In keeping with Google?s voracious appetite for development and change, Google Places changed in the past several weeks. This is notable news for anyone who is looking to build their online presence for their business or is searching for a business online?basically, everyone.
What was formerly Google Places is now Google+ Local. Before the change, Google Places was just a separate head on the hydra that is Google. A Places category was added to the list of search categories on the left-hand site of the page that would narrow down the search results to places. The Place search clustered what was once scattered information about a local business among various search results and grouped it onto a business? Places page. Search results with a Places page displayed a Places page link to the right of the listing.
The following is a screenshot of a Google Places page:
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Now, Google+ Local integrates Google?s local search into their social platform, Google+. Also integrated are Search and Maps. Google+ pages can be accessed not only by clicking ?Local? in the left-hand column of a user?s Google+ page and searching but also from a simple local search in Google Search or Maps. Google Maps for mobile means that Google+ Local can be used from an Android (and soon iOS) device as well. To get to a business? Google+ page, a user now clicks on the link to its reviews or (if it has none) the ?Google+ page? link.
?The new Google+ Local page:
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By integrating local search with Google+, the new Google+ Local allows users with a Google+ account to follow the business, much like Twitter or Facebook, or click the +1 to recommend the business.
The revamped Google+ Local page incorporates Zagat, following Google?s purchase of the company last year. Where once there were links on the local search results and Places page to CitySearch and other third-party sites to read reviews, along with a 1-5 star rating, now there is a score out of 30; Google has used the reviews compiled by Zagat to give this rating. In industries that don?t have Zagat reviews, they have converted the star ratings to a ?1-30? score. On the actual Google+ page itself, Google has streamlined the appearance and highlighted reviews and photos. Users will see that Zagat ratings are positioned highest on the page, located directly under the business? information and map. Following closely are reviews from Google users. Reviews from other sites have been pushed to the very bottom, with links showing only the web site name and the number of reviews.
Among the many cosmetic changes to the structure of the Places page is the addition of the ?Similar Places? footer on the Google+ page. Previously, a user would see a business? local competitors under the map for the business, shown above. However, users will now see several local businesses (and their Zagat reviews, if applicable) related to the Google+ page they are currently browsing, located directly below the reviews under the header ?Similar Places.?
To learn what this change to Google Places means for your business and online presence , check back: we?ll be writing about the importance of reviews and photos on your Google+ Local page.
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