We’re Llamarketing, a local SEO agency in Leicester. We help businesses across the UK build stronger visibility and keep it safe.
Need help securing or growing your local presence? Let’s chat. We’re here to help.