Rogers, Minnesota Vanishes

Reports posted at Search Engine Roundtable yesterday say that the city of Rogers, Minnesota has literally disappeared from the map. Google Maps, that is. As the following screenshots show, a search for local business listings and even emergency services do not show up in when searching for them on Google local site. (Click on the graphic for a larger version).

While Google recognizes that Rogers, Minnesota does in fact exist, it places the city near Mankato, not just off I94, as Yahoo does:

Google Search for Rogers, MN - 03/30/10

You’re outta luck if you need to fill up your tank in Rogers:

Google Maps Search for Gas in Rogers, MN - 03/30/10

Or get a latte:

Google Maps Search for Coffee in Rogers, MN - 03/30/10

Or a bite to eat:

Google Maps Search for Restaurant in Rogers, MN - 03/30/10

And God forbid, you need help from the cops:

Google Maps Search for Police in Rogers, MN - 03/30/10

For the record: Yahoo! Local verifies that Rogers does indeed have a police department:

Yahoo Maps Search for Police in Rogers, MN - 03/30/10

While this glitch is amusing, the absence of local listings at Google could present significant loss of business if the problem persists. People are increasingly relying on local search in general and map search in particular to find businesses near them.

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