'Net Features : Google Places

New Google Places for Business Dashboard

Pete Prestipino — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:00:00 GMT

Last week, Google revealed a new look, feel and (most importantly) functionality for its Google Places for Business dashboard.

The changes will roll out over the next few weeks, but let’s take a closer look to see what all the buzz is about.

What’s most interesting about the updated platform is that it features far better integration with Google products. For example, local business owners can now take advantage of social features like sharing photos, video or posts from within the dashboard. Those businesses using Adwords Express and Google Offers can manage their ads and promotions from within the dashboard as well. Plus, users can even check results and make edits directly from the dashboard.

Google noted that it may continue to moderate changes to ensure the “highest quality local experience,” but most edits made through the interface will now appear on Google Maps and within Google’s suite of other services within 48 hours.

Google Updates Local Listing Guidelines

Michael Garrity — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:25:00 GMT

Google has updated its local business listing guidelines to include support for individual departments within hospitals, universities, local governments and, of course, businesses; that is, as long as each department has a unique phone number and “forward-facing presence.” This means that, for instance, a large clothing store’s Men’s Department can now be listed on Google separately from the rest of the store.

Some readers may remember that this “new” policy is actually a return to an original Google policy that changed around a year ago, and it should open up many opportunities for multi-department businesses.

In addition, this update will formalize a policy that has existed in Google Places, but not MapMaker, that officially allows practitioners with several offices/locations to have a unique listing for each one; however, they’re only listed for the hours that the practitioner is actually present and “directly contactable” at a specific location. Individual practitioners must also be public-facing about their relationships to their parent organizations. If these rules aren’t followed, the listing(s) could be rejected for non-compliance.

Bing and Yelp Team Up to Take on Google Places

Michael Garrity — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:00:00 GMT

Last week, Microsoft’s Bing search engine announced a huge partnership with user review and recommendations site Yelp that could help position both companies to overthrow their common nemesis, Google, and its Google Places service, in particular.

Local businesses will likely benefit from this pairing, as it gives them an alterative or additional way to present their companies on a search engine and to increase exposure without relying solely on Google. In addition, having a Yelp listing could now get a business that is not currently in Bing’s database added to Bing Local, although this isn't a guarantee.

It should be noted that Bing is only using Yelp content from six different business categories: restaurants, arts and entertainment, beauty and spas, home services, shopping and local services. Right now, only about 30 percent of the business listings on Bing use Yelp content.

For the foreseeable future, the search engine will be using three types of Yelp content in its business listings: review snippets, business attributes and photos. The content is laid out with the attributes first (labeled as “Features”), Yelp photos interspersed with other images Bing has of the business and Yelp review snippets below the pictures.

However, while Bing will acquire basic business information like names, addresses and phone numbers from Yelp – mostly to ensure that it is showing reviews for the correct business – the data shown in its local listings will still come from the Bing Business Portal, InfoUSA and standard Web crawls, among others, so simply having a Yelp presence won’t replace the need to work with these sources.

While the partnership will only partially impact Bing Local business listings for the time being, I would expect to see deeper and more complex integration between the two services sooner than later.

Google Places Delays and Bugs

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Over the past few weeks, Web marketers concentrating in the local space have been bemoaning the slow rate at which it takes Google Places to update description data as well as several other system bugs such as the service reporting it does not support certain locations.

Corrective measures have apparently been taken however, as Google announced a new update cycle which should result in updated data appearing in a few days and photos and videosabout a week according to this forum post.

Google indicated that newly verified listings (including bulk updates) will take a few days, as will updated attributes such as business titles, address, website URLs, pin marker moves, categories and descriptions. Local Web marketers will continue to see several week delays for more significant issues such as merging and duplicate listings.

Do note that if you are waiting for a listing to go live after you make a claim, Google’s system will indicate it does not support the location during the waiting period.

Google Search Improves the View for Local Businesses

Michael Garrity — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:00:00 GMT

As the pace of the Web gets even faster and more users start to access the Internet while they're on-the-go, it's important that they have as much necessary information readily available as possible. Some recent improvements to Google search aim to aid those busy users conducting searches for local businesses.

The basis of these changes is a desire to "make it a lot easier and faster to answer" questions about local restaurants, hotels, businesses, landmarks, museums and more.

Google understands how people search and has clearly noted that most users will either search for a specific location in order to find out more about it or take the more general approach in order to compare potential establishments in a loosely-defined location. In an effort to make these common searches more meaningful for consumers and businesses alike, Google has enhanced the look of its SERPs for local businesses and/or industries.

Now, a search for a local business will bring up more than just the old standby results page that sends users to the business' website, because now there is a new panel to the right of the results. The familiar map showing the location of the business still exists, but now there is addtional information to supplement the search. The most immediately noticable difference is a series of pictures below the map.

These pictures will virtually transport searchers right to the restaurant using Google Maps' "street view" feature. And not only do users get the opportunity to view the exterior of the building to see the area, but they will also be able to get an inside view of the establishment, which is especially helpful for users looking for a certain atmosphere in a bar or restaurant.

In addition, there is a link to the business' Google Places page, but users practically don't even need to go there (unless they're highly interested in reading reviews) because below the map and pictures is a new "Details" section, which doles out helpful information like price range, hours of operation, nearest transit and more. It even offers links to "more reviews" from other websites.

When users search for a type of business in an area, as opposed to a specific business, Google has made it considerably easier to compare their options with a simple scan of the SERP. Simply hovering over the ">>" symbol to the right of each option listed will bring up the same level of detail found when conducting business-specific searches.

While these changes are very useful for customers, they could be even better for businesses. Before, there had to be a heavy focus on SEO in order to stand out among the competition on Google's SERPs, but as the search giant becomes increasingly local business-friendly, it will become easier to appeal to potential customers with a strong Places profile.

Of course, this doesn't count out the need for strong SEO practices (after all, you still have to earn your way onto Google's SERPs to begin with), but it does give businesses an opportunity to differentiate themselves from their local competition in a manner more suited to the way that consumers search. Obviously, the information readily available to searchers will depend on how much the businesses put online, so it is crucial that you optimize your Places profile and provide as much important information as you can to help you stand out and promote your unique message to potential customers.

Google Tags Now Available for Local Biz

Pete Prestipino — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:17:00 GMT

Google officially rolled out its Google Tags product this morning and it's one of the most significant (and meaningful) changes to the local search advertising landscape in a very long time.

"Tags" are simply yellow "markers" that allow business owners to promote certain aspects of their businesses. For example, a flower shop could use a tag to showcase a website link to specials or a restaurant could use a tag to feature a link to daily menu specials. Take a look at the results page for a search for "plumber 60618" at the end of this post.

To use Google Tags, a Google Places accuont needs to be created and business information completed and claimed. Once the listing is validated, tags can be activated on the dashboard. Tags are currently available in all 50 U.S. states.

Keep in mind that Tags do not affect the rank of search results. They do however add more information to a listing and help it stand out when it appears in natural search results. The cost of this added exposure? That's the best part. Tags are budget friendly - for a flat $25 monthly fee.

Google Expanding Tag Advertising, Adding Features

Linc Wonham — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:30:00 GMT

Google has added 11 U.S. cities to the tag advertising component of its revamped local business program, Google Places. The new locations are San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, San Diego, Austin, San Jose, Boulder, Colo., and Mountain View, Calif.

For $25 per month, local businesses in these cities can incorporate photos, coupons or other information for customers into yellow tags that are highlighted on their listings on Google and Google Maps. A Google representative said that the company is anticipating quick feedback on the product while it works on new features.

One of those features is said to be an additional tag enabling local businesses to further highlight timely events and limited-time offers in customized messages that will appear on the listings. Google also plans to be expanding tag advertising to new locations in the near future. Businesses in the cities listed can join the program through their Google Places accounts.