I am having trouble finding a specific place using the findplacefromtext. This is the place I am trying to look up via API:
UnderDog Property Services https://goo.gl/maps/WFPU2gca2LbVCxFeA
However, no matter what search term I provide, I can't seem to find the place. Do you have any tips on how to construct a query to find the place?
curl --location 'https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/findplacefromtext/json?input=UnderDog%20Property%20Services&inputtype=textquery&key=<>&fields=formatted_address%2Cplace_id%2Cname&language=en'
I tried to experiment with locationbias
but no joy.
Upon checking, it seems that UnderDog Property Services is registered as a Service Area Business (SAB) without a physical address. As you can see in Google Maps Web App that it shows an area instead of a specific location:
The Places API is designed to enable developers to help users find relevant places to visit. As Service Area Businesses serve an area, rather than a physical location customers visit to conduct business, they are not included in the Places API. As a result, you will be unable to use the Places API with Service Area Businesses.
If this is your business, and if your business serves customers at your business address, you can add that address in Google My Business. You can consult the following Google My Business Help Center article for more information about this topic: https://support.google.com/business/answer/9157481.
With that said, this is currently an Intended Behavior, but there is a public feature request to change it: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/35828187 (Support service area businesses).
As per the issue link, one Googler mentioned a few years ago that:
Status: Won't Fix (Intended Behavior)
The Places API team has reviewed this feature request and decided against including Service Area Businesses results in API responses.
Places API mission is to enable developers to help users find relevant places to visit. Since Service Area Businesses are not places users can visit, and therefore do not belong in the Places API.
The ability to find Service Area Businesses have been removed from https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/places-placeid-finder to be consistent with the funtionality generally available in the Places API. Google My Business users can still find Place IDs for their Service Area Businesses using a dedicated PlaceID Lookup Tool at https://developers.google.com/my-business/content/tools/placeid-lookup
We do acknowledge there is demand for this feature and will look into accommodating it in the future. To this end, we would appreciate if you shared specific use cases and business needs that this feature would enable for you.
So what I would suggest also is for you to star the issue to get relevant updates or post your use case and upvote it to support the feature request.
I hope this helps!