Google Places Is Over, Company Makes Google+ The Center Of Gravity For Local Search

[ed.brooks]

Nothing in WA that I can see yet.

Try clicking plus.google.com/local and then doing a search. It's a good preview of what the new SERP may look like.

 

[kevinfrye]

Kevin, I found this article that tries to explain the rating system.
https://support.google.com/local/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1723748&p=zagat_score

This particular article uses restaurants as an example. For other types of business, they offer this quote at the end of the article:
"When we don’t have enough user ratings on different aspects, we will just show an overall score. An overall score is comparable to a score in the primary aspect for a location, like food for restaurants."

The score for my dealership is a 21 out of 30, which puts us in the "very good to excellent" category.

Thanks Bill. It appears they are taking the Google 5 star score and creating an overall score number. I checked all of our stores and we rate from 25-28 so I am happy. However, I can also see more listings that need to be merged. I truly HOPE that a simpler solution will be in place to eliminate duplicate listings...

 

[JamieS]

Yep, ours looks like a + page but it seems that the only things that have transferred over are photos, map, and virtual tour.

 

[joe.pistell]

David Mihm uncovers a head scratcher

The Coolest +Local Feature No One’s Noticed? | Mihmorandum

"You can now review other businesses as a business on +Local."

 

[yagoparamo]

Try clicking plus.google.com/local and then doing a search. It's a good preview of what the new SERP may look like.
View attachment 1043

Thanks Ed,

This finally showed in my browser tonight just below the Google search box:

[SIZE=-1]New! Google+ Local. Discover places with the help of people you know.
[/SIZE]
I do find most interesting the push for Zagat reviews/information. Is this a strategy against Yelp? Is this an answer to too many business "rigging" Google reviews in their places pages?

I guess we are all going to learn how to 'Zagat' pretty soon...

 

[Bill Simmons]

Here is a great Q and A link from Mike Blumenthal who writes a blog about all things Google. It appears a Gmail account is no longer sufficient, our customers will have to be on Google+ to write a review. Here is what Mike says about the new reviews process.

[h=2]Reviews[/h]If a user just has a gmail account will they be able to write a review or must they also sign up for Google+?
They will need to sign up for Google +
So our customers are not able to leave reviews unless they are on Google+?
Yep, you need a Google+ account to write a review. See the help page.
Can reviewers leave anonymous reviews?
No. At this point it is real names only.
Is there any way to choose a nickname like we had in Places reviews?
No
Why am I not seeing the “Leave a Review” button?
These had been removed from the Places page in anticipation of this move and put on the new Google+Local page. If you are still not seeing the review button it is because you have landed on the old Place page which is still accesible.

Here is the link to the entire article:
Google + Local: Q’s and some A’s | Understanding Google Places & Local Search

Thanks to Ed Brooks for referring this blog to me here in another thread.

 

[ed.brooks]

Here is a great Q and A link from Mike Blumenthal who writes a blog about all things Google. It appears a Gmail account is no longer sufficient, our customers will have to be on Google+ to write a review. Here is what Mike says about the new reviews process.
Here is the link to the entire article:
Google + Local: Q’s and some A’s | Understanding Google Places & Local Search

Thanks to Ed Brooks for referring this blog to me here in another thread.

Mike Blumenthal is certainly my go-to resource for all things "Google Places". His blog is chock full of accurate, timely, and reliable information.

Bill, you point out some areas of concern and I go into a few of my concerns here: Is Google doing local retailers a favor with Google+ Local? Not Likely. Google is doing what it considers best for Google, which may not always be what's best for us.

 

[Bill Simmons]

Just discovered this and dissapointed to see that the new program will not have a local "offers" tab like our Places page did. We actually cashed quite a few of the service department coupons that we posted on our Places page each month.

Google+ Pages Contest and Promotion Policies

You may not run contests, sweepstakes, offers, coupons or other such promotions (“Promotion”) directly on your Google+ Page. You may display a link on your Google+ Page to a separate site where your Promotion is hosted so long as you (and not Google) are solely responsible for your Promotion and for compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations in the jurisdiction(s) where your Promotion is offered or promoted. Your Promotion must not be run or conducted in a way which conflicts with the +1 Button Policies, Privacy Policy or Google+ Pages Additional Terms of Service. Google has the right to remove your Promotion content from Google+ Page for any reason.

 

[Karen Ann]

Offers got taken away from Canadian local Places a while ago.
Bing also lacks in Canada... no local Bing!

 

[VVAuto1]

Whats a little disconcerning is reviews are from your google plus "page name", so mine would be my first and last name..... I was excited to write a review for my favorite pizza place last night until I saw my full name was going to appear everytime someone searched Pizza in Cleveland, OH. I hope google changes this policy to allow the nickname to show, otherwise it will discourage reviews.