FreeYour site + emailAbout 45 min
Let Owners Claim and Fix Their Listing
Every listing needs a way for the owner to say it is theirs, fix what is wrong, or ask to be removed. This is how bad data gets cleaned up.
Why This Matters
We had a form on our own course site that returned a 405 error after a host move. Nothing was captured, and the visitor saw no error. A claim form can fail the same way, and owners will think you ignored them. Test with a real submission.
✓ How To Do It
- Add a Claim this listing button and a Report a problem link to every listing page. Put a Remove this listing link next to them.
- Build the claim form with name, role, business email, phone and a message. Keep it short.
- Prove the person controls the business. Send a code to the phone number on the listing, or to an email at the business's own web domain. Do not accept a free webmail address alone.
- Once confirmed, let the owner edit hours, phone, description, services and photos they own. Show the changed date on the page.
- Do not let an owner buy, sort or hide their way above others. A claim fixes facts and does nothing else.
- Send every form submission to a real inbox that a person reads. Open the page, submit a real test claim, and watch it arrive. Do this again after any host or DNS change.
- Answer every claim and removal within two business days. Removals follow Take It Down When Asked.
- If you email owners to tell them they are listed, include a real postal address, a clear opt out, and honor it. Do not text them cold.
Done WhenA claim, report and remove link on every listing, plus a screenshot of a real test submission arriving in an inbox.
Reference List
Tips & Pitfalls
- A 200 response does not mean the form worked. Check that the message landed.
- Keep a log of claims and removals with dates.
- Never pressure an owner to claim. A listing they ignore stays accurate and plain.